Christmas Conquers Fear

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Everyone feels afraid at some point in their lives, whether it’s a gnawing, anxious feeling or a paralyzing phobia. Even positive changes, like a marriage or a promotion, can prompt feelings of fear.  Almost  every day I meet and pray with people who are afraid or anxious. Perhaps they fear failure or rejection, or concern for how others view them. Perhaps they fear losing a loved one, issues from their past, a lack of money, disease, pain, or even fears of Christmas.

Surprisingly enough, the very first Christmas was surrounded in fear. When an angel of the Lord first appeared before Mary, the angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”… Mary was greatly troubled(frightened) at his words…  But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.  You will conceive & give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great & will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”(Luke 1:28-33)

As the great angel of the Lord began to speak to her, Mary’s “fear” had to have been overwhelming! And yet, in his bold pronouncement of the forthcoming Savior, Mary’s fear was replaced almost immediately with “Joy”.  What a powerful hope was instilled by the angel’s proclamation. A promise of astounding and phenomenal “joy” !

When angels appeared before the shepherds proclaiming the birth of Christ, they too were afraid.  In fact the Bible says they were terrified. “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:8-11)

Following this pronouncement, a company of angels appeared praising God and rejoicing:

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

The shepherds “fear” quickly changed to great “joy” and exultation.

My very first memories of Christmas center on a fearful, defenseless young girl, hopeless and abused, helpless to change the horrible situations around her. For me Christmas was a season of enhanced fears, shattered dreams, and broken promises. By God’s grace, my grandfather’s prayers changed my life and instilled in me joy and hope, as he shared stories of Jesus’ birth and His unending love for me.

The Christmas story reminds us that Jesus came to remove all fear. In fact, “Fear not!” is the most repeated command in the Bible. Lloyd Ogilvie in his book Facing the Future without Fear stated that there are 366 “Fear nots” in the Bible, one for every day of the year, including Leap Year!  How like our Father to not want us to go a single day without hearing his word of comfort, “Fear not!”

For that reason, we must push ourselves beyond the worldly hustle and bustle of the season, and set our sights on the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas triumphs over fear; it vanquishes fear and defeats it for all time. With great “joy” we rejoice in our Savior, Jesus Christ, who protects us, delivers us and is our eternal hope.

What gift will you give Christ this Christmas season? How about one soul for the kingdom? Ask Him. Be expectant and go forth. Oh, that we would pray and seek a soul as arduously as we seek an item at a Christmas sale! I pray the Lord will encourage you to share His “joy” this Christmas season. Be intentional, be bold and share the gift of Christ. I thank the Lord for my grandfather who by God’s grace helped me conquer my fear with the “joy” of the Lord…

Go and do likewise!

“Fear Not” my friends ….“Joy” is here! Rejoice in Him and Share Him!

Merry Christmas one and all!

Learn of Me

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Recently the Lord really spoke to me about praying for our discipline in Him and the necessity of coming together in study with all diligence and prayer.
Jesus said, “Come unto Me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me” (Matthew 11:28-29,KJV). Christ tells us very plainly: “Do not attempt to take on a walk with Me until you are at rest in your soul!”

If you do not have full confidence in Christ, His yoke will not be easy or light. On the contrary, you will spend your time striving in the flesh to please Him. You will be tossed to and fro, living with unnecessary guilt and shame.

I believe the key to this verse lies in the words “learn of me.” Jesus is speaking here of the discipline of learning who He is and what He accomplished on the cross. He is saying, “You must have a knowledge of what I have done for you. Then, once your soul is at rest, you can take on My yoke. So, learn of Me!”
The word “learn” is written in a progressive tense, meaning on-going and continual. The inference is that we will never learn all there is to know of Christ, at least not on this earth, and that we can never study the word of God too much.
Financial investments are frequently lost, relationships are sometimes lost, but no investment in the Kingdom is ever lost…
Jesus says, Learn of me !    So I ask you friends, how can we ever say no to Him!

Speak To Your Mountains

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The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. (Revelation 6:14 NIV)
The fact that the entire sky receded or moved apart like a scroll and every mountain and island on the earth was moved from its normal positioning is both shocking and unbelievable in the natural realm. And yet, such is the awesome power of our God!

When I was a young woman in my twenties, I was continually sick with strep throat. In fact one year I had strep throat seven different times in seven months. At the time we were a struggling young couple with little income and no insurance. Spending money to go to the doctor was quite a sacrifice; groceries or medicine that was always the question. And now, frustratingly, here I was again with another case of strep throat. What to do? The doctor had recommended the removal of my tonsils some time ago, but lack of insurance had quickly ended that alternative. Frustrated I went to the bathroom mirror, opened my mouth widely, and peered inside. White pockets were visible on the right side of my throat and I noticed that swallowing was nearly unbearable. Not again I thought, as I sighed and sat down on the bed. Tears began to trickle down my cheeks and after a little while, seeking comfort, I pulled out my Bible and began to read. My eyes scanned the page and fell promptly on Mark 11:23 (KJV):

‘For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”

The words on the page seemed to pop out at me and I hastily read them over and over again. Everything happened so quickly that I didn’t have time to allow the doubts of the world to enter my mind or to listen to the doubts or concerns of others. I just dared to believe what the Word of God stated and what I had just read. I eagerly sat up in the center of my bed, Indian style at that, and began speaking aloud to God. I began to tell Him what I know He already knew:

“Father I have little to no money, a newborn baby, and I have had strep throat seven times in seven months. However, I know that You can heal me according to Your Word and I am asking you to heal me now by the power of your Spirit.”

I repeated the scripture, Mark 11:23, over and over again aloud, in belief and in desperation. Suddenly I felt a gentle nudge and realized that my body was falling back on the bed. A warm rush of heat flushed the right side of my throat and I knew instantly that I had been healed. I sat up quickly and ran to the bathroom mirror with my mouth opened wide. The white pockets that were lining my throat were gone! They had disappeared! I swallowed multiple times with no pain at all and then began rejoicing, weeping and praising the Lord.

Since receiving that special healing touch from God, I have never had strep throat again. In fact, I have even managed to keep my tonsils as well. That experience opened me to a new realm of belief that has allowed me to experience multiple healings throughout my life by the Spirit of God, for myself and for many others. God moved a mountain for me that day and I don’t know exactly all the reasons why. But this much I do know, God showed me His glory that day and He showed me that He is true to His Word and He wants us to dare to believe!

Many believers spend time praying to God about their mountain. They describe the mountain in full detail to God. They inform God of the exact dimensions of the mountain. They even cry and moan to God about what a hindrance or impossibility the mountain is in their life.

Some people use the “mountain” as an excuse for nonperformance in their Christian life. Other people make up doctrines and traditions about God, to justify why the mountain is still in their life. Repositioning mountains or islands on the earth as stated in Revelation 6:14; this is nothing for Our God. The creator who made the earth could certainly choose to relocate mountains or islands or any parts He chooses. His power is endless and His Word is always true! I believe that God is just waiting for us to come in His authority and to speak to the mountains in our own life and to tell them to be removed!
So speak to your Mountains my friends!

And Dare to Believe!

A Prayer for Indestructible Daughters Across The Globe

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A Prayer for Indestructible Daughters Across The Globe:

1. Father, as your daughters may we have a deep desire to listen to You and to pray often, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” (Joshua 5:14b).
2. May your daughters learn early in life that to obey You, Father, is the best way to the life their hearts truly desire (1 Samuel 15:22).
3. Father may your daughters find comfort in Your ability to reach, hold, and rescue them (2 Samuel 22:17-18).
4. May your daughters please You Lord, by desiring, requesting, and utilizing a discerning heart full of wisdom (1 Kings 3:9-12).
5. May your daughters find confidence in You, Father God. Even when hard times come and they do not know what to do, may they keep their eyes fixed on You(2 Chronicles 20:12).
6. Father give your daughters a great desire to accept Your word and to store up Your commands within them so that their ears will forever turn to Your great wisdom, (Proverbs 2:1-2).
7. May your daughters keep themselves under control and not give full vent to people and situations that anger them (Proverbs 29:11).
8. Give your daughters the ability to rise above the traps of people pleasing, so they may be kept safe by trusting You, Father (Proverbs 29:25).
9. Father let your daughters walk in the security of Your assigned worth to them. Give them a strong work ethic and health to accomplish all their tasks. Give them a heart that desires to extend a hand to those in need. May they be women of joy and laughter whose Christ-centered character makes them beautiful. (Proverbs 31).
10. And Father God, every time You whisper, “Follow me”, may your daughters do so with great grace and in full obedience unto You forever and always (Matthew 4:19).

May your daughters be strengthened and rise as warriors to Your cause.

In Your name we pray…Amen

Captive in Iran

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Enter Evin, the notorious Tehran prison, and witness two Christian women bring light and grace to one of the world’s darkest places. Recounting their 259 days in captivity, Rostampour and Amirizadeh share how they offered God’s love and compassion to their guards and fellow prisoners, and how strangers from around the world fought for their release.You will love this book!

Baghali Polo with Chicken

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Most Iranian dishes are prepared with herbs, vegetables and rice along with meat, lamb, chicken or fish. The frequent use of fresh green herbs and vegetables in Iranian foods makes them a healthy choice for most households around the world. The Persian/Iranian cuisine refers to a style of cooking related to Persia or modern day Iran.  Baghali Polo with Chicken is a very popular dish in Iran. Enjoy!

Cook: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 Cups Rice
  • 3 bunch Dill
  • 1 lb (453g) Fava Beans (Baghali)
  • 1 lb (453g) Chicken
  • 1.5 Tsp Salt
  • 1 Tbsp Oil
  • Turmeric

PREPARATIONS:

1- Mince the dill.
2- Wash the rice.
3- Boil 5 cups water.

DIRECTIONS:

1- Put the chicken thighs in a pot.
2- Add Turmeric and salt as needed to the pot.
3- Top the pot off with boiling water and simmer for 30 minutes.
4- Pour the Fava beans in a small pot, add boiling water and simmer until the beans are tender. Drain the water and let it cool of for few minutes, peel the skin off of the beans (try not to smash the fava beans).
5- Pour the rice in a large pot. Empty the water of the chicken’s pot into this pot.
6- Add the dill and salt to the pot, stir the mixture and let simmer until the water is steamed off.
7- In a large pot, apply oil, lay the chicken thighs across the pot.
8- Pour the rice on top of the chicken thighs than add the Fava beans on top.
9- Cover the pot with a large napkin and put the lid on.
10- Cook for 20 minutes with low heat.

 

Be Reconciled

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“Go and be reconciled.” Mt 5:24 NIV

A college professor who was teaching on the high cost of unforgiveness asked each of her students to bring a sack of potatoes to class. For each person they refused or were unable to forgive, they had to select a potato and write the date on it beside that person’s name. Then for a month, without fail, they had to carry that sack of potatoes with them everywhere they went. After lugging those sacks around for a while each student began to recognize how much weight they were carrying; the amount of energy it took to focus on their bag; and that they had to be careful not to leave it in the wrong place. Eventually, as the potatoes began to rot and stink, they realized that getting rid of them was the only smart thing to do. Imagine for a moment how many potatoes you might be forced to carry in a similar experiment. Even one potato would become foul and burdensome after a time. Jesus said, “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matt 6:14-15). How would you like God to forgive you in the same way you forgive others? If that thought makes you uncomfortable, then do something beyond yourself. Don’t depend on your desire and ability to forgive others. Be obedient to God. Ask the Spirit of God to work through you to empower you to forgive!

Praying For The Nations

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All nations around the world are included in this prayer. Or you can pray for an individual nation such as “the nation of _______.”

 

I had never really thought about praying for the nations, until I became a prayer leader. But this is a prayer we need to pray everyday, particularly for nations that are oppressed.

 

Joel 3:12……….Let the nations be awakened!

Isa 1:2…………..Let the earth hear the voice of the Lord!

Ps 9:20…………Judge the nations in Your sight, Father, and put them to fear,

Ps 9:20………….that they might know themselves to be but men.

Rom 8:22……….Father, the whole creation groans and labors

Rom 8:21……….to be delivered from the bondage of corruption,

Rom 8:21……….into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Jn 15:26………..Send forth Your Spirit of Truth to bear witness of You,

Jn 16:8………….and to convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.

Eze 14:6………..Cause them to repent and to turn from their idols.

Hag 2:7…………Shake the nations, so they will come to the Desire of All Nations(Jesus).

Num 23:24……..Father, cause Your people to rise up.

Joel 3:11………..Gather Your mighty ones to prepare for war.

Joel 3:14……….Bring the multitudes into the valley of decision.

Jer 49:14……..Send Your ambassadors into all the nations.

Col. 4:3………….Open to them a door for the Word, to speak the mystery of Christ,

Mt 24:14………..that the gospel of the kingdom may be preached in all the world.

Ps 111:6………..You have declared to Your people the power of Your works,

Ps 111:6………..in giving them the heritage of the nations.

Phil 2:10………..Let every knee bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord!

Isa 61:11………..Cause righteousness and praise to spring forth.

Hab 2:14………..Let the earth be filled with the knowledge of the glory

Hab 2:14………..of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

Isa 43:9………….Father, gather the nations together,

Ps 22:27…………that they may worship Thee,

Ps 46:10…………and exult Thee in all the earth.

Gal 3:8……………Let all the nations be blessed through Your people,

Zech 14:14………and let the wealth of the heathen be gathered together

2Kin 22:5………..and be delivered into the hands of Your people for the work of the Lord.

Isa. 49:6…………Send forth Your salvation to the ends of the earth,

Mk 12:36………..and make Your enemies to be Your footstool.

 

 

Half The Sky

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Half The Sky

Half The Sky is a passionate call to arms against our era’s most pervasive human rights violation: the oppression of women and girls in the developing world.

Undertake an odyssey through Africa and Asia to meet the extraordinary women struggling there, among them a Cambodian teenager sold into sex slavery and an Ethiopian woman who suffered devastating injuries in childbirth.

Through these stories and others, authors, Kristof and WuDunn, help us realize that the key to economic progress lies in unleashing women’s potential. Half The Sky is a heart-wrenching, eye-opening must read!

A reflection on the simplicity of Obedience…

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When I was a young child in school, I loved when teachers would offer “extra credit.” While many subjects came very easy to me, others required more attention. Early on I discovered the power of “extra credit.” Those subjects I liked and enjoyed I would study and prepare more readily. However, those subjects I deemed unappealing, I would find myself procrastinating and seeking short cuts to completing the assignments. When teachers would allow me, I would do something extra or turn in an additional assignment to show them that I was really trying. Often the extra credit paid off and would be reflected in my grades as well as affecting their view of me. As students we used to call it “playing the game”, finding short cuts and essentially manipulating favor with teachers. I didn’t think of it that way at the time. After all, everyone did it. Some believers are like that in their spiritual walk with Christ. Are you playing a game with God and trying to manipulate His favor?

 

Rather than following God’s simple requirements to pray and read the Bible daily, go to church, and love your family, many choose the “extra credit” sacrifice. I’ve known Christians who attend church only on holidays, serve one time in prison ministry or volunteer one time a year in children’s church and talk about it for years to come as if they’ve earned ” extra credit” with God, as well as favor with other people around them. Instead of sharing the proverbial “fish tale”, they continuously share the “extra credit” tale of how they earned points with God. We like “extra credit” because it helps us get noticed by those around us. However, the most powerful people in the kingdom of God are not those who do sensational acts to get in the spotlight, but those who are consistent in their walk of faith. God wants our daily obedience.

 

According to Scripture, we are to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). We need to seek and obey God every day. He has given each one of us an assignment and if we are willing to obey Him daily, we can fulfill that assignment.

 

When we start obeying God, we will see His power released in our lives. Maybe your marriage needs healing, your family needs reconciling, or whatever the circumstance, if you have sinned and fallen away from God, don’t try to earn “extra credit” with Him, just go back to the simplicity of repentance and daily obedience to His word. He is faithful and just to strengthen and receive you.