Personal Devotions: Faith in Action!

Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense? (James 2:14-17, MSG)

I’m reading through the book of James with a friend.  This morning, while reading James 2, the concept of faith being inextricably linked to works was highlighted.  The fact is, you can’t have one without the other.  As the Message Bible continues:

¹⁸I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, “Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I’ll handle the works department.”

Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove.

You need both.  It’s so important that both faith and works be together that The Message has a word picture of a corpse if they are separated:

Do you suppose for a minute that you can cut faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on your hands? (vs 20, MSG)

and

The very moment you separate body and spirit, you end up with a corpse. Separate faith and works and you get the same thing: a corpse. (vs 26, MSG)

So, here’s my action!  James also mentions what ‘religion’ means  to God…

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.  James 1:27 (NIV)

My friend, Alece, is the president of a ministry Thrive Africa, whose mission, from their website, is to “disciple Believers, equip leaders, and strengthen the Church in Southern Africa.”  She continues, ” We accomplish this through AIDS prevention, pastoral development,discipleship classes, youth camps,mission trips, and more.”

I placed a banner to their store on my blog, and I’ve been folllowing Alece’s story on her personal blog Grit and Glory.

²²Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror²⁴and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

She has become a blog friend – one who I connect with through her words on her blog, and through her story… but reading this Scripture today I am inspired to DO SOMETHING.  I am thinking about my finances and what I can do to help her ministry, but the SOMETHING I can start with is free… highlight her, her ministry, and their need here.

Thrive Africa needs assistance. Here’s part of the need from their website:

We have set a goal to raise $80,000 in new support by June 1.

$60,000 in one-time gifts by April 15

to get us up-to-date on our operating expenses

$20,000 in new monthly commitments by June 1

to continue our programs at current levels.

It is a God sized request for a God sized vision.  I want to help.  And I’m asking all to help as well.  Let us not just hear what the word says. Let’s do what it says, and help.

For more information, go to Impact South Africa, from Thrive Africa.

And get to know Alece, and her inspirational and authentic story at her personal blog – Grit and Glory.

Divine Encounters!

I’ve been spending a lot of time reproducing content from other people’s posts or websites – and it has sparked some great conversations (even off topic 😉 @ Annie and Love… ) 😆 but today I thought I’d bring something along the spirit of this blog – another testimony of the hand of God on my life!   This is the introduction text (somewhat modified) from my latest newsletter.

1 Chron 12:2 “… they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right handed or left handed; they were kinsmen of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin…”

While being prayed for recently by a new friend, I was prophetically referred to as being ‘of the Tribe of Benjamin’; he prayed that I be able to ‘wield the sword with both hands, and throw the spear with either hand…’   I resonated with that prayer – as he prayed he had laid hands on my head and I could feel a course of the current of God’s tangible presence flow through me. I started speaking in tongues, and he did as well – as we enjoyed being wrapped in the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit. 

This experience led me to seek the Scriptures to find the basis for his prophetic comment – hence the quote above.  The verse before it gives it context:

These were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the warriors who helped him in battle; 2 they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right-handed or left-handed; they were kinsmen of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin)..  (1 Chron 12:1,2)

When I read it again, both of my palms got warm immediately (a tangible sign for me of the Lord’s anointing on my life.)  I resonated with it for a while, and then I decided to do some investigation. This quote shows me a couple things: 

• The quote is in the context of war – the verse that resonates with me describes warriors who joined David in battle.
• King Saul was a Benjamite
• They could use either hand to wield a slingshot or to shoot arrows accurately.

I was asking the Lord what did the Scripture mean for me, and what did he want to tell me?  I felt that the fact that men from the tribe of Benjamin were described as warriors was significant – given my current line of Christian service.  I felt that the fact that they were also described as being able to wield their weapons of choice with either hand spoke to the dual aspects of my call – prophetic declaration and deliverance ministry.  I felt also that their weapons were significant as well – slingshots and bows launch long range attacks – and accuracy and skill of use were also emphasized.  

I believe God is speaking to me about my call with this prophetic declaration over my life.  My goal is to seek the Lord for greater accuracy in the delivery of my prophetic utterances and greater skill and accuracy in discerning and casting out the demonic – I just want more of Jesus! He will teach me all things!  

I pray also that the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord will meet each of you reading this with divine encounters of your own!  May he speak into your life to challenge, convict, counsel or console you in the name of Jesus! I release each one reading this into divine encounter – and may your lives never be the same again!

Come, share!  What divine encounters have you experienced lately????

Testimony of a Stillborn Girl raised to life!!!

First off: a disclaimer (for those who frequent my blog) – this is not my story… YET! I’m seeking God to see it in my life, though!

Read it here.

The other thing that struck me is the age of the girl who gave the testimony – she’s 14… 14!!!!!!!!

May I be one who can usher children into the presence of the Lord to see them work the works of God – including my own sons! As Bill Johnson has said, “Children do not get a junior Holy Ghost. He comes in only one size …. really, really large!“

Deliverance Testimony

Yet another testimony of God using the Internet to set another captive free! Bless you, Jesus!

aDiosa: The Doc is IN: Isaiah 43:25 says:
Lord you can show me what is going on in the spirit right now if you choose to
BajanPOET – Knighted by the King says:
I hear the word ‘Crusher’ – There’s a demon surrounding u called ‘Crusher’
he is a spirit of oppression and is sent to dissuade u and crush ur spirit
crush your hopes; crush the very life of Christ from you if he is able
I can type.  But you need to rebuke this thing out loud
I bind u, Crusher, in the mighty name of Jesus, the Christ.
The weapons of my warfare are not carnal but mighty through God for the pulling down of strongholds
I renounce all verbal contracts I have made with this evil spirit of oppression
and I forgive with my mouth and will every person who has hurt me and rejected me recently.  I release them all from my heart
The Word says that I can pull down strongholds and so I pull this stronghold of oppression down in the mighty name of Jesus.
I COMMAND THIS OPPRESSIVE SPIRIT TO LEAVE NOW
Under the authority of Jesus Christ I command Crusher to leave now!
I shall not die, but LIVE and declare the works of the LORD
The Lord has promised beauty for ashes and the garments of praise rather than the spirit of heaviness
I choose praise instead of despair and Crusher will no longer crush my spirit – GOD has given me joy for mourning and I choose HIM
Thank you Father for your deliverance
AMEN
I also feel that you should start praising in tongues…. filling the atmosphere with the language of the Spirit …. Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered!
Let me know what’s happening as u pray that prayer
I’m not there to see, so I need u to help me
aDiosa: The Doc is IN: Isaiah 43:25 says:
i just crying and thanking God
BajanPOET – Knighted by the King says:
YES! Thank you, Jesus! Another victory for the KING and his KINGDOM!!!!!!!

Isn’t God AWESOME?