He is not finished

Psams 139:15,16

“My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

Isn’t it funny how God sees things? We look at a situation with our human eyes and it may look bleak and gloomy. But somehow when God sees things, He sees it as the finished work. We may look at ourselves and think how wretched we are and how flawed we are, and maybe even wonder why God hasn’t already given up on us. But I love how God sees us for the finished product that He is still working on. He sees us for what we will become. The psalmist says “Your eyes saw my unformed body, even when I was being woven together.” While we were still being made into a body, God’s eyes saw us for the finished ‘body’ that we would become. Don’t get discouraged when it seems like you haven’t reached your goals as a Christian, God is not finished working on you. He will bring to completion and perfection that which He has started! He sees you for the perfect person that you will become, through Jesus Christ His son.

Author:Eunice Simon

ministry…

Your number one ministry is to your family not your career.-Pastor Herbert Cooper

My pastor had the above quote on his Facebook profile this morning. When I first got married I found myself occupying myself with whatever I could whether it was children’s ministry, ladies ministry, high school ministry etc. All though there was nothing wrong about those ministries, I found myself not putting my marriage first. Both of us were so focused in things we wanted to get done for God that we were not taking caring of the best gift He had gave us. All though Stan and I are busy with work, school, and ministry our focus has been shifted. Since we are able to take care of ourselves we are able to better serve and do greater things for God. One thing we have done is take a day off every week and not schedule anything on that specific day. Everything else in life can wait, your family cant.

Author: Amy Varughese

The Attendant

Exodus 33:11, 1 Kings 19:21, Ruth 1:22

For the past few weeks, I’ve been meditating upon the above three passages. The word ‘attendant’ seems to linger throughout my thoughts. An attendant is a person who serves, waits upon, or accompanies another. Elisha served Elijah. Joshua waited upon Moses. Ruth accompanied Naomi. If your starting to think I’m talking about finding someone on earth to attend to – let me clarify. In all three passages each character recognized it is not the human they attend to that brings salvation or redemption. True, they may be undoubtedly anointed. However, it is the Supreme Being that these men and woman of God have truly encountered which keep these aides coming back for more – or which makes them attend.

Attend originally meant “attentive;” sense of “accompanying in a dependant position.” In Exodus 33:11 we read, “Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent (NASB).” Joshua was in a ‘dependant position’ to meet Moses’ God. Elisha required of it from Elijah. It was not for his own gain/fame that he was so persistent. Elisha discovered in order for he and the nation to survive, it was essential they abided in God. And Ruth, she wanted to instill in her descendants eternal delight. What things or whom do you attend to these days? And what is the sole purpose of your accompaniment?

Father, this day, help us to be true to not only ourselves but You. Holy Spirit assist us in not seeking the pleasures and fame of this world, but be lost in You. Forgive us for any selfish desires, that we may sincerely impact Your kingdom. Help us not to become leaky people but sound vessels. Supply us with strength, endurance, and hope on our days of weakness. Thank You for who You are, Lord. In Jesus most precious name, Amen.
Author: Jaice Itty

Break my heart for what breaks yours

We sing the words of the song ‘Break my heart for what breaks yours. Everything I am for your Kingdom’s come.”

If we were to really be broken for thing that breaks God’s heart, we would be broken at the evil of this world. If you look all around you, you will see that what the Bible says is coming true. ‘In the last days, people will become lovers of themselves, proud, rebellious’….
I look around me and see this coming true and sometimes I even see myself falling for this trap. I sometimes covet things so much and I want to meet the world’s standards of beauty, intelligence, charm and wit. But I have to listen to that small voice inside of me that keeps reminding me that I was purchased FROM the evil that the world has to offer. I was purchased from sin, at a high price.
I read a few verses this morning that caught my attention. James 4:4,5,6. “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is enmity toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says without reason that the Spirit He caused to live in us envies intensely? But He gives us more grace.”
That word ‘The Spirit within us, envies intensely.” The Holy Spirit, I’ve always known Him to be a gentleman but here it says that He envies INTENSELY. He is jealous over our commitment and our love. He wants us to be completely in LOVE with our Savior. Do you love the things of this world? Do you love the vanity that this world has to offer? Remember that the Holy Spirit envies our love and our commitment. Remember whose you are. Remember the price at which you were bought! The next verse says that He gives us more grace… Know that if you are struggling in this area of your life, the Holy Spirit is there to give you MORE GRACE in this area. Grace to not LOVE this world. Ask Him for His grace this week to not be trapped and blinded by the evil of this world.
Author: Eunice Simon

The Lord remembers us and will bless us

Ps. 115:12
This verse really touched me this past week. This brings to mind when the Israelites were in bondage to the Egyptians and how they were sweating and doing the menial slave tasks that they were required to do… I think about how they must’ve thought in their mind ‘what about all those promises that God gave to our forefathers Jacob and Abraham?’ Sometimes in the midst of the bondage that we are in, in the midst of even the just routineness of life, we may think that God has forgotten us. We may wonder what the purpose is for what we are doing. But this verse says that God has not forgotten you. God remembers you and He WILL bless you. If you will but hold on to this word for this week – that He remembers you and the struggles that you are facing right now. He remembers the promises that He has given you. He remembers the plans that He has for you. He remembers you. He will be faithful to finish that which He has started. Don’t give up!!

Author: Eunice Simon

An Influential Legacy

As I studied the Word this past week, I was empowered by two relationships. The first was of Elijah and Elisha. In 1 Kings 19:19-21, we are made aware of the call of Elisha. He was called in the midst of plowing a field by a distinguished prophet. While many would run to such a calling because of the person who called them; Elisha ran because his soul craved for more of the Lord. Now, in 2 Kings 2 Elisha receives his desire and obtains a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. For so long I concluded when Elisha passed onto glory, the mantle that was passed on from Elijah expired as well. However, Holy Spirit revealed to me otherwise. 2 Kings 13:21 says, “Once when some Israelites were burying a man, they spied a band of these raiders. So they hastily threw the corpse into the tomb of Elisha and fled. But as soon as the body touched Elisha’s bones, the dead man revived and jumped to his feet (NLT)!” What was taught, encouraged, and encountered by Elisha was passed onto another being.

Now, let’s move to Ruth chapter 1. Here we find Ruth and Naomi. The death of her husband gives Ruth every right to go back to her own family and people, yet she chose to stay with Naomi, just as Elisha chose to stay with Elijah. Be careful now – just because Naomi doesn’t have the same prominence as Elijah doesn’t mean you can rule her out as a mentor or encourager. She may feel as though she is “Mara” or bitter; but actually she is pleasant and delightful – for that is the meaning of her name. Ruth heeds to the instructions of Naomi and when she obtains the child Obed with Boaz, she gives him to Naomi. Everything that was taught to Ruth by Naomi was instilled in Obed. What Obed learned he passed onto his son, Jesse. What Jesse acquired he transferred to David…and what David learned was passed all the way down to Jesus!

What a revelation. What you learn, say, and do in this life does not end with your last breath. Who impacts you? Be careful who or whom you choose. What will you do to make your legacy influential?
Author: Jaice Itty

I got this

I went to a wedding this weekend in St. Louis this past weekend and had an exam today. The exam was constantly on my mind making it at times difficult to enjoy the weekend. My husband who has been my greatest encouragement while I am in school did everything he could to relax me. I was so worried that I was going to disappoint God because I did not feel like I gave my 100% in studying. My friend Jaice spoke a word of encouragement and said, “Amy, He is so proud of you!” I just hate the feeling of disappointment. God constantly reminded, “Daughter, this is not the first battle I have fought for you.” ” Relax, stop trying to take control and let me do my thing”. ” I am with you continually, so dont be intimidated by fear.” Often times we want to take it all in and take complete control. Question: Are you the driver of your life or are you constantly trying to get in the driver’s seat? Let go and Let God! He’s got this!
Ephesians 3:20-21

Author: Amy Varughese

He longs for you

This week I was listening to a song by Kerri Jobe called “I know that you are for me”

And the words of the chorus gave me such comfort- “I know that you are for me, I know that you are for me, I know that you will never forsake me in my weakness…”

Sometimes we may feel like life is so hectic. For me, I feel like it’s just so hard to find that alone time with God some days, the much needed alone time. The time spent in His Word and in His presence. I sometimes forget that God still understands my weakness and He is not mad at me. He is a gracious God, a compassionate God, a God who is for me.

In Isaiah 30: 18 it says the Lord LONGS to be gracious to you. He rises to show you compassion.

We all know that God loves us, but sometimes we forget that God’s love is unconditional and everlasting. He WANTS to be gracious to us. It’s not something He feels obligated to do. He loves loving us and being good to us. It makes so much sense now when we read in the Bible that “He is GOOD and His MERCY ENDURES forever!! There is no end to His mercy, there is no end to His love!

The Holy Spirit was showing me about God’s love and how He loves me in my moments of weakness, He loves me in my moments of business. He loves me even when I seem to have forgotten about Him. He loves us and is crazy about us. This revelation just comforted my soul this past week and gave me strength. Let us not forget that we are so loved by God and that God LONGS to be gracious to us.
Author: Eunice Simon

Why am I here, God?

If you could be anywhere in the world, where would you be? Did you pick a place like the Bahamas? Or the Caribbean? Have you ever wondered why you’re in the place your in? Why you’re working at that job, or why you’re in your school? God could have set you anywhere in the world, but He chose where you are now, reading this blog post.
I’ve been thinking about this topic for awhile now. I have friends that have felt so down in life, they’ve wanted to give up. While talking to a certain girl who felt this way, I began to realize something. (We’ll say her name is Nancy.) I told Nancy to envision a young girl-Let’s say her name is Ann-wandering the streets in some poverty stricken country. In Ann’s mind, she is thinking that she has no hope left, and nobody to turn to. She has been used and abused by many, and doesn’t think there is anything good in the world. But what if Nancy could have been the one to reach out to Ann?? The one person who could’ve helped her through her rough time, and reassure her that better times were ahead? But if Nancy was to carry out her plan to end everything, she wouldn’t have the chance to. This one act influenced by Nancy’s current situation, would forever change Ann’s fate, and many others who could have been impacted by Nancy also.
You don’t have to be a televangelist, or a preacher, just to get across to people. You can start in your home, work, or school. That’s where people are in need. I’ve realized that people we meet in our lives would make great actors and actresses. They go through so much, but they put on a mask as they go throughout their day to day lives. I’ve talked to people, who I’ve known for years, and they have so much going on and they come to school with bright smiles and laughter. These are the same people that brightened up my day before I knew what was going on! These faces are the ones we see every day, and we are so caught up in what we want, that we don’t realize what’s in front of us. We could reach out to people in so many ways, if we just paid attention.
God placed us where we are today, so we can help those around us. I know of many people who, if I had never gone to a certain event, or meeting, I never would have met. So instead of complaining about going to the church service, or attending this function or that function, think of the people you could meet, and the possibilities you might have in the future to help them.
Author: Jasmine Abraham

Race to the Finish Line

So if you were in a race and you saw everyone else pass you by, knew your strength was almost completely drained out of your system, and the finish line was nowhere in sight; you might wonder if it’s a better idea to just quit and face the inevitable loss sooner than later.
Hebrews chapter 12 describes our Christian walk as a marathon, and tells us to finish the race that has been marked out for us. As we run this race we will see the will and plan God has for our lives unfold before us. So It might not make sense when you go from point A to point B…. maybe not even when you get to point Y or Z, but as long as you have breath in your body… He isn’t through with you yet and the finish line has still not been reached.
I was talking to a really good friend of mine this past week… she grew up in completely different life style from mine. She didn’t have a supporting family… her mom kicked her out on the streets when she was only 14, and then invited her back so she could help her maintain her new business of selling drugs. Living on and off the streets, raped numerous times, and never having a relationship with her mother-unless it involved getting high together or selling drugs together- it was hard to think there was even a reason to keep going. She told me that she even strategically planned a murder that she almost committed… but “chance”- I believe God- didn’t allow that to happen. She had a hard time seeing anything positive coming out of her life, and wondered if she would live to see another day. She told me about the day that she went to a Christian retreat, because she was excited about hearing a live band (that was just another point in the race that needed to be hit) and then the race started to make sense a little bit more. I hear about her past and stand amazed because of the awesome impact she makes in my life and so many others. She is always the first to serve others; the first to make everyone feel loved… an amazing wife, sister and mother. Just seeing the transformation has caused her family members to recognize that there was in fact a God that was strong enough to shake a hard heart and to completely change the very being she was. It’s a beautiful process to witness, but what is even more beautiful is that her race isn’t through yet. What if she had stopped running though? What if she stopped before His plan actually unveiled? She would have never witnessed ashes being turned to beauty right before her very eyes.
My brother told me a story that really put the “race” in to perspective for me. It’s a wonderful true story about a runner named John Stephen Akhwari, who represented Tanzania in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. Pretty early on in the race he had a collision that caused him to have a critical injury that needed immediate medical attention, but he refused to be helped and just kept on running. With each step he took, a sharp pain ran up his leg and made it very difficult for him to take the next step that just caused a never ending cycle of gruesome pain. Four hours later he came across the finish line and the remaining fans cheered him on, astonished that a man in his state had continued the race. When he finally passed the finish line he was asked why he kept going when not only did he know that he was not going to win, but he was also in excruciating pain that could have been minimized if he had immediate medical attention. His response blows me away… “My country did not send me 7,000 miles to start the race; they sent me 7,000 miles to finish it.”
That’s exactly how we should view our race as Christians. You’re not in this race to start but to finish the race that God has in store for you. So we leave the world able to say; “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”.
Author: Jenny Mathew