Spiritual Warfare

Ephesian 6:12 (NLT) For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
On any given day that you listen to or read the news you are bombarded with reports or images of accidents, natural disasters, murders and crimes. Try as we may to make sense of these various happenings we are often times left without answers.   It is imperative that we understand that we are at war.  It was after an earth shattering event in my personal life that the Holy Spirit impressed upon my heart the truth and reality of the ongoing warfare that rages here on earth.  This warfare is directed at all those who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, at those individuals who have not yet decided whom they will trust and even at those who serve Satan.  Paul in Ephesian 6:12 clearly outlines who and what we are fighting against.  The goal of Satan is also clear and that is to kill steal and destroy (John 10:10a).
Please understand that Satan does not give consideration to the age or maturation level of the individual. The unborn baby, toddler, mentally challenged, homeless, elder are all fair game to the enemy.  It behooves us as soldiers in the army of God to be on the alert being ready to fight at all times.  Many times we rage war against one another instead of the common enemy Satan.  We underestimate our opponent thinking that we can engage him in battle without being properly attired. Our Father knows the enemy and the damage he is capable of exacting on his target therefore he encourages us in Ephesians 6:10-12 finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. We must not only be familiar with the weapons of our warfare but also be skillful in the use of them.  2 Corinthians 10:4 tells us: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.  Two main weapons that we have are (1) The word of God and (2) the blood of Jesus Christ.
 Finally let us enter into battle knowing that we are winners, Jesus Christ has already won the battle for us Ephesian 4:8 tells us Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.  We are more than conquers in Luke 10:19 Jesus tells us “Behold I gave you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over the power of the enemy, and nothing may in any means hurt you. . .”  Lets us never forget that as long as we live in this world we are engaged in warfare but have been given the power and authority to overcome the wiles of the enemy.  Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Stand guard

In His service,

Paula Watson (Guest Blogger )

What went wrong?

  This morning I continue to promote our mission for MPUSH (Empowering Mothers to Pray for their children Until Something Happens).

 Most of you by now have probably heard in the news about the school shooting at the Sparks middle school in Nevada. This shooting was done by a mere 12 year old boy who it is alleged took a 9 mm gun to school shot two children, killed a teacher( who tried to intervene) and then killed himself. The question on many peoples mind is “what went wrong?” We probably will never know the truth, but whatever the reason, this is extremely sad. What could have impacted the short life of a 12 year old boy so badly that he resorted to such drastic measures?

I don’t know the details and will not even try to guess, but one thing I must say- mothers we need to pray. Have conversations with your children. Drop in at the school and speak with their teachers, see who their friends. Ask God to give you a spirit of discernment so you can pick up on those unspoken words and unusual behaviors. Reaffirm to your children that they are special and how much they are loved. Little things do get magnified in the minds of young children and what may be nothing can be a big deal to them. However the greatest weapon we have is our prayer.

 Father I commit my children into your hands today as they go off to school and to work. I thank you for their protection throughout the day. Protect their mind from being infiltrated by the enemy, keep their ears to only hear your voice and open their understanding to learn and do well in school/college or university.  In Jesus’ name Amen

 

In His Service,

 Vilma

The Danger of Business

It seems that the days go by so quickly, and before you realize it another week has come and gone.  I know that for most of us mothers wish that we could get at least 2 more hours in our day, especially those working outside of the home and also have younger children to take care of.  Sometimes we are the first person to get up, trying to get a head start on our day, and the last person to go to bed again trying to get a start on the next day.  You are so tired, that you hasten to say a sentence or two and get ready to crawl into bed; you remember you did not pray for your children today.  As you try to tell yourself how tired you are and how much you have done, you slowly drift off to sleep.

 Is that the alarm?  This could not be, after all I just closed my eyes, wait a minute, it is 5:30am oh no ! It is time to get up and start the process all over again.

Maybe your children are all grown up and have moved into their own homes, and have their own families.  Where did all this time come from?  I am going to bored -So you volunteer to be on the usher board, deaconess ministry and teach Sunday school.  Oh wait I have a couple more hours to spear, so I run to this meeting, that meeting, is a member of this prayer group and before long; you are back where you were when the children were home, tired, and drained.  You lay across the bed for just a little bit, but gets awaken by someone snoring, oh that was me, I better just get on my pajamas and go to bed, and as my head touched the pillow, “lord thank you for today- Amen.  I should really pray for my children, but God knows how very tired I am, I will do it tomorrow night.

Am I speaking to anybody out there?  This looks like it was written by someone with experience!  Yes I have been there, done that, but not wearing that T shirt anymore.

 What am I saying?  Praying for our children is a decision.  We must re-prioritize our lives so that we make the time to prayer regularly for our children.  Let’s pause for a while and just spend some time to pray for our children’s mother.  Let us pray for their wisdom, strength, and for their ability to make right decisions in their daily encounters. So go ahead and repeat with me.

Father, I thank you for my children’s mother.  I thank you that you love her so much to bless her womb with the gift of children.  I thank you that you trusted her to care for these gifts and to help propel them into their destiny.  I pray for the manifestation of her wisdom, her strength and her decision making.  Help her never to get weary in praying consistently and offensively for her children.  Father, I realize that I am praying for myself right now, not my children, but in order to do right by them, like David I am encouraging myself.  Father I give you the glory and I give you the praise and I thank you for answered prayers.

 In his service,

 Vilma

Open my eyes Lord

Have you ever been in a position where you have missed seeing some things that God has been showing you or that He has been doing in the life of you and your family? Perhaps you find it difficult to recognize the root cause of some of the things that keep happening to you.

Ok let us look at II Kings 6:8-23. In this passage we read the story about the prophet Elisha, his servant and the Aramean King. The Aramean King was mad with Elisha because he was responsible for the victories of the Israelites. Elisha would supernaturally know about the King’s plans to attack Israel and would tell it to the King of Israel. Of course Israel knowing this would be prepared when the armies of Aram came to attack and would end up winning the battles.

The King of Aram wanted to capture Elisha and perhaps punish him for revealing his plans to the King of Israel. When Elisha’s assistance heard that the King of Aram wanted to capture Elisha he became fearful. Elisha was not afraid because he was able to see the armies God had arranged to fight his battle. Elisha did not argue with his servant but simply asked God to open his eyes so he could see the armies of Heaven that were on their side. After seeing this Elisha’s servant had the confidence he needed to go forward and not worry.

 There are times in our lives when we are like Elisha’s servant. Our eyes are blinded to some things that we need to see and the fact that we can’t see it adds to our despair.

Perhaps your eyes are blinded to what God has already done in your life and the knowledge that our battles are not ours but the Lord’s. Perhaps we are blinded to our inadequacy in ourselves and our need to totally depend on God. Maybe we are blinded to the strongholds that plague us as well as our families for generations.

We may even be blinded to the power that is within us and hence we keep settling for less.

Whatever it is that you are unable to clearly see God is able if you are willing to open your eyes so that you can see them.  So take a moment and ask God to open up your eyes that you may see clearly what He wants you to see.

 

In His Service,

 

Vilma

Psalm 23

 

Psalm 23

     This Psalm reflects so many of God's promises to us. Take a look

v The LORD is my shepherd- That’s relationship

v I shall not want -That’s supply

v He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:  That’s rest

v He leadeth me beside the still waters: That’s refreshment

v He restoreth my soul:  That’s healing

v He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness: That’s guidance

v For his name's sake- That’s purpose

v Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death -That’s testing

v I will fear no evil- That’s protection

v For thou art with me-That’s faithfulness

v Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. That’s discipline

v Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies- That’s hope

v Thou anointest my head with oil- That’s consecration

v My cup runneth over- That’s abundance

v Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life - That’s blessing

v And I will dwell in the house of the LORD - That’s security

v Forever -That’s eternity

 

Who would not serve such a God?

 

In His Service,

 

Vilma

THE MISTAKE OF UNFAITHFUL STEWARDSHIP Pt.3

Today is the conclusion to our three-part series on "the mistake of unfaithful stewardship". It is very important that you read all three parts to get a better understanding of what our writer is saying to us

WHAT LEADS TO UNFAITHFULNESS IN STEWARDSHIP?

1. The deception of ownership: whatever you have, you’ve received—God is the owner, we are the stewards
2. Failure in understanding the heart of the Master and a lack of implicit submission to His will
3. Recklessness in the usage of things under your care and control—the spiritual riches God will endow on a man are proportionate to his faithfulness in handling insignificant material things (Luke 16:11)
4. Poor insight into the plans and purposes of God for the future (Genesis 50:20-21; Romans 8:28)
5. Failure in understanding the principle of sowing and reaping (Galatians 6:7-10)—What seed are you sowing? What harvest are you expecting?  Are you sowing seeds of faithfulness and accountability?
6. Lack of a heart of sincerity.  Committed love is the key factor to faithfulness.  Unfaithful folks exhibit a lack of committed love in God.

CONSEQUENCES OF UNFAITHFUL STEWARDSHIP

 You will lose the trust of God

1. You will lose your position and standing before Christ Jesus and others
2. You will become stagnant as a result of having to stay in the same environment of learning over and over again.
3. It will affect people’s disposition towards you. They will be reluctant to trust you.
4. It will delay or hinder your entry into your harvest or rest.

 HOW CAN I BE FOUND FAITHFUL IN STEWARDSHIP?

 You must have an understanding of the principle of accountability. Accountability in itself guarantees your promotion or demotion.

1. You should have an understanding of the principle of reward. You shouldn't be necessarily result-oriented but rather, God-oriented. When you seek solely to please Him, He will reward you.
2. Having a firm recognition of what true ownership is. God created everything, so He owns everything. Since He is the creator that automatically makes Him the owner of all things. Whatever we possess, He owns it; we must be willing to let go whenever He lays claim to it.
3. You must live by the principles of value and legacy. How much importance do you place on yourself? Your integrity reflects your personality. What legacy are you leaving behind for posterity? THINK ABOUT IT.

IN HIS SERVICE,

Emmanuel Ngamenji  (guest blogger)

THE MISTAKE OF UNFAITHFUL STEWARDSHIP Pt.2

As promised, here is part 2 of the series-as promised. Please enjoy

The mistake of unfaithful stewardship is quite prevalent nowadays because we’ve misunderstood the owner-steward relationship.  I pray the church grasps this truth.  Stewardship has to do with one’s accountability of what God has entrusted to him/her.  This also has to do with anything committed to us by others.  We must be found faithful.  The question is, are we? 

Right decision-making is a key factor in determining our faithfulness as it relates to this concept of stewardship.  Let us explore some of those areas in our lives where we are required to exhibit faithfulness:

 The Area of Natural Talents and Gifts—Matthew 25:14-30: Your natural abilities attract and then expose you before great men.  There is therefore a need and call to proper usage.  Everything about and around your life should be a witness to who Jesus is.  He must be the leading expression of your life. 

Spiritual Gifts and the Anointing—1 Corinthians 12:7: Many folks today merchandise the spiritual gift and anointing of God on their lives (Matthew 10:8).  They’ve become hirelings in God’s kingdom (Judges 17:10; 18:4).  The sole purpose of the anointing is the glorification of God.   Your intents and motives are determining factors to the continual release of God’s anointing on your life.

Material Things Entrusted to Us by God and Folks—Luke 16:11-12:  We must exhibit an attitude of being a channel and not a reservoir of God’s blessings.  We must ensure a free flow of the blessings of God.  To be blessed is to bless others.  The blessing must reach out to others (Genesis 12:2, Acts 20:35).  People commit things into your care because they trust you.  Your unfaithfulness to them misrepresents God; it is a stigma stamped on His name.  By so doing, you create room for doubt concerning your life.  Your integrity is at stake and will always be questionable.  An error could easily be forgiven, but a stigma or scar isn’t easily removed.  You shouldn’t build your life around excuses and apologies because it will break the wall of trust around your life.  Beware! Be warned! Don’t fall a victim!

 Your Household—Your Children (1 Timothy 5:8): If we do not protect our children who constitute an integral part of who we are, then, we are worse than an unbeliever.  Even most unbelievers recognize this obligation.

 IN HIS SERVICE,

 Emmanuel Ngamenji

 

 

The Mistake of Unfaithful Stewardship

This week we are privileged to have a guest blogger bringing a new two-part series.
 Pastor Emmanuel Ngamenji serves as the head of Christ the Refuge Ministries in Douala, Cameroon.  He operates by the core purpose of growing people for effective service unto God and humanity with the ultimate task of investing in human lives.  Take a look at his in-depth perspective on stewardship:

Children in a marriage are God’s blessings and they serve in cementing the matrimonial home. They should therefore be brought up in the fear, knowledge and admonition of God.

 HE seeks godly offspring….Malachi 2:15. We are partners with God (1 Cor. 3:9),in raising up a godly seed. What honor! He has placed on us. Therefore, it is important for us to know where responsibilities lie.
 

            OWNERSHIP IS WITH GOD….Psalms 24:1   we are not owners but stewards. HE gives us richly all things to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17), so, having kids and raising them, shouldn’t be an endurable experience; but, an enjoyable one. When we realize that they still belong to God, we can rest in the assurance that God also has ultimate responsibility for them. HE does care. Isaiah 49:15...says…"can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you.”

•   STEWARDSHIP IS WITH US….. We are not owners but stewards. A steward manages and takes care of that which belongs to someone else. God owns everything because HE created everything; but as stewards, we manage and take care of it.(Genesis 2:15)

We have an obligation to be faithful stewards…1 Corinthians 4:2 says…” moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” We shall be held accountable; therefore we ought to be reliable, dependable and responsible.

We must understand this Owner – Steward Relationship; for HE is a God of order, and we mustn’t usurp His prerogatives.

One of the ways to activate God’s promises over your life is in proper stewardship…most especially over your children and household. This was the mark of distinction in father Abraham’s life…Genesis 18:19 says “…For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.” Did you just see that?...what is it that was spoken to him? To better understand that, lets read the two preceding verses….”And the LORD said, ‘shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing,….since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? ‘For I have known him….’can this be said of you?
CAN YOU BE TRUSTED? ARE YOU BEEN TESTED? MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!

In His Service,

Emmanuel Ngamenji 

What's in a name..Conclusion

 

Today we will conclude our discussion on the meaning of names. As we continue let us focus on the name of Jesus. For the name Jesus: This list is wide, as the names we use tell also of His character or His Titles.  Here are a few: Son of God, Savior, Emmanuel, Lord, lamb of God, Lion of the tribe of Judah, Immanuel, Mighty God, Prince of Peace, Everlasting father, Wonderful, Alpha and Omega, anointed one and Amen.

 For the Holy Spirit: He can be -Author of the scriptures, comforter/counselor/advocate, guide, intercessor, conscience, indweller of believers, and revealer.

 I don’t know about you, but I am glad these names have meaning, sometimes I need to use many of them at different times during one single day.  At work sometimes I need to see Him as my banner, when dealing with my children I need revelation and I need guidance, with my spouse it may be a different reason, my friends another reason, and when faced with devastation situations I just need Him as  that I am and I can plug in what I need.

He does not get upset if I am unable to pronounce the name I really want and most times when words cannot come fast enough or I need immediate attention I just call Him Jesus and He understands.
So the next time you have to name your child or asked about the name of your grandchild make sure that you do some research and give a name that has meaning.

In His Service,

 Vilma

What's In a Name? ...Part 2

Most of us are familiar the name Jabez- which seemed to have been made popular through the series “the prayer of Jabez”.  The name Jabez was given because his mother bore him with a lot of pain.  Jabez however was not content for this name to determine his destiny and hence he cried out to God asking God to keep him from harm and that he would be free from pain.

When it comes to the names of things: in one country or region a particular fruit or food may be called one thing and in another country that same fruit or food is known as something else.  Sometimes the use of that food may be completely different from country to country.  Some people will use it one way because they have no knowledge or experience of how else it can be used, until educated about it. 

This reminds me of the different names that we call the one True God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit as well as the various ways in which we may use these names.

For the name God: here are some frequently used names: Yahweh (I am, who I am), Adonai (Lord), El, (plural form for God),Elhoim (creator) Jehovah (most High), El Elyon (Most High); El Roi( God who sees); El Shadai (All sufficient), Yahweh-jireh (Yahweh will provide or  I am will provide); Yahweh -rapha (Yahweh who heals), Yahweh -nissi (Yahweh my banner); Yahweh-shalom (Yahweh is Peace).

In His Service,

Vilma

 

 

What's in a name?.... Part 1

Your name is a form of identity.  Your name is one of the things used to register your birth as well as your death.  It is on your various forms of ID’s and important documents and if for any reason your name is changed, there is quite a bit of hassle and proof required to make the necessary changes on all the documents that matter.  Some people prefer to keep their given name especially after they become established because they do not want to cause any confusion with using a new name and people not being able to recognize who they are.

This reminds me of how very important it is when we name our children. I do believe we need to put more thought and research in these names.  I listen to some of the names that parents call their children and I have to wonder what they were thinking.  Most of these names are very difficult to spell and pronounce, which would be ok if they had a meaning. A few of the names do have meanings but the meaning is one that is associated with bad or evil.  When some of these parents are asked they have no idea except that it sounded cute or different.

Every name in the bible was of some significance.  Some of these names were given according to the circumstance surrounding your birth, and some of the names were a prediction of what your destiny was expected to me.  The name Jacob for example meant deceiver a reflection of who he was, then after his encounter with God his name was later changed to Israel, which meant that he wrestled/struggled with God.  After Naomi lost her husband and children in the country of Moab, she no longer wanted to be called Naomi which meant pleasant but instead Mara- which meant bitter as she thought that God had dealt bitterly with her….to be continued.

In His Service,

 Vilma

Pilgrims on a Journey

A couple weeks ago Paula and myself were talking about the pain of losing loved ones through death. She then reflected that somehow as Christians we were having the wrong attitude about death and as a follow up to this conversation she submitted this entry for this blog. I hope that after reading this you will have a more positive perspective on death and dying. 

 Have you noticed that within the past several months several tragedies have occurred resulting in deaths of both children and adults?  As I listen in on conversations relating to these tragedies, I realize that people are afraid because they are forced to confront the reality of death.  Yes, death is as real as life itself, it is inevitable yet so many of us are unprepared for it. Most of us get very uncomfortable when the subject of death comes up.

 I propose to you that one of the reasons why we are so unprepared for death is because we have made this earth our final destination, our home.  Because we have made this earth our home we fail to entertain the thought of ever leaving, hence the idea of death of self or a loved one is met with great sorrow and fear.

 

Peter in 1 Peter 2:11 tell us “Dear friends, I warn you as "temporary residents and foreigners" to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.” (NLT).  We are not of this world we are just pilgrims on a journey to our final destination….HEAVEN. The Lord speaking through John in St John: 14:1-3, tells us “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. ² There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? ³ When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (NLT). 

 

What a blessed hope for those of us who have accepted Him as Lord and Savior! For those who have not done so as yet my question is “What are you waiting for or on?” The bible tells us in Romans 10:9 if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. It is that simple, do not delay, tomorrow is not promised.

In His service,

Paula Watson (Guest Blogger)

 

There is always an open door.

Did you realize that God always have an open door for you?  Yes He does let me show you the proof. 

 In Rev 3:8, speaking to the church of Philadelphia Jesus said the following words: I know your deeds.  See I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.  I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

In Isaiah 22:22, Isaiah is showing how the Lord lifted up Eliakim instead of Shebna-servants of Hilkiah- I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David, what He opens none can shut and what He shuts, no one can open.

So here is my question for all of us-why do we flounder around?  Here are my thoughts about this.  Sometimes we spend time looking at the door that was closed and miss the other doors or perhaps window that was opened up for us.  Always remember that if you are in God’s will there will always be an open door.  God does not leave us without any resource or areas of escape.  Most times we do not recognize the open door and we wander outside closed doors and stand the chance of being devoured by some wild animal passing by us.  Sometimes we see the door, but because it was not what we expect we keep looking.  After all we were expecting a square door, not a round, or a brown door not a green.  So my advice is that we pray about that open door and if it is one that God has opened step right on in.  He does not does not always do things the way we want.  So if that dream job is no longer there for whatever reason, and you find another job, think about this as being that hidden door of opportunity that will catapult you to the next level that God wants you to be at.  You may not have that tall dark and handsome husband, or perhaps no husband, well perhaps having that husband you wanted would hinder your effectiveness in what God wanted of you. So not focusing on that closed door, stop moaning and groaning, lift up your eyes and see the one right next to it and remember GOD STILL OPEN DOORS!!!

In His Service,

Vilma

Onions make you cry but.....

I came across a tweet earlier this morning which said: Life is a like an onion, you peel it layer by layer and sometimes it makes you cry.

Whereas this is true, I also see the value of that onion that may make you cry, adding flavor to your food, or decoration to certain dishes. There are times when we go through some tough spots that may cause us some pain or tears , but the end results make it worthwhile. Some of you may be feeling the pressure of being a single mom, a taxi driver for your children who need to go different places, or holding down two jobs to make ends meet.  However, in the end, when you see your children do well and blossom, it puts a smile on your face.

Here is another aspect of life that I would like to share with you: Life has its ups and downs, sometimes it like riding the waves when the ocean is rough, or sailing along when it’s smooth, there will be times of laughter and times of tears, but whatever the state we find ourselves in someone else will be doing this with you. 

 Isaiah 43:1-2 tells this explicitly: But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

So whether the onions of life make you cry or the comedians make you laugh remember the Lord of your life will keep you balanced.

In His Service,

Vilma