In the Time of the Lattereign

It’s time to praise the Lord. It is the key to victory. Have you ever felt that you had reached a point in your walk with God, that you just couldn’t take one more situation. It seemed that the more you turned to the Lord, the stronger the battles that you had to endure. In your desperate prayers, it seemed that all you could do was weep, or sit in his presence, not sure what to say or not say. I have felt that way on many occasions. So, how do you overcome it and move on?

The key is to praise the Lord. When times are great, praise him, and when times are not great, praise him. You may have to do it in faith, because you don’t have the strength to fight the battle any more, but that is okay, because the bible tells me that the “joy of the Lord is our strength.”

In II Corinthians 12:9, it says, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

^” The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him” (Psalm 28:7).

Our salvation and quality of life,  hinges on how committed we are to building a relationship with Jesus Christ. He gave his life for us; shouldn’t we live for him? All of the trials that we must go through to be perfected in Christ, pales to the sacrifice he made at Calvary. I am so thankful that I have a God who watches over me. He inhabits the praises of his people, so why would I deny him the worship that he seeks from me. It is through our worship and praise that we grow in him. Those problems that once seemed impossible are now surrendered to Jesus Christ who is the author and the finisher of our faith.

I can spend my time praising him, instead of complaining and allowing Satan to be in control of my circumstance. When I get into the Lord’s presence, I know that nothing is impossible. He gives us peace and hope. It’s time to let go of the things that would be a stronghold for you and let the Lord reign supreme in you life.

On the world’s stage, there will be more and more chaos as we draw closer to his coming; however, no matter how chaotic the world will become, we can stand on his word and his promise that he would never leave us, nor forsake us. When you don’t feel like you have a direction to look to, set your eyes on things above. He is God. He knows the plans that he has for us.

It’s time to cast our cares on him for he cares for us. Have a blessed victorious day of praise and thanksgiving. If you have Jesus Christ, you have more than enough to win.

Every time that we say yes to the Lord, we grow stronger. In this week’s Lattereign, we are reminded that when we praise him, one day It will be worth it all.

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The Pentecostals of Greenville, NC, have been praying for the harvest, and yesterday, they put feet on their faith, and went out into the communities to invite people to church for Kids March Madness. It does take an act of faith. We can spend our time hoping for something to happen, asking for something to happen, or even begging for something to happen; but sometimes it will take more than that to make something happen. It takes a willingness to go and do. In James 1:22, we are instructed, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

Do you have the faith to believe that God will give us a harvest? Then, it’s time to prepare the fields to receive it. For too long we have lived our lives accepting any circumstance that we are facing without even seeking God’s will. What is his will for his people? It is that we prosper and be in good health as our soul prospers. Is your soul prospering today? If not, what are you waiting for? Believe God, prepare to receive his best. Invite his presence into your life.

In his presence is fullness of joy and at his right hand are pleasures forever more, (the song goes.) We invite his presence into our lives, today. The world may seem chaotic at times, but Jesus Christ is not confusing. If we learn to set our affections on things above, and determine in our hearts to praise him, no matter what is happening around us, we can find the peace that passes all understanding, in the midst of the turmoil that the world uses to control our thinking.

The bible says in Philippians 4:8,

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Lord, help us to think clearly about the things that truly matter to you. Let us know who we can depend on, and help us to make good decisions as we walk circumspectly through this life. In this week’s Lattereign, we celebrate a true friend. Click on the link that follows to read about it.  A True Friend…(opens in a new window)

I believe God. Plain and simple. So, why is it that when situations stir up confusion around us, that we often forget to hold to the Lord’s promises. He has called us, we are his servants, he didn’t select us by happenstance, he made sure that we were part of his master design.

Doesn’t it seem like every time we gain momentum, we get blocked with negativity? It could be that you have a mountain top day, and then, it’s back to the valley just as quickly. He is still God. We can rest assured that God is still in control, and he promises to strengthen us and to help us. Don’t think for a minute that he doesn’t keep a watchful eye on our progress through life.

There is one thing that I can be confident in, and it is that God has called me and not rejected me. We can’t always say the same for people that we encounter through our lives. We will always fight against the powers of darkness; yet, when we grab a hold on God’s promises, nothing will shake us for long, because in our hearts we know that God is fighting for us.

He prepares us to receive his promises, by allowing us to have a valley experience. He knows that it will take more that a little patty-cake with Jesus to make everything alright. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). The good thing about faith is even if you only have faith the size of a mustard seed, it is sufficient.

Yes, the world can get chaotic at times, and if we get our eyes on the world and lose our focus on Jesus Christ, we have a tendency to make the storms of life greater than God who is greater than any circumstance that may be thrown in our path. Trust God. He will do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think.

He knows your name, he has heard your tears, and he will bring it to pass if you will only believe. Look at this week’s Lattereign to discover that strength-is-given-freely to those who trust in God.

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

“Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:” (I Peter 3:8).
“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath” (James1:19).

     Sometimes I feel that I walk in the shadows and that isn’t a bad thing when the shadows that cover me are from the wings of the Almighty. The Bible tells us about how he is with us like a shadow. It doesn’t matter what time of day or night we need the Lord, because he is always available to us when we call on his name. Miracles occur in our midst on a daily basis and it can be contributed to the commitment and faith of people who are willing to stand in the gap and pray.
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1). If you are going to be living “in the secret place of the most High”; then, you will abide under his shadow. It won’t be difficult to stay under his protection, but God didn’t save us just for us to sit back and receive his blessings. Being blessed is a part of our worship, true, but this gospel wasn’t meant to end with us. We can’t change our fate: we are all appointed unto man once to die; we must do our best to reach out to those around us.

It’s a sobering thought to realize that we are surrounded by people who cry out for salvation. Who will tell them about Jesus? If we get too involved with our own agendas to listen to their cries, we’ll miss out on the greatest blessing of all: giving the truth. When we understand this concept, we shall not know fear.

The rest of Psalm 91 explains:

² I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

³ Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

⁴ He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

⁵ Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

⁶ Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

⁷ A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

⁸ Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

⁹ Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

¹⁰ There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

¹¹ For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

¹² They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

¹³ Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

¹⁴ Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

¹⁵ He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

¹⁶ With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

(Psalm 91:2-16).

Living in the shadows has the benefit of having the Lord always available to lead you through the storm. Trust him and he will give you the desires of your heart. He is sovereign. He is the Almighty.

renew-your-strength-through-praise

“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth” (Mark 9:23).

The Lord is not slack concerning his promises. In the past few weeks I have been praying to see more of the miraculous in my life. The Lord allowed me to pray for it and he also answered my prayer in ways that I didn’t expect. When I think of the miraculous it brings up thoughts of something glorious that is way out there and not easily attainable, but that is not what the Lord has in mind: he is the God of the miraculous in the minor areas of my life also. In the small things that I take for granted.

When was the last time that you thanked God for waking you up on a Monday morning for work? Granted, going to work is something that we all may dread from time to time, but have you ever thought what it would be like if you didn’t have a job to provide for your family? What if you were unable to get out of bed on your own two feet? The next time that the alarm clock blares at you way too early on a Monday morning, breath a prayer of thanksgiving for giving you another day to serve him.

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” (Ecclesiastes 3:8). When we pray for the Lord to work in our lives, sometimes it seems that he doesn’t answer us in a timely manner. We forget that the Lord is working out all things for our good according to his purpose, not our own agendas. Every time you pray for the Lord’s will to be done in your life, your prayers turn heaven and earth upside down in the spiritual realm. Your prayers are offered up to the Lord as a memorial, your praise carries your petitions to the throne of grace and it is there that your answer is prepared.

As you continue to act on faith and believe God to answer your prayer, the Lord sets in motion all of the events that must occur to cause your miracle to come to pass. Looking on this side of heaven, it may seem that everything has gone contrary to the way you prayed. (For example, you pray for provision, and you lose your job.) Don’t despair, the Lord is preparing a better job for you that will provide for your family. When you don’t understand how the Lord is working in your life, then you learn to trust in him and wait.

In due time, all things will work together for good. 

Be encouraged by this week’s Lattereign: whatsoever-you-ask-in-my-name.

“Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.” Psalm 77:14

For too long the people of God have kept silent about what the Lord has done in their lives. I’m tired of hiding my faith under a bushel, in a world where doom and gloom is broadcast far and wide. It was never God’s intention for his people to be fearful, as the scriptures tell us in 2 Timothy 1:7: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

I am a firm believer that I can be as sick, or as poor, or depressed, or discouraged, as I want to be, because it is all in what I choose to receive into my mind; however, I choose to not entertain that kind of thinking, instead, I read in 1 John 4:4, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” What we think or speak, is what we strengthen. So, we can speak life, or death, it is all in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21).

We do not have to live a defeated life. Jesus Christ purchased our salvation at Calvary with his blood. He took stripes on his back for our healing, he loadeth us daily with benefits (Psalm 68:19), yet, I ask you, have you forgotten? Has time and circumstances robbed you of your zeal to be victorious in Christ? There is a constant tsunami of obstacles that try to keep us away from the joy of the Lord, but know this, in 3 John 1:2, it says,”Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”

The bible tells us in James 4:7: “Submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Sure, I had my days when I felt that God wasn’t listening to me, especially when I was being tested in my faith. It isn’t always easy to be positive, when you are bombarded with circumstances designed to shake the very foundation you are standing on in Christ; but we must stand, as it says in Ephesians 6:13-20:

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

In this week’s Lattereign we are  making-room-for-time-in-his-presence.

“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under a bushel basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the house” (Matthew 5:14-15).

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

We never had much money when I was growing up, and it didn’t seem to really be that important to me or to my family. We had something that transcended the need for money or material possessions: a trust in each other, and in a God who is Ever Faithful to give to us and supply all of our needs.

It was only natural that when you had a need, you prayed for it, and the Lord miraculously provided the need. It may be through a neighbor, or an employer, but the vehicle used to accomplish the task was irrelevant to us, because we knew who set the vehicle in motion: it was God.

No one ever knew when the cupboard was bare, or when we were down to the last of the last of everything in the cabinets to fix for supper. No one ever ventured beyond the back door of our home, but God knew and he had compassion on a child’s prayer for food.

My dad was a proud man and yet he was humble. He never refused to accept a gift given freely to help meet the needs, and at the same time, he seemed to drink more during the most stressful times because he couldn’t be everything that the Lord wanted him to be.

All I ever wanted my dad to be was a Christian. The fancy clothes that others wore were nice, but I wasn’t as satisfied as I could have been. I longed to have my daddy take us all to church on Sunday morning, and then, escort our family inside for worship, together. Instead, we children learned how to watch over our shoulders as we waited for the church van to arrive: to be unprepared, might have gotten us shot (if Daddy had a flashback to the war).

Today, as I sit in this sanctuary, I realize how blessed that I am to have a God who loved me enough to die for me at Calvary. It is simply amazing to me that he would lay aside all of glory so that he could be beaten and take on the weight of the world’s sin: my sin.

If you don’t know the true and living God, today, you can know Him and be blessed beyond your highest hopes and wildest dreams. I know that the situations that I lived in for so long could have caused me to be bitter and unthankful, but through God’s infinite mercy and provision, He has led me to a secret place of prayer and communion with Him. In the darkness that I have faced, I have found treasure. There is hope to overcome, and I have a God who watches over me.

Give yourself to worship, today, and you’ll discover a peace that passes all understanding.

In this week’s Lattereign we are giving-with-a-cheerful-heart.

Some days it seems impossible to schedule another single event to our already overbooked appointment calendar, but it’s necessary if we are to be about our Father’s business. At a leadership meeting a couple of years back, we discussed “Priorities: the pathway to success.”

Setting priorities becomes a challenge when we try to balance ministry, family time, work, and personal time. It never fails that personal time often gets sacrificed. Unless we are getting our strength by reading God’s Word and prayer we’ll spend part of the precious time that we do find, being resentful because we don’t have enough time.

If you have ever felt discouraged and are weary in your struggle to live for God, listen to what the Lord shared with me from Psalm 27. He reminded me that he is my light and my salvation, so I don’t have to fear anything. He is also the strength that I have in my life, and the greatest source of protection that I can have, so I don’t have to be afraid.

When my enemies came against me to destroy me, they had to walk over the blood line because Jesus has built a wall of protection all around me. Instead of my enemies getting the best of me, the Lord caused them to stumble and fall.

If I still don’t feel confident enough to navigate the trials of life, and I lose my footing, time and again, the Lord assures me that even if a “host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear” (Psalm 27:3). We are in a war, but even if the war comes against me, I can still be confident. Why? Because I know that the Lord will give me the desires of my heart, and I desire to seek after Him so that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

He promised in His Word that he would hide me in his pavilion; in the secret of his tabernacle; and then upon a rock. Each of these places offers safety and refuge. We spend a great deal of our time trying to do the right thing, and simultaneously the enemy of our soul seeks to steal our joy and our victory.

If he succeeds in taking my mind off of God’s perfect will for my life, I will not have the confidence to set priorities; but, if I’ll do what the scriptures has said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” (Matthew 6:33-34); then, I’ll be able to set priorities, for they’ll be in line with God’s will and purpose for my life.

One day there will be no more time, but until that day, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:4-5). That light can shine in the workplace where everyone seems to be in despair; it can shine in the mall when people look so lost from the onslaught of trouble in the world. It can shine into the abyss of the darkest circumstances and lead me out of the pit of defeat. The light of God’s love can lead us home where we’ll find joy and salvation in his presence. May the Lord richly bless you as you find your way back into his presence.

This week’s Lattereign reminds us that we are not alone. if-we-could-open-our-eyes

“Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me” (Micah 7:7).
“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

I am altogether impatient, Lord. I know it is a sin,
In all my planning and praying, Lord, I’ve forgotten that it takes time to win.
Monday, the mail came my way and it’s bills, never anything good.
“I didn’t win the grand prize,” I lamented, “I just knew that I would.”
So, on I go throughout my day brooding over what never has been

And before I know it,
Tuesday’s here, when will the answer come? When?
It’s prayer meeting night, do I even dare to try, try again?
Before I sleep, “I pour out my soul in the dark still night,
Lord, weren’t you listening to me, don’t you care that all you say is: wait?
On Wednesday, a new hope arises in me, but there’s not enough time to plan
Tonight’s the night for Bible study,
Lord, should I pray for the same thing again?
In your still small voice, (I know it well), you say, “Wait, it’s my will.”
“Oh, Lord, your will?” I cry, thinking about what might have been.

Then, Thursday, came in a rush, and once again I pleaded my case,
And gently, the Lord reminded me that all my sins were erased.

As I knelt down on Friday to pray, He told me his will: to WAIT.

On Saturday, he spoke to me, “It takes work to plan a life, so PRAY.
The toil of breaking up fallow souls, spending time on your knees
Pulling stubborn weeds of doubt, and raking up leaves of despair,
Spares you little time to rest—but rest in me, you must, my child.”
Still, I rushed through…

Finally, Sunday morning, I prepared for my day,
But I forgot to listen to the gentle Master’s wise advice
when I took the time out to pray.
“Take time to build a strong foundation,
take time to build your life around prayer.
Wait, on me when life’s uncertain,
wait when you feel hopeless and heavy-laden with cares.

For it’s in the waiting time, I’ll prune your branches;
I’ll pull your weeds; I’ll give you drink; I’ll restore your spirit;
I’ll meet your every need.

Although you may not see me working,
I’ll give you peace when you trust me and wait.
It’s while you’re praying, that I’ll till your soul;
it’s while you’re interceding, that I’ll pour on my balm;
it’s while you’re waiting on me, that I’m working on your behalf.

Keep on praying, child; while you wait, I’ll give your rest.
Trust me, I’ll never fail.”

Follow this link for this week’s Lattereign.  abide

A few years back, I was praying, and overwhelmed with the clutter in my house. I had a choice to make: I could close the door, (which I did more than I really want to admit, but no matter how many times I closed the door, the thought that the room was cluttered would never leave my mind); or I could approach the project as a way to discover hidden treasures. Every day, I made a point of going through either one shelf, drawer, or box. Many of the items I had held on to, only weighed me down with sorrow, but after a while, I was able to let them go. Reading through old manuscripts, and journals, helped to draw me back into writing, again.

Now, it’s time to renew our minds and to start 2017 with a fresh vision. What do I want my life to look like? One of the most important things to me is to find peace in my home, even if the world is chaos, so, I have been on a quest, once again, to reduce the physical clutter in my life, to help me to focus on the more important things in my life.

Why is it that as a society we get trapped in things? For most of my life, things have dominated; I’m afraid. It’s almost like it’s a security blanket to be surrounded by things. Yet, those very things cause anxiety, as we try to organize them into something manageable. It is a slow process to dig deeply into the recesses of our very existence, to release the past regrets and burdens, and feel confident that we can breathe new life into our present by learning to treasure a less complicated lifestyle.

The only way that can be accomplished is through Jesus Christ. Sometimes we have to shut out the distractions of clutter, both mental and physical clutter, to allow the Lord to work and reign in our lives. It’s time that I remember to nurture the spiritual part if my life. My relationship with Jesus Christ should be at the top of my priority list.

Living for God is not complicated. It is probably the most clear and concise plan that you will ever need to follow in your lifetime. Unfortunately, many Christians make living for God difficult to do. Upon conversion, they think of all of the many pleasures of sin that they must give up in order to follow Christ. No longer will there be any fun, because after all, what in the world can a Christian do for fun? No alcohol, no drugs, no immorality, no ungodly entertainment. What they fail to understand is that after a person commits his life fully to the Lord, the things that once brought such great satisfaction (a bold lie of the devil) no longer appeals to them.

When you have been baptized in Jesus’ Name, you put on that name; when you are filled with the Holy Ghost and speak with other tongues (that’s Jesus in you), there is not any room for the pleasures of sin that leave a person vacant and condemned to eternal death. We do have a free will, and while we can do what we want to do, everything changes when we become a new creature in Christ. We have the power to overcome sin and defeat the devil.

Before I repented and was baptized in Jesus Name, my life could be compared to a series of storms. Everything was chaos. I searched for something to bring me peace of mind and heart. Many times I would find myself longing to go back to the way things were when I was a young girl. I went to Sunday School, and I took the time to talk to God. We’d take long walks together through the fields behind my house to a clearing by the creek.

Through that clearing, his light would shine on me while I prayed. I remember being so confused with what I was supposed to be doing with my life. Surely there was more to life than surviving through my dad’s alcoholism. Somehow, just being able to get to the clearing to pray and spend time in communion with God made me so much better prepared to handle the life that I faced at home.

When I left home, I left it all, for a season, but life was so complicated and confusing to me. As I struggled to survive day to day, I could never completely forget the clearing and the communion with God—I didn’t know about the Truth; I didn’t know that you could live a decent and moral life and be happy—so I continued to search for a way to fill the void in my life. The Lord never forgot me, and I never felt the peace of the clearing until, the Lord moved heaven and earth so that I could find my way back to him. I will present my body a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God, which is my reasonable service. Life is crystal clear now; the way of the Lord leads to life. It is as simple as this: Jesus loves me and he forgave me. I am truly blessed. Today, he is offering you life and forgiveness. Will you receive it?

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to the world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).

In this week’s Lattereign we are reminded that there is nothing that is too hard for God to accomplish. His will be done in our lives.  is-there-anything-too-hard-for-god

Credits: Here is the link to the image used in this week’s post. image of renew mind