Words of Encouragement

Picture taken by James S. Williams. What a thought, I can be lifted above the things that would want to pull me down, bind me up and keep me from seeing the vastness of God's goodness before me.

The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. - Matthew 23:11-13

Humble Yourself. God will exalt. Talking about humbling yourself isn't a popular thought in our society today. Listen to any motivational speech and you hear the go get it all lines. Grasp all you can. People fight for positions, for names, for recognition without care of anyone else they may hurt.

Yet, we miss something great. God does not give honor to those that will walk over another for their own purposes. Instead, God says humble yourself. Don't exalt yourself because those are the ones that God will bring low. Why? God wants no one to place themselves above his ways and his will. When you refuse to be concerned with others, you have placed yourself above what God requires from his children.

In this scripture it even speaks about those that have exalted themselves to the place of supreme authority. What that means is there are those that have made themselves the authority on how others should do things (in this instance worship the Lord). The message to them is you are hypocrites. You do not even follow what is right yourself and then you cause difficulty for those that want to do it right.

I pray for us today that we humble ourselves before God and when the time for promotion comes, he will be the one that will exalt us.

Words of Encouragement

Picture taken by James S. Williams. When you look at the fields or flower gardens, they may not look like this now, but given time and care, they will flourish to look like this. Isn't that what God does for us? He gives us what we need so we can grow and flourish.

Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant. - Psalm 25:8-10

Humble Yourself. To Learn of God's way. One thing that I find interesting about scripture is when it first starts with giving God honor before it talks about man and his ways. I believe the writers of the scripture is trying to tell us an important point, that God should always be first in whatever we say or do.

This is important for us to understand, especially when we try to understand what it means to be humble. The prideful places themselves first. I have heard someone say, I did this, or I achieved that and no one helped me. The prideful take all the credit. However, the humble understand that everything they achieve, have and will ever have, comes because of the graciousness of God.

The psalmist writes that God is good and upright and because of it, he will teach sinners his ways. He will guide the humble and teach us his ways. What a reason to rejoice, God will teach us and guide us. He will do this so that we can be obedient to him and understand his ways.

I pray for us today that we would humble ourselves so that we can learn God's ways. It takes a humble spirit to acknowledge the need for help. We need God's help in all the things we do.

Words of Encouragement

This is Foxy. I have never seen a dog more "human" than this one.









Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground. Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp. - Psalm 145:5-7

Humble Yourself. The Lord Sustains. In a world were we are told to go and get for ourselves, the scripture tells us otherwise. The word of God encourages those that humble themselves by affirming that God will sustain. We are told to sing and give thanks to God for his sustaining power.

The dog you see is named Foxy. I have seen this dog do an interesting thing. When she has done something wrong and her masters call her name, she presses herself low to the ground and inches slowly toward them. She will even come and lay her head on their feet to accept the punishment for her "sins".

I have seen her disciplined, but because of how she presents herself, she most often receives the love and encouragement from her masters afterwards.

You and I can learn much from Foxy. When we know that we have done wrong, we should lower ourselves before the Lord and accept the correction that he gives. What we find when we go to our master is not only his correction, but also his affection.

We can rejoice in the Lord's ability because he will take care of those that humble themselves. He is the power that sustains us and protects us not only from our enemies but from the effects of a haughty spirit.

I pray for us today that we rejoice in the Lord for he is mighty and powerful. He has no limits and he will keep us as long as we continue to humble ourselves.

The Week in Review

A wonderful bunch of kids! Have you told your children that today?

RAISING HEALTHY CHILDREN
(As presented at the WCG Conference in 2005)

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. Luke 2:52 KJV


This is a very simple scripture but it is filled with so much wisdom for a parent. Jesus, who is our example in all things, is also our example in what a healthy growing child should look like. We read Isaiah and know that to help this process of increasing in our children we must get them before the Lord. That is our ultimate goal for them to know our heavenly father. We want them to grow in God’s wisdom of his word, to grow by giving there bodies the healthiest of things to feed on and to give their minds and emotions over to those things that will have them thinking in a Godly way.



We have to bring our children to a place where they can do as Jesus did. You know the story about Jesus’ parents looking for him and they didn’t realize he was missing until they had gone quite a distance in their journey. And when they realize he wasn’t with them, they went back and found him in the temple. Jesus’ parents found him in the midst of the teachers hearing and asking questions.


We want them to be in the midst of the hearing and asking of questions. And when we allow them to be in the midst we may be astonished at their understanding and answers to the questions regarding God. We are to give them every opportunity to learn not only “book” knowledge but also “spiritual” knowledge. From this scripture we see three areas that we can help our children be the best that they can for the Lord. Those three things are, to increase in stature, in wisdom and in favor both with man and with God.


1. Increase in stature: the natural height of a human, an achieved level. This we understand to be our children growing up. They first begin to talk, then they walk and then they run. As a parent we do what we have to, to keep up with the child. We are also concerned with what they eat so that we can make sure they are getting the proper nutrients that they need. This seems clear cut, but there are still something’s that we can do that turns our children more toward God even as we help them in this area of their lives.


I am always looking for ways to do things better for myself as well as my family. I realize that as a parent you carry a lot of responsibility for what happens in the lives of your children. I won’t speak for anyone else but myself, I was becoming a fast food junkie. I was tired so we were eating junk food. I was frustrated because it just didn’t seem like I could keep coming up with something that everyone would want to eat, including myself. I hadn’t really learned how to prepare meals for my family. That wasn’t something I was taught to do. I had to stop and really look at what was going on.


I’m not against going out to dinner, but did you know we actually do our children a disservice when we don’t teach them about healthy eating and healthy behaviors? Some of the women my age have voiced this concerned, that they were not taught how to prepare meals and even though this seems like no big deal, as a mother trying to keep everything working properly, it can be. Some of us missed the older women teaching the younger women how to mother and how to be wives, so several of us are winging it. Now if you had that training, give your mom a big kiss.


I made the decision to stop that cycle at myself. I wanted to make sure I was equipping my children to handle this situation better than I was equipped to do. One of the things that I have been doing since my oldest daughter was about 3 years old is teach her something new to add to the things she can cook. Being a child the first thing she wanted to learn about was how to make something sweet. We were on one accord with that decision. It gave me the opportunity to teach her and use the time to plant into her life important messages. Now some of you may have sons and say that won’t work. I have to tell you it is just as important. See you don’t want to send your sons unprepared into life or into a marriage and work some poor women to death, especially my daughters.


Now I try to use meal times, the preparation of it and eating as times for us to really talk to each other. I also use it as a time for some really important lessons. One year I had a baking party for all the children in my family for Christmas. The smaller ones made crust for the mini cheesecakes. They loved destroying the graham crackers. Little ones have the gift of destruction so I thought that would be a good place for them to flow in their gifts. The middle ones put in the ingredients for the chocolate chip cookies and the teens, especially the boys were able to man the equipment. Boys like equipment so that was right up their alley to see how fast they could make the mixer go.


What an opportunity to be able to show them what the body of Christ looks like. Everybody has a part and no part is unimportant or insignificant. No one is too young or too old to be used in the service to accomplish a task. Just as we were accomplishing a task of getting those sweet smelling goodies made, as the church we are accomplishing something sweet in the nostril of God. Use those opportunities that you have to show spiritual principles. We have to make it plain. We have to be willing to tell our children things so they can understand the great mysteries of God.
When we were done they all got a chance to eat what they had done as well as take their creations home. I wish you could have seen the faces on those children. There was such pride in accomplishing something themselves. Even the boys tried to pretend they didn’t care, but you could see the pride on their faces. That’s what I believe is being lost. We are really busy I understand that, but we need to slow our lives down a bit and get back to or begin teaching our children how to cook, how to provide with their own hands. Even the world has an understanding of this concept. If you ever watch the food channels they actually have “cook with your kid” campaigns. They are trying to encourage parents to spend time with their children cooking and preparing meals.


You teach them something vital about working and work ethics. Each of my children has chores to do, even when they were two. Even if it was just picking up their toys. What does this have to do with their physical growth? I believe it has a lot. When you look at statistics our children have become obese sitting in front of a T.V. waiting for mom to bring them something to drink like she is their servant. I jokingly told a friend that when the women libbers changed MRS. to MS. They weren’t doing us any favor they don’t understand that MS. stands for Mommy Slave.
Well Jesus came to set the suffering captives free, and I took my freedom. My children all are a part of this family and I want to place in them that their health is important and they have a part to play in it. If you have medicines you are to take them on time. Stop sitting in front of that boob tube and go play and exercise your body as well as your mind. And then it is another opportunity for me to grow my children toward the Lord. I’m also teaching them stewardship of their time and their bodies before the Lord. God expects us to be good stewards of everything that belongs to him, so why not begin to use these times to talk to your children about it.
That’s what God’s word in Deut. 6:7 says, “Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children” Tell them as you walk along the way, talk to them when you wake up, when you lie down, when your eating fits in just as nicely.” Every opportunity we have should be with the purpose of showing our children how God is a part of their lives and even the things that seem simple or meaningless are still important to God.


We have several things that we do that have become family traditions. At Christmas time we start on December first preparing for the holiday. We have a board that we go over each day with something we should be thankful about. We tell them that this is the celebration of Christ’s birth. So when it’s someone’s birthday, you bring him or her a gift. We begin everyone to thinking about what gift they want to give to Jesus. On Christmas Eve we have a family celebration. We read the Christmas story, we also then share what gift we will give to Jesus that year. Then each one shares what their gift is and we take turns praying for someone else’s gift. They have given gifts such as being nicer to their sister, because God wants them to love each other. Or to pray more, or read their bible more, because that would be something Jesus would like for his birthday. I’m teaching them how to do personal inventories to see where they line up with God’s will.


The children also get really excited about helping with baking so that we can give them as gifts. They remember this more than anything. If you asked what did they get for Christmas, they can’t remember but they do remember what we did. We also have a dress up dinner with candlelight and everything for New Years Eve. For the last few years my eldest daughter has cooked dinner. I’m talking real food. She cooked ribs, double baked potatoes, made rolls and a homemade chocolate fudge cake served with ice cream.


It has gotten so my youngest child will from time to time say, mom I need some pretty mood, light the candles for dinner and turn off all the lights. And I do it. I’ll bring out the china and set the table just because.
I also like what we do at the summer time. We have “Williams camp”. I create a program that runs for 5 – 6 weeks. This came about because I needed to find something for my children to do during the summer. I didn’t have any money to afford the costly park programs. So I asked the Lord to show me what I could do. We’ve been doing it now for about 4 years. We learn Spanish, taught by my oldest daughter. I have to tell you I was amazed myself how the Lord opened up my creativity in this area.
We also allowed the children a chance to see how it feels to do things for others. All of the things we made were given to members of our church and then to our seniors in nursing homes. We have arts and crafts, and we even have our own theme song for our camp. Williams camp if fun, we can play in the sun, and I forget the rest, but I know the children remember it. I also teach them some cooking. They learned how to make turtle cookies this summer. What has happened is even some of my teenage girls from church were involved and they were excited about being involved again. Now I know everyone won’t do this type of program, but what can you do with your time?


Come back next week for part IV, of Raising Healthy Children. If you missed the part III look under The Week in Review on April 20, 2008

The Week in Review

“The Truth, the Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth”
Originally preached by Jewel D. Williams

at Faith COG 8/06

(Part III)

Today could be your last day that God’s Spirit will beacon you and then you are on your way to hell because you have refused God’s grace. So you cannot save yourself, you cannot do this in yourself. However, Jesus said I will take the penalty of your sin. You were my enemy, but I’ll pay the cost of shed blood and shed my own.

But it does not end there. That is only part of the truth, and we want the whole truth. (READ 1 Corinthians 15:1-18) Jesus paid the cost, but if he had only died, and not rose again, then our preaching is in vain, our faith would be worthless. But Jesus did rise. He arose to show he had power to overcome death. He overcame the hold of sin on our lives. He overcame every thing the enemy could dish out against you. And when he arose he rose in power. Not only power over death, but power to impart to all those that come behind. So ordinary people can do extraordinary things, because we serve a God who has the ultimate power over everything. When he rose, he rose with victory for all believers, so that you and I can be victorious in our walk.

Paul’s warning is against those that would come and try to change the truth of God’s word to have you following after men’s philosophy. Men today believe that they know more than God and therefore they can interpret the word with out the interpreter, the Holy Spirit.

Look at what the word says about people like that, “Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow” – Colossian 2:18-19. In other words, don’t listen to all these people coming with new revelations, new understandings that are contrary to the Bible as if they have been chosen to give a special revelation for today. They are not connected to the head, which is Christ. They will deceive you into being a disconnected body, separated from the head. And a body without a head cannot live or function. So, how does Paul’s warning apply to us today?
We see individuals in our time that have come with new revelations and new ways. Some are not new ways, but have us still today turning from the truth of God’s word regarding Jesus.

We see it in many of the different religions and cults. For example we, meaning Christians have fallen under the belief that we all Muslims, Christians and other religions all worship the same God. We do not. Where we get drawn into their philosophy is when they say they believe in only one God. Some of us may be confused with the Muslim religion for example, because many of their beliefs have things that originally came from the Bible. The historical foundation for the Quaran, for instance contains much from the Old Testament. But that is were the similarities end. The Muslims believe Christ was a good teacher, but they do not believe he is the Son of God nor do they believe he rose from the dead. One belief is that Judas was crucified in Jesus place. Some however believe that Christ was on the cross but he didn’t die. The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth is this, Jesus points out that those who do not believe in Him as their savior will not receive everlasting life. “I told you that you would die in your sins, if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins” John 8:24. When the question, who are you, is asked to Jesus, this is the answer, “Jesus Answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6. Jehovah’s Witness, now call themselves Christians. Yet, if you study your word you will see that we do not believe the same. The truth of their doctrine has changed each time a new leader has taken the helm of the Watchtower Society. The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth of God’s word does not change, it stands true. This is one of the things Paul was warning against being caught in man’s rules of how you should worship God. They believe in a work doctrine instead of salvation as the free gift of Jesus Christ. They believe that if you do enough things you will be able to reach a place of good standing with God. Not so. Let me say this clearly, individuals in other religions and belief systems do not have to be bad people to be led in the wrong direction. If you meet any one from these religions they very well might be loving, caring people, even more so sometimes that those that say they are believers in Christ. So we cannot look at the people’s attitudes for example to determine what is the truth. God’s word has to be the yardstick we use to measure what is right.
Reflection: Do you believe that there is only one way to the Father, or do you believe that there are many paths to God? Come back next week for part IV of the message, The Truth, the Whole Truth and nothing but the Truth.

If you missed part II of this message you can go look under “Week in Review” on April 20, 2008 to read it.

Words of Encouragement

If you are a cloud watcher, do you see anything here? I see a city amongst rolling hills and a beautiful sky. I think this is just God's way of making us take time to see the beauty of his world. This picture is taken at sunrise in Miami. This last one is the close up of the first one. It is the top of the cloud. All pictures this week are the property of James S. Williams

" 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again." – Mark 9:23-25

Where can I find help? Do you have faith to believe? Jesus’ disciples tried to cast out a spirit from a boy but were not able to and the man now ask Jesus if he can help. Jesus ask how long have he been like this? The man says since his childhood. He then asks Jesus if there is anything you can do, would you do it?

This is Jesus’ response, if you can. In other words, do you not know to whom you are speaking? Jesus then says to the man, everything is possible for him who believes. The man in excitement says, I do believe and if there is any doubt in me, help me to overcome it.

Sometimes we do the same, we are faced with God and we question can you do this? We have situations that have been going on so long that we think, surely this cannot chance. We want it to change, just as the man wanted his son changed, but we have doubts they can. We go to God in our prayers and say, if there is anything you can do, please do it.

God’s response to us is, do you not know to whom you are speaking? It doesn’t matter how long the situations has been going on, God is able to change it. He then tells us that if we have faith all things are possible to us.

We should respond like the man and with excitement exclaim, I do believe and help me with my disbelief. In other words I need your help in all areas. I need your help to change my situations and I need your help so that I can trust that you will.

As we go to worship this week, go with the confidence that God is our helper. He will help us through our situations and our circumstances. He will sometimes send others to sacrifice of themselves for our release. That is what we are called to do as believers, be living sacrifices as Jesus was the sacrifice sent to release us from our captivity. Sometimes God simply wants us to look in the right places. We trust in things to gives us help, but God wants us to see it is him alone. We can know that when we call for God to help, he hears us and by faith we can believe that he will grant us what we need. So I pray for us to place our complete trust in the one that can help us every situation we face, our loving Father.

Words of Encouragement

This is a fountain at the Lowe's Hotel in Miami. I thought about what the pool might have looked like that the man was seeking healing from.


When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?" "Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me." Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." – John 5:6-8

Where can I find help? Are you looking in the wrong place? Jesus sees a man lying down and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time. He had been seeking someone to help him into the pool of water when it was stirred, but while he was trying to get in, someone else came ahead of him, and he continued to miss his healing.

Jesus asks the man a question when he sees him waiting to try and get in the pool, do you want to get well? The man did not truly understand the question, because he began to tell why he wasn’t well. He began to talk about how he had waited and how someone else had taken his blessing.

I don’t think it is strange that Jesus did not address his complain, but simply when back to what he asked him in the first place, do you want to get well. Jesus grants the unspoken response with, get up. Pick up your mat and walk.

This man had an opportunity to meet the savior. Jesus was passing by his way and asked him if he wanted healing. The man did, for he had tried to get someone to help him, but it was not working. What this man didn’t realize was the ultimate healer was standing before him. He was looking for his healing in the wrong place. He was seeking the stirring of the water, but not the one that stirs it. He was looking at physical strength to place him in the healing waters, and not the spiritual strength that was the healing waters.

Sometimes that is how we are. We are looking for our help in the wrong places. We are limiting our help because we don’t see clearly what God wants to do in our lives. Sometimes God has asked us a question, "Do you want to be healed"? Instead of answering the question, we begin to tell him why we haven’t gotten better yet. We begin to complain about how others didn’t help us or how someone else took our place and therefore we missed our blessing. However, Jesus asks us a simply question, do you want to be healed?

Let us thank God today, for even when we don’t always see clearly, he answers us completely. He gave the healing even though the man didn’t see clearly the source of healing standing before him. Sometimes we don’t complete comprehend our source either, but that does not stop God from helping us. So I pray today, that we have clear vision and see from whence cometh our help, it cometh from the Lord.

Words of Encouragement

Do you know how many miracles you are looking at? This is a picture from the Meet and Greet at Langley Avenue Church of God, last November. How many? COUNTLESS!

The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people." This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country. – Luke 7:15-17

Where can I find help? God is here. Jesus was walking and there was a funeral procession passing by. He saw it and took pity on the mother whose son had died. Jesus had pity on her and touched the coffin of her son and called him forth. The dead man sat up and began to talk.

All that were around were astonished by what they saw, but they still were not aware of what it was they were experiencing. They assumed that he was a great prophet and they rejoiced that God had come to help his people.

They were partly right; God had come to help his people. Except he had not sent a prophet, but he had come himself in the form of his Son. God with us, Emmanuel had come to help his people. What the people did not realize in the full sense of the word was, “God is here”.

They are not different than us today, we see the wonder of God as his miracles are performed, but we stop short of acknowledging that it is God’s Spirit. We say, oh that was this or that, and we marvel at what was done, but we stop short of giving God’s Spirit the credit. We may say, for example that person did a good job, but are not willing to go all the way and say that they were being led by God’s Spirit and in doing so we don't acknowledge the presence of God in our world today.

Lord help us. We are seeking your help, but we sometimes cannot see that you are right here with us. Your Spirit is available to help us, but we don’t always see clearly the full picture. Lord help us to recognize that you are still working miracles in the lives of everyday people and we only need to realize that it is you, because you are with us and you are our help.

Words of Encouragement

This is an attraction in Wisconsin Dell. It made me think about how God can shake things up. He can totally flip situations upside down!

So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. – Acts 16:8-10

Where can I find help? God sends help. The Holy Spirit kept Paul from preaching in the province of Asia. When Paul came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit would not let them. This is where our verses pick up. The Spirit kept them from going one way, so they went another way.

During the night, Paul had a vision that a man from Macedonia was begging him to come and help them. Paul when he woke got ready to leave for Macedonia and preach the gospel to them. It would seem then, since this is where God is sending them, that they would have instant success and no difficulties? That would be an incorrect conclusion.

If you are familiar with this scripture, this is where Paul and Silas are thrown in jail for casting out the spirit in the slave girl. It would seem that Paul and Silas would be upset. They have been beaten, stripped and thrown into jail. So what do they do? Do they feel sorry for themselves? Do they give up because this walk is too hard?

No, they praise God. They sing and praise the Lord as the others in the jail are listening to them. The scripture says that there was a violent earthquake and all the doors were opened and all their chains were loosed.

Paul received a vision for help and he followed the leading of God to go and preach the gospel. In the process Paul met with difficulty. But he remained faithful to praising God because he knew something important, that God would send help him. This same God that sent him to help someone else, would send help to him, because Paul knew he had to fulfill God's plan.

Paul’s faithfulness to continue in praise, not only released his chains but the chains of all the prisoners that were in captivity. Sometimes it is hard to figure out how God will work, but it is quite amazing to see when he does. Paul’s praising and singing released the prisoners in jail because he was in the right place, the place where the captives were. He was a captive himself, but yet he was free because of his help from God. He was a servant of God in chains for the sake of the gospel.

Today, let us remember something important, God will send our help. Sometimes he calls for other believers to go through some difficulty to be in the right place to help you be released from your captivity.

Lord help us today be released from the prison that has us held captive. Lord if you are sending us to show forth your praises and prayers until the earth be moved so that someone’s situation and circumstances can be shaken, then help us to see clearly that the place we are in is not to destroy us, but to help in the process of freeing the captives.

Words of Encouragement

This was from our balcony in Miami. It was so beautiful watching the sun rise up in the morning and to be reminded of God's beauty.

Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. – Psalm 5:1-3

Where can I find help? Rise up with expectancy. The Psalmist is seeking an answer from God. He is asking God to listen to his petition, his request. The request is for the Lord to give his ear to his words and to consider his very sighing.

How many times have you wanted to know if God was listening to your very sighs? Did you wonder is he listening to my cries for help? Does he hear me when I come seeking an answer? I know there have been moments in my life when things were so heavy that I wondered, God do you hear me, are you concerned about me?

I wondered in my situations and circumstances, was there a place that I could find help? The Psalm today gives us a reminder of where we can go to find help and that is in the Lord. The writer says listen to me because you are my king and my God and to you alone do I pray.

He says in the morning you hear my voice and I lay my request before you with expectation. What this reminds us is we must rise up early in the morning with an expectancy of God to hear us and answer our request. We must rise up early because when we linger, it gives the Devil the opportunity to torment and to tell us we are defeated and that God is not listening to us.

So instead, we should rise up early with the expectancy that God will not only hear our request but that he has an answer for us. There is no other place where I can find help, other than my king and my God to whom I pray.

I pray for us today that we find comfort in knowing that all that we seek, God already has the answer for. If it is comfort, he has the answer. If it is direction, he has that also. Lord help us to rise up early and come to you for the answer to our daily questions. Lord give ear to our request

The Week in Review

2nd and 3rd generation of children. This picture is of my 3 girls, my oldest sister, Arma's 3 girls, Dariana, Lacretia and Sonya standing in the rear (her son was missing). My brother, Keith's daughter is standing next to Sonya, my brother Antonio's daughter in all yellow is standing next to Keith. Sonya's daughter is standing behind my two youngest daughters. My sister, Emma's daughter was not present at the wedding.

Family First!
RAISING HEALTHY CHILDREN
(As presented at the WCG Conference in 2005)

Our goal as parent/care givers is to have children that have these attributes going for themselves: “And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD;” Isaiah 11:2 KJV
Let’s take a few moments and look at this scripture. In this scripture from Isaiah, the prophet is talking about Jesus and what characteristics/attributes he has.

1. He first has God’s spirit - The only way that our young people will be successful in this life is when they have a relationship with the Father. Godly success is different than what the world says it should be. I’m not talking about having a good job or career or being famous or having lots of money, because none of those things can satisfy like the Lord and they are not using the Lord’s measuring stick. I’m talking about a child that grows into an adult and no matter where they are in this life they are walking with the Lord and growing. Yes the world’s standard may say that your child is a failure because her or she hasn’t gained a fortune, but in God’s eyes he or she is precious. What does it profit a man (or child) to gain the whole world, but lose his or her soul? Paraphrasing of Matthew 16:26

2. He has wisdom and understanding – To have wisdom means to be able to discern or judge what is true, right or lasting. To have understanding means to perceive or comprehend the nature and significance of something. To know thoroughly by close contact or long experience with. Jesus had wisdom and understanding because he knew what was true and what was right. He understood the Father because of his long contact and experience with the Father. If we are to help our children grow in wisdom and understanding we must make sure that we are giving them what is true and what is right in the Lord. We also must make sure that their experiences and contacts bring them to a place to know more and understand more about the Lord.

3. He has counsel and might – Advice or guidance especially from a knowledgeable person. He grew in might, might is the power, or force or influence held by a person. Jesus had the spirit of counsel and might meaning he was a knowledgeable person and was able to guide others. He also had power and he was able to influence others. We want to raise children that are knowledgeable about the things of God. As they grow in their knowledge then they can give help to those that are around them. We also want to raise children that have influence as they walk in the power of God. Influence for good and not for evil.

4. He had knowledge – Familiarity, awareness, or understanding gained through experience or study. Jesus was familiar with the ways of God. He was aware of his presence. He had experiences with God, so he had knowledge of God. We want to make sure that we help our children to become familiar with God so that they are aware of what his will is and to understand his voice. We are to help them gain understanding through their study as well as the things that they will learn from life’s lessons.

5. He had the fear of the Lord – This fear means having extreme reverence or awe toward God. When we have reverence for God, we are careful in the things we do. It’s no different than if you were invited to visit the king of a country or the President. You wouldn’t just walk in and have a seat. You would be careful to know what do I wear before the king? How do I speak before the king? What is my behavior to be? You would want to know what you are to do and how to do it. That’s what kind of reverence we want to teach our children. You are going before a Holy God. Make sure that what you present to him is worthy of who he is. We must make sure that we are an example of this before our children as well.

Now don’t leave me. I know this looks like a tall order to achieve especially when for a mother just getting dinner on the table can cause you to have to pray and fast for answers. I am sure however that this can be accomplished. Why? Well first God would not give us the task, if it were something we could not obtain. God doesn’t set us on a path of impossibilities. He sets us on the path of success, as long as we remember we are walking with him.
In part III, of Raising Healthy Children, we will take a deeper look into how we can begin the process in our own families to bring these things about.

The Week in Review

Jewel's Gems

“The Truth, the Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth”

Originally preached by Jewel D. Williams at Faith COG 8/06
(Part II)

In this book, the author said, if Disney made a movie of what is taking place in our churches, it would be called, “HONEY WERE SHRINKING THE GOSPEL”. How is this happening? First, we have grown into a Christian society that does not present the gospel in its entirety.

We either remove the cross from the story because we feel it is too much and it is not necessary to the story of Jesus, or we do not tell of Christ resurrection, because we don’t truly believe it. Or we simply water down who Christ is and make him of no affect. We see it all the time, many preachers, writers and speakers that come across the airwaves that preach a softer, gentler Christ so that the people can stomach the gospel.

They preach the spiritually correct Christ. Or either we have the “ten easy step messages”, those are the ones that tell you how you can have wealth, health and success, but they never say you have to change or let go of anything you are doing in your life. They tell you that you can have it all, without ever telling you that you need to repent of your sins, where is that in the Bible? I heard of a popular preacher who said he doesn’t mention sin in his messages. He also said how people of all religions say they enjoy his sermons. That is because he isn’t preaching the gospel, for the gospel either calls you to repentance or it will offend you because you refuse to heed or change your ways.

Or we have created a new doctrine of salvation that is full of heavy man-made “to do,” types of things, and because of it, we make it hard for individuals to understand the simplicity of salvation. I read about a well-respected theologian who was asked to explain in detail his understanding on Biblical things. He stated this, Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so. He gave his answer from the simplicity of the Bible. Jesus came to save souls and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We have become a society that is shrinking the gospel of Jesus Christ. What is the truth, uncut and unchanged?

In Colossians chapter 1:21-22, it presents what the simply truth is “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:” The truth of this simply message is this, the cross was necessary for your salvation. Without Jesus’ death on the cross you or I cannot stand before God, we are guilty before him and are on our way to hell. We were enemies of God, we were not on his side, but stood against him as one in another camp. Yet when we should have received death for being an enemy, we were instead invited into his camp and given life instead.

On the cross with Jesus was nailed every sin that men commit against God and against each other. So whatever sins you do and whatever sins have been done against you, were nailed on the cross. Jesus took them because you and I could not pay the cost of the offense of our sins. You and I were guilty. It doesn’t matter what you have done, nor does it matter how good you think you are, because even if you are not as bad as the next person, if you have failed to keep even one of the commandments, then you are guilty of breaking the law of God and you stand accused on all points of the law. The interesting thing is this, if it were not for God's prevenient grace you or I would not even know we were in need of a savior. This simply means God gave the same Holy Spirit that indwells in us (the believer) to help to draw us (the sinner), to prevent us from going to hell. He offers mercy to us and beacons us to come to Christ. So he helps us in those moments of clarity to realize how depraved we are so we can say yes to his calling. And do not think you have forever to refuse him. Today could be your last day that God’s Spirit will beacon you and then you are on your way to hell because you have refused God’s grace.

Reflection: Do you think there comes a time when a person can refuse God’s grace and miss the opportunity for heaven?

If you missed part I of this message you can go to "Week in Review" on April 13, 2008 to read the first part.

Words of Encouragement

Are your eyes seeing what God is showing?

Drawing: property of Joselyn Williams

Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. - 1 Thessalonians 5:22-24

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. – Philippians 4:8

What are your thoughts? Sanctifying Thinking. To sanctify our thoughts means to make our thoughts line up with what is right before God. It means we must have holy thoughts. The scripture says avoid every kind of evil. This means that we must yield ourselves to God so that he can sanctify us in our entirety. That means my actions as well as my thoughts.

To have sanctified thoughts means that I must daily consecrate my thoughts to God. That means that I don’t dwell on stinking thinking and instead I allow my thoughts to be set aside for God’s purpose. I set aside my agenda or what I want to dwell on in my thoughts so that God can have the control.

When the thoughts that would make me dwell in the wrong places tries to rise up, I am reminded to avoid all kinds of evil. The evil to avoid is allowing the enemy to feed us lies and us believing it. We need to ask God to help sanctify our thinking so that we can think the right thoughts and not dwell our thoughts on things that are not praiseworthy and excellent.

As we go to worship this week, let us go seeking a change in our thoughts. What are your thoughts? Are they thoughts on the negative, defeated ways or are they thoughts about the victory that is waiting for us? Lord help us to move from stinking thinking to righteous thinking. Help us to move from being shortsighted in our thinking to seeing the whole picture in our thoughts. Help by setting our thoughts aside for your purpose and your ways.

Words of Encouragement

Self-portrait composed and taken by my daughter, Joselyn. All pictures for this week property of Joselyn Williams.

Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. – Hebrews 3:1-3

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. – Philippians 4:8

What are your thoughts? Whole (Victorious) Thinking. To have victorious or whole thinking, that calls for our focus to completely change. What is that change? The change is from our shortsightedness of only believing in what I can see, feel or understand. It calls for us to think in a broader way. It calls for us to fix our thoughts on Jesus.

To fix our thoughts on Jesus, means that we are willing to stick closely to his plan. This scripture helps us know that Jesus is the source of our victory. When we understand that our life and thoughts must be focused on Jesus, we begin to have whole thinking. Whole thinking helps us to understand that every part of our life can be touched by the master’s hand. We can begin to think on the good things of God.

Our whole thinking covers the thoughts that are about truthful things, noble things, right things, pure things, lovely things and admirable things. It is our ability to think on excellent and praiseworthy things. All those things encompass Jesus as the source of our life and can only be accomplish when are gaze is fixed on him and see nothing else.

I pray for us today that we begin to think on the things that lead us to walking in the victorious life that God has for us. Lord help us to move away from stinking thinking and to righteous thinking. Help us not to be shortsighted in our abilities, but help us to have whole, victorious thinking that rest on the ability of your son.

Words of Encouragement

Picture drawn by Joselyn Williams in dedication to her grandfather, James Shurman Williams.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. – Isaiah 55:8-9

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. – Philippians 4:8

What are your thoughts? Shortsightedness Thinking. What is shortsightedness? It is when you can’t see the whole picture, but only what you don’t have or only one part of the whole story. Shortsightedness is also the kind of thinking that the enemy uses to make us feel defeated. Whole thinking is also known as victorious thinking. Whole thinking helps us to realize that our thoughts are not God’s thoughts and our ways are not his ways, therefore we understand we cannot see everything in our own vision.

We become shortsighted when we think what we see is all there is. The scripture says let the wicked man forsake his ways and the evil man his thoughts. I also take a little liberty here to say let anyone that is not thinking God’s way, forsake those thoughts because they are leading to sin or disobedience, or lack of faith and trust in God. Whenever we refuse to think that God’s ways are higher than ours, we then are shortsighted and believe we have all the answers in our own selves.

Instead, when we have righteous thinking we acknowledge that God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours. We then understand that we don’t see everything and to rely on ourselves we will be shortsighted. We understand that to release ourselves into God’s hands he will help us to see the whole picture. The whole picture is when we can have a glimpse of how God sees our situations and circumstances.

I pray for us today, Lord help us. Help us with our lack of forethought; help us with our lack of preparation and thoughtfulness. The preparation we need to do is take time thinking righteous thoughts so that we can think of those things that are pure and right. Help us to think on those things that are praiseworthy so that we can see the clear picture and thus remove the power that the enemy has to discourage us because we are shortsighted in what we see.

Words of Encouragement

your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you. – Psalm 139:16-18

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. – Philippians 4:8

What are your thoughts? Righteous Thinking. So if you had thoughts that were classified as stinking thinking, how do you change them? You begin that process by focusing on the Lord. The psalmist remarks about the things of God. He says you saw me when I was unformed and at that time you ordained a purpose for me.

The psalmist then rejoices at the wonder of the thoughts of God. He writes your thoughts are precious to me. When God’s thoughts are precious to us, then we begin the process of seeking to change ours to be more like his. We ask God to change our thoughts from the old way we thought, to begin to think his thoughts and to understand his ways. We understand that God’s thoughts are vast and we cannot completely understand them all.

Yet, the psalmists is reminded that even if I were to try and count your thoughts I cannot, but I still know this important thought, I am still with you. This is what I call righteous thinking. When we turn from looking at our problems and begin to look at the one that solves all problems we begin to have righteous thinking.

We can begin at this point (and only at this point) to think of things that are right, pure, lovely and admirable. This is possible because the focus has turned to the God of the universe and we are reminded of his vastness. We are reminded of the works of the master’s hands. Righteous thinking means that we have the focus on the right things. The beauty and the sweet smell of being in the presence of God dispel the stench of the thoughts that the devil tries to bring to us. Thinking righteous thoughts begins us to thinking ourselves as victors where as stinking thinking makes us see ourselves as victims. Righteous thinking helps us to see ourselves as mighty warriors where as stinking thinking makes us see ourselves as captive slaves.

I pray for us today that we seek righteous thinking. God help us this day to begin to meditate on your attributes. As we begin to think on these things, that are both lovely and pure and righteous, we will begin the process of turning our thoughts from defeated to delivered. Help us to think your thoughts today.

Words of Encouragement

Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught at the voice of the enemy, at the stares of the wicked; for they bring down suffering upon me and revile me in their anger. – Psalm 55:1-3

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. – Philippians 4:8

What are your thoughts? Stinking thinking. On this past Sunday, my Co-Pastor, Sis. Reid preached a message from Philippians 4:8, entitled “What are you thinking? As I sat listening to the message there were some things that the Lord spoke to me that will be our focus this week in the Words of Encouragement.

As we take a look at the scripture we see David troubled in his thinking. David is troubled because of the wickedness and the treatment he is receiving. His thoughts are so focused on what is around him, that at this very moment this is all he can see. The trouble in his life while real has become consuming.

He is troubled. Troubled means he is anxious, distressed, worried, bothered and uneasy. You know what happens when you become anxious, distressed, worried, bothered and uneasy about things you are facing in life, you become immobilized.

This is just where the enemy of our soul wants us to be, stuck in our thoughts and worried about all that isn’t going our way. I call this “stinking thinking”. It smells of the enemy’s tricks! If we are stuck thinking about what is going wrong and how the wicked seems to be prospering while we are in agony and defeat, we become depressed.

Instead what then are we to do when our thoughts are focused on the things that the wicked are doing against us? Well the first thing we see that David did that was right; he took his concerns to the Lord. There is a next step then that we need to do and that is what the scripture in Philippians tells us. We have to change our focus. We have to change our focus from stinking thinking, thinking about those defeating things, to the good things of the Lord. We need to begin to affirm to ourselves that we have victory in Jesus. That the enemy is already defeated in our lives and we can trust God to do what he has said he will do.
Today I pray for someone that has stinking thinking. God change our thoughts so that we will not dwell our thoughts in those things that smell of defeat and destruction. Help us to change our thoughts so that we can think your thoughts and walk in your way.

The Week in Review

Family First!
This was taken from a conference I lead in October 2005. We will look at the points this month about how we can help our children be better prepared, and how to put family first! This is the study guide and overview. I will share the teaching on each of these areas this month.


RAISING HEALTHY CHILDREN
Conference Leader: Jewel D. Williams

And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. Isaiah 11:2 KJV

We should desire good characteristics in our children. What that looks like through Christ.

He first has God’s spirit – We need to nurture their spiritual life.
He has wisdom and understanding - We need to nurture their understanding of the things of God.
He has counsel and might- We need to nurture their ability to influence good in others and to give Godly counsel.
He had knowledge – We need to nurture them to have fellowship with God.
He had the fear of the Lord – We need to nurture them to have reverence for God.

Christ is our example of what a healthy child looks like.And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. Luke 2:52 KJV

Increase in stature: The natural height of a human, an achieved level. What can we do in this area that helps our children physical growth as well as their spiritual growth? What things can we do around food that directs them toward the Lord?
Favour: Friendly or favorable regard, approval or support. How do we help our children find favor with man and with God? What do we model in this area? Discipline God’s way.
Increase in wisdom: The ability to discern or judge what is true, right or lasting. We are our children’s first teachers on what is true and what is right. We are their first teachers on how they should handle the things in their lives.
A. How to suffer – I know that as a parent our first response to this is, “I don’t want my child to go through any pain”, so out of our love we will protect them from the things that will hurt them. Yes there is some wisdom in that belief. Now you don’t want to sit back and watch your child burn him or herself when you can take them away from the fire that will hurt. There are however times when your child will suffer and what you do with that situation can make a great impact on them and help them to grow in their understanding of God.

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. Hebrews 2:9-10
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 1 Peter 2:20
B. Encouragement - We should be our children’s best supporter.

C. What do we look like? - What are we planting in our children’s lives? Taking a personal inventory of our choices and how we handle the day-to-day situations. Do our actions turn our children toward God or away?

Conclusion – Once we understand the importance of our actions and our support of our children, what are the next steps to take? We will look at the personal changes we must make to bring about the desired behavior in our children.

The Week in Review

Jewel's Gems
“The Truth, the Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth”
Originally preached by Jewel D. Williams at Faith COG 8/06
Colossians (READ 2:6 – 23)

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than Christ” – Colossians 2:8

This letter was written by Paul to warn the people of the Jewish Zealots who pressed the necessity of observing the ceremonial law, and to fortify them against the mixture of the Gentile philosophy (worldly beliefs) with their Christian principles. In other words, Paul is cautioning them against deceptive words. The way Satan spoils souls is by beguiling them, deceiving them. He deceives them and then by doing so, he slays them. He could not ruin us if he did not cheat us and he could not cheat us but by our own fault and foolishness to listen to his lies.

Paul also writes this letter to warn them against those that try to persuade them to worship angels. We see this today, the fascination of individuals to angels as the messengers of God, and not looking to the true God for the answers to life. This letter is two fold, to assure the Colossian (as well as the Laodicians, who are supposed to receive a copy of this letter) of Paul’s interest and care. He wants them to be fully receptive to Christ in their midst. The second reason involves false teaching and teachers who may be misleading some in the church. Their arguments sound impressive, but are based on human traditions and basic principles of the world, instead of Christ. Paul’s concern was for the people to stay grounded in the truth of God. Paul presents this letter to fight against heresy (falsehood) at work. Some believed in a form of legalism, that their works rather than God’s free gift of grace was what was needed. He sends this letter because some believed harsh treatment of the body was a means of earning divine favor and growing spiritually (if you do some study you see this belief is part of some of the Hindu religions, self sacrifice, self-mutilation and self-denial). He was calling for them to hold on to the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth of God.

I read a book about how we present the gospel to individuals today. In this book, the author said, if Disney made a movie of what is taking place in our churches, it would be called, “HONEY WE’RE SHRINKING THE GOSPEL”. How is this happening?

Reflection: How do you think we are shrinking the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Come back for part II of the message, The Truth, the Whole Truth and nothing but the Truth.

Words of Encouragement

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Isaiah 43:2-3

Walking over on dry ground. God is in the deep, part 2. This week, I gave the steps for walking through on "dry ground". Today’s scripture reinforces that message. I love how God's word will say something over and over again. Why? God’s word will reinforce itself so that we get the message. This scripture is reminding us of whom we can trust in. It's a scripture of comfort. It let's us know that yes, we will have to go through some things, but God is in control. He is able to handle everything we face.

When we pass through the water, He's with us. So when the "floods" of life come, we can get through it, because He is with us. Have you ever seen a raging river? When the waters are flowing, people have been sweep away, because they underestimated the force of the water. Sometimes that's what happens to us in this life, we underestimate the force of the raging rivers in our lives. But even in those situations, God says he will keep us from getting sweep away. He's able to pick you up out of the raging rivers and place you on a safe, dry ground.

When life turns up the heat on you, you don't have to get burned! Why? God is in control. Not only can He keep you from getting burned, he can keep back the smell of the fire off you. Think about the Hebrew boys in the furnace. They were in the midst of the fire, but they were not burned, and they were not loss, why? Because God was in the midst. Not only did they come out of the furnace, but also the Lord kept the flame from kindling them (or scorching their clothes). So we can go through life’s "fires" but we can come out FREE. Why? God is in control.
I don't have to walk around with anger, hurts, or anything that holds me in bondage, because I can come out of those fires, without even the scent of every having been in it.

WHY? Because the Holy One, the Savior, the LORD, GOD is in control. Praise His Holy Name! When you go to worship this week, know that victory is ahead of you. No matter what your situation is, God is already in the midst of it, waiting for you so he can see you through. God praising him for what he is already doing in you and what he will continue to do.

Words of Encouragement

The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground. – Joshua 3: 17

Walking over on dry ground. God is in the deep, part 1. The priests walked into the deepest end of the Jordan, right in the middle and stood firm. As they stood firm, the people walked completely across the Jordan on dry ground to the other side. Let us look at this for a moment, before all the people crossed over, the priest with the ark were already in the middle waiting for them to reach them. This is a reminder for us that before we even reach the deepest end of our situations, the darkest hour, or the most difficult place, God is already their waiting to see us safely through.

When you're in the deep end, God is there. And as the priest stood firm, you can stand firm in the depth of your situations. God will continue to be in our situations until we have made it to the other side. And you don't have to be even slightly touched by the waters. They walked on dry ground. We can walk on dry ground. We don't have to be heavy from the waters taking us over. Have you ever tried to walk in wet clothes? It takes a long time for them to get dry and they can be quite uncomfortable. We'll they didn't have to reach the other side and be held down by the load. They reached the other side, free. So can we. We can be free as we go through to the other side of our situations.

Remember that when the floods of this life would seem to be over taking you, you can still be "dry" and get to the other side, to the finish of the problem. I am praying for us this week that we hear the steps God has for us to find the victory he has for us. We must listen to him. That means we must come away from the distractions and come and here him alone. We must be willing to follow even those instructions we find strange. Then we must move to carry them out. We then have to move by faith and trust that God is already in the midst preparing our safe journey to our victory.

Words of Encouragement

Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. – Joshua 3:15-16

Walking over on dry ground. Step out in the water. The scripture pauses in the telling of this story to tell us about the condition of the waters. The water is at a flood state. In other words, the water is high and often not contained by the shores. Yet, this is the water they are told to walk across. How can this be, the water is too high? They simply must step out into the waters. They must step in faith knowing the waters will be cut of (we walk by faith, not by sight).

Isn't in interesting that the water didn't stop first? Why do you think that was? I believe it was because God wanted the people to trust Him. So they had to start walking right into what seemed to be an impossible situation. Well that's what God wants us to do. We sometimes try to run or hide from our situations. Sometimes we just wish they would go away. (Well most times). But the Lord wants us to trust Him and walk after Him, even when our situations look like they will over take us.

There are some situations in our lives at time that seem impossible to cross, but God has given us instruction to come and listen to his word. When we do we are given detailed information on what to do and how to proceed. It is interesting to note that God’s instruction was not for them to run away from this impossibility, but to travel toward it. God’s instruction for us is the same. He does not tell us to run away from the impossible situations in our lives but to walk toward them. He tells us to move out of our comfort zone and go towards that which seems impossible. He doesn’t tell us to go alone, however, because he goes before us.

When we come face to face with that thing, he then tells us, step out. He does not move the situation first, he test us to see if we will trust him. When we step out into the waters that seem to be uncontainable, he then shows us he can contain them. God piled the waters up so that the children could step into the water and touch the dry ground.

God will pile up; stop the water from coming in and flooding us so that we can walk through the impossible situations on dry ground. I pray for us this week so that we can know that God has our victory just ahead.

Words of Encouragement

Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD -the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap." So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them. – Joshua 3:12-14

Walking over on dry ground. Set the instruction to actions. In the 12th verse of Joshua it reads, "Now then, chose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe." Here Joshua gives the people instructions. First they listened, now they have to set in order those things that need to be in place. When we are going through something, we have to listen and then follow what the Lord tells us, even when we don't understand the reason why. We also have to follow Him exactly as He tells us to. We are not to change the instruction at all.

The people could not wait for God to do first and then move, they were instructed to set out and when they did, then God would move. This setting the instructions of the Lord into action is a call to living faith. We speak about having faith in God, but how often do we make it a living faith? How often do we say we believe God’s word to be true and act as if we do?

When the people were ready to move and follow what God had told them to do, they broke camp and the ark went before them first. Some of us have gotten too comfortable in our “camps” and we are not ready to break the relationship or attachments with those “camps”. Those camps are places where we have gotten comfortable and all our creature comforts are being meet. Yet, the instruction from the Lord is calling us to come from those creature comforts, to break out of those strongholds and move in the way he is instructing us.

When we move forward from those places, God promises to go before us. He promises us that he will walk before us so that we will know what way to go. I pray for us today that we would set out against that which is holding us stationary and follow the instructions of the Lord. When we do, we set out to find our victory.

Someone You Should Know!

· What do you know about ministering and teaching young women?
I have been teaching teenagers now for over eighteen years in the church. I was mentoring young girls even before I started teaching in the formal setting of the church. I started with my own nieces by beginning a Bible study for them to help them find answers to life’s questions. This is something I feel God has called me to do and I enjoy making a difference to those I touch.

· Why/When/How did you start writing?
I have been writing for as long as I can remember. Writing started for me as a child to help me through the difficulties in my own life. I found a place of refuge in my writing. I felt I could give my feelings a voice that would not die. Over the years my writing has changed, because God has developed my understanding and my abilities.

· What is your typical day like?
I am a busy mother. I take my girls to school, if my husband does not handle that job. I then sit down each morning to prepare my Words of Encouragement, which is a daily word from the Bible distributed via e-mail for those that are working on jobs. I am a student, so I am either reading assignments or preparing papers. In between that time, I exercise, prepare meals, wash clothes and do the other things that moms do. No matter how busy my day gets, however, I still like to take time to pray, read my word and hear what God has to say to me.

· How many books have you written and where do you get your ideas?
I have written three books and a series of books for younger children, however only Fearfully and Wonderfully Made is the first book in print as of January 2008. I am beginning the production of my second book, Broken China Makes a Beautiful Mosaic and hope that will be available in 2008 as well. I have produced a few plays for the Langley Avenue Church of God where I attend. I get my ideas from life itself. I think sometimes I see things differently than others. I can look at a tree uprooted by a storm and see a message about humbleness. The tree tried to stand strong against the storm and because it did not bend, or humble itself it was uprooted. So I find my ideas everywhere, isn’t God everywhere?

· How do you research your books?
Once I have an idea about something I look to see what information I need. In Fearfully and Wonderfully Made I needed statistics so I looked for survey companies that did research on my subject matter. If it is a story about the word of God, I take the time to study so that I am accurate in what I say or write.

· Why do you write Christian books?
I believe this is a gift that God has given me so I want to give it completely back to him. The very first book I began to write many years ago was not a Christian book. As I was writing that book, I began to feel a sense that this was not what I should be doing. When I stopped and asked God, what are you trying to tell me? This question came to mind, “Would this be something you are proud to put your name on as a Christian?” I had to say no, so I hit the delete button even though I had almost finished that novel. I have never looked back.

· How long did it take you to write this book?
This book was written over a thirteen week period of time because it was originally written as a Sunday school lesson. The process of changing it from a lesson to a book took a few months.

· Aren't all Christian books the same?
I don’t believe so. Even if different writers are writing about the same subjects, God has a way of allowing each one to bring something new and different. It’s the same with preaching. Several people can preach the same scripture and you can get something different from each one.

Return next week to read more of this interview.

Words of Encouragement

Joshua said to the Israelites, "Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God. This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. – Joshua 3:9-11

Walking over on dry ground. Listen to God’s instruction. This is an old writing from several years ago, but I felt it was worth sharing again. It's from the book of Joshua 3:9-17. I have it listed in my journal as "Spiritual steps to walk over on Dry Land".

In verse 9 Joshua tells the children of Israel, "come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God". The first thing we must do to get through our problems is listen to the instruction of the Lord. It's when we don't that we make our situations worse. We will never know how to handle things if we don't go to the source (God) and find out what it is and what's the correct way to move.

It is in the time of going aside, or coming to listen that we are encouraged about the journey ahead. Joshua tells them they will know that the living God is among them because he will drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. This is their proof that God is in the midst of them, he will remove all the different forces that would stand against them coming in and possessing what is for them. God wanted to eliminate these other nations because they were the worshippers of many other gods. The Hittites called their pagan gods, “the thousand gods”.

If we look at the history of the people of Israel we will see that some of these nations were not removed, not because God could not do it, but because they went back and intermingled with them. They married themselves to some of these nations and therefore lost the purity of what God wanted to be in them.

What does that tell us today? God is calling us to come and listen to how to walk through this life to the other side. He wants us to know that he is before us, just as the ark was before the children of Israel. He also wants us to know that he will remove all the spiritual forces that would want to come and dwell among his people. We however must not go back and intermingle with these forces or we will allow the enemy to have a stronghold on our lives.

I pray for us today that we would set ourselves aside so that we can hear the words of God. We will not be able to make this journey until we do the first thing, which is to hear the word of the Lord and what his instruction for us is. This is step one to walking over on dry ground.

Words of Encouragement

Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? – Jeremiah 7:8-10

The Message. The Prophet Jeremiah – God’s judgment. If you have ever read the book of Jeremiah, you know he continued to give the same type of message again and again to the people of God, yet they would not listen. Instead of listening to Jeremiah, they continued to do as they were doing.

The question Jeremiah asks in this scripture is how long will you continue to trust in words that will not profit. How long will you run after things of the flesh and then come into the house of God as one that should be clean? How long will the flesh be able to rule is the question Jeremiah is asking the people of this time.

There is a message for us today in the words of this prophet. He talked about the judgment of God coming upon the people because they refused to turn to God and away from those things that were an abomination to God. Are we hearing the call today? Are we sitting Sunday after Sunday but not really walking away with a clearer understanding of the message of God? Or a changed life?

God’s message for yesterday, are clearly messages for today. God is still calling for us to be willing to be messengers of righteousness. Just as God called Jeremiah from his mother’s womb, he is so calling us today. Just as he sent word of the promises of Jesus as the savior through the prophet Isaiah, those promises are still for us today. The savior is still the savior today. Jesus is still the only way that we can have power over the flesh so that we do not sin against God.

Let us not be like the reluctant prophet, Jonah and refuse to do as we are instructed and setting ourselves up for a “downward” trip. Let us also remember from the words of Nahum about the mercy of God. Even when he corrects us, it is done because of his mercy. The message from Jeremiah is do not allow flesh to dwell within you and then feel comfortable coming into the house of God to praise. Do not be fooled into thinking that because hands are raised that God overlooks the sinfulness of the life we live. Yet, we can rejoice and know that if there be anything in us that needs to be removed, God is the one that can remove it. He has the power over all that would hold us and keep us from being what God has called us to be.

So when you go to worship this week, God with a humbled heart seeking God to show you what needs to be laid at the altar. What needs to be released and what needs to be strengthened in you. Go having heard, received and willing to live out the living message of God’s word. Go telling God, I am listening, speak.

Words of Encouragement

The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet. – Nahum 1:3

The Message. The Prophet Nahum – God’s mercy. This scripture is regarding the sayings to Nineveh and God’s anger against her. However, we can look at the words of this verse and see a message for us today.

The scripture reads that God is slow to anger. This small part of this scripture speaks of the mercy and patience of God. We often confuse God’s patience with a lack of power. The enemy fools us into believing that because God hasn’t moved against our sinful behavior he is some how powerless over our situations, and our sins. Or the enemy makes us believe our sin has gone unnoticed by God and we have somehow fooled him by our deeds. Yet, we are reminded that even though he is slow to anger his is also great in power.

God shows not only his mercy upon those that trust him, but he is extending his mercy even to the unsaved. Think about this. Even as one goes about their day continuing in unrighteousness, they are functioning within the mercy of God. It is God’s mercy that the unrighteous are able to continue, but it is all done so that God can draw them to himself.

Even though God is slow to anger, he will not allow the deeds of the unrighteous to go on continually unchecked. God is a loving God and he seeks that all would turn to him, but if we refuse to heed in the time he has given to us, we will have to stand before him for the unrighteousness of our deeds.

If you find yourself in a storm, caught up in the whirlwind, just maybe it is God saying to you, “today is the day I am calling for you to yield”. Did you know that if God calls you to accountability while you yet live, he is still showing you mercy? He is calling you to accountability NOW because he doesn’t want you to perish. He will correct you now, so that you have the chance to change and right your relationship with him.

Today I pray and ask that we all pray for those that have turned from God’s calling. There are people you know that have been living on the mercy of God, yet are refusing to obey him. He has been extending his mercy, but by his great power he will correct. So today, let us pray that when God calls to those that are disobedient, they will hear. And then let us pray for ourselves that there be nothing hidden in our hearts that would make us disobedient to God. Let us pray that we would always yield to the will of God. God is calling, are you listening?