Why Look Back? Jesus Has Paid The Price

Greetings, friends!

These past few days, I have been studying and meditating on Genesis 19. In particular, I have been studying the story of Lot and his unnamed wife. We find that Lot was told to take his family out of Sodom and flee. The instruction was that he and his family should not look back. In verse 26, we find that Lot's wife disobeyedthe instructions, and looked back. She became a pillar of salt for her disobedience. She was not completely through with her past.

There are consequences to disobedience. When God tells us to move forward, there is something, some curiosity, some "unfinished business" as to why we feel the need to look back. Looking back keeps us from reaching the land that God has prepared for us. I thank God for HIS son Jesus Christ, who gave HIS life for me, HE died on the cross, so that my sins can be washed away. Glory. When I look back becuase of my own selfishness and disobedience, I thank God that HE does not turn me in a pillar of salt. God has afforded me the opportunity to ask for forgiveness and move forward because of the price that Jesus paid.... His life.... for me. I find that when I keep pressing forward, I make fewer mistakes, my mind is clear, I am focused and Jesus stays on my mind all day and all night. Oh how sweet it is!

Friends, let us keep pressing forward so we can reach the land that is prepared for us by our Lord. Looking back takes up time that we can spend moving forward. This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. I am pressing forward and I do hope you are too!

God bless,
Therese from Belize

MOLDING OF GENERATION DIVAS

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2O12 STARTING AT 9:30 A.M.

THE MOLDING OF GENERATION DIVAS

Usually when we refer to a "diva", we are usually speaking about someone who has an outgoing personality, has "attitude", and dresses in the latest fashion. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a diva as a prima donna, usually fashionable and successful. However, acclaimed Christian author and inspirational speaker, Michelle McKinney Hammond in her book, The Diva Principle, stated that "A true Diva is a woman who knows that life is not about her, but rather the contribution she makes to others around her and the legacy she will leave behind.” from The Diva Principle, 2004. What legacy will we be leaving behind as mothers for our daughters? If we are to mold young women to become divas as defined by Ms. Hammond, then we must educate ourselves and our teen daughters on the issues that they are facing and will face in life as they grow and develop in mature adults. We must get real with the problems that are facing our teen daughters and deal with these issues at an early stage instead of acting as if our daughters are not encountering these problems in the home, at school, at church and in the community. Our legacy as mothers is to leave our Christ-like prints on our daughters. Romans 12:2, "And be not conformed to this 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." (KJV)

Divas in the Bible that I admire are Ruth (molded by her mother-in-law, Naomi); Esther (molded by her cousin Mordecai, later became Queen and helped her people); Abigail,wife of Nabal, mentioned in the Bible as a woman of beautiful countenance, intelligence and beauty; Hannah, the praying Sister (she went to the Lord in prayer instead of attacking her adversary).

Now is the time for us to mold our daughters into becoming divas (young ladies who know that life is not about them, young ladies who will stand up for Christ and Christ-like principles, young ladies who are setting examples in their walk and talk).


Therese from Belize

"The Motions"-Matthew West

This song is ministering to my heart. I will serve the Lord with all my heart, mind and soul. To God be the glory.

What Kind of Tree Are You?

Greetings, my friends!

Rev. Dr. Felix G. Williams, III, themed his sermon on Sunday, November 27, 2011, “Be The Right Kind Of Tree”. This sermon was from Psalm 1:1-3, “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither — whatever they do prospers.” (NIV)

Rev. Dr. Williams told the congregation that we do not need any forecast of our future; we do not need to be paying any palm reader or psychic, nor do we need to be reading horoscope. The Word is all we need!

Rev. Dr. Williams said that you know you are blessed when:

1) you know what not to connect to and what not to connect with;
2) you do not hang out with certain kind of company; when you know the right company to keep and the right book to read;
3) you do not have to give in to the atmosphere you are around;
4) you will be in the space of the unrighteous but you are stronger because you will not be overcome by whom is in your space;

Rev. Williams said that you can be in an environment that does not prosper, but you will prosper because of the Holy Spirit! He then posed the question, “so what kind of tree are you?” I am a palm tree! A palm tree, according to Rev. Dr. Williams, does not need storm-free living!

Storms become evident of how much faith you have. Palm trees weather the storms – hurricanes and tropical storms and thunderous rains! The leaves of a palm tree sway from side to side, one of the branches may even get broken off but the leaves point up! A palm tree does not die because a branch is broken off, it continues to prosper. Being blessed is like a tree …. a palm tree, that is!




Taken from the sermon of Rev. Dr. Felix G. Williams, III, 11/27/11, Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church)


God bless,
Therese from Belize

Spiritual Warfare

Greetings, friends-in-Christ!

Today, I could not help but to seek God's help with this spiritual warfare going on in my life and around me. As Paul warned us in Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (KJV)

ChristiaNet.com, a large Christian portal, had conducted a survey of 1,200 Christians asking, "Have you ever experienced spiritual warfare?" The responses were significant. 84% of those surveyed believed that they had indeed experienced some type of spiritual warfare in their lives. Most in this group felt that experiencing spiritual warfare was actually a confirming sign that they were true believers in Christ. (1996-2011 ChristiaNet)®

Friends, during the time of spiritual warfare, that is when the weak is weeded out from the strong. It is during this time that our faith in Christ is tested. Will we pass this test trusting in God to bring us through or will we allow the enemy to defeat us? A writer for Christianity.com stated, "The more our minds are filled with the truth of God's Word, the less susceptible we are to Satan's deceptions and temptations." (2009 article, www.christianity.com)

So, how do we fill our minds with the truth of God's Word to fight this spiritual warfare? Paul advises us in Ephesians 6:13-18, "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. (KJV)

Therese from Belize

Domestic Violence: A Challenge For Faith Communities

Greetings, my friends:

I had the opportunity to speak to members of clergy regarding recognizing and discerning domestic violence in our places of worship.

Domestic violence is prevalent in our faith communities, however, as I told the clergy, we often turn a blind eye to the needs of our congregations. In a 2004 survey that was conducted by the Kentucky Injury Prevention Research Center, they found that 75% of the women who were affected by domestic violence talked to someone (family member, community member, etc.) and of that 75%, 26% of those women contacted their clergy. My question, what did the clergy do? Are we seeking assistance for these women or are we sanitizing sin, throwing the problem under the rug, ignorning or simply do not care? Do we get the perpetrators out of the pulpit, out of leadership positions, or do we continue to let them sit in the pew without calling on them for prayer and counseling? Do we visit the home? Are we mentoring?

What I stressed to the clergy, was to make members feel that they are listened to, that we care about them. There needs to be support from the pulpit for victims of domestic violence. Preachers and pastors, evangelists, prophets and prohpetesses should be speaking out about this evil. I directed scripture from Romans 5:5, "And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." (KJV) We must never let someone feel that it is their fault why they are being abused. PositiveChristianWoman.com tells women, "at the core of our very beings, we should base our self-worth in nothing more and nothing less than Christ, in HIS magnificant love for us and how HE demonstrated that through HIS death and resurrection."

This is the time for us as God's people to get educated about the prevalence of domestic violence in our places of worship; to provide assistance through organizations for members who come for assistance. How we respond to someone of our congregation may make the difference between them coming closer to Christ or them walking out in darkness.

I pray that our churches and places of worship will get serious about this issue.

God bless,
Therese from Belize