WE ARE CHRIST'S FRAGRANCE...

The Bible says we are the aroma (fragrance) of Christ. Let's spread that fragrance around!

2 Corinthians 2:15, : For we are to God the aroma of Christ, among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.




Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Media Influence...




Hi family and friends..
How often the things of this world take the place of God.
How many hours are spent watching TV, surfing the net, lazing around doing nothing but find no time to read God's word, pray, do His work, study and do other useful things.
Computers are a great mean of communication. keeping in touch and doing God's work. But let's not allow it to take too much of our time and it has lot of ideas and stuff that turn us away from our Lord.
We need to study God word diligently and turn away from Godless chatter and opposing ideas.
 

***1 Timothy 6: 20 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, 21 which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith.
Sometimes just the last few minutes before going to bed, when one is tired are all that's given to God!!
Isn't that sad?? FORGIVE US LORD....
Television and Internet has it's share of good and bad, there are positive and
negative influence on it's viewers and users.
But have you ever wondered what the TV and Internet robbed from us?
Time?
Quiet time with God?
 
Family Devotion?
 
Good reading?
 
Art of writing using paper and pen?
 
Church attendance?
 
Visiting friend?
 
Entertaining friends at home?
 
Family time together, just laughing and talking?
 
Wholesome conversation?
 
Real friendships and relationships?
 
Playing with kids and reading them stories?

Surprised at what we've lost, what we are missing?

 
May God help us to use our time wisely...
 
May He help us to discern between the 'good' and 'bad'.
 
God's desire is that we are blameless.

•● 1 Thessalonians 5: 23 "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. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. "
And He wants us to think of whats pure, noble and right.

•●  Philippians 4: 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, 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."
Job made a covenant with his eyes. Can we do that?

•● Job 31:1 “I made a covenant with my eyes
not to look lustfully at a young woman.


And David who sinned and knew it's consequences and later repented said..

•●  Psalm 101:2 "I will be careful to lead a blameless life—
when will you come to me?
I will conduct the affairs of my house
with a blameless heart.
on anything that is vile.
I hate what faithless people do;
 I will have no part in it."

Let's not let anything come between us and God and let's spend quality time with God and family.
Be blessed....
Julia

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Fasting and Praying....



Hi..
We need to get back to more fasting & praying. It's important, that once in a while we shut away work, pleasure, food & seek God's face, pray & feast on His Word.
~~We can give up food, or choose to sacrifice something we like to do everyday like reading the News paper, watch TV, use the computer & spend more time at our Lord's feet. We need to learn to separate our self from everything else to be with God.
~~In these days of trials God's looking for people who'll stand in the gap & pray.
Ezekiel 22:30: "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none."
John Knox (A man of God) fasted and prayed often and was known as "an eminent wrestler with God in prayer. .".It's said that Queen Mary feared his prayers more than the army of Scotland!
All through the Bible we see men & women of God fasted & prayed. Sometime a whole nation or tribe fasted!

Ezra 8:23, " So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer."
1 Samuel 7: 6 b, " When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, "We have sinned against the LORD."
Nehemiah 9:1-2," On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and having dust on their heads. Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the wickedness of their fathers."
Esther 4:16," Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."
Judges 20:26," Then the Israelites, all the people, went up to Bethel, and there they sat weeping before the LORD. They fasted that day until evening and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the LORD." It was also practiced by the New Testament believers....
Acts 13: 2-3," While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
Let's also fast & pray... 
~For revival in our land,
 ~For salvation of loved ones & the other lost souls around.
 ~For restoration of strained relationships.
 ~For healing..physical, emotional.
 ~To strip the powers of darkness.
 ~For financial break through.
 ~And believe God to bind & rebuke the Satanic powers.
 ~For those who are mentally oppressed by the enemy.
 ~For those under severe depression
 ~For the 100s & 1000s held in bondage to pornography, witchcraft & pray for their deliverance.
 ~For the out pouring of the Holy Spirit in a mighty way in our city, land & across the Nations of the world.
 ~For World wide revival.
 ~For a renewed passion for God & Holiness among the youth.
 ~For God to cleanse the society of all evils like corruption, abuse of children & women, lawlessness, cheating etc.
For other individual & personal requests....


So let's make 'Fasting & Praying' our life style!
And finally let's not fast to please men but do it to the Lord.
 
Matthew 6:6 "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
 
♥Matthew 6:18 "so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
Be Blessed,
YSIC
Julia
How do we fast? What kind of fast do we do?
Posted by pat_grach

  

Set a guard at our mouth Lord...


¸.•*¨*•☆God's Word says in 
Ephesians 4: 29 "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."
.•*¨*•☆Abba father, help us not to grieve the Holy Spirit. Help us to remember the Holy Spirit can withdraw His manifest presence till true repentance comes.
Help us to be humble, loving, kind and not be hard hearted, unforgiving and bitter.
Hosea 5:15 "I will return again to My place Till they acknowledge their offense.Then they will seek My face;In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”

Take a break...


"One of the most tragic things about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon--instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today." Dale Carnegie.

Let's not fail to see a flower bloom just outside our window, listen to the birds sing and appreciate the beauty and blessings God sends our way daily.It is good to rest a while in between our busy life and be refreshed just resting or looking at God's creation or just sitting with God talking nothing.
We can try
~Watching the sunrise or sunset from the sea shore or just from your window.
~Admire the colorful beauty of the flowers...inhale its fragrance.
~just watch the clouds pass by the sky...or get lost in the beauty of a clear night sky with all the stars adorning it!
~Watch the birds build their nests...or just see them fly.
~Feel the gentle breeze on your face and praise your creator for all that He's given you to enjoy...just like that for free!
~relaxing on the couch with your favorite book.
~ Giving someone you meet a nice, warm smile.
Jesus said to His disciples in
Mark 6:31"Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."
Sometimes we are are so busy doing things and get really stressed out. Need to take sometime to unwind, rest and relax.
Take time to sit by the window, watching the rain pour down...sipping a hot cup of coffee. It's God who sends the refreshing rain!
Zechariah 10:1".....It is the Lord Who makes lightnings which usher in the rain and give men showers,and grass to everyone in the field."
Take a break sometimes from your busy schedule to enjoy the beauty of God's creation all around you.Once in a while take time to do the things you like and that which pleases God, because... 
"YOU ARE WORTH IT!"
Be blessed...
Julia 


Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Praying a hedge of protection...


Hi...
God hedges His children.
 We live on dangerous ground if we are not hedged by God.Job 1: 10 “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land."
 Here we see satan question God about His hedge of protection around Job and all that was his. He knew he could not do anything to Job as long as God's protection remained around Job, so tells God in  
Job 1: 11 But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” 12 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”
Isaiah 5:5 Now I will tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard:
I will take away its hedge,and it will be destroyed;
I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled."

So we see when God's hedge of protection is removed from around us or if there is even a small opening in this hedge that's formed due to sin, the enemy will find his way in! He is a serpent in disguise.
We need to daily pray a hedge of protection around us, our homes, our children the work of our hands, our finances and all that is ours. We need God's covering because Satan is waiting to enter and steal, kill and destroy.

God's angels encamp around those who fear Him.
Psalm 34:7 "The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them."
A hedge is like a defensive wall often built around a city. It's a kind of a protective fence–a barrier. God's hedge is a wall of fire(His very presence), the Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord and of His angels.
Zechariah 2:5 "And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will be its glory within.’
2 Samuel 8:6b - The Lord preserved David whithersoever he went.
 Psalm 32:7 - Thou art my hiding place; Thou shalt preserve me from trouble; Thou shalt compass me about."
We need to look out for holes in this hedge caused by sin, disobedience and deal with it so that we are hidden from the enemy, familiar and other wandering spirits.
May we always remain inside God's hedge of protection.
Stay blessed and safe in His mighty arms.
YSIC
Julia

Psalm 91: 1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,

Monday, May 21, 2012

Bitterness defiles!

Hi...family and friends,
God's Word says..
*Matthew 15:11"Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”
*Mark 7:20 And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.
Bitterness comes from within.
Unforgiveness and Bitterness towards people who have offended us will only do more harm to us.
*Hebrews 12:15 "looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.."
If we do not forgive people who hurt us, insult us, say mean things to offend us and if we hold bitterness in our hearts we will grieve the Holy Spirit.Let's get rid of all that weighs us down.
*Ephesians 4:30 "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind... and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
If we continue to walk in the flesh the god of this world Satan gets an advantage over us and he leads us to death and destruction and we will not see the Kingdom of God.Let us let go of bitterness and move on. If someone does not want to forgive us or holds a grudge against us let's not let that get us down, let's just forgive and live as over comers!
If we overcome our bitterness and choose to love we will inherit all things.
*Revelation 2:7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’
* Revelation 2:11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.
* Revelation 2:17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”’
* Revelation 2:26 "And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations— "
* Revelation 3:5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels."
*Revelation 3:12 "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. "
* Revelation 3:21 "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne."
* Revelation 3:21 "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. "
There will be so...much more..for us...
What else do we need?
Abba father..Help us to be humble, loving, kind and not be hard hearted, unforgiving and bitter..
In Jesus Name..Amen
Have a Blessed and Refreshing week..
YSIC
Julia  

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Increase our faith to believe O Lord...


It sure takes courage to take that 1st step of faith....!
As long as our eyes are fixed on our Lord Jesus Christ, we can keep walking...when we take our eyes off Him we drown..!
Increase my Faith O Lord...help me to believe for the supernatural....
Matthew 9:29
Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you";
 
Romans 10:17
"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."
 
Galatians 3:9
So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
 
Galatians 3:11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith."
 
Jude 1:20
But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

God notices our tears...




There are days all you can do is pray and there are days you find it hard to pray but just cry but know tears are prayers too, God hears hears, sees understands and He's right there by your side holding you close, wiping your every tear, recording our misery.
Well our Heavenly Father never promised a life free of trials and tears.
But He did promise to be with us and He does keep a record of our every tear drop.
Psalm 56:8 "Record my misery;
list my tears on your scroll[a] —
  are they not in your record?"
Tears move God's heart.
In Luke 7:10-15, we see a widow cry over the death of her only son and Jesus was touched and told her not to cry and raised her son from the dead.
Luke 7:13 "When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry."
14 Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother."
Again in ...Luke 7:36-43, we see a woman who lived a sinful life came and sat at the feet of JESUS and wet His feet with her tears.
 Luke 7: 37 "When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. 
Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them."
It's better to cry at the feet of Jesus Christ our Lord, instead of crying about our situation.
It's good to be crushed at times, we learn a lot even in times of trials and pain. Even when we lie in bed feeling run down and in pain, God will come when we call out, He will minister to us, heal us and raise us up!
No matter what the enemy brings your way to discourage you, refuse to be discouraged.
The Bible says.." Jesus wept" . ( John 11: 35) 
How profound are those words that as we weep that our God weeps with us.
Now that is Love !

Be Blessed,
YSIC
Julia

 ‎" WHAT GROWS FROM YOUR TEARS "
" Sometimes the tears just flow. Burdens get so heavy and decisions so difficult that your natural response is to weep.God knows the tears you have cried, and he honors every one of them by transforming them into seeds of hope. he produces a harvest of virtues within you - righteousness, humility, faith, and perseverance all grow from your weeping.
Rejoice that your tears are not in vain. God cultivates each glistening drop and transforms it into a blessing. When you see what God has done in you and how he has worked in your situation, you will also have a harvest of truly unshakable joy...
Dear God, I praise you that one day I will shout with joy over the harvest of virtues you have produced from my tears. Amen !

 ~Unknown~



Saturday, May 12, 2012

Your Higher calling...

**Matthew 5:10
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
.
**In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12).
Daniel's 3 friends when they refused to bow to the idol, so were cast into the furnace..
 ~But the Lord lifted them up.....
 **Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
 ~Let not cares and worries of this life discourage us.
**" We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
~Sometimes we miss God's Highest and Best calling..by looking at things that are not in God's plan for us...
As far as God's concerned there is only one best...the "high calling of God in Christ Jesus"(Philippians 3:14 KJV)
Let's lay aside everything that weighs us down...
And just do only what God whats us to do....!!
May we always be in the center of HIS will...!!
His best may involve a lot of letting go, crushing, pruning but if we are willing to pay the price our reward will be great.
Be Blessed..
YSIC
Julia
John 15:18-19
If the world hate you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love his own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Disobedience has costly consequences...




Hi.
Greetings in the matchless name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. How often God commands us to do something very clearly through His Word or we hear good counsel from men of God but refuse to obey or pay heed to it. 
In the Old Testament animal sacrifices was practiced, but even then God made it clear, obedience was more important than any sacrifice.
1 SAMUEL 15: 22 But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. "
Disobedience has costly consequences (1 Samuel 13). One act of disobedience by King Saul changed the course of his life, then it was a down hill journey that had a sad ending (1 Samuel 31:3-7). Obedience to God cannot be compromised to please man. Our God says He will show us the way we need to go. People may hate us for obeying God but Jesus too was. Let's discern His voice and ways as we walk through this day.
What God offers us and staying in His will is always better than what may seem good in our eyes. He has our eternity on His mind!
So we are to obey God. When we fail to do what HE wants us to do, we rebel and REBELLION IS SIN.
1 SAMUEL 15: 23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,he has rejected you as king."

Rebellion is like the sin of divination (witchcraft) & Arrogance like the evil of idolatry, 
"REBELLION" and "ARROGANCE" are serious sin, did you know that?
Saul was rejected as King because of these sins and his Kingdom taken away.
So let us choose to obey God, The Holy Spirit will give us power to obey our heavenly Father and do His will on earth.
Have a blessed day,
YSIC
Julia


Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Why do we need to read "Today's Horoscope" ?




Why do we need to read "Today's Horoscope" to know what the stars have to say, when we have with us the Mighty God, The Great "I AM" who created the sun, moon, stars and the universe is with us?
Deuteronomy 4:19
And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.
Let's not read what the stars and astrologers have to say if we believe in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 47: 13 "All the counsel you have received has only worn you out! Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month,
let them save you from what is coming upon you."
We have the Holy Spirit to guide and lead us 
 and God's Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.
God bless you...
Julia