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Jesus Christ: The Light of the World

According to John 8:12, “Then spake Jesus again unto them saying, I am the Light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but hall have the Light of life”

The following lessons can be learned on how Jesus Christ has become the Light of the world, as proclaimed by Him, from the above passage.

1, Jesus Is The Light Of The Church

Jesus says in Revelation 1:20 that “The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lamp stands; The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lamp stands which you saw are the seven churches”.

 

2.  Jesus Is The Light Of The World

According to Psalm 119:105,  “Your word is a lamp to my feet, And a light to my path”.

We all need light to walk through darkness. In the world we live in, we walk through a dark forest of evil, for example, in our various places of work, in our businesses, in our homes, among our family members, friends, even in the church.

But the WORD (the Bible) can be our light to show us the way so that we do not stumble as we walk. The WORD reveals the entangling root of false values, and philosophies. Study the WORD so that you will be able to see your way clearly enough to stay on the right path.

 

3. Jesus Is The Light Of The Gospel

2 Corinthians 4:4 says “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the mind of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them”.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is open and reveal to all, except to those who refuse to believe. (Satan is the god of this world (age)). His work is to deceive and he has blinded those who don’t believe in Christ (as in 2 Corinthians 11:14-15). The pursuit of money, power and pleasure blinds people to the light of Christ’s gospel. The people who reject Christ and prefer their own pursuits have made Satan their god, without really realizing it.

 

4, Jesus Is The Light Of The Believer

According to Psalm 27:1, “The LORD is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

Fear is a torment. It is a dark shadow that envelops us and ultimately imprisons us within ourselves. Is there anyone among us or out there who has never experience fear before? Each one of us has been a prisoner of fear at one point in time or another, e.g., fear of the unknown (uncertainty), rejection, failure, misunderstanding, being found out, sickness, even fear of death. But we believers can overcome (conquer) fear by using the bright liberating light of the LORD who brings salvation. If we believers want to conquer fear or dispel the darkness of fear, let us remember what David said that “The LORD is my light and my salvation”. Unwavering confidence in God is the believer’s antidote for fear and loneliness.

 

5. Jesus Is The Light Of The Heavenly Jerusalem

Revelation 21:23 says “The City has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, The Lamb is its light”.

The Temple, the center of God’s presence among His people, was the primary place of worship. No Temple is needed in the New City. However, because God’s presence will be everywhere, He will be worshiped throughout the City, and nothing will hinder us from being with Him, in Jesus’ Name.

 

6. Jesus Is The Light Of The Nations

“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined” (Isaiah 9:2).

The territories of Zebulun and Naphtali represent the Northern Kingdom as a whole. These were also the territories that Jesus grew up and often ministered. It was a time of great darkness, which was why would see “a great light”. God indeed promised and sent a Light who would shine on everyone living under the shadow of death. The Light is both “Counselor” and “Mighty God”. This message of hope was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Christ (which we celebrate at Christmas) and the establishment of His eternal Kingdom. HE came to deliver us from our slavery to sin.

 

In conclusion, Jesus Christ is the Light which enlightens every person born into this world.

  • We must see Him as the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrew 12:2)
  • He is the Light in the darkness (John 8:12)
  • He is our Lord – We must obey Him (John 13:14-15)
  • He is the Shepherd – We must follow Him (John 10:27)
  • He is our Master – We must serve Him (Matthew 23: 8-12, Romans 14:18)
  • He is the eternal destination we want to reach (1 Corinthians 9:24-25, Philippians 3:12-14)

To follow Jesus implies transformation of life, according to Luke 5:11.

Transformation of life means:

  1. Humility – Jesus was humble to the grave (John 13: 4-5)
  2. Commitment – Jesus was totally committed to the Father (John 12:23-26)
  3. Hard Work – He worked day and night (John 3:2, 4, 6)
  4. Participation – He participated of people’s sufferings (Matthew 9:36, 14:14)
  5. Love Unconditionally – Jesus is an epitome of love and He loved constantly (John 13:1, Luke 23:34).
  6. Suffering – Jesus suffered from the manger to the Cross (1 Peter 3:18)
  7. Persistence- Jesus remained persistently faithful to the end (Matthew 10:22, 24:13)

 

TODAY, invite Jesus Christ into your life; to become your leading Light in ALL Ways and everything that you do. Accept Him as your personal Lord and Savior, ask Him to forgive your sins and become the Master and Ruler of your soul from now on. If you have said this prayer, CONGRATULATIONS!

Now look for a Bible believing church in your neighborhood to attend and grow in the Word of God. If you already have Jesus active in your life, always tell others about Him; let them know that He alone is the Light of the World and the Only Light that leads to everlasting life in Heaven.

 God bless you

-PathofLife 

Children of God Are Heirs

“Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He hath promised to them that love Him?” (James 2;5)

What Is Heir?
a) An heir is a child of the owner of a property or title
b) One who inherits, (Inheritor)

How Can One Become An Heir?
John 3:1-5 says “Ye must be born again”, to become an Heir of the kingdom.
Nicodemus, a highly placed and influential man came to Jesus and desperately wanted to know how to become an heir, Jesus told him the way to become an heir is to be “born again”

Also in John 14:6, Jesus told His disciples, especially when Thomas sought to know the way, Jesus said to him, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one cometh unto the Father but by Me”

You become an heir when you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. Make Him the Master and TOTAL RULER of your life. Once you do this, you become a child of God.

What Is There To inherit OR What Are We Heirs Of?
1) We Are Heirs of God’s Promises
Heb 6:17 says “Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath”
Our God is unchangeable and trustworthy, so are His promises. It is only a man who can change and with his promises. God does not. When God promised Abraham a son, He took an oath in His own Name. The oath (which was the promise), was as good as God’s Name and His Name is as good as His divine nature. It never changes, “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever”. (Hebrew 13:8).

2) We Are Heirs Of Injustice
“By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith”. (Hebrew 11:7).
Like Noah, you would experience rejection from your neighbors and friends, because with your new life in Christ, you would be different from your neighbors and friends.

Just like Noah’s obedience to God’s command to build a boat on a dry land made him look strange to his neighbors, so also will your obedience to God’s Word in your new life (belief) in Christ will make look strange to your neighbors, friends and even some family members. As you obey God’s Word, you will undoubtedly be positively “different”. Our obedience in Christ will make the unbelievers’ disobedience stand out.

Inspite of all the rejection and name calling Noah might have gone through in the hands of his neighbors, God gave him all the necessary strength and resources to complete the assignment. So also will God give you all-round help you need to complete the assignment He has committed or will commit into your hands, in Jesus’ Name.

3) We Are Heirs Of Salvation
“Are they not all ministering Spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Hebrew 1:14).
As heirs, angels will serve you and me. Angels are our Father’s messengers, spirit beings, created by our Father and are under His authority. As children of God, what belongs to Him (our Father), also belongs to us. They will be subject to us.

4) We Are Heirs Of The Kingdom Of God
The Bible tells us in James 2:5, where we took our reading from, about the “poor” and those whose simple values are despised by much of our affluent society. James thinks that perhaps the “poor” people prefer:
• serving to managing
• human relations to financial security
• peace to power
• This does not necessarily imply that the poor will go to heave and the rich to hell. No!
• The truth is that poor people are usually more aware of their powerlessness. Therefore, it is often easier for them to acknowledge their need for salvation.
• Pride is one of the greatest barriers to salvation for the rich
• Bitterness can often bars the way of salvation for the poor

For the rich, kick pride out of your and for the poor, have nothing to do with bitterness. You both should accept true salvation which only Jesus Christ can give, before you know kit, you will be sinking into your inheritance, the Kingdom of God.

5) We Are Heirs Of God And Co-Heirs With Christ
Romans 8:17 tells us that “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint –heirs with Christ: If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together”
To live like Jesus lived means serving others, giving up one’s rights, resisting pressures to conform to the world- this comes with a big price. There is nothing we can compare to the greatest price He paid to save us and even the treasure that is laid up for us as heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.

6) WE Are Co-Heirs Of The Grace of Life
“Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered” (1 Peter 3:7).
Our prayers may be hindered if we are not considerate and respectful of our wives or spouses, because, as children of God, a living relationship with God depends on our right relationship with others. In Matthew 5:23-24, Jesus admonishes us to reconcile our differences with our neighbors before we come to worship. The same principle applies to families too. If you use your position to mistreat your wife or husband your relationship with God will suffer. Until you ask for mercy, your sonship is in doubt as well as being heir and you might therefore miss the grace of life. That should not our portion, in Jesus’ Name.

7) We, As Over comers, Will Inherit The Earth
Revelation 21:7 puts it this way: “He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son”
• Those who overcome “endure to the end” (Mark 13:13)
• Over comers will receive the blessings that God promised;
a) eating from the tree of life – Revelation 2:7
b) escaping from the lake of fire (the 2nd death) – Revelation 2:11
c) receiving a new name – Revelation 2:7
d) having authority or power over the nations – Revelation 2:26
e) being included in the Book of Life – Revelation 3:5
f) being a pillar in God’s Spiritual temple – Revelation 3:12
g) sitting with Christ on His Throne – Revelation 3:21

All those who can endure the testing of evil and remain faithful will be rewarded by God.
You can only become an heir if you are a child of the owner. TODAY is an opportunity for you to be the child of the Father, Owner of inheritance, by accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. Ask Jesus Christ to forgive your sins and be the Master and Ruler of your life henceforth. Now look for a Bible believing church in your neighborhood to attend and grow in the Word of God. If you believe that you are already an heir of the Kingdom of God, please always tell others about Jesus Christ, the Father and Owner of inheritance.

Healing From Trauma

I’m not an expert in healing others’ traumas but the Lord can. Trauma is a big life-altering event that can happen in someone’s life, your life, and my life. The American psychological association defines trauma this way: “Trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape, or natural disaster. Immediately after the event, shock and denial are typical. Longer-term reactions include unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, strained relationships, and even physical symptoms like headaches or nausea.”

Traumas that happen to us have different levels, weak, mild and extreme. Every level causes a crack in our souls, no doubt, it may be faint or a vivid split but those cracks are painful because we are created by God to be and remain whole.

When we go through a painful experience or a good one, all of our three layers are touched, the physical, the soul, and the spirit. I want you to always think that you are one being and what happens to you affects you totally on all levels. Science or psychology may not always reveal this to you for many reasons. Many scientists don’t believe a man has a spirit, they identify your soul, your emotions, thoughts, and will, and of course the obvious which is your physical. But knowing in part and offering solutions and remedies without fully seeing the whole picture may and will cause you more damage because they are considering this and forsaking the other. We thank God for experts but we trust in the Lord to complete the full picture and bring the fullness of wholeness that we long for.

You’ve read how psychology defines trauma, but how does the Holy Spirit see trauma?

Trauma is a spirit, a wicked strategy from the devil well planned for, organized, and customized for each individual and saved for a certain time to be released in someone’s life when things line up to cause the ultimate knocking damage to make it permanent and impossible to reverse and heal from and to cause the shattered entity to deviate from discovering the Lord and who he is in him and to keep that one ions away from his divine destiny. The devil wants the pain to define you! God wants wholeness to be your identity.

You may be thinking, Tony you’ve gone too far, why are you taking trauma to the spiritual level? Honestly, because it originates there. I totally understand we live in a fallen world and imperfect people cause damage and accidents and that’s totally right and true. But when it comes to trauma the devil is involved because trauma is so violent same as his killing nature. The devil is always after BIG events in your life, he is not really after small things and accidents like a slight cut or a scratch on your skin when you peel an apple, or a headache, etc. The devil wants a violent pain to take over you, define you and alter your relationship with the Lord and your destiny. Trauma is one of his big tools. You will be amazed at the responses we get if I ask you to share a traumatic event you’ve gone through. Almost everyone was subject to it and right now the devil is scheduling one for your children.

You can never heal from something you don’t know the full truth about and its roots. You will be locked in cycles of despair and failures and not go anywhere if you treat the symptoms but do not curse the roots. I pray the Spirit of the Lord enlightens you as you read this in Jesus’ name because it is not a coincidence that you are reading about trauma today and how to heal from it.

Trauma is spiritual, no more talking about it.

Now that you know its origin, you can position yourself to discover the real and true healing for it. Let me interject this here before I proceed with my topic on trauma.

The Bible, for example, lists homosexuality as a sin that Christ died for. Why would Christ die if psychology can treat it for those who don’t want this lifestyle? It is because only the power of Jesus can break sin because sin is spiritual, now after that is done and well received, that struggling person can proceed for help from Christian counselors and even some other treatments. Trauma is spiritual and only God’s power and anointing can deal with it. The Lord can locate it for you, deal with it, set you free and bring you back to wholeness that leads you to a better relationship with the Lord and embracing your God-given destiny.

A healed trauma that doesn’t lead you to God and your destiny is not trauma. It was something else you were dealing with.

I remember when I was little, with no built walls of protection in me, no prayer coverings, knew nothing about God, the word was not in me, I was subject to extreme shattering traumas, word abuse and physical ones too, which established excruciating pain in me and I became locked in the constant struggle inside. Part of me was strongly trying to get rid of that trauma but I couldn’t help getting it out. After years of struggle, I surrendered myself to the pain of trauma and let it define me because I found no way out even though I searched for and encountered all kinds of natural healing and resources available in this fallen world but it made me worse and stole my time because little did I know what I was going through was spiritual and it takes the power of Jesus Christ to break those invisible shackles. Long story short, that’s exactly what happened when I met Christ and gave him my life and my pieces. He made me whole and I can’t tell you how TASTY this feeling is. I dwell in wholeness, not in perfection, there is a difference between being whole and perfect.

After God restored me from those traumatic areas in my life, I discovered that my relationship with him deepened and I embraced more of my calling and who I am in him. Others today are greatly blessed by me because I WAS FOUND.

The prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, will take you shattered and gives you peace. You will be WHOLE again and that my friend is a traumatic event to the devil. Amen!

Tony Francis

 

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Breaking the Lies of the Enemy

Your breakthrough lies beyond the lies of the devil.

This is not another devotion you are reading; it is a deliverance word because it is God’s heart for you to be set free, totally free. Christ gave Lazarus life but what is life wrapped in cloth? It doesn’t last.

Lazarus would have choked back to death in the cloth of bondage on his face and body, preventing him from breathing and moving forward. Do you feel like that? That’s why Jesus screamed out loud to his disciples: “UNTIE HIM”. Jesus is indeed the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, he starts a good work in you and finishes it.

You are alive in Christ when you received him. The process of untying starts and continues for every believer after the new birth experience. Are you wrapped up with lies? Hear Jesus’s authority screaming over you: “Untie him”. Why is it important to receive your divine freedom? I will tell you why and I pray you will never forget this revelation all your life.

Lazarus was raised from the dead, what a powerful miracle of resurrection that everyone saw with their naked eyes, and to this day it is still reported in the bible for every generation. Go back in time with me, look at Lazarus being raised to life gloriously, but wrapped in death cloth still. Can you see him? Yes, but he is like a silhouette, can’t really tell who this living man is until he is unwrapped, untied, and set free.

Being free from lies and bondage shows your identity, and reveals who you are clearly to the world. God wants to give you life AND UNVEIL you.

You are not just given the life of Christ but you became Christlike! The devil will fight like hell to keep your image buried behind lies and bondage because once you are free, you are revealed, and Christ is revealed through you and the world will come to know him.

“For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.” Romans 8:19-21

BE FREE

Tony Francis

 

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Sanctuary in Plain Sight

I am a bit of an amateur photog. I started the hobby as a young girl, taking photos of my Mom’s absolutely stunning garden, zooming in on those beautiful patches of sprightly and fragrant glory as close as my Pentax K100 would allow, freezing their sublime majesty and detail to memory. I particularly enjoyed taking pictures just past dawn to capture the jiggling dew still perched upon quivering and laden emerald leaves, or at dusk to seize that perfect moment when the warmth of the golden sunset would seep through petals and leaves, and dapple the ground in exquisite glory. There was nothing I wouldn’t take a close-up of, and as I did, my awe would grow. Nothing has changed! I still take photographs in stunning detail with my phone, and I am still astonished by beauty in the tiniest corners of creation, right before our eyes and under our noses, that we’re largely too busy and preoccupied to see! 

Recently, I was looking over photos that I’d long ago taken, and one seemed to stand out in particular. I was transfixed by its every detail. A picture of what I called, The Secret Place: a close-up of two insects settled deep inside the heart of a lily. 

Take a look at it with me! 

How rich and varied in depth and shades of yellow, with tips and licks of melon-orange and buttery blonde! How the sun illumines little patches here and there, enough that the whole is warmly lit, framed in glowing and inviting radiance! Look at how parts of this little retreat resemble somewhat the inside pin-stripes of a lemon. How the different textures all seamlessly wove together: the ottoman-shaped soft and lushly padded cushion punctuating its centre flawlessly sewn together with the raised variegated streaks, all harmoniously flowing into the Tuscan-sun yellow awning of delicate broad petals reaching beyond the frame of the picture.  Look at how the transparent glow of the walls seems to highlight the contrast and draw the eye to the little creatures! How delicate their legs, and how handsome their stripes! How at home they look, and how secure they appear to be as they walk about in freedom in that soft and vulnerable place, totally unruffled by this photographer.

A perfect sanctuary within the expanse of all Creation, created in glorious detail by The Master Gardener! And yet, as the early summer arrives, this bloom will fade and fall, returning to the soft earth from which it grew.

“To notice what is in plain sight requires presence; requires being present,” Holy Spirit whispers. “Presence, my dear one, requires living every moment in the Now, for this is where I am. I do not fail or fall, nor return to dust. I am the I AM, not the “I was”, not the “I will be.” I am present. In plain sight. A secret place of warmth, refreshment, strength, peace, revelation, unconditional and unfailing love, of life itself for your spirit, mind, body and soul. A secret place of safety, refuge, restoration, comfort, healing and where faith is renewed and hope reignited. A secret place to linger, and rest with your head upon my soft breast. A secret place to drink in glory, right in plain sight, tucked away from the bustle and curious eyes, even in the very tiniest corners of your life!” 

Come, my friend. In the midst of all the noise and distraction of our daily lives, let us accept our Abba’s invitation to be present in each moment that is today. Present to marvel His majestic beauty; present to simply be with Him, so that we in turn are fully His Presence wherever we happen to be!

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Prophetic Word for the month of MAY/IYAR 2022

Welcome to May/Iyar 2022. As I positioned myself to hear from the Holy Spirit about his will and intentions, stored blessings and assignments for us in this month, this is what I feel sharing with you in the glorious name of Jesus Christ, who is the King over time and each month of the year. I want you to know that in Christ, time is your servant; it works for you now and not against you. Time is a blessing! God hides his blessings in time, feasts, and seasons, and it all points to him because, for lovers, an appointment is for dating and meeting. It is not about the appointment itself.

In May/Iyar, I sense God is about to give a mass deliverance from demonic oppression and attacks. Not just one or two or three but groups of people will be visited by the freeing presence of the Lord.

Many will be delivered from the oppression of the spirit of witchcraft and control. You will even feel free from worldly systems! Halleluiah.

The world’s system is to serve you and not to put you in bondage and total dependence on it. God is your source and in him your ultimate trust. Many were afraid of leaving their jobs even though Holy Spirit blessed them to make this move and you will be graced and able to do it because you will be free from the controlling spirit of witchcraft that the systems invoked on you as it did on many by telling them through many ways, YOU CAN’T MAKE IT WITHOUT US. (LIARS)

Receive this amazing freedom that the Lord Jesus Christ is releasing, attract it by faith, embrace it, and thank him for it!

You are made for divine freedom and everything that is lesser is not your portion and is a low life.

In this month of May/Iyar 2022, you are BLESSED with FREEDOM in Jesus' mighty name.

Tony Francis

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A couple of days ago, we had an amazing 2 hours and 20 minutes prophetic Zoom call where I shared with many about the secrets of time, my experience with God's calendar, the word of the Lord in the month of May 2022 about the world events, Q&A, prophetic words to those who have their birthday in May and activation at the end on how to hear from the Holy Spirit for this month. It was awesome and powerful and I give Jesus all the glory. You can get to watch the replay here by video or audio:

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Back to the Heart of Worship

The Lord has put this on my heart to share.

This last year and a half has been a hard season. It has been a wilderness season to say the least. Before moving to utah, I was involved in ministry, and worship, and was surrounded by such a beautiful group of women and people. In that time we experienced hardship in our marriage. Just months later, We moved to utah being uprooted from everything—every security I felt, and thought was going right in my life-to literally the desert. I experienced every emotion possible. We moved during covid, we weren’t able to go to church for a while, we didn’t have any friends, no family close by-just us and Jesus. I remember saying “oh, I will NEVER homeschool” and Wes saying, “oh, I could NEVER work from home-there is no way it would work with what I do”.  Well, you guessed it-With covid and other circumstances I was being led to homeschool, and yep, Wes started working from home. I remember thinking, alright God, you sure do have a sense of humor. Never say never-write that down! But humor aside, God was showing both of us that our ways are not His ways. There were days where I sobbed, and I wept, longing for connection with a church body, feeling isolated and alone. Absolutely, God was with me, but when your in the thick of it-all I could focus on was me and how I was feeling at the time. God was growing us in ways unimaginable, and certainly ways that I didn’t want to be stretched because it was uncomfortable.

Fast forward, churches opened, we tried one , and we tried another, then we bought a house in a new area, and tried another. It was hard after all we had been through, to not compare it to what we had before. What a unhealthy place that can be when we live our lives looking back not leaving room for God to work in the present. Finally, I came to a place where I let it go. I surrendered that to the Lord, realizing that the more I try to control the situation, the less I am trusting God to work all things according to His purpose, His will, and His plans for MY GOOD and HIS GLORY! And hey, what do you know? A  few weeks later, He lead us to a church where I couldn’t have hand picked it if I tried. This was the hand of the Lord. It reminded me in many ways of the church we were involved in before we moved. Oh how He wants to give us good things, but to trust Him in this process and let go of MY wants, MY control, and rest was such a lesson.  Funny how we always see in hindsight what God was doing-why do you think that is? But, God was still dealing with me, putting His finger on another area. After several weeks of attending, knowing this is where God had led us-My flesh was getting in the way when I saw people in ministry positions that I once was in. I think more so than anything I just missed the connection and involvement. But I knew in my heart I wasn’t supposed to get into ministry/serving right away, because I really just want God to lead me, and not step into a role just because I am familiar with it or want it. (Or have a “title”) So, still struggling with a few things, trying to figure out where I fit in, my purpose, who am I, What does God want me to learn? Then Bible study was soon to start, and the study is on our IDENTITY IN CHRIST. Whew. I just need to gather myself for a moment. 😭 HE KNOWS. I knew-but my flesh!!! I was being fought in even going to the study- with all these things going through my head and He’s gently saying ok Katie, are you ready to give me ALL of you?!? I have stripped you of almost everything you have put your identity in. It’s not your spouse, it’s not your marriage, its not your control, it’s not your kids, your family, your friends, your hobbies, your position in ministry, your home…IT IS ME. WHOLE HEARTEDLY ME. Apart from me you can do nothing! My burden is easy, and my yoke is light!!! Trust ME, walk with ME, Abide with Me. Heck-he even used my kids to speak this into my life-ON A BAD DAY I MIGHT ADD. This journey, this wilderness season has come down to this. Which has been a PROCESS!!! When I am stripped away of everything-what anchors me then? It HAS to be Christ-he is the ONLY firm foundation, and refuge for the poor in spirit, the broken, the lost and the saved. As I was thinking about all this and being stripped away -It reminded me of an old worship song-that I  Ioved-but never really understood or full grasped until now when it says “I am coming back to the heart of worship”

In being completely stripped, it is quiet, just me and the Lord, that is when I can offer him something beautiful in the mess of life-Something that will bless his heart-because he has searched deep into mine-I can come back to worship with a humble heart-where it truly is all about Him, and not of the things I WANT TO MAKE it about. Whew. Man is the Lord ever good to love me(and you) so much-to show me(us) these things. 😭❤️🙌 He is shakin that orange tree and trimming those vines!!!! 😜

Sometimes I think that we can get so wrapped up in someone else’s identity, someone else’s spiritual journey, that we forget when we die WE will be judged for the things that WE have done with Gods word. NOT that persons this, or that. We are to teach, and to train, to pray, to love and to speak truth in love ALWAYS. And no this is not always easy-But, we are to let go, and let God be God. (Daily) Yes, I have let things go, AAANND then taken them back because-well it’s just not happening the way I WANT it to go-which totally defeats the purpose of TRUSTING and ABIDING. But his Grace. His mercy. Oh has it met me more times than I deserve.

As I have felt led to share and post this, I feel like it is that last thing the Lord is wanting to rid me of. The looking back and living in the past and all it entails-because what is to come is SO much better, even in a broken world. Friends, you are known, by the ONE who created YOU, YOU are HIS masterpiece-and no matter how hard the season is that you are in-lean into Him. He is there. Trust Him in the process. He is growing you, stretching you, And He is making something beautiful out of YOU. It hurts, I understand-BUT GOD! Maybe your good, and you don’t have these exact struggles-or you struggle with something else-or maybe you have been here and know all to well what I have shared with you. Ask God how He can use you to encourage someone else. He uses our mountain top moments just as much as He uses our valley moments and he will continue to do so. I have been told-when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. Maybe you just need to take a step back, find a quiet place, pray and ask God to give you His perspective and His peace in the PROCESS! ❤️❤️💐 hugs!

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit. What it is and Why You Need it?

Although all Christians are indwelt and sealed by the Holy Spirit at the time we were saved, (Ephesians 1:13) not all Christians are “filled,” or “baptized” with the Holy Spirit. I'm not speaking about water baptism here, so let me explain. There's a big difference in knowing Jesus Christ as your Savior so you can have the assurance of heaven one day, and yielding to Him as LORD in order to receive His power. God is looking for our “total surrender,” to His will and when we ask Christ to be our LORD as well as Savior, we are saying we want to yield completely to Him, which is His desire and will for our lives. (Romans 12:1)

When we confess and renounce all known sin and ask the Lord to fill us with His Holy Spirit, we can then experience His power to successfully live the Christian life. This is what's missing in the life of many believers today, His power, being filled with His Spirit. This will give you the strength and the ability you need to overcome all sin and bondage in your life. It will bring power, joy, and peace into your soul unlike anything you have ever experienced before, and it is available for anyone who truly seeks to follow Christ.

One of the greatest revivals in modern day history was the Asuza Street Revival. (1906-1915) The Baptism of the Holy Spirit was responsible for what occurred there. It is not commonly taught in most churches, so no doubt many of you have never heard of it. I know I hadn't, but when someone shared it with me many years ago, it was a game changer.

So, how do you become “filled” with the Holy Spirit? When you make Jesus Christ your LORD and are willing to “totally surrender” to His will. It is the very reason God created you in the first place, to know Him intimately and be filled with His Spirit. If you have been struggling in your Christian walk, if you lack peace and joy in your life, I encourage you to get alone with God, repent of your “self effort” of trying to live the Christian life, and ask Him to “fill” you with His Holy Spirit. His only requirement? To have a sincere heart and a willingness to follow Christ.

Here is a sample prayer that you can pray: Lord I come to you today seeking to know you better. I thank you for Jesus and that you have given me your Holy Spirit when I was first saved, but now I want to be filled with your Spirit so I may experience your power in my life. I realize I cannot live a Christian life on my own and I need your help. I repent and renounce all my sin to you and I want to make you my Lord, as well as my Savior. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit right now and give me the power I need to follow and obey you. Provide me with your peace and joy and make me the person you created me to be. In Jesus name, amen.

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” (Acts 1:8)

Jeff Allen

Dreams of Comfort for the Brokenhearted

By Cheryl Shepherd

Have you ever received a dream that you knew was from God for the purpose of providing comfort during a particularly desperate time? If you’re a skeptic, based on my studies in Psychology and Sociology,  I certainly would have agreed before my mind was changed by a very incredible dream.

I was recently reminded, while listening to a story told by evangelist Perry Stone, of how drastically my mind was changed.

Perry spoke of a dream he had about a child that he and his wife had lost lost due to a miscarriage and that reminded me of my own similar experience. In his dream he had a very vivid picture of this precious little girl waiting to meet him in heaven.

What was especially touching about this story was the fact that years later, he came across someone who had painted a picture of this beautiful little girl, matching the little girl in his dream in complete detail down to the ragged stuffed animal she clung to! There were many more facets of the story that were certainly miraculous and reminded me of a time that brought to life a scripture that has become very dear to me. Psalms 34:18 says, the Lord is near to the brokenhearted; He saves those crushed in spirit.

Twenty-one years ago I lost my son Billy’s identical twin brother Brandon, due to a rare condition called twin to twin transfusion syndrome.

While I can’t begin to imagine the grief experienced by a mother who has to say goodbye to a child at any age, the impact of this loss for me was a profound one in a different way, yet devastating just as any mother knows who has experienced never being able to meet or hold her unborn child.

At that time there was very little known about twin to twin transfusion syndrome or TTTS. It was explained to me that this was a rare condition that occurs only in identical twins that share the same placenta and transfuse blood through shared blood vessels.

While the prognosis was ironically slightly better for Brandon than Billy, they explained that there was no cure. While I could try to remove amniotic fluid to “buy some time”, (having done this immediately caused me to go into a premature labor), ultimately there was a 10 to 15% chance at best of either of the twins surviving.

At the time of my diagnosis of this rare condition I was about 5 months along and the prognosis for both twins was clearly very bleak. So much so in fact, it was strongly recommended that I abort both babies and “try again later for a healthy pregnancy”. This was not an option for me, so my husband and I returned home from the hospital feeling completely devastated and totally lost!

After crying out to God, I was contacted by a friend who told me about an experimental surgery that was being performed by only one surgeon in the world at that time. He was a surgeon from Venezuela who had developed a surgery that he was performing in Tampa, Florida. We were on the next plane to Tampa for this experimental laser fetal surgery.

The surgery itself went well however Brandon ultimately did not make it.


While this loss was was devastating, what was even more difficult was looking in the closet and seeing all of the twin outfits hanging side-by-side; wondering how I could ever possibly find the strength to take one of each of these outfits out of the closet to discard.

Even more difficult proved to be the required weekly ultrasounds. It was torture Putting on a happy face each week while we watched Billy growing and developing while seeing the lifeless little form of Brandon become smaller and smaller, slowing shrinking away along with all of the dreams of what life should have held for these precious twin boys.

The remainder of the pregnancy became a blur of anger, resentment, pleading, and bargaining with God for a miracle, followed by utter devastation as I reminded myself it was too late for a miracle! 

As Brandon became smaller in the weekly ultrasounds the void in my heart became larger and more encompassing. One day I couldn’t seem to keep from crying all day, I remember my husband sternly saying to me you have to stop this!! You have to be strong for Billy!! You can’t just keep mourning the loss of Brandon you have a healthy baby to think about!

I knew he was right and the guilt I felt was overwhelming! I didn’t know how to stop grieving! I knew I should be celebrating the precious healthy miracle I was carrying inside of me but how could I betray Brandon like that?

At that moment I cried out to God from a place of complete brokenness and asked Him to take away my grief and allow me to experience the joy of this precious miracle He had given me.

This is the moment I knew without a doubt that God was with me and His heart was broken along with mine! I could feel his arms of love around me; comforting me. 

I fell into a deep sleep and I had a dream that I know now, was a glimpse into heaven and the heavenly nursery of unborn babies that Perry Stone talked about in his video.

In my dream I looked through a window like you would see in a hospital infant nursery. What I saw brought about a healing that is hard to even put into words. I saw my sister-in-law Betty, who had tragically died years before, in a rocking chair holding Brandon and gently rocking him. When she noticed me there she looked up at me and had the most precious look on her face, I remember it like it was yesterday. 

Betty had been the only person I would trust with babysitting my older children. She had such a love for children beyond anyone I have ever known. I woke up with a clear image of the pure joy and pride Betty had in cuddling my little Brandon – a look that said he will be alright, I will take good care of him until you get here.

While it would be easy to argue that there was something subconscious or psychological that caused this dream, I know better! God came to me in my brokenness and my despair and He gave me a glimpse into heaven that I believe was very real and beyond just a simple dream.

On July 5, 1999 I gave birth to my twin boys. Celebrating my five pound healthy baby boy Billy, while saying my final goodbye to Brandon.

It was amazing to me that I had ever wondered if I would be able to look at my precious new little miracle without feeling this deep sorrow over the loss of the brother who looks exactly like him.  The truth of the matter is, I don’t believe I could have ever done this on my own.

Is God really there for the brokenhearted? You Bet He Is!!! I am living proof of this promise that he has given us all in His Holy word. 

I want you to know that if you are suffering from a loss today, and you feel there is no escape and no way out of your pain, loneliness, and grief, He wants to bring you comfort- all you have to do is cry out to Him. He promises to be there! 

Cheryl Shepherd

2020FullCircle vision@gmail.com

Perry Stones’s story title “The unborn in Heaven” can be found at:

https://youtu.be/95f_sUTEJKs