What fellowship has light with darkness? II Corinthians6:14

Friends, when you are going through something distressing, don’t hang out with the people who are just as discouraged as you are. And stop trying to drag other people to your pity party!  Find someone who will lift you up, speak life into your circumstance, and help move you in the direction of better days. Misery only loves miserable company but understand that darkness cannot exist where there is light. Seek encouragement and inspiration. Find the spark that will light you back up!

In me, strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die!  Amen &  Amen!

(Revelation 3:2)

Consider what the Lord says about ensuring that it is well  in Jeremiah 7:23, “Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people.” —- [get this next part] —- “Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you.” God wants to bless you! All you have to do is following his direction; let him lead you; you cannot go wrong.

Many declared that they will be a new person in 2012. Well, if that is you, and you are or recently chose to make Jesus the Lord of your life instead of yourself or someone else, congratulations again, this will certainly be a year of new things for you!  If you are not yet a believer, consider making God the Lord of your life.  The heartache and hardships of last year don’t deserve your attention anymore. There is nothing you can do about any of it now anyway. The Word of God says, ” Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” Isaiah, 43:18. Let it go! Whatever mess you made of things last year, let it go and let God transform you this year. If you are a believer and faced challenges that caused you to slip and slide away from God, this is your year of reconciliation.  The Bible says in II Corinthians 5:17, ” Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is an new creation. The old has gone, the new has come.” When you accepted Christ as your Savior, he started then to make all things new for you. You ARE a new creation, this is your year to express that and do well in your new form.

Last year was rough, no doubt but there is good news. As God was thinking of you, long before he formed you, he knew that you would face all the things you endured last year, the good and the bad. That was all part of his plan to teach you to trust him and learn from his word. Now, look back at yesteryear and think on this verse found in Revelation 21:4, He will wipe away every tear from their eyes…for the old order of things has passed away.”  That tells you that God is a God of order. No matter how much of mess you think your life,  your job, your marriage is, the old order of that has passed away! The Bible does not say, it will pass away, it says it HAS passed away so you do not have to think about it anymore, God is doing a new thing in your life, starting today!

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of my readers. I thank you for your devotion and look forward to walking with you into our promises this year.

Be good, be careful, and be a blessing to someone this year!

Whew! Another Christmas over. The gifts are in use, and the guests are looking rather spent themselves. You’ve cleaned up the Christmas Day messes and now you are ready to ring in the new year.  But wait…! Did you already forget about the baby? The significance of Jesus (the reason for the season you talked about on Sunday) was not just that he was born one day. His life on Earth was a model and his death was a requirement for the redemption of humanity.  

As the holidays wage on, don’t forget that the baby born in this season also lived, and died for us.  Get into the Word of God today and read about the Christ Jesus. His life here was just as significant as the day he was born.

Enjoy the holidays everyone, just don’t forget the baby!

Be good, be careful, and be a blessing to someone today!

Excitement is mounting as we prepare meals, wrap gifts, and clean our homes for expected guests…the time has come!  Jesus also proclaimed, “the time has come…the Kingdom of God is near!” Mark 14-15. At last, it was time for a great thing to happen. People prepare for months, and years for their ministry, or contributions to the world. Jesus was no different. He understood the value of training, and the time required. Many of us have been training for years for something we are not yet doing.

I want to stress to someone today that now is the time, your present is here! You have been prepared; your training now qualifies you. God will make the resources available for you as you move forward and your faith will release your reward.

For someone else reading, your experiences are not wasted. God is still using everything that happens in your daily routine. Whatever didn’t work out in 2011 was not the end of your story. It was a challenge, but also an opportunity to learn. I encourage you to get your mind right as the year ends. Stop now and think about what is going on in the present because each season has a benefit; look for it.

Keep moving, keep your heart and mind available to gain wisdom. Whatever you do to step into a winning attitude right now, will spill over into what you do in 2012. God will bless you as you go.

Be good, be careful, and be a blessing to someone today!

When you get a revelation, what do you do with it?

What is revelation? Revelation is the process and content of God’s making Himself known. Or, more simply said, it is the way God speaks and tells us he is in the midst of everything concerning us. The Word of God asserts that the he (God) has in fact made Himself known, and has given us a great amount of knowledge about who he is; his nature, character, attributes, and activities.  God does not reveal himself just for the sake of being known. His self-revelation is also to make known his Will, and his Plans for us.

God reveals himself in many ways, including through the Holy Spirit, “but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.”     If you believe that the Bible is the revealed word of God, and you believe what the Bible says and that his word is just as relevant today as it was in Old Testament times, then you must be compelled to believe God will also reveal direction for your own life.  God reveals himself and confirms his Will in his Word; Psalm 119:105, through prayer; Luke 11:9-10, circumstances, the unctioning of the Holy Spirit; I Kings 19:11-12, and other people; Colossians 3:16.   If we seek God’s Will, we will find it in  his Word and in prayer, if we are watchful, and listen for his voice. In addition, the events of our lives may prove, or confirm, that which we have already “felt” God telling us to do.

So, what do we do with the revelations? “It is not enough to expect change, you must do something to effect change,” Pastor Dapo Oyewole (RCCG –House of Praise[1], Baltimore, MD).  When you sit and hear the Pastor tell you that faith without works is dead…what exactly does that mean to you?  Hopefully it means that you ought to exercise your faith by putting some things into action. If you believe you will get a good job, are you actively looking for work, or expecting a job to just “show up?”  If you believe that your children will start making healthy food choices, are you putting healthy options in front of them, or hoping they will just get a revelation to stop eating junk food and start eating better and getting more exercise?  Let me take this one step further, if you believe that change needs to happen around the world in terms of health care, education, clean water supplies, etc…. are you doing anything to effect those changes, or are you praying for someone else to do the things you hope for in the privacy of your own home?  Change does not happen all by itself. The success of our journey and the fulfillment of the plan set for us, lies solely on what we choose to do with the revelations.

There are several among us who receive many or all of their revelations through dreams. Some people will receive just a thought or idea that is later confirmed. But if you never do anything about the dream or the confirmations, you are operating outside the will of God.  Consider the story of Joseph; his brothers plotted to kill him!  He was thrown in a pit, sold as a slave, and eventually thrown into prison. Joseph could have sank into a pit of despair and declared his life over. But, if ever there was a time for him to reinvent himself and do something to effect change, that was the time.  The dreams that Joseph had could have been disregarded and forgotten, but the Lord was with him, and everything he did (in the presence of the Lord) succeeded, (Genesis 39).  He changed the lives of many including his family because he chose to do something about the revelations he received.  While he was still suffering, he did things to bring about change for his own good. He interpreted dreams, found favor with the warden, and was ultimately raised to a level of high authority.

As I was preparing this message, my husband and I had a long conversation about my ministry options. While I did not know where God was taking me, he encouraged me to not just sit and wait for the best ministry opportunity, but to take advantage of every ministry opportunity and that would eventually lead me in the direction of my ministry vision. God never wastes a circumstance. Our life experiences are not for naught; there is always something to be learned from our struggles and our successes. What we do with the information learned is the difference between continued struggles and principled prosperity.

Ideas will come and go, but if there is one that keeps sticking with you, pray about it, wait for confirmation, and then act on it. If you require the assistance of others, do not shrink back because you thought getting ahead was only about you. Ask for the help, go the distance, and watch God do amazing things in your life and the lives of those you touch.

Visit Pastor Dapo Oyewole online at www.houseofpraisebaltimore.org , attend a service or visit him and the First Lady at 6101 Moravia Park Drive, Baltimore MD 21206.

Be good, be careful, and be a blessing to someone today!

© ShaunnaJ.  Agboju

I thought my intended audience was solely attempted suicide survivors, but as the book progressed, it became clear that absolutely every person as a breaking point. Another’s breaking point just may not manifest itself the same way.

My purpose for writing this book then became to simply use my testimony to assist others, regardless of their story. Assisting others in choosing to deliberately live life in abundance … I am not speaking of an abundance of things or money … but I am speaking of abundant joy, peace, and hope found in Christ Jesus.

You discuss having a breaking point. Will you share more about that?  

I definitely had a breaking point. We all do. My particular one is not the important issue. The important issue is … that everyone has one. It can be any emotional event that leaves a person broken and destroyed. For someone else, their breaking point can be:

• a car accident
• a divorce after 20 year and the wife has to find a job
• a child blaming themselves for the divorce
• financial difficulties

That is why it is so important to understand the signs. Understanding the signs to save your family members, your neighbors, and your friends; obtaining knowledge in order to allow God to use you to help another. I have a list of warning signs on page 131 of the book.

In your book, the stats reveals that suicide is the third leading cause of death in the age group 15 to 24. What message of encouragement would you give to our young people today?  

Know WHO you are and WHOSE you are. If I can elaborate, I want our next generation to NOT define themselves by the standard of this world, you know – not by the cars, clothes, only the tangibles – let’s consider our whole-man: mind, body, and soul. Chose to use the standard in which God defines you.

If you have surrendered your life to Christ, you are His child, a co-heir with Christ.  You can stand on all of God’s promises in the Bible because you are sons and daughters of the Creator Himself. So do not walk defeated!

Chose to live this life deliberately – know that each morning you are alive, God has purpose for you.

Suicide should not be an option … it is a permanent solution to a temporary problem! If you’re hurting now, let God love you back to wholeness.

Now if you have not surrendered your life to Christ, I encourage you to not simply dismiss the fact that you are hearing this message right now – God is calling you personally to live this life and the next to come in His presence.  Stop dismissing Him.

Will the struggle ever end for people who have survived? Or, is it always a constant that they could fall-back into feeling the hopelessness? 

Struggles are a part of life. What matters most, is how we learn respond to life struggles!

For anyone still considering suicide, first there has to be an elimination of this mindset as a workable alternative. Assistance is available by contacting a mental health professional or by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

For those who have survived a previous attempt and no longer struggle with thoughts of suicide but continue to live under the guilt and shame associated with their past actions; I am here to say that there is freedom in Christ Jesus! It is time for you to build a spiritual foundation for deliberate living. Pick up my book, learn how to shake off the unnecessary baggage, and gladly receive the Lover of your soul … Jesus Christ … who offers you hope, joy, and peace.

For those who have not considered suicide but are trapped in feelings of constant negativity, pick up my book as well. We are a hurting generation and people who have been hurt tend to hurt others; let’s chose to receive healing. I am a living proof that one can overcome the battle with feelings of hopelessness to the point of despair.

How would you sum up the book?

The book is my story, written for you. I am sharing my private life, my disappointments, my fears, my un-loveliness. Yes it started out hard for me, but the Lord poured out of me some of the things that had been holding me down.

• I know now, that I can be alone; but I don’t have to be lonely,
• I sometimes feel unloved; but God loves me unconditionally.
• I can be financially broke; but God will provide.
• I can be friendless; but Jesus is longing to be my friend.
• My life can be broken; and He will put it back together again.
• I can be a sinner. Jesus died for my sins, and your sins. He already paid the price

I will sum it up…….BUT GOD!

Where can we find out more about you, your ministry, and your book?

Please visit my website at www.YolandaShanks.com.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for posting the author’s interview on my blog. This blog tour is managed by Christian Speakers Services (ChristianSpeakersServices.com).

A relevant product used by some, but not by all is the Word of God.  If you want to live a  confident,[ non-smelly] life, you need to live according the ways of righteousness, (Proverbs 10:29 – The way of the Lord is a refuge for the righteous.)  Why? Because the righteous will never be uprooted – Proverbs 10:30.  No matter what challenges you might face, no matter how badly someone treats you, no matter how uncertain the times might be, your gate will be steady, you vision will be clear, and your foundation will be unshakable.

Get into the Word of God today and find out how to get your life on track, or back on track. A good place to start is in the book of Proverbs. There is a chapter for every day of the month. Start with today, whatever the date is, read that chapter and so on…The Lord will direct you from there.  If you need confidence, read Hebrews 13:6. If you need protection, read Isaiah 59:19. If you need surety, read I Peter 1: 3-5. The Word of God is definately daily protection you can trust!

Are you sure your life is going the right way? If so, where ever you are, raise your hands and praise the Lord!

Hallelujah!!

Be good, be careful, and be a blessing to someone today!

If you are part of Generation X, as I am, your time has come.

Gone are the days of letting someone else do it. Gone is the notion of , “I’ve got lots of time,” there is no time left to get into position, the time is now. We are now the executives, the teachers, the mentors, the preachers, etc.  We are the ones the world will look to hoping we don’t drop the baton as we step out to win whatever race we started.

People far and wide had little hope for our generation, but forget what people said.  Step over and beyond whatever mess your life was. Today is a new day, today is  new opportunity, to make positive changes.  Those following us are expecting us to get it together, and get it right.

The baton is coming. Will you grab it with assurance or let it pass you by because you got tired of the warm up?