Starting 2023

Written by jiminica1 on January 2, 2023

As we start the year, I am committing to doing two things: Looking at my vision board daily and journaling. As part of my journaling exercise at night, I am reading scripture and using the 1-1-1 method Sahil Bloom (@sahilbloom on Twitter) suggested. This 1-1-1 Method is the following:

* Write down one win from the day,
* Write down one area of tension, anxiety, or stress (this is where the scripture may help)
* Write down one point of gratitude.

Today is January 2. I am committing to starting this new journey on January 4th. Why the 4th? Because I’m doing my vision board on January 3.

What resolutions are you making this year? Where does God fit in them? It can be something as simple as what I’m doing.

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Beauty for Ashes…

Written by jiminica1 on March 10, 2021

Isaiah 61:3 says, “to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

Isn’t it beautiful that God says He can give you beauty for ashes? I love that. I think we concentrate on the beauty, but unless you give Him your ashes, you don’t get the beauty. There is a substitution plan here. There is a plan where you give Him your ashes.

Then He, in return, gives you His beauty. We hold onto our ashes and wonder, Why doesn’t my life change? Where is His beauty? Well, where are your ashes? You held on to them and He couldn’t give you His beauty.

What are ashes? Ashes, I believe, are the wounded parts of our lives. Everybody has wounds; everybody has ashes–and all kinds of them. Sometimes they happen with a family member. There can just be every kind of a thing–a mate, your children, your job, your church. Ashes happen every place. Everybody gets wounded.

I think the hardest wounds to turn to the Lord are the ones you wounded yourself with when you have done stupid things. But you can. Give it to Him.

He can handle it.

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Kingdom Building Key

Written by J T on March 16, 2017

Each of the first four books of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) focuses on the Gospel. And if you were a student of the Word and attend Bible study and/or Sunday school, you would know that the Gospel is "good news", that is the life Christ in a different manner. Quite simply these are different points of views that describes the same event, the "Birth, Life, Teachings, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus the Christ".

Matthew presents Jesus as the promised Messiah, the King of the Jews. Matthew contains five great collections of Jesus’ teachings. Matthew was written to convince Jews that Jesus was the promised Messiah. The book opens with a genealogy to prove that Jesus was an heir to King David. Matthew goes through effort to help the Jews understand their savior.

Luke, being a physician, presents Jesus to the Gentiles as the savior of all mankind. Luke contains numerous references to the activity of the Holy Spirit. Women are given special attention in Luke. Luke takes attention to details, similar to how a physician takes notes of all your ailments before giving you the prescription. Luke lets gentiles know Christ Jesus is the medicine for our Ailments.

John is the gospel of belief, and was written to show the world that Jesus was the Christ, the "Son of God. " Jesus was sent by the Father to give eternal life to believers. John’s purpose for writing this gospel was expressly stated in John 20:31, "these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name."

Then we have, Mark. Mark is a fast-paced gospel that portrays Jesus as the powerful, suffering servant of God. When I say fast paced, Mark covers the facts and has covered most of Jesus’ early ministry to one chapter (birth, baptismal, wilderness experience etc). Mark shows that Jesus taught with authority, as affirmed by the miracles He performed. Jesus’ life of service was completed when He sacrificed Himself on the cross.

Looking at the Book of Mark, we can learn some things very quickly. Jesus hit the ground running in His ministry. The beginning of Jesus’ ministry can be likened to a product launch, introducing a new product to the market. The difference is Jesus introduced a Key product, one we all need. There is a market assessment. John the Baptist, who Mark teaches, prepares the way for Jesus. John let everyone know who’s coming, he was Jesus’ hype man. In Mark, after Jesus is baptized by John, then Jesus goes to the wilderness for fasting, prayer, and lastly to get tried. Everything you do, especially when you are starting something new, you will get tempted. Tempted to quit. Tempted to give up. Tempted to do it the "fast and quick way". Tempted to not pay your dues. Tempted to not give your offering and tithes. Jesus used the scriptures to handle that test, just like us.

After being tried, Jesus began to put his board of directors together. He called together his brethren in the
ministry. They didn’t know they were going to get called, but they didn’t just answer in Words, they answered in action. They left everything they had, and followed the Son and Man of God, Jesus. Can we follow the man of God? When he says go, we go? Stop doing, move to this part of the kingdom. Stop doing Sound and now become an usher. I need you to become a teacher, on top of being an usher. Do we have utter complete faith in God, to know that He will
never steer us wrong?

I’m not asking for blind faith in the our leadership or putting your trust in it. I am asking you to trust Christ.
This is His bride, will he not care for His bride? Will he not care for her? Has He given us a guide to which to
understand Him and His ways? The Bible? If we aren’t asked to something illegal, immoral, why not do it?

Getting back to setting the stage in Mark. Jesus casts out an unclean spirit in Capernaum. On a day that is
traditional a day in the Jewish tradition, Jesus casts out an unclean spirit. The demon knew who Jesus was, and begin
to tell it. The devil will try to buffet you, and try to destroy your plans before you get them in motion. What do you
say to those unclean spirits? Tell them to be quiet in Jesus’ name and move on. People were amazed. When you do
something new, fresh, you will may have to work on your day off. When others will say, it "don’t take all that
". However, as you do as God commands, even when it goes against the grain, people will talk. They will call it an "ism", some new doctrine.

Jesus then heals Peter’s mother-in-law. Caring for those around him. Even though you are doing God’s business, don’t forget about your co-laborers. They provide you with the support, prayers, and strength. Even when they are not fully trained yet, they got your back. What happened after Jesus healed her, she "served them" She supported their business of Kingdom building.

God does things decently and in order. In this one day, folks came to see what was going on. Many came for Tea, many came to get healed, to get delivered, but all came to see. One thing that stands out, is Jesus gave no place to the unclean spirits to speak.

Now we get to our text. Jesus gets up early in the morning. In the midst of his Kingdom Building, he stole away. And Prayed. Had a conversation with His Father. New United Faith, as we are building God Kingdom, a fresh with a new renewed dedication to the Father, Preaching the Gospel, allowing the Holy Spirit to use us, don’t forget to recharge for time to time. Preferably every day. Make it the first part of the day.

Start your day with prayer. Jesus had a very busy Saturday. He cast out an unclean spirit during a worship service in the morning and in the afternoon, he healed Peter’s mother-in-law. At night, the whole city gathered in front of Peter’s house and Jesus healed many who were sick and cast out many demons. I imagine that He was exhausted and it would have made perfect sense for Him to sleep in.

But that’s not what happened according to verse 35: "And rising very early in the morning, while it was still
dark he departed and went out to a desolate place and there he prayed." In the gospels we see Jesus praying some 25 times. We see three things about Jesus’ prayer life from this passage.

It was planned. The phrase "very early" means, "exceedingly early." The time reference that Mark uses places this time of prayer during the fourth watch of the night, which was between 3:00 and 6:00 a.m. There’s precedent for early morning prayers in many other passages of Scripture. Psalm 5:3 says, "O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice." Psalm 119:147: "I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words. " Isaiah 50:4-5 says, "Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. " When we pray early we get our marching orders for our day.

It was private. Notice that Jesus found a private place to pray. The word "desolate" is the same word used for the wilderness and means, "lonely and deserted." Luke 5:16 says, "But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray." Do you have a private place for prayer? Jesus encourages us to find one in Matthew 6:6: " But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." Have you seen the War Room yet? The main point of the movie is that we’re called to do battle in prayer and that we should find a private place to do that.

It was prolonged. The tense of the phrase, "and there he prayed" means that He "continued in prayer. " Luke 6:12 tells us that at times Jesus would pray all night long. This axiom is helpful: "Little prayer, little blessing. Some prayer, some blessing. Much prayer, much blessing."

Prayer becomes so much so needed as we begin to grow. People will be looking for us, looking to us. Our call is to be the church on the hill. But understand, our reach will be so much more than just this neighborhood. Yes will will be used as change agents within these blocks north, south, east, and west of us. However, God did not limit a church on the hill to small blocks. We need to do as Jesus said, go in to the next blocks and into the next city. We are to preach. You may not sit in the "office" of a preacher in the pulpit, but you are to preach according to Matth 28. Preach the gospel, heal the sick, cast out demons. We called beyond the boundaries of this edifice.

To achieve the plan that God has for us, we need to be seekers of God, from the moment we rise. We need to hear from God so we don’t get "stuck", stagnated not sharing or being God’s hands and ears to all those who He has called us to be.

Prayer earmarked every instance normal day to day, but definitely during major transitions in Jesus’ life. Jesus
acknowledged the Father in went to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane. I took his inner circle with him to pray. He prayed and sweated great drops that were like blood. For what he was going to do for us. He agonized, but said nevertheless to God the Father, "not my will but yours be done"

He then the soldiers came to take him away. They tried to find fault with Him, and could not. He went from the Herold to Pilate and back. Similar as going from the state trying you to the federal court and back again. He was faultless.

He was offered to the people, to be killed or released. The people wanted a murder and terrorist freed, and Jesus to Die. They yelled crucify Him. After being beaten, whipped, made to carry a wooden cross, Jesus stayed the course.

After having iron spikes placed in hands and feet and hung high. Jesus prayed, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do". Prayer. Forgiveness. He who knew no sin became sin for us. He prayed, and commend His spirit into the father’s Hands. His final prayer.

Finish the gospel.

The power we want to move to the next step, courage to achieve, begins everyday with prayer. It ends every day with prayer.

Have a Quiet Time every day with the Lord. Simply put, you will not grow if you do not develop the discipline of a daily time of Bible reading and prayer. We’ve seen a lot of people get saved recently so it strikes me that some may not know how to do this. There are two big things to accomplish in a daily appointment with Christ – talk to God through prayer and hear from God through His Word. It’s helpful to follow a Bible reading plan and we have some available in the lobby. Or you could read a chapter from the Gospel of Mark every day. Determine to do it. Schedule it now. If you don’t, it won’t happen. If you wait to do it when you have the time, you won’t find the time. Remember this: time spent with God is time well spent.

Psalm 143:8: "Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul." When we dial in with God we receive direction for our days.

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The Fig Tree Part 2

Written by jiminica1 on April 21, 2015

We covered in the last post, about how that story of the “Fig Tree” in Mark 11:12-14, can apply to our lives.  Lets finish the study.

¹⁴ And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

²⁰ And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

²¹ And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.

Because the fig tree was barren when it promised fruit, the Lord Jesus pronounced a curse upon it. He declared that it was to be fruitless forever. The lack of fruit was not the reason for the curse. It was the pretense of the leaves! The tree was making promises it could not deliver!

Application

I would just remind you that the same scenario can be played out in our lives today. When we have the appearance of life, but bear no fruit, we can expect a visit from the Lord. Verse 13 tells us that the fig tree was “afar off”. Jesus made an effort to go to that tree and He will come to examine the fruit in our lives as well.

If we make a pretense of religion by flaunting our leaves, but have no fruit, He will judge us too!

When the Lord finds a branch that will not yield to His efforts to train it and to make it fruitful, that branch will experience the work of the vine dresser on a deeper and more painful level. John 15:6 says, “If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” This does not mean that the branch is cut out of the vine. It does mean that it is trimmed back in an attempt to force it to be fruitful.

All of this reminds us that those who know the Lord are expected to be fruitful branches. When we are not fruitful, we can expect the personal attention of the Vine Dresser in our lives. He will come to us with chastisement to teach and train us to become more fruitful for His glory, Heb. 12:5-11; Rev. 3:19.

The disciples heard Jesus when He cursed the fig tree, v. 14. The next day, as they passed by, they saw that the fig tree was “dried up from the roots”. Peter called the Lord’s attention to the miracle. These men could see that the Lord had worked a miracle and that this miracle had a special lesson to teach. This miracle was a clear demonstration of the Lord’s sovereignty over all things, including nature.

The Curse – Destruction

Usually, when a tree “dries up”, it does so from the top down. The root system will be the last part of the tree to die. Not this tree! Jesus cursed it and it died from the roots up. It is a picture of total destruction!

John the Baptist said, “And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire,” Matt. 3:10.

I would just remind everyone  that the same God Who can take a lost sinner, save his soul and bless his life, is the same God Who will judge that life if necessary.

If we will honor Him, obey Him and serve Him, He will bless us in wonderful ways. If we refuse to honor, obey and serve Him, He will bring His chastisement into our lives. The same Lord Who can fill us and use us can also leave us dry and empty. He has the power to bless us and He has the power to curse us, which depends upon ability to bear fruit for His glory!

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The Fig Tree Part 1

Written by jiminica1 on April 21, 2015

I am posting again ya’ll….  God has really been working on me, and I preached this subject.  This study is for all the believers, Jesus is examining our lives.

We are going to study the Fig Tree in Mark 11: 12-14, 20-21.  Typically, every time I hear this scripture taught, faith is the subject.

¹² And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:

¹³ And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.

¹⁴ And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

²⁰ And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

²¹ And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.

The text tells that Jesus is hungry. As He walks Jesus sees a “fig tree afar off”. The tree is in full leaf, so Jesus goes to it hoping to find some figs to eat. When He comes to the tree, He finds nothing but leaves. Then the text tells us that “the time of figs was not yet”. In order to understand what is happening here, need to examine these verses a little closer and understand fig trees.

Understanding Fig Trees

Fig trees were and are very common in Israel. The common fig, which is mentioned over 60 times in the Bible, is one of the most important trees in the Word of God. When mentioned, in parables it represents Israel. In the natural, fig trees can grow to a height of 20 – 30 feet with a trunk some three feet in diameter. The spread of a fig tree’s branches can be 25 – 30 feet. In other words, fig trees can grow very, very large.

The first crop is produced on the “old” wood. Early in the year, green knobs or buds appear at the end of the branches. They are called paggim and while this fruit is not as juicy and rich as the later fruit it is still quite edible. After the paggim appear, the fig tree will begin to grow its leaves and new growth.

Another interesting fact about fig trees is that it can be in full fruit, full leave and full bloom all at the same time. The first crop becomes ripe in June, the second in September.  Rarely, December, another crop may come.

Jesus’ Expectation

Since the fruit grows as the tree produces its leaves, it was reasonable for Jesus to assume that there would be fruit on the tree when He came to it. Yet, when He searched the tree, He found it was all leaves; there was no fruit to be found. This fig tree was deceptive because its leaves promised something the tree could not deliver.

A fig tree in full leaf in April should have been covered with early fruit. Since this tree had no early fruit, it was a sign that there would be no sweet fruit when the time for harvest arrived. This tree had nothing to offer and it was, therefore useless! This tree was fit for nothing but to be cut down and fed to the fire.

Are you this fruitless fig tree? Israel at the time of Jesus had all the signs of spiritual life, but they had no fruit. They were keeping the letter of the Law. They were carrying out the ceremonies. They were religious in every detail, but they had no spiritual fruit.

Application

We can also look at the fig tree to represent us as believers.  We have been adopted into Abraham’s inheritance and family, through Jesus Christ.  This day and age, as believers, we have everything we need for a spiritual bumper crop, but many of us still remain fruitless.

Let’s face the truth today. We have been given every spiritual advantage God has to offer. We have His Word, His church, and His Spirit. He has blessed us in abundance. There is no excuse for us being fruitless.

What about in your individual life? Are you all leaves, or do you have fruit? Let’s take a minute to examine ourselves before the Lord. Ask yourselves the following questions.

• Jesus really the first priority in your life, or is His will, His worship and His work just an afterthought?
• Do you have all the trappings of religion and salvation, but no real commitment to God?
• Do you shout, testify and pretend to worship while you hold things in your hearts against others?
• Do you plan your life around all the things you want to do but don’t see the need to plan around the Lord’s work?

Fruit is always the evidence of genuine salvation. When a person is saved by God’s grace, they will bear fruit for His glory! (Ill. John 15:5 – The fruit on the vine is evidence of life within the branch. As the branch yields to the vine and as the vine lives through the branch, fruit happens.) Fruit such as:

• A changed life – 2 Cor. 5:17
• A vibrant witness – Acts 1:8
• The evidence of inward life – Gal. 5:19-23

Not everyone bears the same amount of fruit, John 15:1-8. But, everyone who is saved bears some fruit! In truth, every life, saved or lost, bears some sort of fruit, but only those in a right relationship with God will bear His fruit, Matt. 7:18.

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Study on Worship: Part 1

Written by jiminica1 on September 7, 2014

I can hear it coming… Oh no another person who assume they are an expert on Worship. Nope. I am a student, like you. My endeavor here is to search the scriptures, and understand what Biblical worship is meant. I can say worship, intuitively, is beyond that “experience in church”; but yet it not totally exclusive from it. I think we may be shocked that worship isn’t just the slow song, or hymn in church; worship is not just through music or the arts, or just an outward appearance of raising of hands, or bowing down at the altar. Yes those are forms, but there is more to it.

I am going to use a definition of a worshiper, that is not mine, that we will see (at least through my studies) that I found is supported over and over.  Apostle John W. Stevenson says,

“I define a worshiper as one who is intimately acquainted with, and has a daily relationship with God exhibited through obedience.” (Stevenson, 2009 )

One of the first thing I noticed about this definition, is that it refers to a relationship with God.  Not just with God, or with the Holy Spirit, or with Jesus.  But with the triune God.  It means that knowing God and being intimate with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  

Step 1 to Pure Worship:  Recognize that we belong to God

Exodus 20:2-6 states:

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.  “You shall have no other gods before me.  “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.  You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,  but showing love to a thousand [ generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments. (NIV)

God made a way for the children of Israel to get to the promise land.  God also made the way for us, led us out of the bondage of sin.  Our Egypt.  We have be When we accept Jesus, we are redeemed from the curse of the law.  When we become His, we cannot make anything or anyone a god before Him.  Remember Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 6:20 and in 7:23-24 we were bought with a price.

God being God, made a way through the offereing of His Son, as a scapegoat for us, bought us with a price that can never be repaid.  He was made a way for us to become close to Him; to enter into an intimate relationship with Him.  God being Holy, cannot enter into a relationship with one who is unholy.  But the sacrifice that Jesus made, when we accept him, and allow Him to transform us, we become righteous and Holy through Him.

This purchase comes with a price, the price of obedience.  Not bowing down to other Gods, treating our bodies as the temple of Christ. God wants (and demands) your absolute transformation and His absolute ownership and worship.  He bought you and He owns you.  You are His. Our worship, begins recognizing we are God’s property.

We will talk more on the remaining steps of understanding true Worship.

This is staggering enough as it stands.  The implications of my life being owned by another are far-reaching and pervasive.

Cited Works:

Stevenson, John W. Worshiper by Design. Press, 2009. print.

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Cost of Discipleship

Written by jiminica1 on March 12, 2014

Part of being a good disciple is explaining what we believe and the costs of discipleship. There is a cost associated to being labelled a Christian. One must understand, accept, and count the cost of this path.  Intuitively, we know that people can believe in Christ, but not necessarily be a disciple.  As disciples, we want to help lead and guide new believers to become disciples.  In today’s society, they costs of being a true disciple is rising. Many may disagree with me, but I believe it is becoming harder to remain a true disciple.  In Luke 14:25-33, Jesus gave us the requirements of discipleship. Continue reading →

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Who is a Disciple?

Written by jiminica1 on January 28, 2014

We have talked about being a Christian, the basics.  Its not just professing that you are Christian, others should recognize you as a Christian.  They will see your “fruits” of witnessing, evangalizing the gospel, “recruiting” for Christ, being a disciple of Christ, and willing to die for Christ. Continue reading →

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Christian Basics: Who are we?

Written by jiminica1 on January 23, 2014

This post was started because I was reflecting on the serman from my Pastor at River of Life Family Church.  In his sermon he asked a question that I have dwelled upon, “Do you know what it means to be a Christian?”.

I thought of all the usual answers…. Being a Christian means to be “Christ”-like and to be a disciple and follower of Christ.   I decided, then I needed to know what the Bible says, so I went to www.biblegateway.com and typed in “Christian” in search using the New King James Version Bible.  In the old days I would have went to my Strong’s Concordance, I like technology. Three verses appear when I do the search on biblegateway.com: Acts 11:26, Acts 26:28, and 1 Peter 4:16. Continue reading →

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Deborah: Example of a Powerful Woman of God

Written by jiminica1 on January 16, 2014

The year is now 2014, a brand spanking new year.  I pulled out one of my old writings, because I needed to be reminded of a powerful woman, Deborah.

What does it mean to be a powerful woman of God?  Let’s begin with the word powerful:

Powerful – adjective

1. having or exerting great power or force
2. physically strong, as a person: a large, powerful athlete
3. producing great physical effects, as a machine or blow.
4. having great effectiveness, as a speech, speaker, description, reason, etc.
5. having great power, authority, or influence; mighty: a powerful nation.

Does these items describe a woman you know?  Now think of a woman who is powerful and is a believer in the One and true Living God.  This is a woman who realizes that meekness is power with restraint (and they shall inherit the earth), and that God is a loving father who cares, protects, strengths, his daughter.  That is a powerful woman. Continue reading →

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