The entry below is another entry from what I call The Vault Series, which are entries that I’ve written up until about a year on my eJournal at www.NaimaWilliams.com/blog.  The entry below was originally posted on August 28, 2009, and though that is the case, the principals and lessons to learn are still relevant to today’s issues.  I pray that you’re blessed by it and that the Heavenly Father brings you to a place of fruitfulness, obedience, and an abundant life to the full till it overflows, in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

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August 28, 2009

Yesterday morning while in the shower the Lord showed me something that was pretty neat. 

Have you ever been to an amusement park?

Have you ever got on any rollercoaster rides or any other ride that was pretty danger?

It’s so funny how we’re able to stand in the blazing hot sun, dripping with sweat, waiting on an extremely long line in order to get on a 5-minute ride.  We sometimes stand in line for 45 minutes or more just to experience the thrills that the park promises through their advertisement.  While we wait, we’re either chatting with our friends or family members with us, or we’re eating the over-priced food we bought at the park or we’re downright complaining the whole time we wait.  Then, once it’s finally our turn to get on the ride, we become excited to get on the mechanical ride that promises shrills and thrills and outright terror. 

Let me ask you a question: what do you believe is the driving force behind our willingness to go through so much trouble just to get on a 5-minute ride?  Furthermore, why do you believe we’re absolutely trusting of something that clearly claims no liability should something go wrong, using phrases like “Enter at your own risk”?  Let’s face it, we usually don’t know the integrity of the person operating the ride, and we don’t know if the actual ride itself has been properly maintained; yet we’re so trusting of this ride that we’re willing to risk our own lives as well as the lives of our children.  Why do you think this is?  Moreover, can we say that the same confidence and trust we put into a ride we have no knowledge of is that same level of trust and confidence we put into a God we claim to love and serve? 

SELAH

In order for us to step one foot onto the ride, it is necessary for us to have complete faith and trust in the ride as well as the person(s) who operate the ride.  Just because you don’t actually say that you do trust these things, your actions say you do because if you didn’t trust it, you wouldn’t get on the ride neither would you let your children get on it.  Let me ask you a question: can you say that so is the same in your relationship with God?   Can you say that though you don’t physically see Him and though you don’t know all of the intricacies involved in your situation, that you still step out and have complete faith and confidence in Him who can do all things?

As I am standing in the shower in fellowship with the Lord, I began to experience sadness.  The sadness came from the complete and utter insult it is to God for His people to have more confidence in a mechanical thing than in Him.  I seen how we’re so willing to trust in something that screams “I don’t care about you or your children, neither will I be responsible if something happens to you”; yet we want God to jump through hoops to prove Himself to us, demanding that He tells us what He’s going to do FIRST before we decide to believe, follow and trust Him.  How insulting is it to God, the one who is the Creator of heaven and earth and all therein, that a mechanical ride should receive more trust than the Almighty Creator receives from His own people.  How do you suppose you would feel if this were the case with your children?  Unfortunately, this sometimes can happen with our children, especially in teenage years when the same child who you nurtured, protected, and loved, now believes in anything and everything other than you.  At the very least we would be hurt and upset by their unconcern for all of the sacrificed we’ve made on their behalf.   

Can you imagine how your life would be if you focused all of your faith, all of your trust and all of your confidence in God?   Our faith is required throughout our walk with Christ; for without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).  The Lord also commands our trust in Him; for we’re told in Proverbs 3:5-6 to, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”  In addition to this, we must keep in mind that God is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5); as He wants no other person or thing in front of Him.  He says in Isaiah 42:8, “I am the LORD; that is my name!  I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols”  This includes, but is not limited to, a celebrity, leader, spouse, child, job, career, friend, substance, family, people, money, material things, mentor, power, etc.  In essence, anyone or anything can be turned into an idol, wherein all of your trust, time, faith, dependence, etc is wrapped into this person or thing. 

Before I continue further, let me explain that idolatry can easily occur without even knowing it at first.  We may think that we’re just really expressing of our love for someone or thing; however, we’ve somehow exalted this person or thing above all else in our lives to the point where everything else is secondary to it—including God.  The transition from love and concern to idolatry is often done in such a subtle way that we’re not even aware when it begins.  This is why we should continually examine ourselves to be sure that we haven’t inadvertently turned someone or something ahead of God as well as ensure that we’re truly letting the one true God sit on the throne of our hearts and lives.  Like the Psalmist in Psalms 139:23-24, we should desire the same of God expressed in this Scripture, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:  And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Back to faith, God demands and requires our faith and trust in Him above all else; for His ways and thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8).  We as humans are absolutely limited and do not know all that is in our future neither do we know all things in general, which is why we must depend on He who knows ALL things—present, past and future!   This is why our faith and trust is critical.  Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He is.”  This is how our relationship with God began; for we confessed with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believed in our heart that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9-10).  Thus, it is by faith that we were saved, having first heard the Gospel.  It is by faith we received the Holy Spirit, which was sealed in us the moment we received Christ as Lord and Savior.  It is by faith that we receive from God, period.  Paul explains this in Ephesians 1:13-14:

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

In the Scriptures listed above, do you notice that the Apostle uses words such as faith, believe, and trust?  Jesus is the Author and the Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2); and in essence, the same faith we used to become saved is the same faith we must use to grow in the things of God.  We cannot begin our relationship with faith and then somewhere down the line decide that faith is no longer needed.  Au contraire!  That is not the case and thinking such a thing is a set-up for failure; for the carnal mind is enmity against God, and it is the Spirit of God that changes us from glory to glory (Romans 8:7, II Corinthians 3:18).  We cannot perfect our faith and holiness on our own; for only the Spirit of God can perfect such work.  Look at what the Apostle Paul says about it in Galatians 3:2-3:

“I would like to learn just one thing from you:

Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?

Are you so foolish?  After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?”

I believe this Scripture makes it extremely clear that we cannot change ourselves or rely on our efforts to change nor increase in holiness and faith.  This can only be done through the Gospel of Christ; for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith (Romans 1:17). 

It’s amazing how we can learn about the propensity of our faith and trust by looking at how we respond to something as trivial as rides at an amusement park.  This certainly emphasizes Romans 12:3 which state that God has apportioned to each man a measure of faith.  The measures of our faith may vary from person to person; however, God desires that everyone grows in greater trust, dependence, adoration, and faith in Him.  As for me, those who know me know that I long to have absolute unmovable and unshakeable faith.  I think my wording of it goes more like, “having that off-the-chain, crazy, ridiculous, just don’t make no sense, girl you crazy kind of faith.”  The kind of faith Moses had when he held up his staff (stick) over the Red Sea and it parted so that he and the children of Israel was able to cross on dry ground (Exodus 14); or the faith Joshua had when he dared asked God to make the sun standstill and God honored his seemingly ridiculous request (Joshua 10:12-13).  Abraham hoped against hope when he believed that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken (by God – Romans 4:13).  The kind that the prophet Elijah exuded when he asked God to not let it rain for 3 ½ years and God shut up the heavens from giving rain (James 5:17-18). 

The Bible says in II Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.”  Well, I’ve determined that I will be counted amongst those whose heart is loyal to God.  As for my desire to have unmovable and unshakeable faith, well, today during my time with God, He reminded me that in order to have unshakeable faith, our faith must first be shaken; and in order to have unmovable faith, our circumstances must threaten, and at times even succeed, to move us.  To be strong in the Lord, we must go through strong opposition.  To have a complete trust in the Lord, we must be put into situations that challenge our trust in God and our belief in His promise.  Every last one of these qualities must be tried and tested, and there’s no way to escape that in our pursuit of God; for we know that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:3-5). 

In closing, the next time you visit an amusement park, think about amusement park faith.  And the times in your life when you feel like you cannot go through the tribulations needed to yield the kind of faith, trust, confidence and love in Christ you yearn to have, think about your last amusement park experience.  For if you’re able to put your faith in people who cares nothing about you and warns that you may even get hurt on the mechanical ride you know nothing about—and as you stand on an incredibly long line in the blazing hot sun with hurting feet and a sweaty T-shirt all for the sake of a 5-minute thrill that may cost you your life—then surely you can put your complete faith, trust, and confidence in the Almighty God who is you’re your Heavenly Father who loves you with an everlasting love and who promises that those who wait upon Him shall NEVER be ashamed! 

“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away”

Matthew 24:35

God bless YOU!

Original post on www.NaimaWilliams.com/blog on August 28, 2009

© 2010, Ms. Lady Nai. All rights reserved. A part of Shekinah Glory Outreach Ministries International

“And  when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live.” Ezekiel 16:6

Sometime we can forget what is important in the work of the church. It is so easy to hold up our traditions and customs. If we are not careful, we will bombard the newest member of the body with rules and regulations that miss their most important needs. It is so much easier to push a dress code and a list of do’s and don’ts. We should know as believers that this approach is the opposite of the ways of our God. In the chapter that the verse above was taken from, God describes the shape we were in when he found us. He did not reach out to us with codes, rules, and customs. He first spoke life to us. That alone must always be the first response of the church to those who are dying in their own polluted blood. When someone comes in our church we do have time to teach them how to dress, or who to give honor to, and our local church history. We must be sensitive and wise enough to know that all of those things can be taught much later.  They need to be rescued from the condition that the enemy has left them in. We must convince them to live. Too many people are dying while we make them over in our  image. God’s word to you now is a simple yet powerful one. You cannot die before you see the glory in your life. The devil is a liar. to you … .LIVE!

 -A. Ray Rouson

© 2010, Bishop A. Ray Rouson, Sr.. All rights reserved. A part of Shekinah Glory Outreach Ministries International

With the winter season upon us, have you notice the leaves are falling from the trees, trees that were once in full bloom look dead and lifeless, some trees have no leaves they are bare, many leaves are just blowing down streets and around corners, some trees that should reproduce next spring season appear that they will not make it through the winter.

The trees we see resemble people we know, our family, friends, neighbors and people we bump shoulders with every day. Winter is here many of us are depressed an have no idea how we will make it another day, The joy they once had is gone. We never know when the storms of life will hit us, As Christian it is your job not to let brothers and sister die in the winter season.

Personal witnessing is a trigger that releases power in our lives. Doing your part releases faith. God does the rest.

PSMS 107:2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the adversary.

1 John 1: 5-10 (Contemporary English Version)

5. Jesus told us that God is light and doesn’t have any darkness in him, Now we are telling you.

6. If we say that we share life with God and keep on living in dark, we are lying and are not living by the truth.

7. But if we live in the light, as God does, we share in life with each other.  And the blood of his Son Jesus  washes all our sins away.

8. If we say that we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth isn’t in our hearts.

9. But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.

10. If we say that we have not sinned, we make God a liar and his message isn’t in our hearts. Or because we have not accepted his message.

Let us love one another, give a hug ,smile , give a word of encouragement today.  Don’t let your love ones die in winter, be a witness to the glory of God someone needs to hear your testimony. Share your story God gets the glory.

Humbly Submitted,

If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away , behold all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17.

© 2009 – 2010, Elder Berlynda. All rights reserved. A part of Shekinah Glory Outreach Ministries International

Current Mood: Faith-filled & On Fire 4 God! & Still-Standing & Anointed

I know that it may be hard for some people to believe that I’m a super-private person.  When you read things such as my eJournal and many of my other writings, it appears to be as if I am a very open person when it comes down to sharing things about my private life.  To some degree both are true.  By nature, I am a super-private person.  I’ve been this way for as long as I can remember.  However, when the Lord first put it in my spirit to write, one of the things He placed in my spirit was to be transparent; sharing all of my experiences—the good, the bad and the ugly.  My initial response was ‘not so’.  I didn’t want to be judged anymore than I already am.  I didn’t want to be ridiculed, scrutinized, talked about, scorned or anything else that comes with having your business out there; however, what I didn’t realize was that was already happening.  I was already talked about, already ridiculed, already misunderstood and a slew of other things; however, at that particular time, I didn’t see it that way.  Nevertheless, what superseded my concerns of being mocked is the very fact that God designed me to want to help other people.  He’s put something in me that compels me to minister regardless of the pain I may be experiencing at the time.  The truth of the matter is that my life is ministry and a part of that ministry is the ministry of being transparent. 

I remember many years ago, not too long after I had moved to VA, I had experienced one of the darkest moments in my life.  At that time, I had found out my husband had cheated on me with another woman and he had the tendency of choosing alcohol above and beyond me and the children.  As a result of our splitting up, my oldest daughter repeatedly ran away from home and for a while she was nowhere to be found by me or the police.  I remember having panic attacks each time my phone rang past 10PM because I was afraid of receiving a call from the police asking me to come ID a body they believe to be my daughter.  I didn’t know what to expect. 

During that time I was working in corporate America and was enduring constant verbal abuse from my manager who was trying to climb the corporate ladder, but at my expense (that’s a testimony that I’ll share at another time).  I was an Advertising Executive and was the top producer of my team and in my department; however, my self-esteem was so low that I actually dealt with being berated and condescended on a regular basis.  It became “normal” and I tried to become comfortable with it.  Deep down inside I knew that the ‘old Naima’ would never put up with this and I knew that what I had allowed to carry on was unhealthy and not right.  But what prevailed was that overwhelming feeling of being worthless and undeserving of anything good.  I was so tore up inside during that time that people at the office just thought I was a very quiet person, which isn’t true at all.  I’m actually pretty talkative, but during that time I couldn’t speak.  Oftentimes I tried to just be invisible because inside I felt as though I was slowly diminishing. 

Simultaneous to all that was going on, I was the sole bread winner so it was imperative that I kept it all together, at least as best as I could.  I lived in Newport News but worked in Norfolk and I worked traditional business hours so it was inevitable for me to be in tunnel traffic going to and returning from work.  During that time I felt like I was being pulled in so many directions and it seemed like my life was too much for me to bear.  The mindset I had was similar to that of a battered woman, and making matters worse was the fact that my marriage meant the world to me, so when I learned of my husband’s  infidelity, I was devastated.  I had many emotions surge through me, but the most intense one was anger; both at him and at God.  I believe it’s quite obvious why I was angry with my ex-husband, but my short-lived anger with God was because I was faithful to my marriage and I felt this shouldn’t had happened to me.  As I mentioned, that was short-lived, mainly because I knew better than that.   

I said all of that to lead up to this one particular day while I was driving to work; during which time I was feeling pretty homicidal and suicidal.  I felt as though I owed it to myself to have a nervous breakdown because this was too much for one person to bear.  I still didn’t know where my baby (oldest daughter) was and my once stable family was ripped apart before my eyes and I felt like there wasn’t anything I could do.  All I knew is somehow I had to pull it altogether because I had 3 more children at home who needed and depended on me.  I couldn’t afford to lose it though I was so tempted to.  And let’s not even talk about the numerous times I fancied the idea to slam my pedal to the medal and drive myself over the bridge.  I was in a very dark place, and as I was driving to work, I was screaming and crying out loud in my SUV.  I was vexed and broken into countless pieces, but immediately following my ranting were words that flowed right out of my heart, which is this—IF I could save one person from experiencing the enormous pain I was carrying then what I was going through was worth it.  Those words flowed from somewhere within me that I barely knew existed.  I was broken, but indeed very serious.  And please do not misconstrue this as me glorifying myself because that couldn’t be further from the truth.  God gets all of the glory because all that is within me that is good comes from Him.  I cannot (neither do I want to) take credit for something God has done.  He gets all of the glory!

So here I am today.  Right now I am looking at some pretty extreme circumstances and they are in fact extreme.  However, God has shown me a glimpse of my future and what I seen is far greater than what I am battling right now.  Though I can be a lot of things right now, from worried to downright terrified, I choose God and His Word.  I choose His Will for my life.  This doesn’t mean that I have all the answers because I don’t have the answer to even one of many questions.   It doesn’t mean I have a contingency plan or a Plan B because I don’t have that either.  But what I do have is God and I have learned that I can put ALL of my trust in Him.  I believe many say they love the Lord but it’s easy to make such a declaration when you have digits in the bank, a steady income and in good health.  But can you say that while God is turning your world upside down and inside out?  Can you say that you trust Him in the midst of your storm or in the middle of your crisis?  Are you able to say “Lord, I trust You” even when trusting Him doesn’t’ seem profitable?  Is your trust in Him there even when you look like a complete and utter fool to all who know your situation or circumstance? 

I’ve come to a place in my life where I realize that my life is indeed ministry and that a part of that ministry is to be transparent.  People, both saved and unsaved, need to see that the life of a true child of God is not one that is always floating upon the mountain top.  Au contraire!  There are definitely some valley experiences, and it is often through those experiences that your relationship with God deepens and grows to a whole new level.  The Bible says many are the afflictions of the righteous BUT the Lord delivers them from them all!  Thus, the Christian life does include hardships but the awesome promise God has made to us is that we will NOT go through them alone.  He will be with us, always! 

I cannot tell you how much God has completely changed my life, and even now, He’s bringing me to a higher level of faith and a deeper level of trust in Him.  I can actually say that I am absolutely, head-over-heels in love with the Lord my God.  He is the Lover of my soul and the Keeper of my heart and my life is sold out to Him.  There are several things the Lord will have me do before I leave this earth with the priority being living a life of worship and holiness.  We as children of the Most High are all called to live in a way that glorifies the Father, and His glory doesn’t always mean our comfort.  Quite frankly, God is often glorified in our struggles and pain; but in that we learn that God’s grace is sufficient.  With that being said, my putting my business out there for others to see isn’t something I can say that I love doing; HOWEVER, what greatly supersedes my comfort and prevails in my heart, even above the possibility of being judged, is this — IF my experience or my testimony helps another person or encourages another in some way, shape or form, then a part of my purpose has been fulfilled AND God gets ALL the glory!

Be encouraged!

Be edified!

Be blessed!

© 2009, Ms. Lady Nai. All rights reserved. A part of Shekinah Glory Outreach Ministries International

When thou pass through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walk through the fire, thou shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Isaiah 43:2

Delivered from Depression
I just wanted to take the time to give my testimony of the great things that God has done. God is a God who sits high and he looks down upon his children with compassion and concern. He is a very present help in the time of trouble. There are things that we face in this life that may cause us to fall deep into despair. Things that may over whelm us and bring depression upon us. There was a time when I did not make it through the waters, I allowed them to over take me. The rivers carried me down stream. And the fire left a stench in my spirit that a chain smoker could not stand. I was severely depressed. What is depression? Lets look at the definition of Depression:
• a mental state characterized by a pessimistic sense of inadequacy and a despondent lack of activity
• sad feelings of gloom and inadequacy
• depressive disorder: a state of depression so severe as to require clinical intervention.
There are times when depression can be so severe that medical intervention may be needed. I suffered from depression for years. My mother had it and I believe the enemy assumed that this was something that I was going to be forced to live with. My grand-mother whom I adored died when I was about 8-10 years old. We use to spend summers at her house every year. We were very close. My mother died when I was 13 years old. I was not sure what depression was until I started doing research and learning about my family tree. My dad was an alcoholic and he had many, many other issues. He was murdered when I was about 22 years old. So, I began to seek a deeper relationship with my children’s father. But I still always found my self in a state of depression. Always embracing what I was use to and drowning my sorrows in friends and alcohol. I was sick and tired of living the way I was living. My older sister invited me to church and I new that God was the only one who could help me. I dedicated my life to God and began to seek him to fill me with his spirit. After my kids father was also brutally murdered , I became depressed again and this time, prayer did not make it go away that quickly. I was sick of feeling depressed and grief all the time. Afraid to think positive, because I may get disappointed. Afraid to believe that good things would happen for me. I was falling and falling fast into a deep black pit of despair. It wasn’t until I began to let go of my self and started seeking God for who he truly is that I began to get delivered. Yes, I even started taking pills at points in my life. But, while seeking God, he allowed me to wing myself off of them. It was him not the Doctors. I began to take in the word of God like medicine. And trust him for the God that he said he is. I did not know him. So, it was time that I get to know him. The word of God says that he has given us everything that pertains to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Depression does not pertain to life or godliness. It brings death. He said that whatsoever we bind on earth is bound in heaven and what ever we loose on earth is loosed in heaven (Matt 16:18-19). There is no depression in heaven. So, if it’s not in heaven, it should not be in my life. We have the keys to the Kingdom of heaven and I made in my mind that I would chose to use them. Many other things have happened in my life (the death of my husband and close friends) that could have caused me to jump off a bridge, or stay in bed all day long. But Gods word says that he puts before us life and death… choose life so that our seed may live.
I chose to live. Every day when I wake up I have a decision whether I want to get out of bed and put on my clothes or lay there and be depressed. I choose life! I choose to live. It’s not that I am great, or that I am smart or that I am powerful or strong. It is a choice. We choose what we want to eat each day, we choose what we want to wear. We choose what we what to watch on TV. So why can’t we choose to live? I began to get up and get around people that would bless my spirit. Not people who gossip and talk about others. Gossip brings death. I choose life. I chose to be around those who speak God’s word, those who knew how to pray. I chose to show up in God’s house whenever the doors opened even if I had to bum rides. My soul was at stake. My life was at stake. I chose life. Before you knew it… the depression was gone! Yes, I was still going through problems and situations but I knew that I was not alone, God was with me and I allowed him to take charge of the problem. Why should I sit there and die when I can live. There are so many people out here that hold on to depression like it’s a friend. Like it’s a way of life. But in reality all it is, is a familiar bondage. It is what we are use to. It is something that we are use to embracing and living with. We’ve always been this way so, why not stay this way. The devil is a liar! You can be free today. But you must work for freedom just like anything else. You must make up in your mind what you want and walk accordingly. It will take work, but most things worth having does. So don’t give up, get up! Walk toward deliverance. Walk toward peace. Walk toward victory, and allow God to deliver you from depression! Be Encouraged but most of all be Delivered!
I Love you ,
Alvia Cabbler

© 2009, Elder Alvia Cabbler. All rights reserved. A part of Shekinah Glory Outreach Ministries International