Current Mood: Anointed & Blessed

     We all have had wilderness lessons and have been tested.  In order to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, we have to learn how to handle the tests.  God uses the wilderness experience to teach us.  John the Baptist, David, Moses, Elijah and even Jesus learned much through their time in the wilderness.  God wants to teach us when we go through times of testing and times of trials. One of Merriam Webster‘s definition of trial is a test of faith, patience, or stamina through subjection to suffering or temptation.  I looked up test and it said it was an act or process of trying or putting to the proof.  What was most interesting is that both words crossed reference each other.  You cannot have one without the other. Trials have a goal to test ones faith and also to strengthen a person’s walk with God.  However, it is Satan who will use God’s Tests and Trials as the perfect opportunity to solicit us to sin.   God will test you but it is not His intention to hurt you.  God is able to transform these trials into experiences that prove our faith.  Instead of destroying us, these trials become like the fire that purifies gold or some other precious metal. They are like the physical training that breaks down the muscle so that it can grow back stronger.    Tests can be difficult and they are not meant to be easy.  The purpose of test is for promotion.  Tests are given to prepare us for the next stage of our lives.  Your test is always given on the level that you are on.  If you are a junior in high school, you would not be tested on the college level.  If God wants to promote you to the next level, He will always give you the knowledge beforehand.  God builds our faith by testing it.  It is not His objective or desire for you to fail or fall.  On the other hand, Satan uses temptation as an insult to show God that you are not worthy.  He can only use the weaknesses that we already posses. 

     The first response to any test is trust.  In Exodus 15:22-27, we see Moses leading Israel from the Red Sea.  They traveled three days in the desert without water.  They were fine without the water until they found water that they could not have; the bitter water.   Often we become discontent when we see what we can’t have.   Discontent comes when we are faced with things that we could have but don’t have.  We often blame God for what we don’t have and end up saying, “if you love me Lord, you would give me whatever…”   Many of us do not do well in our tests because we talk too much.  We should not talk about the problems; we should talk about the promises.  The children of Israel forgot about God’s promises.  When Moses was obedient and threw the branch in the water to make it sweet, it was a step of faith.  When God brings us to the bitter things in life, times of testing, disappointment or times when things just don’t work out the way we want, He is testing our hearts.  In verse 25 of Exodus, we see God preparing the test, to test their faithfulness.  When we come through the Marahs of life, God has a Warm Springs on the other side.  The way to our blessings is through trials and in through those trials, God wants to know if we can trust Him.   When we trust God, He always proves Himself faithful.  Our faith grows as we look to God with trust.  As parents, we are pleased when our children trust us.  God is the same way.  God is our heavenly Father and God is pleased when we trust Him.

      Stop the grumbling and complaining because Satan can peek out what’s going on in your life just by what comes out of your mouth.  You are delivered by your own words.  You need the promises to take you through the test.  There is no need to worry when God’s word says in Proverb 3:24 that “when you lie down, you should not be afraid: yes, you shall lie down, and your sleep shall be sweet.”  God is your supply and He will keep His promises toward you.       Faith is an action word.  All that is not faith is sin.  God will allow your faith to be tested.  The friends of Doubt, Fear and Torment will become your best friends.  If faith is action, we must be moving.  God did not intend for us to be still in our trials.  If God does something, you will have to do something (Genesis 12:1-4).  God has put our blessings on the move.  Whenever the Bible describes faith, it is always about people on the move. You can’t walk by faith sitting down.  “Walk by faith, not by sight.”  When Satan desires to stop you, he appeals to your sight or what you see.  He will start telling you what will happen before it happens.  I feared losing my job with the condition of the economy.  I began to think, if I lost my job, I would lose my home, my car, etc.   I had to remind myself to stay in the present.  None of those things had happened.  Looking out of emotions causes fear.  When the enemy wants to stop you, he allows you to see stuff.  We can’t go by what we see in the natural because when we walk by faith, our belief system will override what we see.  We must learn to see things from God’s viewpoint.  To do that we must follow the following commands:

1.  In all things give thanks.  Even if it hurts and does not feel good.
2. Trust in the Lord with all your heart.  Trust God to do what is best for you.
3. Don’t be afraid.  Fear is not from God but from Satan.  Don’t worship the things you fear.
4. Rejoice in the Lord always. Rejoice in your suffering because suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character and character, hope.   Our faith is the victory that overcomes the world.  It does not matter what satan is doing if we walk in the victory.  The whole armor of God is our victory.  The armor protects our thoughts, our heart and intellect.  Circumstances and Problems come in our life to help us walk on our own.  If you recognize the problem, you can solve the problem.  When we came to Christ, He gave us the power to bless ourselves.

     The second response to a test is time or waiting.  When His leading is not comfortable, we still need to follow God.  Maturity takes times.  “And he spoke a parable unto them to this end, that men ought to always pray, and not faint” (Luke 18:1).  Prayer is spiritual exercise.  We want to grow without spending the time and effort that builds faith.  If you are an athlete, you need to train to become stronger.  Likewise, Saints need to grow stronger spiritually.  God will empower you to defeat the enemy. You can defeat the enemy by your testimony, your spoken word about what He has done for you. I testify that He is the King of Glory and I am a child of the King.  I testify that satan is defeated; I testify that the victory is mine in the name of Jesus.  Bad things happen, but your testimony can still be victory.   We want God to give us everything that we need when we want it; however, our faith grows by learning lesson after lesson.  Sometimes we question God’s timing.  Sometimes when we are in the wilderness, we want God to lead us out quickly.  I worked on a job for several years and always received outstanding job performances until a new Supervisor arrived.  For whatever reason, she did not like me and gave me grief.  I wanted out of that job.  I applied for many jobs without success.  I was so desperate that I applied for jobs that I was overly qualified for.  To my surprise, I was not selected.  The Supervisor was verbally abusive and mean to me.  Nothing I did pleased her.  It was a season or my wilderness.  Short of quitting, I could not leave that job.  The twins fear and torment moved into my office space.  I wanted to be promoted without going through the lessons God had prepared for my growth.  My goal should not have been to leave that job or get out of the wilderness, but to follow God.  I learned that God gives us wilderness experiences to prepare us so that we won’t faint or give up our faith when we get into a battle, but that we will be prepared to stand in God’s power.  I have learned that God is faithful.  While in that position, I began to speak the word of God over my situation.  I remained on that job even though it did not fit my timing.  He also used delay to build my faith.  God had a purpose for His delay.  He told us that while we’re here on earth, trouble would come. He said that we would have tribulation, trials, and that people would oppose us.  While on that job, I got angry but somehow when I opened my mouth to strike back, nothing would come out.  I would cry and pray mornings in route to work.  When entering the door, there were no tears but I was not of “good cheer.”  I had to listen to the ridicule of my co-workers about how they would not let her talk to them that way and I should have said this or that.   I did not know it at the time but my supervisor was sharpening me.  During staff meetings, she would openly lash out at me for no apparent reason. She persecuted me every chance she got.  I knew that God answered prayers but He was going too slowly for me.  Unknown to me, the supervisor was a cancer survivor and the cancer had come back.  During a staff meeting, she was sharing with the group her diagnosis and everyone began to speak negatively into her.  One individual said, yeah, that happened to my aunt and she died and the conversation went on like that for a few minutes.  Without a thought to how she had treated me, I replied, no matter what the doctor says, God has the last say.  I turned the conversation around and spoke blessings to her.  I prayed for her.  Did that change things?  NO!  She was still mean and nasty toward me.  We have to live as children of the light.  “Do not let unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (Eph. 4:29-31)  Concern yourself with others and focus your attention on their needs.  See yourself as a servant.  When you become service oriented, you can avoid worrying.

BE SURE TO CHECK BACK NEXT WEEK FOR PART II. 

For Sneak Peak, CLICK HERE 

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© 2010, A. Cannon / Online Team. All rights reserved. A part of Shekinah Glory Outreach Ministries International

Current Mood: Blessed & Humbled & Loved

REV. DR. CHRISTINA W. ROUSON

August 11, 1957 – January 26, 2010

A Moment of Reflection…….

It’s rare to have a person in your life who knows your many flaws and mistakes, yet loves you as you are and treats you as the person she knows you’re becoming. To have someone who constantly teaches you how to be a mighty warrior and how to lead with humility, even when she was off the platform and was just being herself. A person who possess a heavy anointing from God and knew it, yet she was gentle and very down to earth. A person who has numerous accolades; however, she taught that the title to strive for above all else is “Servant”. By example she taught how to be a servant leader.

This person I speak of is none other than Rev. Dr. Christina W. Rouson. She served as my illustrious Pastor up until her passing on Tuesday, January 26, 2010. Her death was very sudden and very unexpected. When I first learned of her death later that afternoon, I went into shock. I just couldn’t process that she was no longer here. I saw her Saturday when we were both witnessing her husband (and our Bishop elect) being consecrated into the sacred office of Bishop. That following day, which was Sunday, I seen her and was able to give her a big hug and whisper in her ear, “I love you”, not knowing that those would be my final words to her.

Once shock subsided, anger began. It was short-lived, but it still did happen. I was angry with God for taking her away. “Why did you do this?” “Lord, this doesn’t make any senses. Why?” “Why didn’t you warn me or give me a clue?” as if I was privy or entitled to that kind of information. Now, I am the first to admit that God does NOT owe me or anyone anything and He can do whatever He very well pleases; however, I must be honest with you about how I processed all of this. Having lost so much already, especially over the last year, and now He takes my Pastor? She was a very important person to me and a major influence in my life. I do not profess to be a part of her inner circle, outside of being one of the ministers, but she by far was one of the most important people in my life. Now she’s gone.

Before I proceed, I want to share something interesting that happened to me on the day she passed away as well as a few things that happened a few weeks prior. On the day of her passing, Tuesday morning around 9-10ish, I began experiencing chest pains. It felt as though my heart was swollen or enlarged and I experienced a tremendous amount of pressure on my chest. This in turn caused my breathing to become shallow. I didn’t understand what was happening to me and I tried to just take it easy; however, that didn’t work. Later that day, around 1 or 2 in the afternoon, I got the news that my Pastor passed away from a heart attack, and from that moment I went into mental shock; however, my body was still experiencing these chest pains. After being unable to sleep that night and my children expressing their concerns (I too was concerned), I went to the hospital the next day. They admitted me into the hospital and treated me as a heart attack patient. They hooked me up to the EKG machine and gave me three tablets of nitro glycerin and injected me with pain meds; however, not even the injections of morphine could take away all of the pain and discomfort. They took a battery of tests, including a cat scan and a series of blood tests, drawing blood from me every 6 hours (side note: I hate needles). When all was said and done, the tests came back negative. They were not exactly certain as to why I was experiencing what I was; they had theories but nothing concrete. Needless to say, I was released the next day.

I returned home and took it easy; however, I was still upset with God. You see, nearly 2 years ago I went into a seemingly deep part of the wilderness and it is there where alot of old ways about Naima had died. “Egypt” had to die in order to be prepared to enter AND possess the “Promised Land”; and after losing my car, house, assets, people, family, certain comforts and other personal things, I was now being shifted into a place of restoration. I didn’t embrace this at first because everything still looked dismal from a carnal perspective. Even as I am now writing this, I am facing the real possibility of being homeless within the next 2 weeks and I don’t know what my family and I are going to do. Additionally, the day after I was released, my daughter and granddaughter moved out and this was also sudden. I have these and other things going on, yet the Lord has been dealing with me on restoration. Nearly two weeks prior to my Pastor’s passing, it finally began to sink in because of what the Lord said to me at that time. I remember waking up early one morning and going into my prayer room. I just laid there whining like a baby, asking things like, “God, where are we going to go?” “I can’t take this no more”. “Lord I can’t do this any longer” “When will this be over?” Yes, I was truly having a moment. But then God spoke these 7 words to me,

“Arise from the ashes. It is finished.”

At first I was like, “huh?” but eventually I began to pair this with what He had been telling me: He is now restoring me. And since I know that in the Kingdom of God, you have to believe and receive before you see it, regardless of how things may look, I AM in a restoration period. It’s time to build! God said it so therefore it is! It took me a little time to really get to this place, but now I am finally there. But now I’ve met another challenge and another loss, my mentor and Pastor was all of a sudden taken away.

Anger itself isn’t a sin but holding on to it can cause you to sin, so I knew I needed to release this anger. I cried out to God in prayer and expressed my anger to Him (He already knew anyway). He then humbled me by reminding me that before she was ever my Pastor, she was and is His. He began to remind me that she was a wife for more than 28 years, a mother, a best friend, a daughter, a sister and many other things to many other people, but ABOVE ALL, she is His. I repented. My Pastor was and is a reflection of God’s love and His glory. He poured into her so that she could pour into the lives of others, and now her assignment is finished.

God does everything perfectly and does everything for a reason. There is NOT one flaw in Him. He is excellent in all of His ways, and in order for you to truly endure and be faithful to God, you must become comfortable with the fact that you will never know or understand everything He does. In Isaiah 55:9, God says, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” That is fact, and this is why it is paramount for us to trust God.

Today I stand as a better person because God blessed me to know His humble servant, Rev. Dr. Christina W. Rouson, known to me and others as Pastor Christina. She epitomized a great woman, lady and servant leader, and she has seeded heavily into my life. And those seeds fell on good ground and I plan to carry out every mission and vision my Heavenly Father has set before me. Since under her leadership, I’ve learned to be a more obedient and more of a humble servant. I am not where I want to be but I am by far not where I used to be either. I’ve become a greater woman of faith, a stronger prayer warrior, a more loving mom, a patient daughter, a better sister, a good friend, a more humble servant, a great leader and an even greater follower (of Christ).

I close by using a term that I haven’t used, seen nor thought of since my junior high school years in NYC – up until this very moment. It just kind of popped in my head as I was writing this post. The kids and I would tag our names or our crews’ name with the saying I am placing under her picture.  My Pastor was and is an extraordinarily classy lady, and I don’t think there’s any words I can use that encapsulates her personality, wisdom nor the impact that she’s made in the lives of many people.  But if there was any person who this term was best fitting for, it would be this great woman, fearless leader and humble servant of God.

REV. DR. CHRISTINA W. ROUSON

August 11, 1957 – January 26, 2010

2 GOOD

2 BE____

4 GOTTEN

PASTOR CHRISTINA, YOU ARE CERTAINLY LOVED AND WILL BE MISSED BY MANY.

Until I see you again….

If you’d like to read more about this great woman of God and her ministry, CLICK HERE or visit go to www.sgomonline.org

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© 2010, Ms. Lady Nai. 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

Joy eludes me and anger is trying to consume me;

Nothing is coming up roses;

Everything is coming up thorns;

Yet You still say, “Trust Me”

But I am angry with You, Lord;

When You told me to leave all that I knew to follow You, I obeyed;

When You told me to forsake my evil ways and give up my lustful desires, though I at times fell in the process, I obeyed;

When You told me to resign leaving my only source of income, as terrifying as it was, I still obeyed;

When You told me to speak no matter how hard the message or how high the cost, I cried then I obeyed;

When I was confronted with persecution and accusations, You told me to keep on going, and I obeyed;

When all seemed lost You still said, “My child, there is more that I require of you”, and I said, “Yea, Lord” and I obeyed.

But now Lord, look at my heart as it bleeds and see how everything and everyone has fallen down around me;

There are some who think I’ve caused these calamities upon myself, while others simply question the level of my sanity;

The good name I worked so hard to establish has been utterly destroyed;

And the only means of transportation I had has been repossessed;

My home, the beautiful home You blessed me with has been foreclosed, and now homelessness awaits me;

I turn to the left just to find that I’ve lost a child and to my right are the remaining children seeking my strength and direction;

But I have nothing to give but pain and despair, yet, through it all You tell me to trust and follow You.

Burdens and hardship continues to mount up on every side;

The brook has dried up and You no longer command the ravens to feed me;

I cry to You, “Lord, what’s next?  Where is the provision?” Yet Your answer is deafening silence;

All the while the devourer lurks in the shadows seeking to do more than just destroy me;

He wants to use me to hurt You;

He uses soothing words to entice me and makes all kinds of promises in hopes of seducing me;

He even says he can give me beauty for ashes and gladness instead of the aching pain I feel inside;

All of these are mine, he says, if only I serve him.

But who can stand against the Lord and live?  And though I am broken, I am not ignorant of the enemy’s schemes and lies;

I know that no matter what, You are still God and there is NO ONE, including all of hell, who can stand against You;

Great and Mighty is Your Name, You are the Lord of hosts, the Great I Am, the great King of Glory;

You are everlasting to everlasting and there is NO wisdom, NO insight or NO plan that can succeed against You;

Though I am cast down, my heart still burns for You and aches for You, and I so seek Your glory, Oh Lord;

If You say You will never forsake me, then it is that which is true; therefore, somewhere provision lies and awaits me;

Arise, Oh Lord, and let Your enemies be scattered; renew my joy which is my strength; anoint me afresh with Your Spirit and bring me higher in You;

Restore me, Oh God, so that I may war for You, and through all of this mayhem, show me Your glory.

Your Word says the prayers of the righteous avails much and I know it is these prayers that brings me strength on this day;

While I continue to walk through this valley of death, continue to press their hearts to pray for me;

And let their words be not their own words but the words of the Greater One within them;

And help me, Holy Spirit, to keep my eyes steadfast on the Father and not on the place of isolation and desolation;

Forgive me for any and all sin, and even in my suffering be magnified and glorified, let the people of God be edified and the body of Christ purified;

And let me be healed now in Jesus’ Name, let my mind not wander to dark places but let it be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work and Word of the Lord;

You say in Your Word to let the weak say they are strong, so in Jesus’ name I confess now that I am strong!

Thank You, Lord, for rescuing your servant and for leading me down the path that brings a greater glory to Your wondrous and sovereign Name.

Real talk. 

Amen.

© 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