YOU can't do it...

I know you didn't want to hear that, did you? Yeah, you've been trained to believe: "You can do anything you put your mind to" Well, that's not true when it comes to doing what's right in God's eyes. Try to stop cursing on your own...try to stop being addicted to those things that are destroying you. Yeah, not going to happen. Well, not consistently anyways. Well here's the truth with the hard core facts: 1. No one seeks after God! NO ONE! Romans 3:11 2. Your heart is desperatly wicked and deceitful! Jeremiah 17:9 3. There is NO ONE righteous...not even ONE! Romans 3:10 4. If a man says he has NO SIN, he is a LIAR (oops...you sinned) and has committed a sin! LOL 1 John 1:10 So see...no use trying to stop all that sinning after all is it? WRONG! Here's the other part of those hard core facts: 1. It is GOD WHO IS AT WORK IN YOU, to both WILL and WORK for His good purpose. Philippians 2:13 2. I can do all things THROUGH CHRIST who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 3. God equips us to do right things! Hebrews 13:21 4. Greater is HE who is IN you. 1 John 4:4 So see people, its NOT about what you do...or stopping your habits yourself. YOU can't do it. God desires to work in you to remove thost things. He wants to change your thinking, capture your heart so that you desire to remove anything that doesn't please Him. Quietly whisper you desire and need for Him and watch Him develop it in you...start watching yourself shed those habits off like pounds! You cant...but HE can!

Disorder? Really?...try SIN!

I'm so baffled by all this talk about disorders! Every time I turn around, some Psychologist coming up with a new disorder to help someone excuse themselves from dealing with the BIG ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM!!!! Check this out: Paranoid Disorder- excessive distrust and suspicion of others Schizoid Disorder- excessive detachment from social relationships Narcissistic Disorder- excessive need for self-involvement lacking empathy for others Emotionally Unstable Disorder- impusive actions & chaotic relationships Dependent Disorder- overly reliance on others Really tho? I mean who diagnoses people with such seemingly regular issues? I mean who DOESN'T deal with distrust, making relationships work, selfishness, impusivity and reliance on others? We all do on some level. And when we feed those issues/needs...they become excessive. Let's explore the REAL issue: Sin! Galatians 5:18-20 says our sinful nature is OBVIOUS!! "immoral ways, filthy thoughts, shameful deeds, worship of idols, practicing witchcraft, hating others, hard to get along with, jealous fits, angry actions, selfish obsession, constantly arguing and causing trouble!" Sound familiar? Lets stop running to man made mental wisdom for answers to issues God created the void in us to fill! Man's wisdom is a joke in comparison to HIS wisdom. He is able to deal with our disorders because He desires to make us whole/complete! Jesus, PhD, Psychology

It's NOT about Hell...

Lately I've encountered numerous conversations with people who have expressed that they "think" they are going to Hell...(here's the kisser)...because they aren't doing right by God.

Christians (yes, believers) are being miseducated or starved of the truth of the matter. Salvation is NOT about Heaven or Hell. Sadly, it's been degraded and watered down to the "Fire & Brimstone" picture; but salvation is MUCH MORE than that.

We are some twisted individuals! We crave any and everything that God hates!..by nature! Our love for ourselves and all the putrid things that disgust God inwardly drag us away from wanting anything to do with Him.

Yet, He relentlessly pursues us...

We are saved so that we can be FREE from our own sinful desires! Hell is just a consequence of rejecting Jesus Christ. Heaven (eternity with God) is simply a benefit of trusting Jesus Christ. But on the journey as we wait for Heaven, we are NOT expected to live perfectly as best as we can; we are expected to ask for and rely on the Holy Spirit's power (now within us) to choose to live unselfishly.

Friend! You CAN KNOW that you are saved! (1 John 5:12-13) and that your salvation is SECURE! If God could take salvation back then that means :

1. He's an indian giver (which is against His nature as faithful)

2. He never had the power to save you to begin with....ALSO FALSE!

Check this out! When yo'ure saved, you're given the Holy Spirit as a permanent deposit (almost like a BRAND so He can recognize His kids). So that means you have the power to make impossible choices! You get convicted when you do wrong!

Finally...quit trying to STAY SAVED! You still live in the house with your flesh so while you're still alive you will still struggle with issues and sin. Walk in His grace as He works in you to slowly get rid of sin in your life. Confess quickly and frequently what you did and set up fences around yourself to keep away from falling again. Quit expecting not to ever struggle/fall again!

It's NOT about Hell,...its about the wickedness that dwells inside of you eating away at your sould like a hidden cancer. He wants to save you from THAT! And when you trust Him to...He will give you everything you need to live that out daily...PLUS the bonus of spending eternity with Him!

~Deep Waters

What's Your Story?

When I think back to my Junior year in college, I am reminded of a semester where I had no money to pay for my classes and books in time without being kicked out of school. I had no choice but to trust God to provide for me.

Thankfully, I had a caring mentor who not only prayed for me, but took action. God laid it on her heart to share my prayer request with people who didn't know me who also took it upon themselves to pray for me. This prompted the hand of God and opened up His floodgates on me. Within 24 hours of finding out my classes would be dropped if I didn't come up with $3,000; my mentor visited me holding an envelope full of checks that more than covered my need. Checks from people who had never seen me and knew nothing about me. God met my needs!

Now, today, some 10 years later I look back at the "stones" I placed there to commemorate what God had done in my personal life. Those stones served as my "story" that I draw upon when faced with an insurmountable issue that challenges my faith.

When my dad passed away last month (May 2011), my family had no life insurance to give him a proper burial. In need of $8,000 my mind and heart were at ease. I could fully expect God to some how, miraculously provide above and beyond our need. I can't, in words, explain my peace of mind but those "stones" laid in the spring of 2000 served as the platform upon which my faith rested. I put my faith into work as I made others aware of my family's need and sat back in hopeful expectation, watching God pour out his riches on my family. In less than a week, we were able to tastefully celebrate my father's homegoing and take care of some of his debts.

This too has served as "stones" that Joshua chapter 4 speaks of..."when my children ask 'What do these stones mean?'" I can speak to God's faithfulness in my life. What is YOUR story?

Michael Edward Bereavement Fund

The Life and Legacy of Michael O'Neal

Many lives were touched by Michael O'Neal. Born to Raymond & Doris O'Neal on January 9, 1953, he grew up the eldest of 3 siblings. He gave his life to Christ as a young adult by attending a bible study; was educated at Texas Southern University where he pledged Kappa Kappa Psi (Honorary Band Fraternity), the Ocean of Soul Band and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

There he met Gail Riggs and they were wed. Together they had 5 children, Shakelle, Kimberly, Daniel, Kathryn & David O'Neal and a grandson (Taylor). He was a faithful member at his church Living Word Fellowship Church and served in the choir ministry, male chorus and Awana!

Please make any checks out to Gail O'Neal (if given personal) or Living Word Fellowship (memo: Michael) if given to the church. Otherwise simply submit electronically by clicking on the link below!

Wisdom's Benefits Package

What's the difference between having a minimum wage job and having a successful career? While both can help you handle your financial responsibilities; only one of these offers benefits package that secures both your present and your future. While the job is great, the career offers protection for you and your loved ones through insurance and opportunities to is well worth the sacrifice (education) that it took to secure it.

What's the difference between a believer who has accepted Christ as Savior and a believer who has made Christ Lord by utilizing the wisdom He freely gives (James 1:5)? While both have escaped the flames of eternal seperation from God; only one of these believers is granted with a benefits package that secures both their future and their present.

Proverbs 2:1-22 lists all that is offered in the BENEFITS PACKAGE:

*Vision/Eye Insurance: "He promises to ENHANCE our perception of our life, ourself, our situations and others. We can see ourselves from His viewpoint." Imagine WHO we will become when we stop seeing ourselves based on our faults.

*General Coverage: "He promises to keep us from paths that will destroy us. To protect us from relationships that will deter us." We are prone to ANYTHING so don't ever think "I won't do that". Our flesh by default wants to offend God in every way. His wisdom keeps us sane.

*Medical Coverage: "He promises to change our thinking by shaping our thoughts."

*Life Insurange: "He promises to protect our emotions and evil desires"

*Personal Days/Vacations: "He promises to guide my responses to situations and challenges"

All this just for opening ourselves up to HIS wisdom rather than ignoring it, choosing to rely on our own understanding,and/or accepting the world's viewpoint. Sounds like winner!

Lingering Fragrance

Have you ever been hugged (notice I didn't say that YOU hugged) by an older woman at your church? You know how they go to grabbing you and squeezing you tight as they make that "i'm so proud of you" sound in your ear and hug you longer than you expected? Every church has 'em and if you've stayed around long enough to get to know just one of those ladies, you know EXACTLY who i'm talking about. You ever been attacked (notice I didn't say "taken a whiff") by their strong fragrance of perfume? That one fragrance that seems to arrest your attention and cause you to think they must be working as a model for their fragrance counter at Macy's? Ever notice how that fragrance tends to hang around long after the fellowship has ended? Well I was being discipled back in college by a young woman who would weekly talk about this project she was believing God for. It was called the "Faith House". The vision she claimed God had given her was that she would rent or buy this house and have the ladies she mentored and/or other women who went to my school live in it at a reduced cost so that she could pour into their lives on a more consistent basis and thus maximize her singleness. Well she was, at the time, 29 y/o and I thought to myself, "This lady is delusional if she thinks someone is going to just GIVE her a house and by the way, why isn't she more focused on getting married and starting a family b/c I know that's what she desires?" Well a year later, someone in fact, DID just GIVE her a house (totally paid off) and I saw the fruit of our weekly prayers, answered! And for the next couple of years women were blessed to live at an incredible rate and their lives were changed due to it. Not only that, but a year after graduating (when she was about 32y/o) a godly man FOUND HER serving faithfully in his church back in Houston, and married her. Her faith, which was modeled to me, on a consistent basis, lingered in my life like that strong fragrance. It arrested me while in her presence, during our weekly discipleship time and even when I would depart after our time was over and was left to my thoughts back at my apartment. But now, some 10 years later, that strong fragrance of faith still lingeres in my mind and heart and challenges me to trust the God who has no boundaries! 2 Corinthians 2:14 encourages us to be this "sweet fragrance of the knowledge of Him in EVERY PLACE, as He leads us in triumph in Christ".