Let Love Be Without Dissimulation

(Romans 12:9)

Have you ever heard the words "I love you" from someone you really believed to be your friend, only to find out later that this same person talked behind your back, gossiped about you, and didn't treat you the way a real friend should?

If you confronted that person about his actions, did he admit what he did and apologize for it? Or did he lie and try to cover up his deeds, even though you already knew the facts? Did it deeply disturb you to see him put on a fake face and pretend that he was your best friend and that none of the allegations were true, even though you knew he was lying?

If you have ever experienced a situation like this, you know how very hurtful it is when a "so-called" friend behaves this way. It shows a level of hypocrisy that is deeply disturbing. This type of behavior should never occur among believers, but unfortunately it does from time to time.

To make sure you never fall into this kind of hypocrisy, the apostle Paul wrote and told you, "Let love be without dissimulation."

Love as it is used here refers to the Greek word agape, a word that describes the highest, finest, and most noble kind of love. In the New Testament, it is the single word that is used to describe the love of God. The word agape is so filled with deep emotion and meaning that it is one of the most difficult words to translate in the New Testament. It is perfect, clear without judgments or requirements!

Agape occurs when an individual accepts, recognizes, understands, or appreciates the value of a person, or circumstance causing the viewer to behold this time in life or person in great esteem, awe, admiration, wonder, and sincere appreciation... Unconditional... To lie down or surrender all that is impure and unjust in it all or in the person. That bible tells us it is all GOOD. Such great respect is awakened in the heart of the observer for the circumstance or person he is beholding that he is compelled to love and love through it. In fact, his love for that person or object is so strong that it is irresistible. God works all things together for His good. Awe to see through the eyes of our spiritual heart!

Perhaps the best example of agape is found in John 3:16:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." "Love" in this passage refers to God's agape love for us. You see, the human race was so precious to God and He loved man so deeply that His heart was stirred to reach out and do something to save him. In other words, God's love drove Him to action. God's agape love was so profound that it knew no limits or boundaries in how far, wide, high, and deep He went to show His love for us. If necessary, agape love will even sacrifice itself for the sake of that situation or person it so deeply cherishes.. You can see from this description why agape is the highest, finest, and most noble form of love. This is precisely the kind of love that should exist between believers and believers in their ! life's walk.

The apostle John also wrote, "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:18). Here, John is trying to define "Agape Love", he makes it very clear that real agape love is not merely a matter of speaking easy and empty words; rather it is accompanied by actions that are truthful (actions speak louder than words). It is hypocritical to claim to possess such love while at the same time engaging in unfaithful behavior such as backbiting and gossiping.

We all need to activate God's "Agape Love" which is forgiving and helpful, willing even to sacrifice oneself for the sake of someone else.

A Heat for AFRICA: The Liberian Connection

You might want to ask us, "How did this all happen"? Well it was a combination of the prophetic word, people speaking their heart, and others hearing the call within!

This is how I recall it. I met Carol Kipp about two years ago now, at a WOW conference. We were on a prophetic team who were to give words of encouragement to women seeking God. Heaven only knows the reason I was asked to participate in this conference. I believe it was to meet Carol. That is where our relationship began. Later on the Lord spoke through her and she said I was called to Africa…. Oh my, I knew deep down in my heart she was right.

I will fast forward to the events of May 2007. Dick and I were traveling back to Rhode Island and stopped off in North Carolina to meet with Carol and Alan. This was the first time the four of us got together. I believed the Lord would have us encourage Alan in health and well being. Then Carol gave us another prophetic word telling Dick that he was called to teach and we were to go and do crusades overseas—Africa came up again!

Now there is a student at Rhode Island College Dick has had the pleasure of knowing for the last four years. Nyah Gonkar has an intriguing story on how he has come to the United States from Zahn Clan Nimba County, Liberia. He escaped the civil war by the love of God and became a US citizen. Since then he has been reunited with relatives in the states as well as back in Liberia. His testimony will be posted at another time. Well, in October 2007, while attending a Web development course Dick was teaching, Nyah began to share his deepest desires about Liberia and the possibilities of creating a Website about his village to in some way help his brothers and friends in Liberia.

Later that same week, we received a call from another young gentleman from Liberia who had been in the states for ten months attending school in Georgia. He found our ministry while reading The Good News Today, a local Christian newspaper published in Rhode Island. Kelvin met with us and Nyah to tell us of his ministry in Africa. He is beginning the process with our ministry to gather the information we need to pursue a working relationship with his ministry. Two Liberian connections in the same week!

Dick asked Nyah to find out how we could speak with the pastor at his village. Within a week, Nyah had set up a conference call with the Associate Pastor Alphanso Boore. It was a brief conversation early on a Sunday morning. They have a cell phone, but only have coverage in one spot in the village. The calls have to be scheduled so they know when to listen. The three most important things he said they needed were Bibles, transportation (motorcycle or bicycles), and supplies for the children like paper and pencils. There are no vehicles in the village and they need the bikes to get to the nearest town, which is an eight-hour walk. In their village, they have No electricity, No running water, No bathrooms, and mud homes with thatched roofs.

Meanwhile in North Carolina, our friend Carol received a prophetic word that she is to learn the black culture, and that she will be sent to the area that has been affected the most by the civil war, Liberia, and that a man named Moses would set a path for her to begin churches. We spoke of this over the phone and began to get excited together with what she knew in her heart and what was happening with us. Just think, we would do crusades and she and others would follow up by planting churches.

At the same time, Nyah spoke with his brother in Liberia about getting a Post Office Box as a means for us to begin to send packages to them. As it turned out, Moses is name of the gentleman that will be checking and delivering packages to Nyah's brother, Earnest. Moses will be very helpful with housing and setting things up for us when we visit. Does that sound familiar? The prophetic word our friend received about Moses. Yes, God already has Moses in place!

Many of the people in the village are farmers who sell and barter for other goods in town. Their village consists of about 2,000, men women and children. About 150 of which are church going people.

We were told that a missionary came into their village in the 1800s and set up a church. They have had little interaction with other Christians for fellowship or Spiritual strength. I could hear the plea in his voice. They speak Mono in the village and English. The Senior Pastor, Peter does not speak English.

We are moved with compassion to have a relationship with these loving people of God.. The task is much too big for us alone; yet I know that God has it all planned. He got us this far. A week ago we received a video of the people of the village and their church service. Viewing this video, you would be moved as we are to reach out and touch them in some way. We will be happy to share it with those who are drawn to helping the Yekehyee Inland Church.

Since then friends of ours told us of a Pastor in Florida that will be going Liberia! It was time to get the word out for people to begin to pray for God to open doors that no man can shut and close those that are not in His plan.

Another friend of mine, Pam told me she had packets she and her daughter put together with some Sunday School Children. She has donated ninety of these packets. Each includes toothpaste, brushes, crayons, a little car for boys and hair ties for girls, stickers, and pencils!

We have been in touch with Pastor Tony and his missionary team from Florida. We met Tony through our son and daughter who live in North Port, Florida. Amazingly enough, the timing is perfect. Tony told us he would most definitely meet with them at the village and deliver these packets to them. Dick and I will be going to Florida in December and will be taking these packets with us. God's timing! There is no striving here. God is making a way to reach and answer people's prayers from this Liberian Tribe.

Thus far, our offerings have been small packages of books of John, a Thompson Chain Reference Bible, an NLT Bible and a number of New Testaments, two children's Bibles, some pencils, healing cloths, and our books. There is much more to do. Much more to praying to do—for them and for those who will be touching their lives.

The work had not begun yet.. Is He tugging on your heart to contribute to this work, or perhaps to go to Africa and visit the village delivering a message of the love of Christ? Do you want to help build their school? Maybe you could contribute to the drilling of a well, purchase bicycles or even a motor bike?

As time goes on, I will be adding to this Liberian blog telling you of the progress and process. Please, pray and seek God about participation in this great adventure the Lord has us all on.

You might have your story to add…

Nothing Shall Separate You From the Love of God

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
— Romans 8:38,39

the apostle Paul wrote these verses, he had been living in very excruciating times because he was a Christian. He had been a victim of rejection from friends, persecution from the government, and had lived many months of his life in an isolated prison cell. No matter what his circumstances were at the time, Paul had discovered a divine truth: Nothing no circumstance or situation in this life has the power to separate you, the believer, from the love of God our Father.

Then Paul said, "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38,39).

It means to be persuaded, to be convinced, or to be rooted not being swayed by another's opinion. This word tells me that Paul was being tempted to embrace different conviction. This also implies that this had occurred to Paul in the past but is still so strong that it continues to be his conviction in the present. The same it is with us and our experiences with Christ and God the Father. He was persuaded, and he continues to be persuaded. Therefore we have been persuaded, and we continue to be steadfast in that same belief.

Paul's primary meaning is that the love of God is so strong, even physical death cannot separate us from His divine love. Death may separate us from the earth and from people we love, but it is impossible for death to separate us from the love of God, for God's love doesn't stop with the cessation of life.

It is a fact that many believers feel overwhelmed with life's situations. In fact, they often feel so confused and weighed down that they wonder if God is still near to them. This is why Paul adds that even life cannot separate a believer from the love of Jesus Christ.

Paul lets us know that no spiritual being, good or bad, has enough power to separate us from God's love. Not any other creature
The word "principalities" is from the word archai. This is the same word that Paul uses in Ephesians 6:12, where he describes the rank and file of the devil's kingdom. Archai is the Greek word for a ruler or one who has long held a lofty position of power. The plural version of this word depicts an entire group of high- ranking demon spirits that have held their positions of power since the most ancient times. Although angels and demonic powers are indeed strong, they are not strong enough to disconnect a believer from God's love.

Paul had been arrested, bound, and restricted by evil governments on many times, but none of these actions were ever sufficiently powerful to separate him from the love of God. A jail cell may have separated Paul from other believers. However, even in the deepest, darkest, most horrible cell, Paul could go within him and feel and experienced the love of God.

In addition to these points Paul has already mentioned, he uses the phrase "things present" to let us know that nothing that currently exists is able to prevent a person from experiencing God's love. In this case, it means nothing presently existing or nothing that currently stands is sufficient to separate a believer from the all-powerful presence of God's love.

But Paul doesn't stop with the things that presently exist. He goes on to say that "things to come" are also not able to separate a believer from the love of God. Paul has already said that nothing currently existing is strong enough to separate a believer from the love of God. Now he boldly declares that nothing will ever happen in the future that will contain enough power to hinder a believer from knowing and experiencing God's love.

As he continues, Paul also declares that neither "height, nor depth" shall be able to separate us from the love of God. The word "height" is the Greek word hupsuma, which expresses the notion of something that is overhead.. It would include anything that is lofty, such as the sky and the heavens above. The word "depth" is the word bathos, the Greek word that expresses the notion of something that is exceedingly deep, like the deepest, darkest parts of the sea. Now Paul uses these illustrations to say that nothing in the sky or in the deepest parts of the earth has the power to keep one of God's children from knowing and experiencing His love.

To make sure absolutely everything is included in this comprehensive list, Paul adds "any other creature" to the list. The word "creature" is the Greek word ktisis, and it categorically refers to all created things in both the physical and spiritual worlds. Absolutely nothing in either of these spheres "shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

The words "shall be able" is from the word dunamai, which describes strength, capacity, or ability. The word "separate" is the Greek word choridzo, meaning to sunder, to sever, to disunite, to tear apart, to disconnect, to cut off, to disengage, or to withdraw.. Notice that Paul says that nothing is capable of tearing a believer "from" the love of God. The word "from" is the Greek word apo, which means away and implies distance. This clearly means that there is nothing that can put distance between a believer and his Heavenly Father.

Romans 8:38 and 39 could be interpreted:
"I have been persuaded, and I still remain convinced, that death, nor the circumstances that often arise in life, nor powerful satanic beings, nor even an entire group of high-ranking demons, nor anything that exists today, nor anything that could possibly happen in the future, nor any governmental power, nor anything in the highest heavens, nor anything that resides in the deepest depths, nor anything that has ever been created is capable of disconnecting us from the love of God or of putting any distance between us and the love of God, which is in Jesus Christ our Lord."

Never forget this message Nothing in this world has enough power to disconnect you from the love of God. No angel, no demon, no government, no creature — and no mistake of your own making — will ever be capable of cutting you off from the love of God. God's love is greater than man will ever be able to comprehend. It reaches to the highest mountain, and it penetrates to the lowest parts of the earth. Regardless of what you are facing in your life today, God's love is with you — and nothing will ever be able to disconnect you from this awesome, powerful, all-consuming love!

Pray along with me:
Lord, I am so grateful for Your love that never fails me and never leaves my side. I am filled with faith knowing that nothing in this world has the power to disconnect me from Your awesome, powerful, life-transforming love. In moments when I feel overwhelmed by circumstances or problems, I ask that You give me a special awareness of Your unfailing love in my life.
I confess that God's love is with me and never leaves me. There is nothing that can happen in this world or in my life to disconnect me from His awesome, powerful, wonder-working, life-transforming love. I walk through each day in peace because I know that the Lord loves me. I have been persuaded, and I remained convinced, that nothing can separate me from the love of God, which is in Jesus Christ my Lord!
Amen! Amen

GROWN-UP ENOUGH!

Did you ever think? "Have I grown-up, matured, enough to realize it is not man who nourishes me or fulfills my inner needs and desires? It is the Holy Spirit Himself. He is all I need. He is enough!"

Psalm 43
Send Forth your light and Your truth let them guide us. Let them bring me to Your holy mountain to the place where You dwell.

Psalm 40
A prayer for protection! And one to reinforce in what God is asking of each of us. Verse: 6 Sacrifice and offering You did not desire "but ears you have pierced (so that we can lean upon you and hear your loving voice so that we will obey) burnt offerings and sin offerings you do not require (You have required us to give our hearts to you as a lover gives oneself to them.)

Verse: 7 To do Your will O my God is my desire Your law is written on our hearts so we are lead into all truth.

With this revelation, I continue my journaling in pursuit of you Lord, and to only maintain the Kingdom. (Righteousness/Peace/Joy in the Holy Ghost.) Within us is the treasure that is hidden from most men.

Mat 13:44.
How do I describe the Kingdom? To live in peace while others are in turmoil. To be calm where there is anxiousness. To be content and secure when things seem to be upside down. For where the spirit rests there is Peace/Joy/Righteousness and an inner knowing all is well with my soul.

Hebrews 12:4
Tells to not make light of the Lord's discipline nor loose heart. Discipline comes to those who are depending on Him to become His temple here on earth. We are drawn to Him because of His undivided love He gives to us!

Today we pray:
"Lord, bring us closer and deeper into Your sea of Love. Bathe us in Your presence. Make us whole! Lord, of one spirit we come in one accord with You, Your will. Lord, give us Your Wisdom, Righteousness, Peace and Joy. Fill us from within from this day forth. Amen!"

Destiny Through Grace

"Destiny Through Grace is upon you Now your Destiny is His Idea and it will be fulfilled"

There is a desire encoded in each of us when we are created unto destiny in God--it 's one of a divine nature. Depending on our life experiences, we get in touch with this desire in vastly different ways, but, as Scripture notes, the blueprints are with in us.

As it was in the Beginning, as it was in your heart from the very beginning of time. Your perfect design...was placed within you..so let it begin today!

"My frame was not hidden from you, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them" Psalm 139:15-16
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." Jer 1:5

Jeremiah was no exception. Each one of us has a destiny of a divine nature that is wrapped up in God and binds us to Him, enabling us to walk it out as we pursue our relationship with Him. He wove it into our DNA as He formed us, even before we were in our mother's womb.

His Amazing Grace for our Destiny
Yes, we have heard it spoken many times from preacher to teacher of His Word, but has it really sunk in that we are born for greatness in God or we would not be on the earth as this time? He would not have covered us with His amazing grace if it were not so. If He had not done that, we would be loose as a goose--running every which way.

"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now I am found
Was blind but now I see."

As we step into our destiny, we do it with this knowledge deeply embedded within us--that but if not for grace, we would surely perish along the way. That is why this destiny we move into is a divine nature. It will take the grace of His divine attributes to carry us into and through the process of seeing it accomplished. To become over comers it takes courage and leaning on Him in Faith.

"Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of 'Grace, grace to it" Zachariah 4:7 The capstone is Jesus.
"Thus says the Lord:'The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness--Israel, when I went to give him rest." Jer 31:2 "and now for a little while grace has been shown form the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage." Ezra 9:8

What we are about to step into is so great in relationship to the history of mankind, that He's had to "allure us to the wilderness," to show us who we are apart from His divine grace operating in and around us.

If you are reading this, most likely, you have survived the sword whether it is from poor choices or from the enemy, and you are presently finding grace (supernatural strength) in your wilderness.

This truly is the year for favor of the Lord in our lives. He WILL have His remnant. He is a man of integrity. He is about to "give us a measure of revival for survival," yes, even in our bondage, for we are never totally free. He is giving us eyes to see the beginnings of what is about to take His people by storm. As He pours out favor and grace upon us, angelic assistance is released to see the supernatural operating at a level we've not experienced until now. Our Faith will grow as a result, and our unbelief is being diminished.

This is all His idea. YOU and your destiny are His idea and He will see it through--even to the point that when you say to the mountain be moved, it will be moved.It will be moved.

Jesus is saying over you, "Grace, GRACE!" He is calling you out into your destiny for it is upon you now with abundant grace. Through you may have grown weary even in well doing, now is the time to take a deep breath with a leap of abandonment into what you know beats inside of you.

You have laid it down. You may have stepped back. You may have reined in your expectations, most likely from a lack of revelation of just how great this enabling grace of His is.
We need each other to speak into our destiny, to raise our arms, so to speak, when we have reached our end. But with the help of His Grace, your destiny will be fulfilled in a way that "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into your heart the thing which God has prepared for you." 1 Corinthians 2:9 (paraphrased).

You were born for this hour when destiny is calling you up and out. Up and out from within yourself and your circumstance and into the place where God has your boundaries and borders. Nothing less will get you there. It is impossible to please God without this kind of faith;without this kind of abandonment, and without the determination to set your eye on Him and Him alone. That is what gives us the ability to see through His eyes just what and where we are called to--above the limitations and the belief system of this earthly realm.

What you are called to is other than worldly it is supernatural in its very nature. "After these things I looked, and behold a door standing open in Heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, 'Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.'" Rev 4:1

We must see our destiny through His eyes. It is too great to imagine on our own. By His enabling grace, our eyes will be opened, and we will see into eternity to receive the faith to step into what He has called us to as He steps into us, so that it might be accomplished in us and through us.

Grace, grace...the power and supernatural strength that only comes from above! Grace the force to make happen in the natural that no one could do on his or her own. Grace, I call for it is grace that we all need. That is why it is written: "My grace is sufficient for you." All things are possible with the Grace of the Father in our very souls. In our minds and in our spirits! So into the presence of His Glory we go, Face to face with our Father, to bestow thanks and give Him the praise foe what He is about to do!

Continued from Harvest Time Luke 10

Sometimes we think people do not receive because we have not learned enough, or we are not filled with the Spirit enough…..or may be we think they have a problem, a hindrance Whatever! What a misnomer the Spirit of God is true and will manifest Himself wherever He pleases. This is not for us to judge or pass judgment! Our job is to get with God, build a solid relationship and plant ourselves deep in the roots of our Father's love then we will be a effective encouragement to others so that they may do the same. Luke 10 13-17.

Jesus even mentions that in the cities of Korazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum people did not receive Him or His Father. These were holy cities, people of God lived there. Therefore, they did not receive their healing most importantly they did not receive their right to heaven. As the scripture goes on, we are to get it deep within us that it is He whom they do not receive; it is not a personal rejection. They will be judged for their choices. It is most important for us to be obedient to our call and not judge others on the journey.

It is so exciting for me to know that Jesus left us with the authority and power to command healing and cast out demons! V18 tells us that Jesus gave us the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to over come all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm us. Personally I hope I do not have to handle the reptile- or a poisons' spider. However, we can minister in confidence, that the Lord our God is in control and He will perform every good work through us and within us! For He does sit on the right hand of the Father continually interceding for us!

Beware, that the works that are performed through us as His hands are miniscule to the everlasting life we have in Him. Do not puff ones self up to be filled with pride, but be grateful knowing that He has shared with us the truths as mere children who love Him. Remembering first and foremost our salvation laid in the hand of our beloved Savior, Jesus. And it is through that faith we are able to carry on the works Jesus once did here on earth!

Blessings!

IT IS HARVEST TIME!

Luke 10: 1-12

As I sit on our front porch admiring our front lawn, my thoughts are on all the people who had a hand in producing such a plush lawn! It took many a people for the fruit of a luxurious lawn to come forth. Many of those people had not idea they had a hand into the final result. How many people that came into your life have no idea what they stimulated? Wither good or bad, the result was the Father's love producing YOU! Think on it!

October to me means Harvest Time! Pumpkins are out, hay rides for the family, apple picking—even apple pie and coco. Harvest Time! "The word tells us that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few" The Scripture says "Ask the Lord of the Harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field." The workers could be you and I or it could be the Holy Spirit ripening one's heart before you or I arrive on the scene.

"Go! I am sending you out like lambs among the wolves" That word "Go" could mean "go to your family, your church, or market place! It could mean all of the above. Wither the sending is people—angles or the Holy Spirit the sending is happening. We do nothing alone. God our Father has set up a team for us to work with. And it is up to us to work with His team.

V5 Goes on to tell us we are to minister where the Holy Spirit leads and where He is resting. Peace in the Spirit is most important. If Peace is not resting on them it will return to us. Have you had the experience of laying hand s on someone to have the Spirit fill us more then them. We begin to cry, laugh, and shake from head to toe? There seems to be a resistance of sorts happening! That is the time when the Spirit has lifted and they can not receive any more!

V7 Tells to stay eating and drinking…. Whatever they give you. Don't move around from house—Or not to minister to aliment to ailment. Another words, during the "interview", they will tell us their needs and we are to command healing with the resurrection power. The Holy Spirit will reveal things to them and if He doesn't we are to pray silently until the Spirit moves or lifts. V8 says Eat what is set before you… Do not ask for your delights receive what is before you. "The Kingdom of God is near you" The righteous, peace and joy of the Holy Ghost is here for your taking!

If you approach someone and you are not received "do not persist!" back off in love. Knowing that they rejected the Kingdom of God and not you! They have rejected their corner stone, Jesus.

Let us pray: Lords my heart is wide open to you. May these words go deep into my Spirit and be illuminated as the Spirit instructs…For the harvest is at hand and I am the laborer who is instructed by the Holy Spirit's lead.
More to come…