Category: God’s Heavenly Hosts

God Extends An Invitation To His Housewarming

On By tgifmastermindsIn God's Heavenly Hosts, Heaven Is For Real, Instruction on how to disciple others, Prayers About Biblical End Times2 Comments

I’m grateful that God sent me an invitation to his housewarming, but with all the airline plane delays, and cancellations, I wonder just how long it will take me to get there. I’m suppose to receive a crown.

The Holy Spirit spoke to me in an unusual way this week. At first I thought I was receiving messages to blog about the seventh day of creation called the Sabbath. For it is written, that was the day God “Rested” from all of his labors of creating the universe. But as I began to unpack this thesis, I soon realized that the Sabbath was not a day made for God to take his ease. But it was designed as an anointed time period (without end) for God’s people, who live in this world, to come to themselves and commence (on a daily basis) to live their lives as the following 3 bible scriptures proclaim and turn from their sins, so as not to be ruled by the snares of the evil one (Satan). In other words, the day that you repent and turn from your labor of sin and shame, that is your day of Sabbath. God’s ‘work’ was finished within 6 days and it was all good, so he took a day of rest (his Sabbath).

Luke 9:23 

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me (Jesus, God’s Son), let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

Matthew 19:21  

Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

Galatians 2:20 

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Those persons who Romans 12:2 talk about, who are also in the world that God created but have not conformed to his will and to his ways and whose hearts and minds have not been renewed and therefore they are refusing to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, they remain under the influences of the prince of this world (Satan).

IT’S PARTY TIME…

5 Categories Of Believers In Heaven Will Receive Crowns

My child, whenever you performed missionary duties that included talking about Jesus to someone who was not a Christian or who did not know Christ, your actions were often referred to as being a soul-winner. Did you know that there is a crown awaiting such servants in heaven known as The Crown of Rejoicing? (1 Thessalonians 2:19 KJV)

The Holy Spirit spoke again and reminded me of my recent doctor’s appointment I had earlier in the week. Do you recall the excitement your nurse attendant had as she related to you how obliging her patients had been all day as she shared her love for Christ. How she admitted that serving Jesus Christ was her true profession and how she longed to make heaven her eternal home. You see, my beloved, many people become so caught up in earthly activities that they forget that heaven is truly their home. The Crown of Righteousness is not for them. (2 Timothy 4:8 KJV)

Another category in which Jesus will award crowns is to all those believers who have kept the faith at the expense of loosing their own lives. It also includes those servants who suffered persecution and even temptation. They, most assuredly, will receive The Crown of Life. (James 1:12 and Revelations 2:10 KJV)

Sometimes even believers loose out on receiving their crown because of a lack of self-discipline. They don’t know when to say “No!” They get caught up in “the good things in life”, and forget about all God’s benefits. Only those who can exercise discipline will receive The Victor’s Crown. (1 Corinthians 9:25-27 KJV)

Finally, just to remind you of one of Jesus’ quotes in Matthew 9:37, where he said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” Let us not forget the crown that will be awarded to the faithful leaders of the churches: pastor’s, elder’s, deacons, Sunday School teachers, and various other ministry leaders. This group of followers of Christ will receive The Crown of Glory. (1 Peter 5:4 KJV)

CHECK YOUR MAILBOX FOR YOUR INVITATION…

The Lord says, My prayer invitation for you has already been signed, sealed and delivered by St. Francis of Assisi. Bring a copy of it with you when you come to My housewarming. It reads; “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.“

Scripture Lesson: “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them” (Matthew 6:31-32).

Click http://www.tgifmasterminds.com every Friday for a new post from The Master’s servant manager…Me!

God’s Goodwill Was Purchased For You

On By tgifmastermindsIn God's Heavenly Hosts, How To Pray For Others, Prayers For Life Changes, Prayers For Spiritual Growth4 Comments
God’s display of goodwill was the epitome of eternal life.

Did you know that December 26th, the day after Christmas, is celebrated annually by South African citizens, in a more godly show of compassion than American citizens celebrate December 25th, Christmas Day. The South Africans use the 26th as a day of recovery from over indulging in holiday festivities. This Day of Goodwill was declared a holiday in 1994 by Nelson Mandela after he was elected the President of South Africa.

I became apprised of this information one day this week as I sat at my computer and prayed to the Holy Spirit to put into my psyche the subject matter for this week’s blog. I immediately was directed to focus on the word ‘angels’. What’s that (?), my Lord. What’s angels got to do with anything, I thought. The awareness of the presence of the Lord flooded my total being. Have you not considered, my child, the vast amount of preparation the Heavenly Hosts performed to bring about the Goodwill Gift My Father gave the world which is celebrated by earthlings on December 25th? That he so loved the world that he gave his only Begotten Son…

My Father acted out of compassion and the Heavenly Hosts acted out of obedience and the South Africans, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit residing in Nelson Mandela, acted out of goodwill to set aside a special day to think about the needy, the lost and the forgotten. To give back to society and not just their own families and loved ones. On the Day of Goodwill, South Africans sincerely distinguish themselves by giving back to society. These peoples’ giving can be attributed to their willingness to celebrate the birth of God’s Son by forgetting about their own wants and focusing on the needs of their fellowman.

Oh, thank you Holy Spirit for once again pointing me in the right direction. As you were sharing with me, I was thinking about those Heavenly Angels and their preparatory assignment, getting the world ready for the Coming King. I immediately started dissecting the word ‘angels’ and came up with 22 words with 3 or more letters.

Slang
Sage
Seal
Snag
Sea
Sale
Sane
Slag
Sang		Gale
Glean
Gas
Gal		Leg
Lag
Lane
Lean		Age
Angel
Ale
Angle		Nag

Here is what I decided to do with this list. Since goodwill means acting out of compassion instead of selfishness, by means of meditation, I have decided to use the remaining days in December to wrap a prayer around each of the 22 words and apply a Holy Scripture as the bases of each prayer. This will keep me focused on the actual reason for the season and to be thankful and grateful for the Angels of God who remained at their posts until the Blessed Event was born.

For example, below is the scripture I have chosen to formulate my prayer for the word ‘slang’. For I will use slang if necessary to introduce someone to Christ with a limited vocabulary.

“For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)

I invite you to join me in prayer to help you keep your heart and mind on whatsoever things are lovely concerning this Christmas season. Or you may consider other ways to participate in celebrating December 26th and dispensing goodwill towards others such as:

  • Boxing up everything you don’t need and giving it away
  • Make a sizable donation to a charity that helps the poor
  • Give away leftover food and unwanted gifts
  • Host a meal for the poor or homeless
  • Give back to society by volunteering with a local organization
  • Think about the word goodwill and how you can apply it to your life
Try it…You might like it!

Scripture Lesson: “If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.” (Isaiah 58:10)

Click http://www.tgifmasterminds.com every Friday for a new post from The Master’s servant manager…Me!

God Instilled Hope In A Desperate Situation

On By tgifmastermindsIn God's Heavenly Hosts, How To Pray For Others12 Comments

Image result for what was the name of the witch in the wizard of oz
The wicked witch of the West, Evillene

In the classic 1939 movie entitled, “The Wizard of Oz”, there is a famous line spoken by Evillene, the wicked witch of the West, that I am sure you have heard before. And I quote: “Don’t nobody bring me no bad news!”

Well, today, I wished I had posted that warning message on my door post because I received the most troubling news that sorely pieced my heart through and through. I received a phone call that a younger sibling of mine was diagnosed with leukemia.  I was devastated by this pronouncement and immediately sought spiritual comfort and guidance from the Holy Spirit. Instantly, I began to receive peace and reassurance that the Lord was with me.

I went into my library, sat down in front of my computer and implored the presence of the Holy Spirit to gracefully guide my thoughts and prickly fingers on the keyboard so that I could commence typing the divine messages He was forming in my mind to develop for my readers and followers of this week’s WordPress blog.

I paused just long enough to glance over at my book shelves, crammed full of Bible dictionaries, concordances, and books on how to pray for natural healing. I carefully selected a book whose subtitle was ‘effective prayers for body, soul and spirit’.

Under the section in the book on ‘leukemia’, the first suggestion was to pray for generational curses. I remembered from reading many chapters in the Old Testament that God did visit the curses of the parents (initially Adam and Eve) on their children for many generations to follow. But since I walk by faith and not by sight, the Holy Spirit guided me to the New Testament:

  • Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

So, God instilled hope in me and I received the assurance that any wrongs performed by my parents in days gone by are forgiven and I don’t have to burden my Deliverer with such a prayer over my sibling’s predicament. Why? Because he was freed from that curse as well.

Additional instructions in the healing book suggested that prayers for leukemia should also include that the seeker was to curse the root of the disease; to command any prions (distorted proteins) to dissolve and be discarded; to command that the bone marrow make the proper amount of white blood cells; and finally, to lead the patient in prayers of repentance for bitterness or unforgiveness, if necessary.

The Holy Spirit also brought to my attention the scriptures about the lady mentioned in Luke 8:40-48, who had an issue with blood. Once again, God instilled hope in my despair as I read verse 8:48.

  • Then he said to her. “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” This tender term that Jesus used was meant for both me and my sibling. For I know with a certainty that as a child and adult I have witnessed my sibling’s faith in God and as a wounded war veteran, he served honorably for his country.
Crop assistant supporting smiling patient in wheelchair during rehabilitation process
A prayer warrior laying hands on the sick.

So you see, when I was in a desperate situation, God instilled hope in me and He will also do the same for you. Therefore, don’t forget my friend, when a person stands in the gap for another as an intercessor, the Holy Spirit often reminds you that perhaps you can make a different if you turn your heart to Christ Jesus and faithfully lay your all on the alter. My prayer for you is to simply ask the Savior to help you, comfort strengthen and keep you. He is willing to help you. He will carry you through. Amen and Amen!

Click http://www.tgifmasterminds.wordpress.com every Friday for a new post from The Master’s servant manager…Me!

God Told Me To Eat The Word!

On By tgifmastermindsIn God's Heavenly Hosts, Prayers About God and Me, Prayers For Spiritual Growth2 Comments
Welcome Signs (1).jpg
Massanetta Springs is a sacred place. We are here to serve you as you experience God’s grace and hospitality.

In 1989 while living in Rockville, Maryland, I signed up with my Baptist church to participate in a weekend Women’s Retreat.  The three-day meeting was held at a beautiful conference center located in the hills of Massanetta Springs, Maryland, which is located about 136 miles from my home.  More than 45 women arrived at the church’s parking lot and loaded into church buses and cars on a late Friday evening and made the trip in about two hours.

Upon arrival, we were met by an obliging and well-organized staff of conference employees who directed us to our cabins and later served us a fantastic late dinner. We did not retire early, but later that evening held our first spiritual meeting in the Mary Lou McMillin Resource Center. (See the map.) Personally, I was in ewe about the natural beauty and serenity of the landscape and rolling hills. Such peace and repose the quietude afforded all of us in attendance.

Massanetta Springs Map.jpg

It wasn’t long before some of the sisters began whispering about strange phenomenon things happening that afforded them a since of wonderment if an invisible presence was indeed also at the camp to hold their own retreat. For example, while two women were sitting on the front porch in rocking chairs, an empty chair nearby began to rock slowly (presumably propelled by the wind). At the welcoming meeting held later that evening, seemingly, our voices were more melodious and our pianist attacked the keys with far fewer missed notes. As testimonies were lifted up to our Lord by the attendees, the whole atmosphere became fortified with an angelic presence that far surpassed any church service that I had ever attended in the past.

But, later that night I had an astonishing dream…

I was assigned to share sleeping quarters with one of the senior mothers of our church whom I loved dearly and who had taken me under her wing as her spiritual daughter. As she sat on her bed and prepared for slumber, she struggled with rolling up her hair on sponge rollers. So, I went over to her and began to take over her task. Her long silver strands of hair twisted easily around each roller I applied. Afterwards, we said our prayers and fell fast asleep. Later in the night I was “awakened” by my roommate walking around the room. I turned over and asked her if she was alright and if she needed anything. She assured me she was fine, but that she just couldn’t sleep in a strange place. She sat down on her bed and as I observed the back of her head I noticed that her long silver strands of hair seemed so much longer and brighter. I arose and went over and stroked her hair and tucked her back into her bed. We both resumed out sleep and the next morning I asked her how well did she sleep since she was up during the night.

To my surprise, my friend assured me that she slept wonderfully and solidly ALL NIGHT! I corrected her and related what I had witnessed the night before with her walking around and how I had came over to her bed and STROKED……at that point I abruptly stopped talking, my eyes got wider and wider as I observed the hair rollers still in her hair. Mother, I exclaimed, did you reset your hair in the night? No, she replied, I told you I slept soundly all night. I guess you saw my angel watching over me because she knows I don’t like sleeping in anybody else’s bed.

WELL, THAT WAS THE END OF THAT CONVERSATION….BUT NOT MY INQUISITIVENESS INTO MY INNERMOST THOUGHTS!

My second encounter with “Something” around the Cross…

The leader of the retreat had instructed all of us to be outside and up on the hill by 6:00 a.m. for sunrise services at the cross. As we gathered in a circle around the cross we could smell the bacon, biscuits and fried apples being prepared in the mess hall by the conference center’s employees. Our leader yelled at us to keep our hearts and minds on praising God for another beautiful day. I was thinking that same thing just as she bellowed it out. Slowly, each women individually began to render up a prayer of thanksgiving. Again, I thought to myself, why are each women praying singularly, God can hear everybody’s prayer at the same time. Just then the spiritual leader shouted out the same words I was thinking. As we held hands in the circle, an electrical shock ran through us all and caused us to break the circle. Everybody began to pray out loud at the same time and they lifted up holy hands to the Lord.

Suddenly, I was led to approach one of our special prayer warriors and I was instructed by the Holy Spirit to ask her to pray for me. She began by blessing me with the knowledge that if I wanted God to converse with me on a regular basis I would have to ‘eat the Word’ on a regular basis. She prayed other directives over me, but all I remember is that I kept repeating the words out loud, ‘I’ll eat the Word, I’ll eat the Word!’

The Holy Spirit has made it possible for me to eat the Word so I might not sin against the Father. Biblical knowledge has become an integral part of my life and desires. Over these many years, with God’s word, he has helped me to measure all situations and decisions by it. With God’s help, I will continue to ingest his Word until traveling days are over.

So, how has your life evolved? I prayerfully hope it has been connected to the Power on High. There are no energy shortages, or water shortages or pandemic monstrosities up there. Amen!

Spiritual Reference: “He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.” I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it.” Revelation 10:9-10

Click http://www.tgifmasterminds.com every Friday for a new post from The Master’s servant manger…Me!