"No More Cycles"

A cycle is defined as "a sequence of events that recur regularly in the same order." Sounds like a description of some of our lives, doesn't it? If we all are honest with ourselves, we can readily identify with a cycle or two in our eventful lives. And if we are totally honest, we all can attest to becoming caught up in a cycle at some point in our lives. Don't you think it's time for the vicious cycle to end?

Being that a cycle is created by a lack of tenacity to abruptly stop doing the same things over and over while expecting a different result, leads me to this conclusion....we can break cycles in our lives if we choose to.

Many stay captive to cycles because they don't have an understanding of what they are capable of. God has given us the unique ability to "cast down" things that are obstructions to our progress. This news should bring about an excitement and zeal to start bringing to an end the cycles in your life.

We have to be very alert and cautious when we start seeing or feeling familiar events sparking. Those are strong indications of a cycle starting over again. Contrary to popular beliefs, cycles should not be a part of the Christian walk. That's not Kingdom living. Kingdom living is full of zoe' which is "life as God has it". Our heavenly Father is not living a life of cycles, but a life of victory and success, a life of progress and no regrets. He wants our lives to reflect His.

So let's become more aggressive with the progression of our lives by deleting the cycles. Emphatically declare that there will be "NO MORE CYCLES" in your life. Don't permit them to start and don't permit them to continue. Put an end to it this very moment. Make a firm decision by just saying NO! Give God the glory He deserves through our reflective living of His life. It's the least we can do...you think?

Pastor Renee

"IT'S GOOD FOR YOU"

Have you ever wondered why the more you trust God and do your best to walk in His ways, that things involving your life seem to get worst? Yeah, you and the rest of us! So whats the answer to this mysterious question? I believe the Holy Spirit is the Revealer of all TRUTH, so here it goes...

Romans 8:28 tells us that ALL THINGS work together for good to those who love God (that's me) and to those who are called according to His purpose (hey, that's me too). Crazy huh?!? Well we know that God is not crazy, but sometimes His methods seem crazy to us. Why? Simply because His ways are definitely not our ways and His thoughts far exceed our thoughts. So what am I trying to say? The more you pursue the Will of God, the more He uses the good, bad, and ugly to develop us for His perfect Will. Sounds exciting, right?

We must realize that for every good thing we experience in life, there has to be something bad that balances it out. Not for the purpose of hurting, disappointing, or burning us out, but for the purpose of building strong and integral character in our lives. If we truly examine the "bad" times, we will find that we should have learned something about ourselves during that time. We should have seen how strong or weak we were, patient or impatient, Godly or ungodly...you get the point. But if we are so focused on the "bad", we will neglect to see the "good" for our lives in the "bad".


I have learned, after many "bad" times, that you must have the right perception from the start. You have to perceive that the "bad" that you're going through MUST be designed by God for your "good". I must say, the "bad" has really been making me into a "good", Godly woman. To God be all of the glory. I began to see everything working for my good when I started accepting the "bad" for my "good". Now when I'm in a "bad" time, I declare, "God must be trying to get something good out of me."

Understand that God places demands on the lives of His people. And until He gets what He's expecting, He will allow many things to press us until He gets it. When we get that understanding, the "bad" doesn't seem so "bad" after all.

I encourage you to change your perception concerning what you're going through. Look at it from Kingdom point of view. Begin to see that this IS GOOD FOR YOU! Know that God only wants the best for your life. ALL things work together for good, for you. Believe that!

Pastor Renee

TOO BLESSED FOR THIS MESS!

"Stress" seems to be a common household name in these times we're living in. Webster's Dictionary defines it as strain, pressure, mental tension. How many of us are strained, under pressure or experiencing mental tension? I'm sure we all can relate in various ways. There's a cliche' that circulated the church at large back in the early 90's that said, "I'm Too Blessed To Be Stressed." People were wearing the t-shirts, rocking the bumper stickers, and using it as a daily part of dialog when confronted with stressful situations. This statement became a big sensation. I thought about that and modified the statement for this decade: "I'M TOO BLESSED FOR THIS MESS!" Maybe I should invest into some t-shirts and bumper stickers. LOL!

How many of us are facing messy situations in our lives that tend to weary us? Most of us can raise our hands on that. But we must always keep in mind that God, the Creator, is with us. The Word of God says that He will never leave us nor forsake us. How awesome! Thank you Jesus! We just have to continue to trust in the Lord with all of our hearts and lean not to our own understanding. Why stress it when God has already planned a way of escape? He's already made a way out for you. When was the last time stress fixed the situation? So why waste valuable mental and physical energy on worrying about things you can't change? This is my theory...don't worry about things you can't change, worrying won't change them, and the things you can change, go ahead and change, no need to worry about them. The Bible tells us to cast our cares upon the Lord for He cares for us. God is doing the caring so why do I need to care?

Think about this, these temples (bodies) of ours were not created to house stress. This is why stress sends people's blood pressure way up or way down, causes strokes, heart attacks, seizures, migraines, ulcers, eating disorders...the list goes on and on. This is why it's even more important for us to not care about things, for our health's sake. Even our mental faculties get challenged due to stress. Why put yourself through that? Stress will have you looking straight up crazy. That's not a picture of "blessed".

I encourage everyone to take "De-stressing" breaks as often as necessary. What is that? A time of not caring and relaxation from mental and physical stress. A time when the things that matter, don't matter. A time when you just laugh instead of crying or being frustrated. A time of pure lethargy! Yes! Lethargy!

More importantly, take time to rest in the Presence of God. You can't go wrong there. In His Presence is FULLNESS! So the best place you can "De-stress" is in His Presence. Stop allowing cares of life to damper your enjoyment of life. God wants you to live in peace and joy. He wants you to live life to the full until it overflows. Within those confounds there is no room for stress.

So kick back and enjoy this journey of life. You are the BLESSED of the Lord. In that blessing there is no stress. The Word of God says that the blessings of the Lord makes us rich and adds no sorrow. So make a bold confession and declare adamantly, "I'M TOO BLESSED FOR THIS MESS!" Now move forward.

Pastor Renee

"HONESTY"

Webster's dictionary defines honesty as "fairness and straightforwardness of conduct; sincerity". And it defines honest as "free from fraud or deception; truthful". Ephesians 4:25 (KJV) reads, "Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another."

I've been thinking about this in depth. And I'm beginning to realize that we as a body have a high responsibility to be honest with each other. Lying to each other is the same as lying to ourselves because according to the Word of God, we are ONE body.

I'm considered to be a very straightforward or blunt person. Some appreciate it, some don't. Regardless of the reception, I must remain true not only to myself, but to my sisters and brothers in Christ. I owe it to you all as a part of my love for you. I'm referring to the body of Christ, but we still have a moral obligation to be honest to anyone at all times!

I believe that when we are honest with one another, it keeps the peace, kills the drama, and promotes love and unity. It's when we try to compromise truth with one another that foolishness, heartaches, and headaches come into play. We should love one another enough to be totally honest even when the truth hurts. Proverbs 27:6 reads, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend: but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." A true friend will be honest at all costs. Other wise, they are no greater than your enemy.

I've experienced such heartache from individuals that I thought truly loved me, but they were dishonest. They thought that by not telling me, they were protecting me. NEGATIVE! Not telling me nearly destroyed me when the truth came out. We must remember that the truth will ALWAYS prevail. It will ALWAYS out live a lie. Sooner or later, the truth will manifest, so it's best to just be honest ALWAYS. Never fall into that trap of trying to preserve someone with a lie or deception. Lies and deception are not preserving agents! A lie says, I just won't tell everything; I will make something up. Deception says, I won't say anything at all; I will just act like I don't know, didn't see, or didn't hear. That's neglecting our responsibility one to another. We must PROTECT each other by speaking the truth in love at all times.

Maybe that's the key..."in love". If we remain honest in love, everyone will benefit and everyone will come out whole. Remember, the Word of God says that perfect love casts out fear. That means that if I'm operating in love, I have no fear of being honest with my sister/brother. If I'm operating in love, I understand that my sister/brother deserves the truth.

I'm sure we've all experienced both sides of this thing. We've been deceived and we've been deceptive. And I don't believe that either side was enjoyable or comfortable. So let's start being honest with one another. This is what helps me stay true and honest...I always think, would I want to be kept in the dark? Would I want something important being withheld from me? Would I want to find this out later?

Let's start now practicing honesty. You do realize that the more honesty is on the scene, the more people trust you? No one trusts a dishonest person. When you're honest, people don't have to look behind their backs to make sure you're not harming them. When you're honest, people will trust you with their lives. How many people can you say trust you with their life? Good question to end on.

Come on body of Christ, let's be honest one to another...even if you are part of the truth.

Pastor Renee

I'M BACK!

After a long, mental vacation, I'M BACK! I pray that the previous blog postings have been a tremendous blessing to you all. Sometimes it's good to just go back and reread them. It's like spaghetti on the second day! Give it time to soak in and become rhema to you. And if I'm constantly posting something new, it's hard, by nature, to value the old. But I'm back for season 2! (LOL!)

I truly enjoy ministering to God's people. And I am so looking forward to what God would have for me to share with you all in this new season. I count it a priviledge.

I want to encourage you to send your comments and questions if you have any. I love the feedback!

Let's get ready to RUMBLE....

-Pastor Renee

WATCH WHAT YOU SAY! (Repost)

Why do people talk so much about other people?

This is a question that plagues me. It's already hard to understand this generally, but it's even harder to fathom when it pertains to "the body of Christ". Isn't it ironic that the church talks more about each other than the world? I want to address this today. Flow with me for a minute...

It's time for sisters and brothers in Christ to start protecting each other and stop harming one another with our mouths. The Word of God talks about these uncontrollable tongues in our mouths. We must get them under control. Stop the gossip, backbiting, slandering...they are all the same. They all lead to something being uttered to defame or to damage, outside of the presence of the individual that's being spoken about. Why do we do this? Do we not realize that it is our responsibility as the "body of Christ" to love one another? In this love there is no backbiting. In this love we don't speak evil of one another and maliciously spread things to destroy someones character...even if it's truth. We are supposed to to build and edify one another in the Lord according to the Word of God. Ephesians 4:29 says, "let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God's favor) to those who hear it." Is what you're saying being a blessing to who you're saying it to?

We must realize that maintaining Godly character and integrity is so vitally important! What comes out of our mouths is what shapes our character. So we must constantly WATCH WHAT WE SAY! I've heard people say, "I wasn't thinking when I said that" or "I didn't mean it like that" or "well, it's the truth"...people of God, we must change this. We are killing each other every time we do this. Colossians 3:8 tells us to put away slandering from our mouths. Let's obey the Word of God.

Your truth about someone else is meaningless until you speak it to them. Telling it to a second, third, and fourth party does nothing but stir up strife. It causes division and shapes a perception in the minds of those that are hearing you. It causes heartache and anger to the person it was about. We don't want to grieve the Holy Spirit with this type of nonsense. It's really not worth what it costs you each time you open your mouth behind someones back. Psalms 15 lets us know that not only are the upright and righteous going to dwell in God's holy hill, but the one who does not backbite with his tongue. Interesting, huh?

Backbiting is such a destructive force. It has caused many relationships to be severed, many fights, and many depressions. Whether you're the speaker or the hearer, if you're involved, you're a backbiter. And if you're a hearer, bring correction to the speaker and withdraw from that conversation. If it's not edifying you and building you for spiritual progress, get away from it! And if you're the speaker, sincerely ask God to create in you a clean heart and renew a right spirit within you. Those slanderous ways proceed out of a jacked-up heart and a bad spirit. Ask God to renew you now so that you can be beneficial to the "body of Christ" and not cankerous.

Let's pray: Father, forgive me for being so critical, judgemental, and causing pain to others. Forgive me for being a backbiter, slanderer, gossiper. I now realize that this type of behavior does not bring You glory and Father, I want to bring You glory. I don't want to grieve Your Spirit. I don't want to be insensitive or inconsiderate to others. Help me to demonstrate to others the same love You demonstrate to me. I want the words of my mouth to be a blessing to those that hear me. I submit my mind and heart to you today. Change me from the inside out so that I can be identified as Your child. Thank You Father for Your love towards me. Thank You for Your forgiving power. Thank You for a new me. I receive it now, in Jesus' Name...amen.

Let's continue to be transformed into the image of Christ...LOVE. Love doesn't back stab, it COVERS. Let's cover one another and continue in the unity of the faith. We are stronger together than we are divided.

I know this may be a bit strong, but sometimes strong is what we need. Everything I write, I write in love and in expectation of educating people, whether churched or unchurched. So please, if this has hit you, receive it and grow by it; it's good for you!

Practice balancing your words with God's words. Psalms 19:14 says, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight." In everything I say and think Father, I want to please You. Let this become your conviction today.

With one blog at a time...working towards a better you,

Pastor Renee Roberts

ARE YOU READY?

Naturally, most women have this unspoken desire to one day get married and build a family. As natural as this desire is, it has caused many to rush into marriages without being knowledgeable...without being ready. Causing much hurt, disappointment, and unhappiness instead of the joy and bliss that entertainment depicts. My question to you today is, "ARE YOU READY?"

This year in August, I will celebrate 21 years of marriage. Sounds awesome, huh? It is, but it comes with a great price. My husband and I married very young, so we've had to experience a lot of things that typically, most marriages don't survive. A lot of our experience came from "lack of knowledge" and "lack of preparation". We were NOT READY to be married. We were so "in-love", so happy, so free. It was us against the world. And on top of it all, we now could be the companions to each other that we've always longed for. The best part of it all...we could have sex as much as we wanted, with no guilt behind it. Little did we know that our "lack of preparation" would put us on a really rough road. Little did we know that "love" had little to do with it.

Many of you single ladies are "waiting" to be married. Let's take an deeper look at this word. To wait means to stay in place in expectation of. But it also means to be READY (prepared for immediate use) and available. When something is prepared, it has been made READY beforehand. In Revelations 19:7 it says, "...and His wife hath made herself ready." This particular passage was a part of the vision that John had concerning the marriage of the Lamb (Jesus Christ) to His wife (the church). There is such a profound principle in this one scripture: if you're not READY, then you're not wife material. Christ is not coming back for a church who is thinking about getting READY, He's coming back for those that are READY. A man is not looking for someone who wants to be a wife, or who has this dream of being a wife. He's looking for someone who is a wife. Proverbs 18:22 says, "Whoso findeth a wife, findeth a good thing..." You see that? Findeth a "wife", meaning, she is already prepared for immediate use; she is already READY!

Being a pastor, I hear so many single women desiring to be married, but they have yet to become a wife. You can't wait to say "I do" to become a wife. You must already be prepared to be a wife. Preparation is what should be taking place in your waiting. Not anxiety, frustration, and weariness. Your waiting period is a time of getting READY. When Esther wanted to be King Ahasuerus' wife, she had to go through a long period of preparation. The king would have it no other way. So it is with a man. A man is looking for a "good" thing, a prepared thing. What are you doing to become that good thing?

You need to be prepared mentally and physically. Your state of mind has to be right. Your affairs must be in order. Proverbs 19:14 says, "...a prudent wife is from the Lord." You must also understand the role of a wife according to the Word of God, not according to the standards of society. The Word of God tells the wives that they have to submit to their husbands. Submission...oh-oh! (Ephesians 5) The Word of God tells the wives that they no longer have sole authority over their own bodies, but the husband does too. WHAT?!? (1 Corinthians 7) That means that your mind is already being conditioned to accept that "I can't do what I want to do, when I want to do, how I want to do" without my husband being in agreement. Being READY means that accountability becomes a part of who you are. Being READY means that managing your finances and keeping your home well has become a part of who you are. ARE YOU READY?

Don't get me wrong, marriage is WONDERFUL. It just requires a lifetime of investing into it. It truly is "til' death do us part". That's another thing, marriage is forever, so don't take your preparation lightly. You don't want to be stuck in a mess! Don't get so overwhelmed with the dream of marriage and neglect to "count up the cost" of marriage. Let's be real now.

I was totally not READY to be married, even though I wanted so badly to get married. But I believe that God purposed that for my life so that I could help educate and instruct other women to be READY.

Being READY is not just looking cute on the outside, but more importantly, being beautiful on the inside. Because when it's all said and done, what's inside is what's going to matter the most. And the reality is, most of us are jacked-up on the inside. ARE YOU READY? If not, stop talking about it, praying about it, thinking about it, wishing on it...get READY! And if you feel like "this is just too much", take Paul's advice, "I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I": single. Don't allow society to put the pressure of "being married" on you. More than anything, make sure that you have mastered being content with "being you". Without that key element, you won't be "good" for any man anyway1

REMEMBER: Marriage is not your source of happiness, you are (through Christ). Marriage is not your source of contentment, you are (through Christ).

I pray this posting has enlightened you and given you a fresh perspective on your "waiting". Waiting is not just about expecting, it's about preparation. ARE YOU READY?

Pastor Renee Roberts

EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER

Emotions...what are they? Webster's dictionary defines them as "strong and complex feelings that arise subjectively (taking place in the mind), rather than through conscious effort." So that means when we say "emotional", we are saying that the strong feeling, that took place in our mind, has now become the controller of our actions, reactions, and responses. How many times have you become caught up in "emotionalism"? When we get caught up in our emotions, that mean we are placing too much value on them. Why put so much value on something that is as unstable, uncertain, and unpredictable as our emotions? As you know, they mess us up every time.

Proverbs 25:28 (KJV) says, "He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls." (The Message) "A person without self-control is like a house with its doors and windows knocked out." That's something to think about. Every time we lose control of our emotions, we actually open ourselves up to and for anything. Would you find it safe or conducive to live in a house with no doors and no windows? Consider this the next time you lose it.

I often have people come to me and say, "Pastor, I lost it this time." Why, is always my question to them. As we mature, we should be able to manage our emotions, control our spirits, a little better than that. A person without self-control is a weak person. Sounds strong, but you are weak in those moments that you lose grip. If you were strong, you would have held those emotions in place. When we continue to operate in the strength of God, we find that we're not standing in line for the "EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER" ride as often.

One day I decided that I was just too old to be riding the "EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER", so I got off right in the middle of the ride. I used to think that God was going to come and deal with my emotions, get my emotions together for me, set me right emotional, etc. But as I was reading the Word of God one day, I was enlightened and began to see that I must do these things myself. God wasn't coming to deal with my emotions, I had to CONTROL my emotions. I had to exercise self-control. Exercise?!?!? Oh No! Who truly likes to exercise if you haven't been exercising at all? But I knew I had to do something I had never done before to achieve something I never have. So today I stand as a testimony to let you know that it is possible.

When we ride that "EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER" too often, people began to see you as moody, wishy-washy, schizo, bipolar, crazy....find yourself yet? That should not be the perception of the Children of God. We shouldn't be way up high one day, then way down low the next. Because we serve a God who is the same today, yesterday, and forever more, we should be the same today, yesterday, and forever more. Yes, you will have rough moments and challenging times, but always remember, you have the power over your emotions. Check them immediately and keep them under control.

Stop going off on people, being so sensitive, crying all of the time, walking around angry, frowning, and being so moody. Like I tell my daughter, "Girl, get yourself together!" I teach her at this age to control her emotions, because it seems innate (for females especially) to be moody. And stop using the "time of the month" or "hormones" excuse for your lack of self-control. You STILL can control it! Sorry, I'm sure I nipped a few toes on that one. But it's to help make you a healthier you. Go ahead and say AMEN!

And if you've already ceased riding the "EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER". don't allow someone else and their habitual riding, coax you into riding it again. You persuade them to call it quits. That's the one down fall we have, we never have the patience to try and encourage someone else out of that unhealthy trend. "I don't have time for this" is always our catch phrase. Come on people of God, we have an obligation and a duty to help each other. If we love one another, we will have patience with one another. And we have to love one another if we say we love God.

So I encourage you to be that positive influence in someones life today that you know is on that "EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER" tip. Let them see that it's actually more exciting to walk around, being free in your mind and emotions rather than strapped down in a seat riding on a bumpy track, going up and down, round and around, over and over again, trapped in emotionalism.

And if you've already boarded the coaster, STOP!!! It's never too late to get off!

Working towards a healthier you,

Pastor Renee

FORGET ABOUT IT!

This thing that we have called "memory" is so complicated. Memory is so vast in being capable of storing information and events. It can retain and delete what it wills when it wills to. Memory is also very powerful. It can incite you to advance or be the biggest opposition to progression.

Many people are held captive by their memories, i.e. their past. We do realize that right? Your memory is simply something that occurred before, that you still remember. Some memories are delightful and some are horrid, but they all make up one memory bank.

Most people on the average remember more disturbing things than delightful things. Why is that? Some people have to think hard about what happened good in a day, but bad....they can ramble that off in a heart beat. What's up with that?

Bad things seem to leave a bigger impression on our memories than the good things. This is why the Word of God tells us to think on good things. We have to constantly recondition our minds to think and store good things while forgetting the bad.

Paul wrote to the Philippians and told them," forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize." The word forget in the Greek translation means "to lose out of mind; to neglect". How many things do we lose out of mind or neglect on a daily basis? When we lose something, it can't be found. When we neglect something, we just failed to attend to it. Paul was letting the Philippians know that in order to go forward, you must neglect the past. You must neglect the negative, horrible memories. They will only hold you back.

I minister to individuals constantly concerning letting things go, forgetting the past, moving forward...but most times people find that impossible to do. How do I forget about it? You must neglect it, lose it out of mind. Make the past a follower and not a leader. It should be behind you, not in front of you. If the past is all you can see, you're turned the wrong way. The past only leads you in the opposite direction of your destiny.

God told Jeremiah that He would not remember the sins of the Houses of Israel anymore. He blotted them out and cast them into the sea of forgetfulness. That same promise applies to us today. If God, Himself can FORGET ABOUT IT, what's up with us? Yes, God FORGOT ABOUT your sins! Praise God! So it should be easy to FORGET ABOUT what they did to you, how they hurt you, how they betrayed you, how they lied on you, how they FORGOT ABOUT you!

Do we realize that most times the individuals that were involved with our past, has moved on and totally FORGOT ABOUT IT? While we are sitting around, wallowing in the pains of the past, the regrets of the past, the anger of the past...the individuals have moved on and FORGOT ABOUT IT. Free yourself and let the God of liberty free your mind.

Stop saying, "I don't know how to let this go." David said something so powerful in Psalms 119. He said, "I will not forget Thy Word." If we spend more time on remembering the things that really matter, we won't have time to keep revisiting the past. You CAN let it go. You are fully capable. How do I know? Because many of us FORGET ABOUT what we want to FORGET ABOUT. We neglect and lose out of mind what we choose. We even FORGET ABOUT the Word of God at times. So we see that we CAN FORGET ABOUT IT.

You don't have to live another day bound to your past. Jesus Christ has freed you once, now go ahead and free yourself! The Word of God tells us to not be entangled in the yoke of bondage again. The Word of God also tells us that he whom the Son sets free, is free indeed! So go ahead, you have the right to walk in your freedom! FORGET ABOUT IT!

The key to successfully FORGETTING ABOUT IT is to FORGIVE. Forgive whomever and whatever has caused you pain. Release them and release yourself. Move forward. Make the past follow you right into your wealthy place! Don't look back.

Make today the beginning of a healthier you!

Pastor Renee Roberts

"BE GRATEFUL"

1Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants those of us who belong to Jesus Christ to live.

Give thanks in EVERYTHING? Wow! Seems like a tall order to fulfill at times. But I guess when we really begin to truly live our lives in the completeness of our Creator, we realize that being grateful is only fair. Think about how much God does for us on a daily basis. He's constantly providing, protecting, loving, forgiving...He's just FAITHFUL to us. That alone is more than enough to BE GRATEFUL for eternally.

The Hawkins Family wrote a song back in the 70's titled "Be Grateful". The lyrics to this song are so profound. One part of the song says, "Be Grateful, because there's someone else who is worst off than you. Be Grateful, because there's someone else who'd love to be in your shoes." Most times we don't even realize how good we have it until something worst comes to our door of life.

I feel like Paul in Philippians 4 when he says he has learned to be content (GRATEFUL) in every and any situation that comes his way. What a mindset to have. I believe that being "self-centered" creates a mindset of ungratefulness; what I don't have, why can't I have more, why me, I don't like this, I don't want that...It's all about "I". Start thinking beyond yourself and begin to thank God for what you do have, thank God for the things you don't like, just BE GRATEFUL!

Complaining gets you no where fast. It actually prolongs your blessings. What happened to the children of Israel with all of their murmurings and complaints? They ended up forfeiting their promise. How many promises have you forfeited in your time of ungratefulness? How many more will you forfeit before learning the valuable principle of being GRATEFUL?

Many times God allows us to remain in certain situations and circumstances until we begin to produce GRATEFULNESS. Until we begin to be thankful in everything. You will find that the quicker you establish your heart in thanksgiving, the sooner God will advance you. Are you ready for advancement? BE GRATEFUL then.

This post is not intended to seem insensitive to any ones hardships, misfortunes, or needs. It is however, intended to provoke you to put on a new mindset, the mind of Christ. This mindset understands the benefit of being GRATEFUL. Will you give it a try? Besides, complaining doesn't do anything but make you more UNGRATEFUL.

Stop the cycle today! Remove people out of your circle of influence that are always complaining. Replace them with people that have GRATEFUL hearts. Get rid of the negativity in your life and replace it with positivity. Change your stinky thinking into thinking that really matters. Condition your heart to be GRATEFUL.

Take a couple of seconds and begin to give God thanks for what He's done for you just today alone. Now, doesn't that feel better? Go ahead and make that a practice from now on. BE GRATEFUL.

Pastor Renee Roberts

"STAY IN YOUR LANE"

During my meditation, I began to think about the church as a whole, which Paul describes as the "body of Christ". During my thinking, I was trying to figure out why do some "gifts" in the body seem to get more recognition or should I say value? The Holy Spirit reminded me of 1Corinthians 12. Paul apparently had this same question in mind when he addressed the Church of Corinth. He told them to not forget that they are the body of Christ and that EVERY part is important. This revelation will help many of us become happy and confident in the gifts that we possess, even if people don't deem them "powerful" or "important". Let's talk a little...

I've experienced feeling like my "little" giftings were not much. Why? Because people make you feel that way. Before I knew it, I was trying to do what seemed to be the thing that would bring notoriety to my gifts; make me important, acceptable. What a mistake! I quickly found out that I was happier doing what I was created to do, versus doing what "I think" others like me to do. Besides, doing something I was not created to do only made me look foolish! LOL! It's okay to laugh. I learned that the anointing on my life is evident when I STAY IN MY LANE. I thank God that I'm a fast learner.

I won't go into "what" I did, but I will say this, STAY IN YOUR LANE. If God has not graced you to sing, please stop trying to get on peoples programs and get in peoples choirs. If God has not graced you to dance, please stop asking the pastor if you can dance a selection or join the dance ministry. If God has not graced you to be a leader, please stop asking to take on a leadership role. If God has not graced you to be funny, please stop telling those dull jokes...and the list goes on and on. The main point: if it's not your gracing, STAY OUT OF THAT LANE. Major accidents happen when we're not in our lanes. And many times casualties follow our lane changing.

So lets become more confident in what God has truly gifted us for, realizing that even if my gift is simply to make people smile, it's just as important as the gift of prophecy. You drive your course more proficiently and effectively when you STAY IN YOUR LANE. Keep your eyes attentive on your lane, stop trying to cross over, and watch how powerful and important your gifts really are to the body!

Pastor Renee Roberts

DO YOU!

It is often very challenging to celebrate one another because we are having difficulty celebrating ourselves. We struggle with celebrating ourselves because most times we're not happy with ourselves. This state of mind is a direct result of not knowing who we truly are in Christ. This type of ignorance results in us being critical and judgemental when we really should be commending and encouraging one another.

Seemingly "church" as we know it today, has become a breeding ground for criticism and judgement upon one another. And this causes individuals to feel forced to mask up when they enter into the sanctuary: the place of peace and deliverance. It causes people to pretend and act like everything is okay. It causes people to say, "I'm fine" when in actuality they want to say, "I'm losing grip". When do we as the body of believers start loving and responding to each other as the Word of God commands us to? When do we start encouraging each other to just be ourselves without any backlash? Are we so image driven that we don't have time to be love driven?

Church should not be a "click" reunion, fashion runway nor a social club, but a place where people are being built up and strengthened in their faith. Who cares what brand of shoes or clothes the next person has on? Who cares who they went out with? It's not important. Whats important is that all are able to be free to get naked before God and not have to cover up because of others critical, judgemental attitudes.

We don't have to impress each other in the House of God. We are sisters and brothers. Do you or did you try to impress your siblings when you were living at home? I know I didn't. My brothers saw the real me. We should be the same way with our spiritual sisters and brothers. Stop covering up emotions with prada and masking tears with gucci. It's okay to DO YOU! You're best when you're doing you. Remember, God made us fearfully and wonderfully (Psalms 139:13-17), so we're at our best when we're genuine and true.

I know all of us have that tiny desire to be accepted or feel important, but always remember that the only acceptance that matters is God's acceptance of you. If He accepts you, then it's not you with the issue, it's those who reject you. Start loving you. Start being excited about who you are. God ACCEPTS you! Praise God! That's an awesome thing.

I encourage you today to come from under that bondage of masking your hurt, covering your disappointments, hiding your feelings...just DO YOU!

Keep in mind, if we as a body of believers can't be real with each other, we definitely won't be real with God (Psalms 51:6).

Pastor Renee Roberts

CHARACTER or CHARISMA?

Matthew 7:15-16 in the Message Bible says, "Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Chances are they are out to rip you off some way or other. Don't be impressed with charisma; look for character. Who preachers are is the main thing, not what they say."

That's a powerful scripture. The irony of it all is that the one's who are supposed to help build character in others are the main ones who neglect to deal with their own character flaws. Being a pastor I know from experience that it's an easy trend to fall into. Why? Because we are the leaders. We don't need the help, the people do. That's such a warp perception of being a leader.

A true leader works diligently to cultivate pure character, understanding that not only am I pleasing God by this, but I'm creating a conduit for the Holy Spirit to minister to people effectively.

Charisma is just that...charisma! Charisma is defined as "a quality that enables a person, esp. a leader, to capture the interest, devotion, and confidence of others." This is an awesome quality, however, if it's not founded on good character, it's deceiving. The Word of God is constantly talking to the church about cultivating good character; cultivating good fruit. That means that who we really are is more important than who people think we are.

Jesus told His disciples to not get impressed by charisma. He told them to look for character. I believe that if the people of God would follow the Words of Jesus Christ, then charismatic individuals would be forced to work on their character. They wouldn't have anyone else to impress. But being the frail creatures we are, someone seemingly has to impress us prior to impacting us. We need to make a major adjustment in the body of Christ.

I thought about all of the men and women of God that have publicly fallen in repetitive sin, and about how many people were so disappointed that they began to question the faith. That's a violent blow to the Kingdom of God and it's principles. We have a firm responsibility to represent the Kingdom of God in excellence. This requires us diligently and constantly working on our own character. Our character should exemplify our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

So NO, it's not okay to just do what we want, say what we want, go where we want, act like we want...we have a STANDARD of righteousness (character) to uphold.

I know I kicked this post off talking about leaders and their character, but this applies to all of us. Because believe it or not, someone is following you; that makes you a leader. Start by-passing charisma and get straight to the character of individuals and YOURSELF, you may be surprised!

Remember, charisma never produces fruit that remains, but character does. "When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine." (John 15:8 Amplified)

Pastor Renee Roberts

LIFE IS TOO SHORT

During my meditation time this morning, something so old struck me so profoundly..........

"LIFE IS TOO SHORT!"

This phrase is all too familiar, yet always over looked. I believe when we begin to value the life that God has so richly blessed us with, then nothing else will even remotely matter anymore. Cares, worries, anxiety, jealousy, bitterness, anger, unforgiveness, hate, hang-ups...they all waste a lot of time in our lives. And the crazy thing about it is that none of these things yield us a prosperous return at all. Who's the fool then? God has instructed us to be fruitful and multiply here in this earth realm, but we are so busy entertaining things that don't matter until we have no strength, energy, or zeal to focus on the thing that really does matter...LIFE, IT'S TOO SHORT!

Think about it: all of these things are controlled by you! Yes, most times people are the inciting forces behind many of these things, but ultimately, we have the control or the power over how people and things affect us. The Word of God tells us that if someone strikes us on the cheek, to offer the other cheek. That takes a BIG PERSON! Even if you're right, offer the other cheek: it's okay to offer the apology for the sake of peace, to speak even when not spoken to, to smile even when frowned at, to speak blessings even if they are speaking cursings. It is okay! Life is about being happy by pleasing God. Keep in mind, LIFE IS TOO SHORT.

I've purposed to live life to the full, until it overflows. I've purposed to make myself happy in Jesus. I've purposed to fulfill the most important principle in the Word of God, LOVE! I've purposed that I will not let ANYONE rob me of life ever again. What are you purposing in your heart right now? Remember, LIFE IS TOO SHORT.

I encourage you to readjust your focus and invest your energy into what really matters. If it's not prospering your life, let it go and leave it alone. We are on limited time in this earth realm. There has been a time appointed for life to end for each of us on this earth realm. Why waste it? Position yourself to hear God say "well done my good and faithful servant." Don't miss out on your opportunity to enjoy life. Remember, LIFE IS TOO SHORT.

Pastor Renee Roberts

THE GOOD SHEPHERD

I was sitting here just thinking about how GOOD our God really is. David describes Him as his Shepherd in Psalms 23. In reading that familiar chapter of Psalms I've discovered that I am God's sheep. I am a part of His sheepfold. Therefore, I am God's responsibility. Praise God!

Sheep only know how to follow, otherwise they wander aimlessly. Sheep will eat anything and trust anyone. This is why our Shepherd is constantly watching over us ensuring our protection from the wolves of the enemy. Always leading us into green pastures to feast and leading us besides still waters to drink and rest. He's constantly refreshing and restoring us. He goes as far as disciplining us in order for us to stay within the sheepfold.

I learned that a shepherd will break the leg of a sheep that wanders too often. After the breakage, the shepherd attends to the sheep constantly until the leg is healed. While the shepherd is leading the rest of the sheepfold, the sheep with the broken leg is carried around the neck of the shepherd until he can walk again. How POWERFUL! The entire time that wounded sheep is hearing the voice of his shepherd, learning his voice, learning how to follow! Glory to God!

Has God ever broken your leg for your good? The Word of God tells us that God's sheep know His voice and a stranger they will not follow. Do you know the voice of your Shepherd? Do you follow His every step? Do you heed His every command? This is something to consider.

Our God is the GOOD SHEPHERD! He's always looking out for our good. So even when we've been broken, those broken bones can rejoice because we know that through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we have this promise: as long as the Lord is our Shepherd, we will want for nothing!

Pastor Renee Roberts

OUR REAR GUARD

Isaiah 58:8 tells us that the glory of the Lord shall be our rear guard. Isn't it awesome to know that the presence of God yields such protection and provision for us?

When we begin to understand what a rear guard really is, this will excite us! The rear guard or "rearward" is considered a "garrison". This unit in the armed forces primarily is responsible for protecting everything and everyone on the fort/post and also for providing food, clothing, medical services, etcetera for the soldiers.

Our God is our rearward! Praise God! As long as we stay in the presence of God, which always manifests His glory, we are protected and provided for. The presence of God supplies us with everything that we need. How awesome is that?!?!

I encourage you today to continue to cultivate the presence of God in your life through consistent prayer, fasting, praise, worship, and quiet time with God. The more time you spend with Him, the more His presence increases in your life.

Knowing the benefits of God's presence should incite you to stay in His presence. We understand that sin cannot dwell in His presence. So it is vitally important to maintain a holy life before God. Walk upright before God. Keep His statues. Meditate on His Word. Doing these things will keep us holy and upright before God.

The Word of God tells us that we are a royal priesthood, a holy nation and a chosen generation. We have to stand up to those names. Honor God in your living and watch His presence manifest in your life.

Our "REARWARD", our "REAR GUARD" is on post waiting for us. Let's not keep Him waiting! Go and take rest in His presence. At ease soldier!

Pastor Renee Roberts

GREAT SNACKS

Peanut butter on apple slices. An apple is almost pure carbohydrate, with simple sugars, but the energy it provides will be metered over time by its own fiber and by the peanut butter.

A selection of melon balls, berries, pineapple chunks, and cubed peaches, pears or apples will be eagerly grabbed at by little hands and piled onto frilled toothpicks to make fruit kabobs.

Frozen grapes are cool like popsicles and sweet like candy, but they've got plenty of vitamins and fiber too. The kids will really go bananas for frozen bananas when you roll them in peanut butter and chopped nuts. (Don't forget to peel them before freezing) Other favorites include peach and nectarine slices, and berries of all kinds.

Raisins, bowl of fruit, whole fruits

Popped corn

Corn on the cob (grilled, boiled, or roasted)

Baked Sweet Potato Wedges

Celery and hummus ( hummus is made from chickpeas)

Veggies (Carrots, Brocoli,Tomato Grapes) with Dip (guacamole or bean dip)

BE SURE TO GET ENOUGH IRON.

Iron is a must mineral for energy because of its role in transporting oxygen via red blood cells to wherever it's needed in the body. Too little iron creates a cascade of problems that end up lowering your metabolic rate--and your energy levels.
soybeans , baked beans, spinach, lentils, cashews, ackee, cauliflower, peanuts, okra, turnips, eggplant, potatoes, sweet potato, pumpkin, squash, corn.

§ Southwest Corn and Black Bean Salad
This bean, corn and nuts in this salad combine to create 19 grams of protein per serving. This is a very flavorful salad and easy to make ahead.
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 (14.5 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 cup minced red onion
Preparation:

1. Place pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat and cook, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

2. Whisk lime juice, oil, cilantro, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the corn, pine nuts, beans, cabbage, tomato and onion; toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

3. Freshly ground pepper and salt to taste just before serving.

VITAMIN C-RICH FOODS

Oranges are high in Vitamin C, raw red or green bell pepper (142 mg and 60 mg per 1/2 cup, respectively), broccoli (51 mg per 1/2 cup cooked), strawberries (49 mg per 1/2 cup), Brussels sprouts (48 mg per 1/2 cup cooked), and cantaloupe (47 mg per 1/4 medium melon). Papaya is high in potassium, and Vitamin C

Use some of these ingredients when making smoothies in the morning or take the whole fruit as a snack at work or school. You want to make sure that your body gets a good amount of Vitamin C.

Smoothie Tip: (Frozen fruits like berries are great in the blend and you don't have to use ice)

Recipe for Papaya Banana Berry Blend ( PBJ)

1 cup of Papaya Chunks (or juice)

1 cup of mixed Berries ( Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries which are high in antioxidants)

1 whole peeled Banana

1 1/4 cup of Orange Juice

Preparation: Put fruits in blend, (if using frozen fruits do not add ice) add ice, pour Orange juice last, then blend for 2 minutes or until smooth to your liking and serve.

Salads

Choose dark leafy greens, which are higher in nutrients and fiber, add a variety of colorful vegetables such as carrots, peppers, and broccoli. And always include a low-fat source of protein such as chickpeas or nuts to round it out."

High Energy Foods

Bananas-The sugar in bananas is an easily digested form of carbohydrate. Bananas also provide a lot of potassium, an electrolyte that helps maintain normal nerve and muscle function. Other fruits such as apples, grapes, peaches and pineapples also make great energizing snacks.
Almonds -Monounsaturated fats such as almonds provide essential fatty acids, known as omega-3s and omega-6s, that produce an alert mental state.
Grapefruit is a good source of vitamin C, pectin fiber, and the pink and red hues contain the beneficial antioxidant lycopene. Studies have shown grapefruit helps lower cholesterol and there is evidence that the seeds have high levels of antioxidant properties. Grapefruit forms a core part of the "grapefruit diet", the theory being that the fruit's low glycemic index is able to help the body's metabolism burn fat.
Kiwifruit is a rich source of vitamin C, it also contains vitamins A and E. The skin is a good source of flavonoid antioxidants. The kiwifruit seed oil contains on average 62% alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid.
Blackberry is high in energy, are notable for their high nutritional contents of dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid - a B vitamin, and the essential mineral, manganese
Breadfruit is said to be high-energy food sources Potassium 490mg Vitamin C 29mg

"THE SPICE OF LIFE"

The Word of God tells us in Matthew 5:13, "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men."

What an awesome analogy that Christ uses to describe those whom He loves. That means that we have a unique ability to spice things up. We have the power to add zest and bring the best potential flavor out of something. God gave us this ability so that we can spice up the lives of those that are dull and lost to the salvation of their souls.

Are we spicing things up? Or are we losing our savour? People are looking and searching for the "right taste", and we have the answer...JESUS! Don't be selfish, spread the spice. Challenge yourself today to spice someones life up with JESUS. He did say that you were the salt of the earth, didn't He? Don't let good salt go to waste.

Let's get to seasoning this earth..."Oh taste and see that the Lord is good!"

Pastor Renee Roberts

"PREPARING TO FAST"

Fasting is a vital part of the Christian Believer's development. It is through fasting that we learn how to discipline our flesh and it teaches us how to focus. Fasting also is an AWESOME tool that empowers our faith.

Surprisingly, many Christians don't fast often, if at all. Why wouldn't we, knowing that it has such great benefits and yields such great results? Think about it.

I want to encourage you today to start making fasting a part of your Christian lifestyle. Jesus Christ Himself fasted, the apostles fasted, the prophets and kings fasted...what should we as Christian Believers be doing?...FASTING!

Our ministry is preparing for a 21-Day Fast. I thought it would be awesome to take some time out to share with you simple, yet important things that you should do to prepare your body for the fast.

One to Two Weeks Prior To The Fast:

1. Start drinking plenty of water. (you should be doing this for the temple anyways)


2. Gradually abstain from caffeine and sugar. (these are very addictive and takes longer to exit our systems)


3. Gradually abstain from meats. (makes it easier on your digestive system)


4. Start cutting off all eating at 7pm.


5. Get into the habit of praying & reading the Word of God daily. (not just once a day)
   

Remember...fasting is a consecrated time. Meaning it's a time of "being set apart" for the Lord. This should be a joyous time full of expectation and excitement! Never "look" like you're fasting. Keep your face cleaned, breath fresh, and keep looking good! This is not a time of mourning, but a time of intimacy and development with God!

Pastor Renee Roberts

"GET PLUGGED UP"

Do you realize that it is vitally important for each and every individual to be plugged into a ministry/church? We are living in such transient times and people don't see the significance of staying in "one place". But the Word of God gives us example after example in the Old and New Testament concerning being plugged into a vision.

What we must begin to understand is that God desires for all of His people to be a part of what He's ordained...the church. Why? The church is the conduit of His will in this earth realm. Yes, we are individual churches, but we are "ONE BODY" with many members according to the Word of God. How can this "BODY" function correctly if members are missing from it? It can't! When you're not plugged up you handicap the church. This is why everyone needs to find their place in their local church and stay put! Every church has imperfections, so your concern shouldn't be about the imperfections of the church. Your concern should be about your purpose for being in the church: What has God called you to do there? What are you doing there? Is it complete? Is the visionary (pastor/overseer) pleased with what you did or are doing? Could you do more?

Stop trying to be pleased and be pleasing. Stop trying to hide in the large crowd of unaccountability and get yourself into the place that you need to be. God is counting on you!

Don't be afraid of commitment and dedication. Every church desires to have a body full of people who are committed and dedicated to ensuring the success of the vision. Can your pastor count on you? Or are you just another one passing through?

If you're not a part of a church, it's urgent that you find one. Go ahead and retire from "tele-church" and "cyber-church". Get plugged into your "local church" so that you can have a man or woman of God impart into your life and cover you. So that they can make sure that you are progressing and developing properly as a believer. So that you have someone to be accountable for your soul.

Remember, when you're plugged up to something, whatever flows from it flows through you.

GET PLUGGED UP TODAY!

Pastor Renee Roberts

"TEAR DOWN THE WALLS!"

Through experience, I have learned that there are generally two types of walls: the ones God provides and the ones we build. God's construction protects us and gives us boundaries. He places a hedge around us so that we can stay in His will and keep the enemy out. But the walls we construct are custom made to keep people out and isolate us in, which most if not all times tend to keep the Greater One out...GOD!

How does this happen? Hurt, anger, disappointment, etc. These types of things seemingly force us into isolation because we don't want to experience any of the like anymore. Pain is temporal. Even if it is prolonged, it's temporal. This means what? It means that at any given moment, this pain can cease. At any given moment, what you're so terribly experiencing can come to an end. Look at it this way, Jesus Christ Himself had to learn obedience through hardships. If He in all of His perfection had to learn through hard experiences, what more us?

When we begin to focus on the purpose of enduring these hardships (what it leads to and how the Word of God says it ends), then we can begin to take joy in the difficult experiences and challenges that we face daily. Apostle Paul tells us to count it all joy when we're faced with difficult trials and tribulations. He did not tell us to build a wall when you're faced with these things. Whisper to yourself right now, "I have to change the way I see this."

Walls are not permanent structures. They may be strong, due to your reinforcement, but they are able to come down. I encourage you today, start tearing down those walls in your life. They are only prohibiting you from experiencing what true freedom is! And in order to reach your GREATEST POTENTIAL, you must be free!

He whom the Son sets free is free indeed!

Pastor Renee Roberts

"I WILL TRUST YOU LORD"

Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to trust in the Lord with all of our hearts and to lean not to our own understanding or insight. How catchy this passage of scripture is, yet very difficult to follow through with. Because when the trials and pressures of life (earthly reality) starts pressing down on us, who do we trust then? We say we trust God, but in actuality, we are trusting ourselves.

You do realize that your "self" is fickle, flaky, and unreliable at best? And it ALWAYS has a mind to "make things happen". God wants us to trust Him to "make it happen" through our faith and trust in Him. The best time to try that trust is in the difficult moments of life. When deadlines are PAST DUE...still trust God! He is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all you can ask or think. Keep that in mind.

What really helps us to trust God is to get acquainted with Him. How can you fully trust someone with your WHOLE heart if you don't know them? Impossible, right? The same with God. You will never trust Him with all of your heart until you really get to know Him. Once you start becoming acquainted with Him, He begins to impart Himself to you. He begins to reveal who He is to you in the midst of your situations. It's through the knowledge of Him that you can began to say that THE LORD IS....whatever you need Him to be.

Unlike man, God will never fail you. And since He will never fail you, why not trust Him? You've trusted in all sorts of people and things and I'm sure that you've ended up disappointed, hurt, or betrayed, which has probably challenged your trust with those people or things. But you serve a God who's not like mere humans. He is SUPERNATURAL and OMNIPOTENT! Meaning...He can't fail you! He won't hurt you or betray your trust.

So go all out! Trust, lean, depend, rely, have confidence, be secure in the Lord. His intent is to prosper you not to harm you. He's got your back...believe that!

Pastor Renee Roberts

"FAITH UNDER FIRE"

Does it seem as if all hell is breaking out around you? Does everything seem to go wrong even when you're doing right? Does it feel like the more you believe, the worst things get? Well, no need to fret, you are not alone. This is the normal part of the process of our faith being tested: your FAITH UNDER FIRE. God has to approve our faith before He just goes "all out" for us.

Humans are fickle creatures, and God knows this all too well. So He has designed this system called "the trial of your faith" that enables Him to test the genuiness of our faith in Him. 1Peter 1:6-7 reads "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:"

We see in the scriptures that our genuine faith is much more precious than gold that's tried in the fire. This is why we can rejoice through the trials of our faith, because we understand that the fire is only perfecting us. Praise God!

Psalms 66:10-12 reads "For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place." You can begin to praise God in the midst of your fire, because the bottom line is...God is going to bring you out into a wealthy place once it's all said and done.

Endure the trials, endure the pressure, endure the fire. Fight the good fight of faith. Don't quit! Something awesome is happening to your faith as the fire purges, refines, and purifies it. Continue to stand firm in the faith. Your laboring is not in vain!

When it's all said and done, God will be able to look upon you and say, "Well done My good and FAITH FULL servant!"

Pastor Renee Roberts

"CULTIVATE YOUR CHARACTER"

Evangelism is about being a witness for Jesus Christ. Realize that your witness is only as great as the fruit you bear. Matthew 12:33 (Amplified Version) let's us know that a tree is known and recognized and judged by its fruit. So it is vitally important that we are constantly cultivating fruit in our lives. The Father is glorified when we bear much fruit (John 15: 8). This is what our lives are all about...multiplying, being fruitful, and bringing God glory!

Now, fruit represents character. Galatians 5: 22-23 outlines nine character traits: love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. All of these character traits should constantly be cultivated in the life of the believer. Why? Because people grasp who you are, not so much what you say.

Think about this: Can people follow you closely and still see the fruit being cultivated in your life? Apostle Paul confirms that this is possible (2Timothy 3: 10-11). It just takes us making an assertive effort to work the Word of God in our lives so that our inner character can change and affect our outer behavior and conduct.

Christian character, conduct, and behavior should be proper and befitting at ALL times as Kingdom representatives. Who are you representing? Let's not lose sight of that in the midst of challenges. God expects us to maintain "Godly" character. Remember, your character controls your conduct.

Unfortunately, we live in a society that has become desensitized to "right and wrong". Today's society doesn't care what people think. But the Kingdom of God is sensitive to what is right and wrong and does care what people think. The Kingdom is about God's people, isnt' it? Because of this sensitivity, we CAN operate in moral excellence. Thus, allowing the Holy Spirit to continue His work in us internally...producing fruit of the Spirit.

What are you bearing? Is your fruit edible? Can someone see Godly character in your way of living? God is looking for character that's useful in His Kingdom. Can He use you?

I challenge you to get to work...cultivate your character for the honor and glory of God!

Pastor Renee Roberts

"Play To Win!"

Romans 12:3 talks about God dealing to every man the "measure of faith". Our pastor gave such an awesome analogy of this by using a deck of cards to symbolize faith. He then dealt everyone a card, symbolizing our measure of faith. We were all instructed to focus only on what was in our hands, and to play our own hand. Through this we learned that God deals to every man the "measure of faith" according to his lot in life so we should never be desirous of another persons faith.

Depending on what we were destined for, our faith may seem greater or lesser than the next person. But the TRUTH is, we all have an equal amount of faith distributed to us! PRAISE GOD! Its just up to us to play our own hand (the card we were dealt). My "measure of faith" is just as powerful and effective for me as the next person's is to him. What an awesome relief!

When playing cards, you may hear someone say "you better play to win!" That means you better come out of your hand strong, with no regrets. We should have the same confidence and tenacity with our "measure of faith". PLAY TO WIN! Play your faith card to the best of your ability, and watch God show Himself strong to you.

Be encouraged knowing that you have ALL THE FAITH YOU NEED! It's been apportioned by God to you! Now go and Play To Win!

Pastor Renee Roberts

"Honor God In Your Body"

Paul admonishes the Church of Corinth to honor God and bring glory to Him in their bodies (1Cor. 6:20). With these same words I admonish you today. God in all of His glory bestowed upon us such an awesome thing...this "body". He entrusted it to us just knowing that we would honor Him in it. How often we forget the true purpose to these physical bodies.

The Word of God tells us that these bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit who lives within us (1 Cor. 6:19). That is so precious! This is why it is vitally important for us to exercise self-control in our bodies. Treat it right, feed it right, & lead it right! Don't abuse it or misuse it. Let God see how honored you are to possess His most valued creation.

Paul said that he handles his body roughly through discipline (1Cor. 9:27). Discipline your body to behave and to do what you know is right. Don't allow your body to dictate to you when you should be in control of it! Remember, God has entrusted it to you.

I encourage you today to be happy with the body that God, Himself, has created and uniquely designed for you. Take pride in it, adorn it elegantly (not trashy), and keep it holy. You are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works (Eph 2:10)! And the only thing He asks in return is that you honor Him with that same workmanship (body) He's given you.

"You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body."

(1Cor. 6:20 Amp)

Pastor Renee Roberts

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?

Everything that God says is "GOSPEL" (Good News)! And I believe that it is so important to remember that, especially in times of difficulty. Have you ever prayed to God in the midst of a difficult moment, asking for answers, and seemingly you hear nothing in response? I'm sure we all have had those moments. The critical thing to remember is that God ALWAYS hears us, but sometimes our hearing is impaired.

Impaired hearing comes from many things, but mostly from what we allow to go into our "ear gates". It is so important to guard hearing. Negativity is one of those things we definitely need to protect our ears from. Negativity gets in our hearing and clogs our thinking, perception, and understanding. And we do know that without understanding, you're really not hearing. AVOID NEGATIVITY!

Realize that what goes in your hearing will affect your outcome. Why not position yourself to hear only the positive today. I challenge you to unclog your hearing and see if you can hear what God is saying to you today. Allow the Word of God to irrigate your ears!

Remember, God ALWAYS hears us, and He's faithful to answer us. The Word of God says "he who hath an ear, let him hear..." Is it a bad connection that's impairing your hearing? Reconnect! Get a good connection with God today!

Instead of you asking, listen, God is asking..."CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?"

Pastor Renee Roberts

SELF CONTROL: "I've Got The Power!"

The dictionary defines self-control as "restraint exercised over one's own impulses, emotions, or desires." Paul begins to instruct the Galatians concerning living and walking in the Spirit: allowing our conduct and behavior to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. This is why it is so vitally important that we allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit of God. Through His leading He teaches us self-control: how to handle ourselves.

We live in a world that seems to be constantly growing out of control. People "popping off", "flipping out", "snapping"...simply "losing it", control. It's time for the body of Christ to start representing the character of Jesus Christ. We all understand that Jesus' life is a prime example of self-control. "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:5) So this does not afford us the opportunity to lose control, but to gain it through the diligent exercising of it.

Self-control should abound in the lives of believers, not self-will. (2Peter 1:5-8) It abounds the more we operate in it. Refuse to "lose it" today. Control your mouth, disposition, eating, thoughts, emotions...control everything that pertains to your life and start living the God-kind-of-life: Zoe'!

Let's choose to deny self-will and give self-control the opportunity to rule for a chance. It promises to be a much greater leader than self-will ever has been!

You've Got The Power in Jesus' Name!

Pastor Renee Roberts