Wheat or Tare?
In these last days, what's going to separate the wheat from the tare is FRUIT. Yes, I believe fruit can be ministering to others/leading people to the Lord, doing whatever it is that God has called you to do....etc., but the FRUIT that most glorifies our FATHER and separates the wheat from the tare is the fruit of the Spirit. As you grow in the Lord, the fruit of the Spirit should become more and more apparent on your life. You should have joy in the midst of sadness. You should be loving to the unlovable. You should have peace that goes beyond understanding. You should walk in patience, trusting in the Lord's perfect timing. You should be faithful to the things that God has given you......whether big or small in the eyes of man. You should be gentle and good in hard and bad situations. You should walk in self control....being led by your Spirit and not your flesh or emotions. And last, but certainly not least....YOU should be kind in an at times unkind world. It makes no sense to be saved, know Jesus, be anointed, speak in tongues, etc., and just be plain mean!
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Have You Purposed In Your Heart??
Friend, there are some clear cut things that all believers should live by. As stated, things like no sex outside of marriage, no drinking, no lying, no cussing, no gossiping, no pride, etc., but there are also things that although others may do, you may not. Why? Because God has called YOU to a higher calling. This is what it means to work out your own salvation.
Examples?
Maybe you are sensing in your spirit that you don't need to watch a certain TV show.
Maybe you are sensing in your spirit that you don't need to be in and/or support any and everything just because it has “JESUS” stamped on it.
Maybe you are sensing in your spirit that, that friend that you've known for 10 years is not good for you in this season.
Maybe you are sensing in your spirit that social media is nothing but a distraction that sows seeds of discontentment.
And the list goes on……
Friend, to obey the voice of God and the nudges from the Holy Spirit,
even in areas that in your opinion don't seem that “bad” or “sin” is to in essence work out your
own salvation AND purpose in your heart to not defile yourself.
One thing I have learned in my walk with the Lord is that He can see things that I cannot at times and knows not only what’s ahead, but what He is preparing me for. Those small things do matter. This is not about being legalistic; this is about being obedient and leaning not onto our own understanding, but acknowledging Him and trusting Him to direct our paths.
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Examples?
Maybe you are sensing in your spirit that you don't need to watch a certain TV show.
Maybe you are sensing in your spirit that you don't need to be in and/or support any and everything just because it has “JESUS” stamped on it.
Maybe you are sensing in your spirit that, that friend that you've known for 10 years is not good for you in this season.
Maybe you are sensing in your spirit that social media is nothing but a distraction that sows seeds of discontentment.
And the list goes on……
Friend, to obey the voice of God and the nudges from the Holy Spirit,
even in areas that in your opinion don't seem that “bad” or “sin” is to in essence work out your
own salvation AND purpose in your heart to not defile yourself.
One thing I have learned in my walk with the Lord is that He can see things that I cannot at times and knows not only what’s ahead, but what He is preparing me for. Those small things do matter. This is not about being legalistic; this is about being obedient and leaning not onto our own understanding, but acknowledging Him and trusting Him to direct our paths.
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The Status of Your Heart
As Christians, especially if you have been saved for a while, it is easy, if you're not careful to grow complacent. It's easy to give yourself a “LIKE” for the things you do and don't do to honor God. It's easy to go to church, serve in 5 different ministries, and attend every service and receive a “LIKE” from people because you are oh so faithful, committed, and on fire for God. Friend, it's easy to post about the Lord on Social Media, get a few “LIKES” and think….”Yes, I’ve arrived!” But here’s the thing….we can do all these things, while inadvertently neglecting the part of us that is most important….our hearts. We should go to church, serve, be a light on social media, and of course, live by what the Word says PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY, but we must never forget that although man looks at what we do or don't do, God knows the "why," because He looks on the inside where no one can “LIKE” the status of our hearts. Truth is, you can do all those things, but if your heart is not right, you are not truly honoring the Lord.
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Understanding and Overcoming Temptation
Today we're discussing all things temptation.
We're going to understand it, learn how to respond to it, and yes, overcome it.
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We're going to understand it, learn how to respond to it, and yes, overcome it.
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The Garden of Your Heart
One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him: “A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted! This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word." Luke 8:4-8,11 NLT
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Called To A Great Work
“You and I are CHOSEN for a purpose, we are HEALED for a purpose, we are CALLED for a purpose, and that purpose ALWAYS involves other people."
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The Secret of Being Content
"I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation…..” Philippians 4:12-13
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The Perfect Sacrifice: A Call To Radical Obedience
"Obedience becomes radical when we say, ‘Yes, God, whatever you want,’ and mean it. We release our grip on all that we love and offer it back to Him, who loves us more. And it is into these upturned hands that God will pour out His blessings-His abundant, unexpected, radical blessings."
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The Importance of Walking in Love
Love. If you're like me, you love LOVE, Amen! But here's the question that Jesus has laid on my heart to ask you, "Are you loving like Him?" Listen friend, we can preach every day, post scriptures on Facebook, go to church, speak in tongues, be anointed, etc., and many would think that we are not only saved, but really growing spiritually and being used of God. But if we are walking in bitterness, unforgiveness, and/or offense we are not only stunting our spiritual growth, but also hindering what God wants to do in, for, and through us in this world.
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If You Remain Silent
For my whole Christmas break I have been studying the book of Esther and I must say although I have read this book many times, this time this book has taken on a whole new meaning! In the past when I heard the story of Esther, "For such a time as this" was what always stuck out to me and if you were to be honest……it probably stuck out to you too! But now after going chapter by chapter, four words have stayed in my spirit and they are, "IF YOU REMAIN SILENT!"
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I Forgive You
Have you ever been madder than a hornet? Have you ever been having a great day and then you ran into a person that hurt or offended you and your whole mood changed and the rest of your day was completely ruined? Has someone ever hurt you so badly that you felt as though it hurt you to your core? Have you ever put a period where God has put a comma because someone did something that you did not like? Have you ever spoken ill of someone to another person trying to get that person to see that individual in the same negative light that you do? Have you ever judged someone prematurely because they reminded you of someone who hurt you? Maybe….maybe not. I can let you know that Raven Symone Jackson has been madder than a hornet! Oh yes, the girl who is madly in love with Jesus has been upset!! I share this small story because I want you to know that you are not alone and that the same God that healed me from hurt and transformed my life can do the same for you!
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Got Feelings?
Feelings. We all have them. One day you can "feel" real good, but the next day.....not so much! Now although all feelings are not necessarily bad, some can be if they are not in alignment with the truth of God's Word. Satan comes against us with feelings of discouragement, failure, defeat, sadness, depression, pity, loneliness, fear, doubt, anxiety, worry, condemnation, unworthiness, frustration, insecurity, and I'm sure you can add even more "feelings" to this list. The truth is, the enemy has not changed his M.O.
He's been using these "feelings" to rob blood bought believers of their peace, joy, strength, and identity in Christ.
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He's been using these "feelings" to rob blood bought believers of their peace, joy, strength, and identity in Christ.
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Clear The Stage
A couple of weeks ago I listened to Jimmy Needham's song "Clear the Stage" and immediately was brought to my knees in repentance and worship. Idols are defined as a representation or symbol of an object of worship; a false god; an object of extreme devotion. Jimmy Needham's lyrics resonated in my spirit and I had it on repeat all day long. Idols…do you have any? What do you put before God? What can't you stop thinking of? What have you given all your love to other than God? Idols….do you have any?
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Feed the Spirit; Starve the Flesh
We have all heard the "Feed the Spirit; Starve the Flesh" message. And many times we only relate "certain things" to the flesh like lust and sex, but this message is much deeper than just that. Today, I challenge you to take a look in the mirror and do a self-check. Today, we will discuss the following:
1. What is considered the flesh?
2. Am I feeding my flesh?
3. How am I helping my flesh to grow?
4. How can I starve my flesh?
5. How can I feed my spirit?
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1. What is considered the flesh?
2. Am I feeding my flesh?
3. How am I helping my flesh to grow?
4. How can I starve my flesh?
5. How can I feed my spirit?
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The Sermon You Preach
As I sit here preparing to speak on this Sunday, I ran across this quote and was immediately about to share it on Facebook, but then I thought……why not write about it. The life you live is the sermon you preach. Many times we look at our Pastors, or the Evangelists, Missionaries, Elders,….etc. at our church as the only ones who have a sermon to preach. Maybe it is from the pulpit on a Sunday morning, or maybe it is by traveling around the world sharing the Gospel, or maybe it's through teaching Bible study or Sunday school….but whatever it is we never think about the sermon that we preach as we live.
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Help! I'm Offended!
Are you offended? Most people immediately will say, "Not at all! I don't let people bother me like that child!" BUT deep down you are either very resentful, irritated, or very annoyed because of a PERCEIVED insult! Today, we are going to talk about the trap of being offended, let some things go once and for all, and avoid this deceitful trap of the enemy in the future.
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Can You Fill My Cup?
"You can drink from all sorts of wells, but unless the source of your water is the Living Water Himself, you will never be satisfied."
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Praise God in EVERY Season and Circumstance
In times of great difficulty, we can rejoice in the Lord and expect great victory!
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Friend: A Covenant Word
"Raven, FRIEND is a COVENANT WORD!" My dad always said this and still does today when we talk about friendships. I never really knew what he meant by this until I began to seek God about it. Friendship is something that is very dear to my heart. I have always wanted to write about this subject, but never felt led by God to do so until now. Today, I just want to leave you with something that the Lord has shown me in His Word and prayerfully it will encourage you to seek God's face about the people in your life.
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The Sheep Season
If you are diligently going after Jesus and serving Him, know that sometimes you will be called to do monotonous work that will not make the "headlines." Don't get discouraged; don't stop doing what God told you to do, living for Him, and sharing the Gospel. David was called and anointed to be a King, but first he was "just tending sheep." God used Him mightily as He will YOU! So, bloom where YOU are planted, continue to use your life to work diligently at whatever the Lord has called you to do, and walk in full confidence. God is for YOU!
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Little Foxes in the Vineyard
"Catch all the foxes, those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard of love, for the grapevines are blossoming!"
Song of Solomon 2:15 NLT
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Song of Solomon 2:15 NLT
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Our Plans vs. God's Purpose
"We humans keep brainstorming options and plans. but God’s purpose prevails." Proverbs 19:21 MSG
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The Touch of Faith
"She's got issues!" Have you ever said this or at least thought this about someone? Better yet, have you been this someone.....the someone who has issues that everybody and their momma knows about? In the ninth chapter of Matthew we meet a woman. She has no name, no "degree," no friends, but she does have something.....an issue, one of which she suffered with for 12 years. She was probably ostracized, persecuted, put down, and talked horribly about all because of her issue. Our issues may not be as severe as hers, so to speak, but many of us can relate. Issues such as sleepless nights, sadness, depression, loneliness, fear, anxiety, worry, broken heart, discouragement, feelings of despair and emptiness, etc., plagues many believers.
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Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
Friend, we are NEVER to let our eyes, our feelings, our circumstances or anything else, but the Word dictate what we believe. We walk by faith and not by sight!!
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Dressed To Conquer
Every morning when you are getting ready for work, school, or just an outing you have to pick out your outfit (if you haven't already). But today I want to suggest to you the most important "outfit" of all. In order to be who God has called you to be and walk in victory you must always be dressed to conquer!
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Guarding Your Heart
Growing up I was always the girl who wore her heart on her sleeve. Although I grew up hearing, "guard YOUR heart" (Proverbs 4:23) at home, in church, etc., I still did not quite grasp what God was trying to say. It wasn't until I went off to college that I found out what this scripture really meant and how important it is. So the question today is, "How do I guard my heart?"
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You Have The Last Say
One question: Did you know that you had the last say? After hearing a message taught by Pastor Mark Hankins I began a more in depth study on one of my favorite men in the Bible....David and found a similarity between his life and Christ's life. As we all know David faced Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:42-51 and Jesus was tempted by Satan in Matthew 4:3-11. In life, we all will face giants and be tempted by Satan; speaking the Word of God releases God's power to win in each conflict.
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What's In Your Alabaster Box?
Matthew 26:7-13 and Mark 14:3 has been in my spirit for months. So let's dig in. In the days Jesus was on earth, when a young woman reached the age of availability for marriage, her family would purchase an alabaster box for her and fill it with precious ointment. The size of the box and the value of the ointment would parallel her family’s wealth. This alabaster box would be part of her dowry. When a young man came to ask for her hand in marriage, she would respond by taking the alabaster box and breaking it at his feet. This gesture of anointing his feet showed him honor.
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He's With You
Three men: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. One name: Jesus! In Daniel 3, King Nebuchadnezzar built a huge golden image and commanded all the people to fall down and worship it whenever they heard the sound of his musical herald. Anyone who failed to bow and worship this image would be thrown into the furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego chose not to bow and worship the golden image. They were determined to obey and worship God only, and thus were reported to the king. Let's stop here. In your life circumstances, obstacles, and the things of this world will try to get you to "bow." Bow by being in unbelief, bow by being in doubt, bow by walking in fear and not by faith ....etc. But as we will see by the example set by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego....that not bowing will always lead to victory!
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The God Of The Impossible
I've always been a person who dreams big. Some of you just like me have so many dreams that are so big that at times they seem impossible. Sometimes you feel that the dream that you have whether it be a career choice, a promotion, or just a scholarship is impossible because no one has ever had it, done it, or maybe to everyone else you are not exactly the most qualified. But today, I want to simply encourage you and remind you that you serve a great God! He is greater than any circumstance, issue, problem, opinion, situation, etc. He has awesome plans for you that will exceed expectations, touch many lives, and change this world for His glory! Today, I want to introduce you to (if you have not met Him yet) or for those of you who know Him, I want to remind you of the God of the IMPOSSIBLE! Our foundational scriptures today are coming from Genesis 17, but before we get into that chapter, let's do some background work.
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God's Presence
My prayer for the last couple of weeks has been to experience God's presence on a greater level. God then led me to Exodus 33:15 which says,"And Moses said to the Lord, If Your presence does not go with me, do not carry us up from here!" What a bold, strong, and confident declaration! I tell you, this adamant statement to God from Moses has stayed in my spirit for weeks. Lately, God has been heavy on my heart to pray that His will be done in my life and to trust and find rest in Who He is. "The will of God...nothing more, nothing less, NOTHING ELSE," is what God wants my motto to be.
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Believing God Enough To Remain Seated
Are you believing God for something so great, something so big; something that others say is impossible? Friend, I have in the past and I am currently doing so. At New Years Eve service my dad said that this would be the year of great grace. My Pastor here in Atlanta (Pastor Creflo Dollar) had been preaching about grace for the whole year of 2012. And then, my peers who went to Passion 2013 (wish I could have gone) here in Atlanta said that Pastor Louie Giglio said,"This is the year of God's favor! What do you want?" Whew….I almost started to shout on that one! Grace is defined as unmerited; undeserved favor. So….friend, what do you want? What do you want God to do for you and are you in the right position to receive it? Let's dig in!
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If God Is For You
Reading the Word one day during my quiet time with the Lord, He led me to 2 Kings 6:8-20 and let's just say for me it was a "rhema word." A rhema word is whenever the Lord uses a divine highlighter in His Word; speaking directly and specifically to your circumstance/situation-----even though you have read or heard it time and time again. It's whenever you are sitting in church on a Sunday morning or Wednesday evening and God uses the minister to say exactly what you need to hear; it's almost like he/she has read your mail!
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Obedience
Obedience.
o · be · di · ence: /ōˈbēdēəns/
Compliance with someone's wishes or orders or acknowledgment of their authority
.".......Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice.........." 1 Samuel 15:22 NLT Obedience. We both love this word and dislike it.,,,...at times.
We are called to be obedient to God, but often times we choose to not be. In 1 Samuel 15:1-9 NLT we can see ourselves in many ways. God gave Saul and the people of Israel specific instructions as He does us many times. God told Saul to "go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation----- MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN, BABIES, CATTLE, SHEEP, GOATS, CAMELS, and DONKEYS." Saul and the Israelites in return did what many of us do when given specific instructions.
They "partially" obeyed God.
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o · be · di · ence: /ōˈbēdēəns/
Compliance with someone's wishes or orders or acknowledgment of their authority
.".......Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice.........." 1 Samuel 15:22 NLT Obedience. We both love this word and dislike it.,,,...at times.
We are called to be obedient to God, but often times we choose to not be. In 1 Samuel 15:1-9 NLT we can see ourselves in many ways. God gave Saul and the people of Israel specific instructions as He does us many times. God told Saul to "go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation----- MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN, BABIES, CATTLE, SHEEP, GOATS, CAMELS, and DONKEYS." Saul and the Israelites in return did what many of us do when given specific instructions.
They "partially" obeyed God.
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Dreams And Visions
A couple of months ago while studying I watched “Joseph: King of Dreams” on Netflix. If you know me, you know that I love watching movies and believe that a good movie always has a lesson in it that we can learn from. This movie opened the door for me to study Joseph’s story in Genesis.
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