Fresh Wind Ministries, Int´l

Proverbs 21:31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance is of the LORD.(NKJ)

A few days ago I woke up to find a cat lying comfortably on our dryer in the back porch.  As some of you may know, we have three dogs, no cats.

 
I tried several times to get rid of the cat, but it would not budge.  I tossed it over the fence, tried scaring it away, putting it out on the road, but nothing.  I feared that once the dogs would see it, it would breathe its last breath.

Since the cat would not leave, I just left it and began to observe her.    I thought for sure that once the dogs saw it, she would run off. 

The time came for dogs and cat to meet, and what followed surprised me.  The cat hissed and stood her ground.  She then began to walk towards the dogs, hissing and keeping eye focus with them.  The cat did not run as most do.   The dogs backed off.

 
We decided that if this cat can hold its own with three dogs, she deserves to stay. 

This made me think of the times we face an enemy in our Christian walk.  Some believers run off in fear when the first sign of trouble comes their way.   We are the ones with the authority and power of the Holy Spirit working through us, and yet we act as though the battle has not been won. 

Friends, the enemy has been defeated in every area of our life.  It´s time to appropriate  that authority, stand our ground and look the enemy in the eye and say, ¨Move out of the way, here I come. ¨

Blessings.

Yvette :: Nov.07.2008 :: Devocionales, Devotionals, Inspiration :: 5 Comments »

I am a guest blogger at the Surrendered Scribe.

Read my post titled Thankful for Moving Time.

Blessings,

Yvette :: Nov.04.2008 :: Christianity, Costa Rica, Devotionals, Inspiration :: No Comments »

Luke 16:22-26   ”So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.  “And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.   “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’  ”But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.   ‘And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’(NKJ)

How do we explain to to people what happens when we die?  Do we pray for the dead? Where do they go, and how do we prove it? 

Living in a  Latin country,  it is customary that when a person dies  family members and friends pray for the soul to enter heaven for nine days.   After the nine days are completed,  those that have prayed feel assured that the persons soul has entered heaven and are now at rest.

But this is what the Bible has to say.

The scripture above talks about the beggar Lazarus, full of sores  and the rich man clothed in purple and fine linen.

When both men died,   Lazarus went to hell, and the poor man went to heaven.  These two  men  had  different destinies.  Both Lazarus and the rich man went to a place of departed spirits called in the Hebrew language ¨Sheol¨and in the Greek language ¨Hades.¨

The rich man was in a place of torment, and Lazarus in a place of rest. Between these two places there was a great gulf fixed that could not be crossed, in other words a gap probably larger than the grand canyon. 

This gulf could not be crossed, which means that there is no hope to change the eternal destiny of the soul after death.  Because of this, it is of no value to pray for the dead.  The decision to accept or reject Jesus as Savior must be made during this life.  It is this decision that determines the destiny of your soul.

The place of rest for departed spirits of the righteous was called Abraham’s Bosom.  This meant it was a place for those who followed the same faith of Abraham by serving the one true and living God.

While we are on this earth, it is our decision to choose our  destiny.  We have two places to choose from;  Heaven or Hell, and these two places are very real and exist. 

Why not choose Jesus, and choosing Jesus means you choose life. With that you will have life more abundantly.  Choose to live in a place and live the rest of your days in a place where  God will wipe away every tear from your eye; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.  Revelation 21:4

Yvette :: Nov.01.2008 :: Articles, Christianity, Devotionals, Inspiration :: 2 Comments »

According to the Word of God
It is very simple to be saved and takes only a minute to explain. Please let me show you how to go to Heaven from the Bible, God’s Word…

Man is a sinner.

Isaiah 53:6, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
John 3:3, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Romans 3:10, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.”
Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

There is a price on our sin―eternal death in Hell.

Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 5:12, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”
2nd Thessalonians 1:8, “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Revelation 20:15, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Revelation 21:8, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Jesus paid that price by dying on the cross and shedding His blood.

Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
1st Timothy 1:15, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”
1st Peter 1:18-19, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ…”

 
By faith in Jesus Christ ALONE we can be saved.
Salvation is NOT found in a religion or good works, but in a person… The LORD JESUS CHRIST!

John 11:25, “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”
John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
John 6:40, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Mark 1:15, “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”
Acts 26:18, “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”
Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
1st Corinthians 3:11, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
Galatians 3:26, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”

HERE IS HOW YOU CALL UPON THE LORD

Do you admit that you are a GUILTY sinner under the condemnation of God’s LAW, deserving of Hellfire?

Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God (God in the flesh) who died upon the cross, sacrificing His precious blood to pay for your sins?

All you need to do to be saved is to BELIEVE upon the Lord Jesus Christ.

Perhaps you’d feel comfortable praying a sinner’s prayer as did the publican in Luke 18:13… “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”

Dear Jesus,
I admit that I am a sinner, deserving of Hell. Please forgive me of my sins and take me to Heaven when I die. I now believe upon You alone, apart from all works and religion, as my personal Savior. Thank you. Amen.

Just as you were born physically to your parents, you were born spiritually into the Family of God when you believed on Jesus! (John 3:3). Please understand that we are not saved because we pray a prayer; but because we believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ. It is certainly appropriate to ask the Lord in prayer to forgive and save us; but it is our faith which prompted us to pray the prayer. You could just as easily believe in your heart upon the Lord to be saved, and not pray at all. Salvation is of the heart, as we read in Romans 10:10, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness…”

You do NOT have to be baptized or doing anything to go to Heaven other than trust upon the Lord as your Savior. Romans 4:5 proclaims… “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” The only sin which can prevent a person from being saved is UNBELIEF. Thus, unbelief is the only sin which a person needs to repent of to be saved. What a wonderful Savior!

Please send us an e-mail and let us know if you have just received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior! We would like to rejoice with you.

Kindest regards,

David J. Stewart

Yvette :: Oct.14.2008 :: Articles, Christianity, Inspiration :: No Comments »

Psalm 18:28 My God will enlighten my darkness

The Lord has been gently nudging me that there will be some changes coming soon.  As I have been meditating on these things,  I was not sure how these changes were going to be implemented, or if it was for one area  of my life  or many areas. I know the Lord has something new and different, and I want to know it now and how! 

I ran across this verse which is displayed on my office calendar. God will enlighten my darkness. That is how I felt, I was in the dark on what these changes would entail, but God will show me the way and the how, especially if He is the one leading.

I confess, I have been guilty at times on the ¨how¨aspect of things, wanting to know every detail.  In the end, God is in control and I just yield it all to him.

Are you in the dark about a  certain area in your life?  Rejoice, because He will enlighten your darkness.

Yvette :: Oct.10.2008 :: Christianity, Devotionals, Inspiration :: 2 Comments »

1 Corinthians 15:36 Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies(NKJ)

Have you ever held onto something so tight, that it was just not working? You try to do things your way, you plan it, you realize you have a treasure within you and nothing is coming out as you had hoped.

Look at the life of Jesus. Jesus knew there was a plan and a purpose for Him. He knew he was the son of God since a child, yet he did nothing about it until his father in heaven released him for the work. I have often thought about the life of Jesus. He knew who He was, He also knew that one day he would raise the dead and heal the sick. I imagine that at times he wondered why it was taking so long.

I have been in a place where I hold on so very tight to what has been deposited in me. I have on my own effort tried to get things right. I have also realized that in doing this, my gift does not work.

It´s not until I let it go, that the Lord revives it again. Jesus died on the cross, but he did no stay there. Jesus resurrected to a greater glory than when he walked the earth. So will our gifts.

Perhaps it´s time to let go of what you are holding onto so hard. When we let go, we let go to the Lord. We realize that it´s not by power nor might, by by His spirit. See your gift prosper to a resurrected glory in Him.

Blessings

Yvette :: Oct.05.2008 :: Christianity, Devotionals, Inspiration :: 2 Comments »

During my prayer time last nigt, I asked the Lord the following question that many of you have probably asked as well.  ¨Father, the promises you made me, when are they coming to pass?¨  He answered with the following verse: 

2 Corinthians 1:20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.(NKJ)

Upon hearing that familiar verse, I was then reminded of the times the Lord has answered past request.  For me this was a gentle reminder that ALL His promises are a Yes and Amen.

Let this post encourage you. Feeling left behind? Remind yourself of past promises the Lord has answered, and He will answer those future ones as well.

Blessings in Him

Yvette :: Sep.25.2008 :: Christianity, Devotionals, Inspiration, revelation :: 3 Comments »

Deuteronomy 28:8 “The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.(NKJ)

In my early days of  my Christian walk, church  taught us not  to store up treasures on earth, but rather in Heaven where moth and rust do not destroy.  See Matthew 6:19

We did what every believer does.  Tithe,  give, volunteer, work in the Sunday School class, pray, fast, and on and on.  I felt for many years that  there was piece missing to all of this tithing and giving.  We struggled at times, but never failed to tithe and yes, there were those moments where the Lord did come through.   Yet, I have always felt that we should be prospering, and not  barely getting by.

I was recently told about a book called The Storehouse Principle by a pastor.  The book is based on Duet 28:8.  The pastor tells his entire congregation that every believer should have a storehouse, so that they can become prosperous.  I immediately purchased the book and the piece to my missing puzzle was complete.

The word storehouse in Deutueronomy talks about our barn.   A barn is where one saves, and has a reserve.   It is not our tithe, but our own savings account.  When the barn becomes full, we can then invest the money into a business, and become prosperous.

The word Storehouse in Malachi  has a different meaning which is treasury.  If you notice the wording, Malachi talks about the storehouse, and Deuteronomy talks about your storehouses, plural. 

This is one of the few verses where the Lord commands the blessing on your storehouse.  Once you begin to save for yourself and for your family, the Lord commands His blessing on it.   We can then pay off that   credit card, begin purchasing items on a cash only basis, and little by little we see that we are close to becoming debt free.   Once we have our storehouse, we can ask the Lord for wisdom and guidance on how to invest the money. 

This is not to say that tithing is not important, it is.  I  believe the two work hand in hand.  The missing piece for me, and one that was not taught, at least to the churches that I attended was to put money away in a saving account, and to be responsible with our finances.   The Lord will not bless our irresponsibility.

Begin a storehouse for you, your future and family.   Ask the Lord to bring a business or investment along your path to increase  it,  and He will do it.

Blessings in Him.

Stumble it!

Yvette :: Sep.21.2008 :: Christianity, Devotionals, Inspiration :: 7 Comments »

Welcome to another editions of the the Carnival of Devotionals and Inspiration.

I am pleased as this month we have a few more submissions that I trust you will enjoy these great reads.

ChristianPF presents 12 Ways to turn a bad day into a better one posted at Christian Financial Blog.

Melissa Carter Brewster presents livelifeblessedblog.com: August 2008 Archives posted at livelifeblessedblog.com.

Pastor WD Favour presents Knowing God?s Word (Part 1) posted at WDFavour.com.

Pastor WD Favour presents Knowing God?s Word (Part 2) posted at WDFavour.com.

Minister Mamie L. Pack presents A Love Story posted at The Life I Now Live.

Allen Scott presents Selecting a Leader posted at Journey Across the Sky.

Sally Huss presents Crystal Clear Goals by Sally Huss posted at Sally Huss - Addicted to Happiness!.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Devotionals and Inspiration using our carnival submission form.

Yvette :: Sep.14.2008 :: Christianity, Devotionals, Inspiration :: No Comments »

James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;
24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.(NKJ)

My husband was speaking to a friend of ours who went to do some  work at a couple´s home.  The worker commented that the couple did not portray their Christianity, and that he is routinely treated very poorly. 

It is sad to say, but these stories are common today.  We act like Christians on Sunday, and during the rest of the week we are someone completely different.  We behave and say the right buzz words with our Christian friends, but then face the world and act like them during the week.

The word above says that we are to be doers of the word. In other words, be Christ-like in every area of our lives.

I am particular when it comes to treating people.  We are all God´s creation, saved or unsaved, and when we interact with others we portray Christ in us.  We portray Christ with our words and actions.  We are Christ´s representatives on earth.

I would be saddened to hear of someone speaking about me, that person not having a clue that I have Jesus in my heart.  I then began to think;  If I was belittling a fellow Christian, don´t you think that the Lord would be saddened as well?

Let us learn to be doers of the word in all areas of our lives.  Our speech, our manner of treating others, and our actions towards strangers.  If we struggle, we have a helper with us that will teach us and guide us every step of the way.

Blessings

Yvette :: Sep.09.2008 :: Christianity, Devotionals, Inspiration :: 6 Comments »