INCORRECT LYRICAL THEOLOGY

I was sitting and thinking about all of the Gospel/Christian Music that many of us as Christians listen to and I've come to realize that half of them are what I would like to call "Theologically Incorrect". Theology has to do with our Knowledge of God! Many of the Gospel/Christian songs that we listen to have no biblical or scriptural backing! The lyrics in the songs seem to be pretty much what comes to peoples mind! While the lyrics sound spiritual using words like, "God", "Him", "Faith", "shout", "praise", etc., many of the songs really don't line up with what's in the Word of God!

A couple of songs in particular come to mind (I won't mention them in this Blog), but one song in particular sung by a famous gospel duo, that has become most popular among churchgoers, saints and believers never even mentions anything that implies something spiritual, biblical or Godly. It's basically an inspirational song of encouragement and motivation but definetly not Biblical and has absolutely no Theological Tone or Thought! While that's fine and all, that song should fall under "Contemporary R&B" rather than Gospel.

I just believe if you're a Gospel Group or Singer your songs should reflect just that "The Gospel" (The Good News of Jesus Christ) AND reflect as much of what the Bible has to say as possible. Just some thoughts of mine guys, feel free to comment and give your thoughts. Be Blessed!

- PV

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.
- WINSTON CHURCHILL

DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS Part I

I just want to take a few minutes in Part one of this Blog to encourage someone who may be struggling with moving forward with the Dream that's on the Inside of you. First off know this, that you're an amazing individual and so is that Dream that's you've concieved. Whether you want to start a business or a Family, whether you're seeking to go back to school and further your education, whether you're looking at changing careers, buying a house or some sort of Real Estate or even making a Decision Spiritually, it's your dream to pursue, don't stop until you've accomplished everything you need to see it to the end. Here are some tips that I've found to be both helpful and influential:


1. GIVE GOD YOUR DREAM

2. PRAY OVER YOUR DREAM

3. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT YOUR DREAM, ENCOURAGE YOUR EFFORTS, COMMUNICATE TRUTHFULLY TO YOU ABOUT YOUR DREAM AND CHALLENGE YOU BEYOND YOUR COMFORT ZONE.

4. ALWAYS THINK POSITIVE ABOUT YOUR DREAM EVEN WHEN CHALLENGES SURFACE DURING THE PROCESS.

5.  PUSH PAST YOUR LIMITS.

I'll be back this week to give us five more tips that I believe will helpful! Be Encouraged and Keep Dreaming!


- PV

VISION 2013 - GROW

As the Lord continues to speak to me concerning the Vision of the House for CCFC for 2013 and beyond, I am confident that He wants our Intentional Focus moving forward to be on GROWTH! The three areas of Growth will be: WORSHIP, OUTREACH AND SERVING (THROUGH OUR GIFTS)! It my earnest desire that we as a Church pursue Growth in God through these areas and bring Glory to God in all that we say and do! I'm so excited about the souls that will be saved and those whom God will raise up to begin Serving in Ministry. This will be the year of God's Divine Perfection as we "Take the Limits Off".

G. - GOD
R. - REWARDS
O. - OUR
W. - WORK

-- PV

FRIDAY THOUGHTS

Well we've reached another Friday, which means for many of us we've reached the end of another Work Week. For some of us it's been challenging and even chaotic, but through it all we've made it! Through all of the disappointments of the week it's great to say we've made it. So take some time this weekend to reflect and remember everything you have to be thankful for, it'll cut down on the complaints as we exit the week and enter into the weekend.

Do something fun, safe and exciting this weekend, you deserve it! Spend time with family or great friends, visit a museum, eat out at a great Restaurant, go see a Play or a Movie! Then go to Church on Sunday and Praise God that you have made through another week of challenges!

Be Encouraged until we talk again!


- PV

MY FITNESS JOURNEY

Back near the end of August 2012 I made a purposeful and determined decision to begin giving more attention to my Health. At that time I was in the worst shape of my life, I was the heaviest I'd ever been and the most unhealthy as I'd ever been and I was starting to really feel it. One of my problems was I was eating heavy meals late and then going straight to bed (that's a no-no). \

I was also eating very unhealthy foods (Fried, greasy, sugary foods, etc.) So I decided to get me a personal trainer and begin a Fitness Program that will help me to get back down to my ideal body weight as well as help me to get off of the current BP Meds that I take daily. I'm by no means a Fitness Guru or Professional but I do understand the importance and significance of being healthy.

Since August I've dropped 22 pounds! Now I'm not that impressed with that number, but I am grateful because that's 22 pounds less that I have to lose. My goal date to be at my ideal body weight is Thanksgiving 2013. I'm looking to lose 100 more pounds. Some of you may say Wow that's a lot of weight and yes it is, but it's the personal goal that I've set for myself and I'm determined to get there.

When I tell people I was more than 100 pounds overweight, they're almost shocked because I didn't look like it, mainly because of my 6'1" frame. Nonetheless, I know I was more than 100  pounds overweight and it was literally killing me (emotionally and physically).

So as I continue on this Fitness Journey I want to encourage someone who needs to set a goal for your life, whether it's fitness, educational, spiritual, relational or financial set that goal and stick to it and don't stop until you see the end result...no matter how long it takes! My Motto for my Fitness Journey is "If you Believe, You can Achieve" and I encourage somebody to embrace this same saying, if nobody else is going to be believe in you, you believe in your Yourself! Listen, although I have a long way to go and no, it isn't EASY, BUT I'm determined to make it to my goal!

Let me leave with a scripture...Ecclesiastes 7:8a. (NLT) says, "Finishing is better than starting...", bottom line, FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED!

-- STAY STRONG!

PV

iCare

There's a saying that goes, "People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care". Well in my time in Ministry and Spiritual Leadership, I've discovered that there is so much validity and truth to this statement. The more I serve people the more I understand how important it is for them to know you care. Caring is a visible tangible action that is carried out in the life of others while serving and doing ministry to them.

People don't mind following Leaders who care! I believe that my effectiveness as a Leader centers around my willingness to care and love the people that I lead and those God allows me to encounter outside of the physical structure of the Church building. It doesn't matter if I can preach well,  if I can teach well or if I am fluent in quoting scriptures, unless my love and care for people is genunine, authentic and pure then all of that means absolutely nothing. If lives are going to be changed, I must Care. ICARE!


-- Be Strong!
P.V.

No more Limited Thinking, think outside the Box

One of the Biggest enemies to Progress is Limited thinking! I call Limited Thinking, Stale thinking! Limited thinking is detrimental to you seeing beyond what you've always known (the familiar). I've encountered some people that have been so programmed to think inside of the circle of the "Familiar" that when they've encountered something fresh, new or innovative they literally cringed at the thought of it. Limited thinking keeps one from experiencing growth on so many levels. Just because it's the way you've always seen or heard it done, doesn't mean that, that's the ONLY way it can or should be done!

So many have been almost intimidated into limited thinking, even in the church! Their are some who are made to feel that if they go outside of how they've always seen or heard it done, then they're going to hell or they're less of a Christian than they've professed to be. This almost becomes an insecure or fearful mindset! I say it all the time and I'll say it again, Our MESSAGE doesn't Change, but our Method can! As long as the Method doesn't compromise Biblical principals and standards it's ok to think outside the BOX! So whatever your BOX is (Church tradtion, home, school, family tradition, old habits, etc.) don't be "stuck" in your ways, it's time to start thinking outside the BOX!

Isaiah 42:9 (NIV) "See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.”

 

~STAY STRONG

PV

DON'T SETTLE

Your Potential is always Greater than your Limitations! Don't Settle!

~Stay Strong!

PV

Some Personal Thoughts

I've come to a point in my life where I just don't expect the same things that I used to. More specifically I don't expect people to respond to my crisis as they would their own! I used to get upset when people would "Casually" responded to anything that I would go through. It really bothered me for others to be aware of the crisis, chaos or challenge but only respond in a way as to say, that's your problem and not mine! If I was bothered about something I would get genuinely upset when I shared my hurt, pain or just a problem with someone and they wouldn't give the response I thought they should.

One reason I was like that was because I know the type of response that I would give someone if they shared their burdens and problems with me. I by no means expect people to become emotional, but I did expect them to show some emotion (even if it was non-verbal). Well, the older I get the more I realize that I can't expect others to respond to my circumstances as I would theirs. I by no means want anyone to throw me a pity party, because I don't even do that for myself, nor I am BY NO means an attention-seeker! In some way I just believe what the Bible says over in...

2 Corinthians 1:2-4 (NIV) ^2 "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God"

I also believe that we should give what we expect to be given!

- Be Strong!

PASTOR V.

Worship Together Blog

Worship Together Blog

Message clip

Wanted to share a great snipet from a Message preached by Steven Furtick (http://www.stevenfurtick.com/)!

Click this link for Message, Enjoy and Be blessed!
http://www.stevenfurtick.com/sermon-clips/the-main-character-that-matters/

You're feedback is welcomed!

~ Pastor V.

TURN ON THE SPOTLIGHT

When I was in my late teens to early twenties, I used to go to an local Urban Musical Event called the "GO-GO" (to learn more about GO-GO, go here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go-go. I was a die-hard fan of the Go-Go Band "RARE ESSENCE". When I went to the Go-Go there was a popular phrase during the call-and-response portion of the Band's performance when they used to say "Turn on the spotlight ya'll so we can put (insert a name or neighborhood here) on Display". 

We used to go crazy when the spotlight came on trying to get the attention of the person talking/rapping on the mic just to have our name/neighborhood called. The purpose of the spotlight was so that the person talking/rapping could see us in order to know who to call out and put on display on the mic to the rest of the crowd and if your name/neighborhood got called it made you feel real good and you would be talking about it for days to come, not to mention we would go out and purchase the cassette tape (yes I said cassette tape, LOL!) of the actual show, so that we could hear them call our name/neighborhood all over again.

Well as I sit and think about those times I spent with my friends at the GO-GO trying to be noticed in the spotlight of the GO-GO among other go-go dwellers, it dawned on me that it's the same way in the Kingdom of God where we are called as Followers of Christ to be noticed spiritually in front of a spiritually dying world through the Light (spotlight) of Jesus Christ! There's a passage of scripture over in Matthew 5:14 (NLT) it says, “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden"

As Christians we're called to become shining lights as a result of our relationship with Jesus Christ to a dark and dying world. We should never hide our "lights" but should always be hungry and eager to be put on the light of Christ display in front of those who don't yet know Him. So keep shining don't allow the weight and pressure of the things of this world dim or put your light out, keep allowing Jesus to shine through you. YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD!

- Stay Strong!

Pastor V.

GODLY EXAMPLES

There is in my mind a forgotten Passage over in Titus 2:1-5 that I believe we as Christians need to give attention, energy and focus to. This is what is known as what the Apostle Paul calls here "....things which are proper for Sound doctrine". 


Here's what it says (NLT): "As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching. ² Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience. ³ Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good.⁴ These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, ⁵ to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God" ⁶ In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. ⁷ And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. ⁸ Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us"

These duties and responsibilities outlined in this passage are for five groups: 
1) The Preacher 
2) Older or Mature Men 
3) Older or Mature Women 
4) Young Women and...
5) Young Men.


What's interesting about this passage is that the groups mentioned are called as either new or seasoned Christian to exhibit and exemplify qualities and character that is consistent with the life of a Child of God! What's even more powerful is that there is a theme of being a "GODLY EXAMPLE" permeated throughout the text and everyone called to be a Godly Example in the passage are to be diligent and consistent in focusing on those they have been called to be an Example to. 


The truth is, we need more Christians living lives that serve as examples to younger Christians. From the Preacher to the Parent, there are too many "compromising  Christians"  and therefore newer Christians are struggling to find proper Christian examples of what it means to truly live their lives according to Godly and biblical standards. 


Our young people (young men and women) are spiritually suffering because of the shortage of Mature Christians who are  willing to step up and show them how to live their lives God's way! So these younger Christians turn to the World's way of doing things, for both the young men and women they lack respect for themselves, they ignore spiritual authority, they surround themselves with worldly people and therefore they struggle to get beyond the infant stage of Christianity. 


Even in the natural a young child must have adult examples to show and model before them how to be responsible adults. Those of us who have been in the Faith for awhile are called to model in front of "baby" Christians the life God desires for them to live and as for The preacher, well he/she is called to exemplify exemplary conduct and behavior in front of those they lead both privately and publicly! LET'S GET BACK TO BEING A GODLY EXAMPLE! 


- BE STRONG! 


Pastor V. 

SOME PERSONAL THOUGHTS

Well on last Friday around 3:30 a.m. I had a freak accident, yep I fractured my left ankle, I tried to stand up, but my leg was asleep and when I went to put pressure on the leg, my ankle buckled under me!. This has left me pretty much incapacitated for the most part! I'm trying to keep busy, but all I can do is computer stuff and talk on the phone! This is very difficult for me because I'm used to really coming and going as I please. Nonetheless, this has given me a deeper appreciation for the ability to walk and do it with both of my legs and feet. I realize that there are people (war/military veteran's, diabetics, accident victims, etc.) who are living with amputations as well as prosthetic's and have had to make major life adjustment's due to the inability to use certain physical limbs and the blessing is although they lack limbs they still have LIFE! Bless God!!

One scripture comes to mind as I deal with this and it is found over in Psalm 103:1-5 where it says... "Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
² Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
³ Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
⁴ Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
⁵ Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s"

No matter what I'm facing, no matter what you're facing God's Name is worthy to be praised! 

-- Be Strong!

PASTOR V. 

HOSPITALITY

Today I saw a thought-provoking  statement that said, "Show hospitality, even though the corresponding return of hospitality to you may seem improbable; nevertheless, be hospitable in faith." The last part of that statement really stood out to me, because it suggests that our Hospitality should be done with no conditions, no strings attached, be hospitable without expected hospitality in return.

Now if the truth is told, that is one of the most difficult things to do, to extend hospitality to an individual or individuals with the great possibility that you won't receive it in return. Well, we're encouraged to "be hospitable in faith", while I'm taking care of them, we must believe that God will take care of us and don't worry HE WILL!

-- Stay Strong!

Pastor V.

MEASURING SUCCESS

Over the course of my life more specifically in leadership and ministry, I've discovered that there are many who measure how they're doing from their respective areas of leadership and ministry according to how they see someone in the same position as them are doing. They measure their success by how big another church's membership is or how many ministries or programs they have in place. They measure success by how big that church's budget is or how faithful the giving is of that particular church's membership. They even measure success by what kind of car the other Pastor/Leaders drives or the neighborhood he or she lives in.

The problem I've found out with measuring my personal success according to how/what I see another doing is that it can be very frustrating and discouraging. That's why it's important to understand that God allows things to be so in our lives in proportion to our ability and also our availability. He sees and knows ALL (omniscience)! There are some things we have a Zeal for but not necessarily the patience or tolerance or even mental or emotional strength to handle! There are some things that we haven't acquired the wisdom for yet, but we have the desire to do or be a part of.

I've learned in a very comprehensive way that EVERYTHING happens in God's time/timing! Having the Zeal for something, unfortunately is not indicative of the fact that I'm ready for what it is I have a Zeal for! Maybe there's more growth that needs to happen, more knowledge that needs to be gained, maybe there's more lessons to be learned,  more connections to be made or maybe, just maybe there's more TIME TO BE SPENT WITH GOD! Whatever it is it would behoove us to be faithful and dedicated where we are even through the frustration, the anxiety, the delays, the decline and the set backs.

Furthermore, just because a person, group or organization has seemingly surpassed you in a particular area in life or within their organization, believe me, it's not always a GOD thing! Sometimes things are allowed to happen just to show us, wow "I just wasn't ready for that, this is way too much to handle". So hang in there, be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10)! Our promotion comes from Him (Psalm 75:6) and He knows when we'll be ready for what we may think we're ready for right now.

BE STRONG!

Pastor V.

The Young and the Restless

Hey Everyone! It's been a minute since I've posted something personal! Well today I want to talk a little bit about how Valuable I believe young people (students, youth and children) are both to the local and Universal Church. Jesus once said something in His Word over in Mark Chapter 10 and verses #14-15, where He makes a clear and defining statement, He says... "He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children".  I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

Jesus was using the innocence, humility, teachable spirit, child-like faith, receptiveness and submissiveness of these children to show us who qualified to enter the Kingdom of God! Jesus had a heart for young people, He valued them, He understood them, He created a culture for them! I love that, because as a Pastor I try to follow Jesus' example of His Ministry to Children! I too believe that when it comes down to the things of the Kingdom young people play an intricate part in the advancement of the Kingdom Agenda!

For far too long so many churches have created a culture where young people are only to be seen and not heard! This has hurt and damaged young people, their confidence and their opportunities for serving and using their gifts and abilities to make a difference in their local churches and communities! Without a Ministry to Young People in the church they will become restless, bored, disinterested, reckless and even spiritually doubtful. I am absolutely convinced that young people have so much to offer as it relates to helping to move the local church in the direction to which God is calling it.

Next Week I'm going to give my ten personal reasons I believe young people should be used in their local churches and how great of an asset they'll be to their local church community at-large! God wants to use young people, therefore those in leadership should be creating and fostering an environment where they can use their God-given abilities to bring about life-change within the body of Christ as well as becoming a Godly influence on their friends and family that may be far from God!

Young people aren't just the Church of tomorrow, they're the Church of TODAY!

MORE NEXT WEEK.... In the meantime, Be Strong!

Pastor V.

Ministering to the Brokenhearted - Spiritled Woman

Ministering to the Brokenhearted - Spiritled Woman

WHERE DO FIGHTS COME FROM?

James, a Servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, posed this very question to some Christians over in James 4:1! He then answered his question to these believers in a question form by saying to them... "Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? Another word that's used for evil desires is "LUST"! Lust is simply "having, but wanting More and then more on top of more". More possessions, more power, more wealth, more status, more acknowledgement,  more notoriety and so forth and so on, and when more is not obtained, a person will fight another to get it.

More specifically, fights, wars, disharmony and Conflict occurs when one person differences clash with another, when different beliefs, difference desires, different impulses and different wants don't come in agreement with ours, conflict and confrontation is inevitable, because of a person's overly eager (and out of Control) desire (lust) for power and the need to be right about everything and the need to make others conform to their way of thinking and thought process.

No one person knows everything, everybody can learn from somebody it's a matter of walking in humility and facing the truth about your own inadequacies. The bottom line is this, and it must be faced, CONFLICT is always the result of our Human Imperfections!

So...."What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you?" and here's the Solution according to James 4:7 (NKJV) "Therefore submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you"

-- Be Strong!

Pastor V.

COURTESY: A Minute With John Maxwell, Free Coaching Video

TRANSPARENCY

I've discovered that in Leadership, whether in the corporate world or in the Church, there are very few who are transparent. I believe one of the reasons why Leaders lack transparency is because they want those around them to believe they don't have any flaws or failures. They feel that if they expose their own weaknesses then people won't depend on them as much as they would like.

This is called False advertisement and unrealistic expectations. The problem that I have with that is that when and if a leader does fall in any one particular area, those around them and under their leadership fall victim to deep (almost depressive) disappointment, because the Leader has unrealisticly portrayed an almost flawless and faultless demeanor as it pertains to their leadership and them as a person.

Leaders don't be afraid to be transparent, let your people know that you're not perfect and you're growing, maturing and learning just as they are. People want a leader who don't mind saying "I don't have it all together" let them know in what areas you fall short sometimes. Let them know that you do get frustrated, angry, mad, disappointed, weak and so forth and so on! Every leader becomes broken, every leader cries, every leader has marital or relationship problems, every leader falls short in some area of their life.

In fact, every leader has weaknesses! Even Superman was susceptible to kryptonite.So don't be so caught up in how strong you are that you're too high to come down to where people are in their own struggles and share yours.


-- BE STRONG!

Pastor V.

MINISTRY SUCCESS PART II

A few weeks ago I started a Blog entitled "MINISTRY SUCCESS". I listed some things that have kepted me from experiencing Burn-out and Failure! Here are a few MORE things that I want to share.

- STAY CONSISTENT
- STAY SPIRITUALLY HUNGRY
- STAY JOYFUL
- STAY THANKFUL
- STAY FAITHFUL
- STAY BIBLICALLY EDUCATED
- STAY CLEAR OF VISION KILLERS
- STAY IN LOVE WITH JESUS AND MY WIFE (-: 

I pray that I shared something that has inspired and helped you to experience success at level of ministry that God has you.

- STAY STRONG!

Pastor V.

GREATNESS

GREATNESS IS NOT THE RESULT OF POPULARITY, BUT THE COMBINATION OF STRENGTH, WILL AND DETERMINATION ALL WORKING HAND IN HAND!

BE STRONG!

-Pastor V.

"We do not study the Bible just to get to know the...

Awesome thought-provoking and helpful Blog by my friend and brother Pastor Mike Kelsey! Check it out and be blessed!


NO TITLE YET: "We do not study the Bible just to get to know the...: "We do not study the Bible just to get to know the Bible. We study the Bible that we might get to know God better. Too many earnest Bible st...

Donnie McClurkin: Create In Me A Clean Heart

The Heart of the Believer should be a Healthy and Grateful one!

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence,And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me"
(Psalm 51:10-11 NKJV)
--Stay Strong!
Pastor V.

MINISTRY SUCCESS - Part I

For me Ministry Success includes doing many things, here I have listed a few that have kept me from experiencing Burn-out and Failure!

- Stay Prayerful
- Stay Humble
- Stay Guarded against Outside Distractions
- Stay Vision Driven
- Stay in the Word of God
- Stay Worshipful...

Now these last three are probably where my biggest struggle lies, but I promise that I'm WORKING my HARDEST to do, lol!
- Stay Balanced
- Stay Healthy
- Stay Restful


PASTOR V.

Fred Hammond - No Weapon

EFFECTIVE PREACHING = AN EXPANDED CHURCH

Acts 2:40-41 (NKJV) "And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” ⁴¹ Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them"

TAKEAWAY: When Christ is EFFECTIVELY EXPOUNDED, His Church is EXPANDED!


-PJV

IT'S PART OF THE PROCESS

TRIBULATIONS ARE PART OF MY PROCESS!
Acts 14:22b says, "We must through many tribulations enter the Kingdom of God"

I can't avoid the tribulations in my life because it's part of my process on my way to my purpose and destiny! The fact that you're facing what you're facing is a sign that you're right where you're supposed to be and on your way to where you're called to go.


-- STAY STRONG!

Pastor V.

In the PRESENCE under PRESSURE

This BLOG by Pastor Stovall Weems helped me in an incredible way today and I thought it would be a blessing to the readers of my BLOG please be blessed, challenged and changed as you read it.

CLICK ON THIS LINK TO SEE BLOG: In the PRESENCE under PRESSURE

FORGIVENESS Part 1

I found an incredible Quote about FORGIVENESS that simply says...

"A Christian will find it cheaper to pardon than to resent. Forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, and the waste of spirit"

-- Hannah More

I'M ON ASSIGNMENT

There's a popular saying among Christians these days that simply goes "I'm on Assignment", I've even found myself saying it in times past. What "I'm on Assignment" means is that there has been a task assigned to me by God that I must share with others. Don't get me wrong there's absolutely nothing wrong with saying or being "On Assignment", but I do want to remind us of the great responsibility that comes with "Being on Assignment". Let me start by saying that there is a difference between "being on Assignment" and "wanting to be on Assignment"

HERE'S A PREVAILING TRUTH: Your Assignment will always be in proportion with your Ability and your Availability. The More Able and Available you are to God, the greater your Assignment! In other words your Assignment will never be greater than your Ability or your Availability!

James 3:1 declares this in the Amplified Translation... "NOT MANY [of you] should become teachers (self-constituted censors and reprovers of others), my brethren, for you know that we [teachers] will be judged by a higher standard and with greater severity [than other people; thus we assume the greater accountability and the more condemnation]"

So remember before we take an assignment or desire an assignment be sure and understand the EXPECTATIONS that come with carrying out that Assignment!


STAY STRONG!
Pastor V.

FROM "THROUGH" TO "TO"

While that title may sound weird or funny or even stupid the truth is all of are going "through" something and as long as you're going through, eventually you're going to come "to" something. All of us have something that we're dealing with that continuously and consistently put our Patience to the test. Maybe it's a relationship, maybe it's a career decision that's eating away at you, maybe it's parenting your Child or Children or maybe it's a spiritual decision that you're struggling with (e.g. looking for a New Church, praying for an unsaved spouse or family member). Whatever you're struggling with to wait to happen in your life and it seems to be taking some time to manifest or come to fruition, the key is PATIENCE! Patient is the key to you getting and reaching your "TO".

Listen to what Job said, while dealing with Pain, agony, confusion and discomfort on just about every level over in Job 14:14 (NCV), he says, "...All my days are a struggle; I will wait until my change comes". Job in his greatest season of struggle, even as he prepares for the possibility of death, he ministers to us one of the greatest faith statements in God's word as he says that what he's on his  way to, is greater than what he's going through. So his Ultimate glory pushed him to a place of being patient in his struggle. Meaning he didn't take for granted what he knew God had already promised for his life.

Listen, don't let what hasn't happened keep you from seeing what God has already said would happen! Endure your "through" so that you can enjoy your "to". Romans 8:28 (NKJV) shares this with us.... "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose". Hang in there, God is allowing you to go "THROUGH" something, in order to bring you "TO" something. It's part of His Divine Plan!


-- STAY STRONG!
Pastor V.

GOD NEVER CALLS THE QUALIFIED, HE QUALIFIES THE CALLED

Religious jargon, trying to sound overly charismatic and religiously deep doesn't qualify a person as a representative of Christ. I've heard people time and time again use overly charismatic and deep religious jargon to try to make themselves appear spiritually above the "rest". My influence and effectiveness as a Christ-follower has nothing to do with how Religious I sound, but how Faithful I am in my walk with Jesus and my conviction to hold to His truths and boldly share and declare Him with the Spiritually Lost, which is one indication that I've been with Him!

We find this very thing taking place over in the Book of Acts Chapter 4 and verse #13. Peter and John through their Bold preaching and teaching "shocks" those who are under the sound of their voice. Here's why...

Acts 4:13 (NIV) "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus"

They didn't meet the World's qualifications, but they met God's. God didn't call them because of their ignorance, but He called them "in spite of" their ignorance. They weren't the most educated, they weren't the most eloquent in speech but it was their Bold Witness and Honest conviction of God's Truth that caused them to stand out and have a great influence and impact on those around them. 

So you don't have sound religious and try to be overly charismatic to prove to people that you're child of God, when you've been under the greatest personal training ever, the guidance and direction of Jesus Christ, your life will speak for itself and it will become an obvious sign to those around you that you've been with Jesus!

-- STAY STRONG!

Pastor V.

OVERRATED

Believers are not called to live "overrated"or "over-hyped" lives. In other words as a Christian I should not trying to be something that I'm not! I should be living a life that is consistent with what the Word of God in it's proper context has said about me. In fact the Apostle under the power and instruction of the Holy Spirit gives us a list of "Righteous Behavior" on the behalf of the Believer over in Romans 12:16, here's what is says...  

Romans 12:16 (Amplified Bible) ^"Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty (snobbish, high-minded, exclusive), but readily adjust yourself to [people, things] and give yourselves to humble tasks. Never overestimate yourself or be wise in your own conceits".

HERE'S WHAT I'M NOT TO BE...

1. I'm not to be "high-minded" or Prideful

2. I'm not to think I'm too good to associate with people who aren't in high positions or have a lot of money or may reside lower-class communities or those who are the least, the lost or the left-out!

3. I'm never to give a false evaluation of my own life or as the New Living Translation puts it, "...think that I know it all"

PASSING JUDGMENT

In 1 Corinthians 4:4-5 (NLT), Paul reminds us of who our judge is, he says: "My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide. ⁵ So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due"

Even with a "clear conscience" Paul still understood that only God could declare him as "right or righteous". This is the reason a person ought not to think of themselves more highly than they should, because the very thing I'm judging someone about could very well be the thing that I one day struggle with, so I must guard my own life and actions at all times! BOTTOM LINE: Let God be the JUDGE!

STAY STRONG!

-- Pastor V.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The HOLY SPIRIT teaches us how to OBEY the HOLY SCRIPTURES! They work hand in hand to empower the Life of the Believer and Convict and Convert the life of the Non-Believer!

FROM DESPERATION TO DELIVERANCE

Every one of us has had a "desperate" moment in our lives where we've anxiously needed a breakthrough as the crisis' in our lives were causing us to literally break down! We have constantly asked questions and searched for answers only to discover that our questions of desperation offered few to no answers.

Well, I want to suggest to us today that the key to going from Desperation to Deliverance is not asking the right questions, but having the right answer in desperate times. Let me show us what I mean...

Over in Mark Chapter 10 there was a man who was blind and he was a beggar, two strikes against him during  the times that he lived. Well, "Blind Bart" which we'll call him in this Blog (short for Bartimaeus), one day was part of a massive crowd that showed up while Jesus and His disciples were in a town called Jericho. Let's pick the story up in Mark 10 beginning at vs. 46...


Mark 10:46-60 New Living Translation (NLT) "Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road.

1. HE COULDN'T SEE BUT HE HEARD - VERSE ⁴⁷ "When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  His desperation pushed him to a point of "making his request known to God" (Philippians 4:6) He went from begging for what people could give him to now begging for what ONLY Jesus could give Him.

2. In order to go from Desperation to Deliverance, You have to look past the opinion of people! DESPERATION ONLY MAKES YOU SEEK JESUS HARDER - VERSE ⁴⁸ “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

3. YOUR DELIVERANCE IS IN YOUR ANSWER - VERSE 51“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My rabbi the blind man said, “I want to see!”. Although this man was in a desperate when it came down to it, it was all about his faith. And Jesus didn't ask this man the question because He didn't know what the man needed, but He asked Him the question to assess and evaluate His level of faith. So He gave Jesus the right answer! "Bart's" answer was "FAITH-DRIVEN" and that was the key in fact...

4. YOUR DELIVERANCE IS DEPENDING ON YOUR ANSWER (YOUR FAITH) - VERSE 52 "And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road." Jesus said, "your faith has healed you" in other words Jesus tells the man, your words have moved me (where were indicative of His faith). Jesus looked at this man's heart which was filled with faith which dictated his "answer" and determined his deliverance. 


So today make up your mind that you're going to give God the right answer. Have Faith in God! (Mark 11:22)

STAY STRONG!
-- Pastor V.

"Revelation Song" - Gateway Worship, Song led by Kari Jobe

I AM A WORSHIPPER

I have a deep love for Worship! I love Worship Music and I love a Christ-Centered Worship-filled environment and atmosphere.  In fact if I wasn't a Pastor, it was always a dream of mine to become a Worship Leader! In fact years ago I took Piano lessons with hopes that one day I would be playing for a Choir or Worship Team leading them and a local church in heartfelt, spirit-filled Worship!

Well, God had other plans and I'm not mad, LOL! I still love to Worship and I still Worship, no matter who's around I still lift my hands, I still bow down, I still let the tears of joy flow and I still lift up audible praise to God. In fact I'm not ashamed to say that it is my DUTY to Worship Christ.

The Psalmist said in Psalm 5:7 (NLT) "Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house; I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe". No matter what's going on in your life, don't forget to offer heartfelt, sincere Worship to God! I am a Worshipper, are You?


STAY STRONG!
-- Pastor V.

TO WORSHIP YOU I LIVE - ISRAEL & NEW BREED

HELP IS HERE

No matter what you're facing today, the help you to need to face what you're facing comes directly from God! He knows you're pain, He sees your pain and He feels your pain. He's a compassionate and loving God, my pain does not strip or rob Him of his power, He able to help you overcome every obstacle, every set back, every difficulty, every trial, every problem, every pitfall and every crisis!

The Psalmist in Psalm 121 begins to look for help, he found that his help was in God! In fact listen to the way he starts the passage off...

Psalm 121:1-2 (NCV) "I look up to the hills, but where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth"

So the writer shares with us that when he looked to the hills (a sign that he looked upward) he wondered and reasoned within himself where his help was going to come from. He concluded that the help he was looking for could only come from one source and that is THE LORD! He then makes it clear that he wasn't just talking about any "lord" but "the LORD who made heaven and earth"! Then he proceeds to discuss all of the help that God will provide in vs. 3-8.

In fact according to portions of this reading, not only does the Psalmist inform us that God is a Helper, but He is also a Keeper! That's some powerful, reliable and dependable news. So let's continue to look to the Lord to be our Ultimate help in our time of need!


STAY STRONG!
-- Pastor V.

STRESS KILLERS

There are two things that will KILL Stress: 1) PRAYER and 2) FAITH!~
MATTHEW 6:25-33 - You can COUNT on that Word!

 -- PJV

Hillsong: "With All I Am" Worship and Praise Song (HQ)

"Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name" Psalm 103:1 (NKJV)
Enjoy this moment of Worship!

DAY 19 OF 21-DAY FAST

TODAY'S DEVOTIONAL: Day 19/Psalm 119

Psalm 119 is the longest reading in the bible out of any one Chapter. So I'll be selecting just one verse of reading today! Today I want to look at a familiar passage out of Psalm 119:11 where the Psalmist says, "Your word have I hid in my heart, that I may not sin against you". Now one of the key words in that passage is "hid" it also means "to store up", "conceal" or "to treasure", it gives the idea of "hoarding" (if any of you have ever seen the TV show "HOARDERS' you'll understand what hoarding actually looks like), the bible speaks of hoarding in the positive sense. So it speaks of laying or storing up God's Word in an very private and inaccessable place, "the heart". And the Psalmist says he has made a permanant deposit of God's word as a preventative measure against a sinful lifestyle. Not that he would be "sinless" but that he would sin less!

So today let's remember the power of God's Word and the incredible life-changing worth and Value it has for our lives.

Stay Strong!
- Pastor V.

Hillsong Chapel - Stronger HD (2010)

WORSHIP AT IT'S BEST! A GLORIOUS SONG TO THE LORD!

DAY 17 of 21-Day Fast

TODAY'S DEVOTIONAL: Day 17/Psalm 117

Psalm 117:1-2  (NLT) ¹ "Praise the LORD, all you nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth. ² For he loves us with unfailing love; the LORD’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the LORD"

I'm so glad that God's love never Fails! His loves never runs or fades out! His love for me is unfailing! Packaged in this short yet powerful passage the Psalmist takes a praise break to bring acknowledgment and recognition to and for the Unfailing Love of God! And he makes it clear that God's unfailing Love is a direct result of the faithfulness of God which is also everlasting! So when we put it all together, God will always faithfully Love you and me! HALLELUJAH!


Stay Strong!
-- Pastor V.

DAY 16 OF 21-DAY FAST

TODAY'S DEVOTIONAL: Day 16/Psalm 116

Today is a perfect day to make a wholehearted decision to DEVOTE your life to walking with God for the rest of your life. That means 24/7 365 days of the Year! In Psalm 116:9 (NKJV) the Psalmist shares with us a defining moment for his life. He says, "I will walk before the Lord in the land of the Living". The New Life Version says, "I will walk with the Lord in the land of the living", both translations give an clear picture of the Psalmist's decision to Devote his life to walking with God. He devotes himself to living a life in the presence of God that will be pleasing to God.

Then he says, I'm going to do this "in the land of the Living", which means that this declaration that he has made will be reflected everywhere he goes in life, when he's around his saved friends and his unsaved friends, when he's in church and when he's not at church, he's made up his mind that he's going to walk with God in front of everyone, this is called "unashamed living". What an awesome declaration!

So today during the 16th day of this 21-day Fast, make a declaration that you're going to devote your life to walking with God unashamedly and unapologetic.


STAY STRONG!
-- Pastor V.

Day 15 of 21-Day Fast

TODAY'S DEVOTIONAL: DAY 15/Psalm 115

Right out of the gate in Psalm 115:1 the Psalmist makes it plain and clear that it is God that gets all of the Glory! He says, "Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness" (NLT). I love that, because he makes it clear that it's not about us! In other words I can't take credit for the wonderul things that have happened in my life, only God can bless me like I need to be belssed.

So as we reflect today during this 15th day of our 21-day Fast, let us remember that no matter what we have, how far we've come, how many Obstacles we've overcome or how many blessings we've obtained, it's God that's due all of the Glory!


STAY STRONG!
-- Pastor V.

Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers - Encourage Yourself

For everyone who may be going through today! Watch and Be Encouraged!

DAY 12 OF 21-DAY FAST (Special Blog)

I wanted to pause today and step outside of my routine Blogging for our 21-day Fast and talk briefly about something I believe God is saying during this season of fasting and prayer. Here's something to think about, What we "DO" determines what's "DUE"! Now you say, where did I get that from well, over in Galatians 6:9 it delcares this, “ Let us not grow wearing in well doing for in due season you shall reap if you faint not.”

If we continue to "DO" good we'll reap what God says is "DUE" us. I'm a firm believer that the type of seed you sow determines the kind of Harvest you reap! What I put in, determines what I get out! Even in the midst of trying and difficult times God wants to prove Himself to you by way of your personal Faithfulness to Him.

Don't give up now, you've come too far, "not growing weary in well doing" puts "giving up" in check and says to the world that no matter what I have to face, "giving up" is not an Option! Hang in there, there's a blessing on the other side of those seeds of faith and prayer that you've been sowing!

STAY STRONG!
-- Pastor V.

DAY 11 of 21-DAY FAST

Today's Devotional: Day 11/Psalm 111

Today I encourage you to reflect on the graciousness and compassion of the Lord! Psalm 111:4 (NKJV) says, "He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and full of compassion". That's powerful because no matter how much I have to complain about today, I have even more to be grateful for as I take the time to reflect and remember all of the kind and wonderful things God has done in my life. The Old Saints used to say, "He's been better to me than I've been to myself", now I understand what they meant, because all of the great things He's done cannot be numbered! That's why the Psalmist started off Psalm 111 in vs. 1 by saying "Praise the Lord! I will praise Him with my whole heart..."  He's a FAITHFUL and JUST God! Meditate on His goodness today and then send up a praise!


STAY STRONG!
-- Pastor V.

DAY 10 of 21-day Fast

TODAY'S DEVOTIONAL: Day 10/Psalm 110

Jesus wants a position of Honor in your life! That means placing Him high and above everything else in my life, nothing comes before Him, nothing comes in front of Him, He wants to be the first and the last, the beginning and the end in our lives. In Psalm 110:1 God shows us the place of Honor that Jesus has in Heaven! In fact when speaking about Jesus over in Acts 2:33 (NLT) it says, "Now He is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today".

So just as Jesus is at the highest place of Honor in heaven, so He should be in our lives, make Him your highest and number one priority today, you won't regret it!


STAY STRONG!
-- Pastor V.

DAY 9 of 21-Day Fast

DEVOTIONAL: Day 9/Psalm 109

It is popular from the World's standards to repay men evil for evil. When someone hurts you according  to the World, you should hurt them back, in the world's eyes it's right to reward someone according to how they treated you whether good or bad. However, God's standard for handling the evil and hatred that man gives you, is totally opposite of the way the world believes you should handle it.

In Psalm 109:2-4 the Psalmist says this (NKJV)... " ² For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful Have opened against me; They have spoken against me with a lying tongue. ³ They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, And fought against me without a cause. ⁴ In return for my love they are my accusers. But I give myself to prayer."

Wow, how powerful is that? The Psalmist instead of exchanging evils with his enemies, says "I give myself to Prayer". In other words his weapon of choice in dealing with this battle with his haters is the Spiritual Weapon of Prayer! In fact the bible instructs us in several ways and on several other occasions on how to Deal with our haters, our enemies with the power of prayer or some other spiritual means. Let's look at a few:

Matthew 5:44 (NKJV) admonishes us to:
- love your enemies
- bless those who curse you
- do good to those who hate you, and...
- pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you

Romans 12:21 says:
- overcome evil with good

So as you can see, it's biblical, Godly and right to deal with the bad that others display toward you in a good, Godly way. So instead of attempting to go blow for blow with those who hate you, devote yourself to Prayer and watch God do the rest!

Stay Strong!
-- Pastor V.

Hillsong LIVE - Mighty To Save

TO ALL THOSE WHO MAY BE FAR FROM GOD, MY GOD IS MIGHTY TO SAVE!

DAY 8 OF 21-DAY FAST

DEVOTIONAL: Day 8/Psalm 108

Whenever you're dealing with Opposition, enemies, foes and adversaries in your life, it's important to know where you can turn when dealing with them. Opposition can be spiritual, social, physical, economical or relational. The Great news is this, that no matter where the opposition comes from, GOD is our one and only hope, we can rely on Him, we can count on Him, we can depend on Him.

In fact the Psalmist who knew first hand of being able to trust and count on God when dealing with opposition, says in Psalm 108 verses 12-13 with a sense of Urgency (NLT)... ¹² "Oh, please help us against our enemies, for all human help is useless. ¹³ With God’s help we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes".

So it is clear that our only defense when dealing with adversaries and opposition is GOD! The only way to have the strength and perseverance to deal with those who oppose you, simply comes by way of leaning and depending on and trusting in God. You don't have to resort to human efforts and means to defeat, retaliate or even deal with the enemies in your life, just know with God on your side, the Victory is already yours! In fact you don't have to wait until the battle is over, you can shout NOW, because has already administered the knockout punch to the enemy!

BE STRONG!
-- Pastor V.

Day 5 of 21-day Fast

TODAY'S DEVOTIONAL - Day5/Psalm 105

Today as we go about our day, let's make God the talk of the town! Here in Psalm 105 the Psalmist encourages us and admonishes us to do several things in order to make God the talk of the town specifically, but not limited to verses 1-2:


1. We must GIVE THANKS TO HIM, because we are the Benefactors of the Blessings and Favor of God both past and present. When ever someone does you a Favor it's always appropriate by responding with a "Thank You"! So we're thanking Him because we have so much to be thankful for.

2. CALL UPON HIS NAME, as a sign of our Dependence upon Him and because He is the center of our need! Anytime we are in need, God should be our first option, I call on Him, because I need Him and can't make it without Him.

3. MAKE KNOW HIS DEEDS or (NLT "Let the whole world know what he has done") (v. 1), why so that others will join with you in praising him.

4. TALK OF HIS WONDROUS WORKS or (NLT "Tell everyone about His wonderful deeds ")
(v. 2), When we talk about all of the wonderful things God has done for us, it will in turn began to affect others. One of the greatest things we can witness about is the Goodness of the Lord! God’s wondrous works should be the subject of our Conversations, Instant messages, text messages, e-mails, Facebook chats and Twitter Tweets with our families, friends, co-workers and acquaintices, not for entertainment purposes, but for the excitement and encouragement of our own  faith and the faith of others and our continued hope in God.

So today make Jesus the talk of the town! Talk about Him more than your problems, your issues, your struggles, your pains, your heartaches, your difficulities and as you talk about Him, talk TO Him about those things and rather than magnify them, MAGNIFY HIM!

Stay Strong!
-- Pastor V.

Ashmont Hill "I Won't Be Afraid"

Fred Hammond - You Are My Life

Fred Hammond & RFC - Promise Keeper

Fred Hammond & RFC - Hear My Cry

Day 4 of 21-day Fast

TODAY'S DEVOTIONAL - Day 4/Psalm 104

Psalm 104 speaks of the Provisional Power of God! God is a Provider and when He provides, He does it how it needs to be done, when it needs to be done and He provides what needs to be Provided! God always Provides in a Big way, even the smallest of blessings always has a BIG impact on our lives.

When the Bible talks about God providing, it speaks of God making ways and bringing satisfaction in our lives. The Psalmist here in Psalm 104 talks about how God provides Spring water for the wild donkeys and beast of the field to quench their thirst on to Providing Work for man to do labor from morning til' evening.

That's absolutely amazing! So take the time today during the fast to reflect upon and ponder all of the wonderful Provisions God has made in your life and know that we would not have what we have if God had not given it to us.

He is "Jehovah-Jireh", meaning "the Lord will Provide" (see Genesis 22:14 KJV). I'll talk to you all tomorrow!

Stay Strong!
-- PJV

Day 3 of 21-day Fast

Well, today is day 3 of CCFC's 21 day Corporate Fast and God is already moving in a powerful way. I just want to share a little bit about the Benefits of God!

DEVOTIONAL: "Blessed because of His Benefits" Day 3 - Psalm 103:1-5 (NLT)  ¹ "Let all that I am praise the LORD;  with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. ² Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me. ³ He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. ⁴ He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. ⁵ He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!"

A Benefit is described as "something that promotes well-being" or it is described as "an act of kindness", well a few of the ways that God demonstrates His love and kindness toward us is mapped out there in PSALM 103 1) He forgives Sins 2) He heals diseases 3) He redeems or frees my life from the destruction tha Sin brings 4) Crowns me with His Love and Mercy 5) Fills my life with good things. These are not an exaustive list, these are just a few mentioned here in our text, there are several other benefits that come with knowing God.

Wow, what an incredible list of benefits! My relationship with God is the most rewarding and fulfilling relationship that you and I could ever have. Today take the time to give the Lord praise or as David (the Psalmist) here in the text puts it, "Bless the Lord O my Soul" or "Let all that I am praise the Lord".

Whether we know it or not, we have more to be thankful for than we really know, so let the praises of God resound all throughout the day as you reflect upon all of the mighty and wonderful benefits that come with knowing Jesus!

Stay Strong!
-- PJV

Day 2 of 21-Day Fast

Today is Day 2 of our 21 day Fast and what I want to is offer a brief devotional from Psalm 102. In fact what I'll be doing each day is offering a devotional out of the Psalms beginning yesterday with Psalm 101 with the Book number representing that day that we're in for our Fast. So today will be Day 2 and we'll look at Psalm 102 verse 1 (although I want the entire Psalm to be our scriptural meditation for today..

Psalms 102:1 (NKJV) "Hear my prayer, O Lord, And let my cry come to you"

DEVOTIONAL: Today let's focus on offering prayers to God that point directly to our personal trials and afflictions. Let your prayers be earnest, honest, authentic and confident and even more important let your prayers be done in patience. Let God know through your prayers that you are counting on Him and have total dependence upon Him to see you out of the personal trial and affliction and that you're lining your will up with His waiting patiently for Him to move in your life only the way tha He knows how.


Be Strong!
- PJV

Day 1 of 21-day Fast

Our Church began a 21-day Fast today as we Spiritually unite ourselves to get closer to God and seek Direction from Him in this new year. Our focus for this year is to live our lives in a way that will please Him and bring Him glory like never before!

There's a quote that the Lord gave me that we're taking into this Fast and it simply says this, "Be Faithful where you are so God can bless where you're going". I've printed this quote out and placed above my desk at home and at work! It will be a directive for me to follow everyday as I seek to be faithful in my walk with God everyday!

So with that everyday for the next 21 days I will be Blogging a brief Devotional to encourage us during this 21-day Fast.

So let me just plug-in a short devotional on "Faithfulness". God is calling for us to live our lives at another level of "Faithfulness", God honors and blesses "Faithfulness",  in Psalm 101:6 (NLT) God Himself says, ⁶ "I will search for faithful people to be my companions. Only those who are above reproach will be allowed to serve me". Our goal is to give God what He's looking for, if He's calling us to be more faithful in our walk with Him then that should be our goal, that should be a Spiritual priority for us.

So during this Fast pray for strength to become as Faithful as God has called you to be and watch Him honor that in an incredible way!

Stay Strong!
- PJV

A 'DIE-HARD'...

We hear the Word "Diehard" all of the time, especially when describing a Sport's Fan who has a Strong allegiance and dedication to their favorite Sports Team. Whether their team is a winning team or losing team, they will be tell you "I'm a Die-hard (insert their favorite sports team) Fan". Then there are some that are die-hard Reality Show lovers, some are die-hard lovers of certain vacation spots, some are die-hard lovers of certain kinds of foods.

Just for a moment let's look at how the word "Diehard" is described in the Dictionary it says to be 'DIEHARD" is..."Someone who is unwilling to change or give up their ideas or ways of behaving, even when there are good reasons to do so", sounds like to be diedard is pretty much the same thing as having a conviction! When someone has a conviction their rules for life are driven by whatever their convictions are.

Well, the longer I live the more I discover that a good reason to do something is not always the best or wisest reason to do something. That's why in the Body of Christ, God sent the Holy Spirit to make us "DIEHARD" believers to show us the difference between "good and best" and "right and wrong",

In fact Jesus ministered this Word over in St. John 16:5-15 (NLT) -- (*emphasis put on underlined phrases in red) “But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. ⁶ Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. ⁷ But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate^[a] won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. ⁸ And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. ⁹ The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. ¹⁰ Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. ¹¹ Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged. ¹² “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. ¹³ When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. ¹⁴ He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. ¹⁵ All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me".

Wow, what a loaded passage! Yes, the Holy Spirit comes to "convict" comes to make you "DIEHARD" in your walk with Christ, in other words whether you're a DIEHARD anything, it simply means you "refuse to Compromise". For me, I'm a 'DIEHARD' Believer, Christ-follower!


PJV