Boldness in the Lord

Boldness is a word that we often hear spoken in reference to Christians. It is used in various sermons throughout many churches and is used in reference to not walking in fear when it comes to your beliefs as a Christian and walking out the word in your life. As simple as it sounds, it is hard for alot of Christians. Especially when it comes time to be bold in front of friends and family who knew the "old" you. It is much easier to conform and blend in than it is to stand out in the crowd. But we as Christians, were not designed to blend in. Matthew 5:14 states that we are the light of the world and a city on a hill can not be hid.

We never know who is really watching us and wanting to talk about being a Christian or accepting Jesus Christ. So it is important that we not compromise and show people that living for Christ is the best thing in the world and that it is not okay to pick and choose which scriptures we want to enjoy and apply. We are not to live in a form of Godliness, but we are to live according to every word that has come out of the mouth of God. Only then will we know how truly great God is and how powerful His word can be in our lives.

Remember, nothing can stand against God's word and if you are living in the word...NOTHING CAN STAND AGAINST YOU!


Blessings and Love,

Pastor Nichica Smith

What is God up to?

What is God up to? We often ask this question, especially when tragedy hits or things just start happening out of the blue that really doesn't make sense. The frustrating thing is that we don't always get the answer or at least not the answer that we are looking for in regards to an explanation of Why? What I have learned is that God does not desire that we be in the dark concerning anything. So if there is something that you are asking God about and you don't seem to be getting an answer keep the following in mind:
1. The answer may be more than you can handle or comprehend so you just need to trust God that He has it all under control
2. You may not be in a mental, emotional, or spiritual place to hear Him. You may just have too much going on and you can't hear that God is talking to you. So get yourself in a quiet place and just begin to read or meditate on his Word. Begin to praise Him and then you will be amazed at how He will begin to flood in over the next few weeks.
3. Your situation may be like Daniel's, when he prayed to God but the angel that was bringing the message was being detained by a demonic spirit.(Daniel Ch. 10) This just means that you need to keep praying and keep believing.

Either way, the message is still the same. Keep praying, keep believing, and keep trusting God. You can't go wrong by doing those things. God can not fail you! Remember that..so the next time you want to ask the question.."What is God is up to" just answer yourself by replying that He is up to blessing me and working out all of my situations in my favor!


Blessings and Love,
Pastor Nichica Smith

It's Been Awhile

It's been awhile since I have last posted on this blog and so much has happened. I am back in North Carolina now, but Mountain House Community Church in Tracy, CA is going strong and I thank God for that. Remember that anything built on a solid foundation can not be destroyed no matter what storms or winds come it's way. And that solid foundation has to be the Word of God. That is the only thing that stops Satan in his tracks and makes him back off of you and everything connected to you. So as you go through your day today, remember this prayer and pray it over yourself and your household..for the Word of God tells us that the effective, fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much.

Victory In Jesus Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank you that we have received from Jesus Christ the victory over all disease, afflictions, infirmities, hindrances, persecutions, torments and lies that the enemy is trying to send our way now or in the future. We claim victory and deliverance from all demonic spirits, curses, hexes, vexes, enchantments, witchcraft prayers, psychic prayers, and spellls. We thank you that Jesus Christ is victorious through the power of His might against all the wiles of the devil; against principalities and powers and rulers of darkness of this world and against spiritual wickedness in hig places. (Eph 6:10-12) We claim our victory in faith through our salvation and His shed Blood of all these things now. We declare according to Job 22:27-28 that we are victorious through the shed Blood of Jesus Christ, in His Holy Name we pray. Amen.

Men and Women of God, continue to be blesses, continue to walk in your blessings, and know that God is for you. And because of that reason, nothing can stand against you!

Blessings and Love,

Pastor Nichica Smith

To Obey or Not To Obey

For anyone that has stepped foot in a church you are constantly told to obey God. We are told that every believer is suppose to obey God no matter what. However, the logical would say that there are some situations that I would not listen to the voice of God, especially if it is telling me to do something that I am not comfortable with. However, the reality is rarely does not God instruct us to do something that we are comfortable with. The whole purpose of obedience is trust and God, who in His infinite wisdom already knows where our level of trust lies, will instruct us to do certain things just to show us where our relationship with Him is.

In the book of Acts 5 we find Peter and other apostles being thrown into prison because they were doing what they were instructed to do. The Sanhedrin (Elder Council) did not like the fact that they were preaching and teaching Jesus the Christ and the apostles were threatened with prison and ultimately death by the Sanhedrin. While in jail an Angel visited Peter and the apostles and let them out. However, the release also came with instructions to go and preach and an exact location was given. The Apostles were approached again by the Sanhedrin and this time the Sanhedrin were furious. However, when we obey, God always shows up and shows out and this was no exception. One of the Sanhedrin's own spoke up and said that they should leave these men alone because if it is of God, they (Sanhedrin)will not win. He told them that they would not win because it would be like fighting against God! Wow...what a statement! In other words, to be obedient to God causes a higher level of security and protection for you and those connected to you. And every time anyone tries to stand against you, they are literally fighting against God....which means that they can not win no matter how hard they try. That should be comfort to anyone who is debating as to whether or not they should do what they have been instructed to do. I would encourage you right now to never wrestle with what God is instructing you to do. Always do what God says, when He says it! Because if God is for you....then who can stand against you?

Blessings and Love,
Pastor Nichica Smith

Together We Can Pray(11/2/08)

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA REGION
Department of Lay Ministry

My Brothers and my Sister, greeting in the Name above every name, Jesus the Christ. The only begotten of the Father!

Well, it is finally upon us. The most historic election in the history of the United States of America will take place on Tuesday, November 4, 2008. This will be the first time that a person of color will be the nominee of a major political party for the office of president of the USA. Whether you support Barak Obama or not, you must appreciate the precidence of this election.

I pray that everyone is registered to vote and will exercise that right. When we think of everything that our forefathers have gone through to give us that right to vote, we should not take it for granted!
* In 1776, George Washington led the revolutionary
army to gain our independence from England.
* In 1920, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton
pushed for creation and passage of the Nineteenth Ad-
mendment to the Constitution that gave women the
right to vote.
* During the 1950's and 60's, Rev. Dr.Martin Luther King,
Jr. was beaten, jailed and humilited to get Black Amer- icans the right to vote.
With all that those people had to endure to make it possible for us to have the right to vote; we should vote, if for no other reason than, to honor their memory. It has been reported that 180 million citizens have registered to vote, so it may take some time to get everyone to a voting machine. Be patient and plan to stand it line for this historic election.

For this week, let's pray for this election. We should pray that the elections will be done fairly and that the will of the people will be enforced. We should pray for the safety of each candidate. Let's pray that God will put a fence around them to keep them safe from any hurt, harm or danger. Lastly, let's pray that the candidates, when elected, will be God lead in their actions and decisions.

Together We Can Pray (10/27/08)

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA REGION
Department of Lay Ministry

Greetings, in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus The Christ!

I was at a service on Sunday and the preacher took his text. The text concerned Jesus praying. I began to think about all the times in the Gospels that Jesus prayed. It seems that Jesus was always going off somewhere to pray:

Mt 26:39 And He went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed
Mr 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out, and
departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
Mr 14:39 And again He went away, and prayed
Lu 5:16 And He withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.
Lu 22:41 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled
down, and prayed,
Mt 26:36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

I began to think, what was Jesus always praying about? Just as soon as I asked the question, the answer appeared: Jesus was always praying for someone else. He prayed for His disciples; He prayed for Jairus' daughter; He prayed for Lazarus and He prayed for each one of us that we might have everlasting life.

This week let's think of someone we can pray for. That person could be a family member or friend. It could also be someone who has misused you. Matthew 5:44b says, pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.

Together We Can Pray--Written by Odell Tolliver Lay President of the Northern California Region

Every week, Odell will send out these writings to everyone on his emai list. He has given me permission to put them on the blog. So please enjoy.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA REGION
Department of Lay Ministry

And he saith unto them, Because of your little faith: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. But this kind goeth not out save by prayer and fasting. (Matt 17:20-21-ASV)

Greetings in the Name of Jesus the Christ, the only begotten of the Father!

The above passage of Scripture reminds us of the power that we have through our faith. Jesus speaks of the faith of a grain of mustard seed. Some people believe Jesus is refering to the size of the mustard seed; others believe Jesus is thinking of the potential of a mustard seed (see Matt 13:31, 32). That tiny mustard seed must believe that it will grow into a mighty tree. In the same sense, we must believe that we can move mountains, there can be no doubt in our mind.

Starting at verse 14, a man comes to Jesus stating that his son has seizures and falls into the fire or into the water. The man says he has brought his son to the Disciples, but they could not heal him (verse 15, 16). Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of the boy. In verse 19, the Disciples asked Jesus why He could drive out the demon but they could not. Jesus tells them in verse 21 that this kind goeth not out save by prayer and fasting. Here, Jesus reminds us that prayer and fasting are the basics of our faith! Our faith gives us the power to remove mountains, but that faith come by prayer and fasting!

For this week let's spend some time fasting and praying. I realize that some of us cannot do without food for medical reasons, but we can fast in other ways. Fasting means to give up something for a period of time. We should give up something, such as watching television or eating a certain type of food that we really enjoy. We could give up an activity, such as shopping. Those things that we give up for a period of time, we should replace them with prayer. When it is time to watch our favorite television program, we would spend that time praying. Instead of having that piece of cake or pie that we would spend that time in prayer. We call this getting back to basics.

STRAIGHT TALK--Saved and Fabulous!

This question was posed by a youth in San Francisco, CA.

How can I present myself physically in a way that demands respect as a Christian and still be fashionable and fabulous?

Well, I know this is something that alot of people struggle with. They want to look their best and feel good about what they see in the mirror, but the trends are short and tight. None of which demand respect as a Christian----regardless of what celebrities say. We live in a society where saying that you are a Christian comes as easy as breathing, but people don't take it as seriously. To be a Christian is to be 'Christ like' or 'of Christ'. And alot of what we see from people who claim to be Christian is not 'Christ like' and doesn't come close to being 'of Christ.' Herein lies our dilemna....people hear "I am a Christian" and they figure well if he/she is doing it then it must be okay.

Here are some general guidelines to follow:
1. If your chest is showing in any manner.....you need to not only go change but you need to either put a camisole or another shirt under it or throw it out. PERIOD!

2. If your clothes are leaving lines on your skin because they are so tight or you have to "suck it in" to get in it......baby.....you need to go up to your size. No one wants to see the imprint from your last breath.

3. Just because they made it in your size does not mean that you need to wear it. Now automatically people thought that I was referring to larger sized individuals but that is not true. There are alot of smaller sized individuals that are wearing things that look absolutely rediculous on them.

4. One way to measure your skirt and whether or not it is the right fit and the right length is to sit down. If rides up extremely far, then it is either too short or the cut of it is not right for your shape. Either way, you need to try it again.

5. It is very easy to take a trend and dress it up so that what is suppose to be covered is covered.

6. If you wouldn't wear it looking eye to eye with Christ, then don't put it on at all. The reason is because He is always present and looking at us and He is either smiling or frowning at our actions. Live as if you have to face Him daily and you will find that your decision making skills will be sharper.

I could go on all day about this and if someone has specific questions or a situation that they would like to go deeper into then please let me know. But I think that if you follow these steps then you will definitely be headed in the right direction. It is okay to look good and be a Christian, I do it every day and there are hundreds of thousands of others that do it as well. The main thing is that you don't want to be a hinderance to someone else or to yourself. In everything you do, once you make the statement that you are a Christian, people connect you to God. If you act a fool, then they associate foolishness with God. If you are always down and depressed, then they associate those things with God. If you are dressing like a hot mess, then they associate that with God as well. You are the child of a King. The bible declares that everything in the Earth and the fulness thereof belongs to God. That means everything on the Earth and everything that these items will produce ultimately belong to God. So you belong to Him, too. Represent your Father well and make Him proud. If you listen, He will guide you to being fashionable and fabulous........He created it!

Blessings and Love,

Pastor Nichica Smith

STRAIGHT TALK--Don't Confuse God with Disney

For those who are not familiar with the site, Straight Talk is where I answer questions that have been submitted on the site or brought up in another setting. This question was posed by someone in Oakland, CA.

How can a mother pick up her soul after being hurt from someone she loved for many years?

Although this was asked from a female perspective, anyone can relate to the feelings of hurt, abandonment, loneliness, low self esteem, and a host of other things. It is hard to give yourself to someone and create that bond of trust, when you don't know what tomorrow will hold. You don't know how long they will love you or how long you will love them. You don't know how often or how long they will make you smile, laugh, cry, or cuss. You literally go into the relationship blind, if you are honest with yourself, because you are basing everything on hope and not on solid and concrete things. We go into relationships ignoring the obvious and making excuses for things that we see but hope will go away. That is not God, that is Disney.

1. One should never give their heart and soul to another unless it is spoken by God. Other wise we lend our most precious and vulnerable parts of ourselves to the enemy for him to play and bring close to destruction. God tells us clearly that we should not cast our pearls before swine. The enemy will allow us to love hard and love long so that by the time our promise gets to us we don't want anything to do love. We get to the point of bitterness that we don't believe in love and we become so empty inside that we are like the walking dead going through the motions.

2. We don't know love until we know the love of God. Most people find a person and then they find God. That is really backwards. We must first experience the love of God in order to be able to compare what other's call love to it. The Word of God says that love is patient and it is kind. But love is not perfect-except for God's love-- and there will be some pain experienced in being in relationships because life is full of ups and downs and the enemy is constantly seeing how he can mess with our faith and ultimately our relationship with God. However, there is a difference between going through a battle with your mate and your mate being the battle. One thing that I always told God is that I don't mind going through and don't mind fighting, but I don't want to be fighting with my mate. I want us to go through the battle's together and not be each other's battle. When you experience God's love, everything else pales in comparison because you always have a smile on the inside of you and a light that is shining that can not be dimmed by situations or people. That same kind of light and smile can be shared between a man and a woman, but only when it has been ordained by God. Otherwise, it is temporary and temporary can not withstand storms and it most certainly can not withstand time (including eternity)

3. Healing is a process and it begins with confession, verbal and out loud for you and God to hear, of how you truly feel and how you are hurting. Once you admit where you are God can take you where you want to go. God will then take you through the process and He will take you one step at a time. Understand that along the way you will be tested. There will be a scent or a word or a place that will remind you of something in your past and you will find out exactly how far you have come and how far you need to go. Each person's healing process is different, so it is impossible for me to provide you with exact details. Just know that complete healing is possible and it doesn't take forever. God will not only heal you, but he will prepare you for your divine destiny. But He can only do it as fast as your faith is strong.

Remember that nothing is over until God says it is over. Hold on to your faith and hold on to God with everything you have in you. Your relationship with Him will grow to places that you never thought it would be and you will look back over it and laugh. You will laugh at the enemy because he didn't take you out when he had the chance and now you are going to live your life to the fullest and live it according to God's will and His plan for your life.

Blessings and Peace,

Pastor Nichica Smith

Alpha and Omega

Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. It has been preached the world over and we immediately connect it to the creation in Genesis and the end in Revelation. However, that is not all of what God is referring to. He is the beginning and ending of literally EVERYTHING! It takes Him to start something and it takes Him to finish it. Creation is not the only thing that started with God speaking a word. Our very existence, each of us individually, came into being based on God speaking a word. He says that He knew us while we were yet in our mother's womb and He has equipped us with all we need to get through every challenge that we will face. That all started with a word from God. Alpha! And nothing can come to an end unless God says that it is to be so and He is there when it ends as He is a God that is omnipresent, which means He is in all places, at all times, all of the time. Omega!

We must also realize that trials in our life can not start until He says so. He is also the beginning of that as well, which is why His word says that He will not put more on us than we can bear. He says that His yolk is easy and His burden is light. If He was not there to start and stop it, Alpha and Omega, then we would surely be in serious trouble. Our faith rests on God being there and showing us what our next steps should be so that we do not succumb to the trial and/or temptation.

It should be a comfort to every believer that God loves them enough to be that involved in every single aspect of their lives. The start and end of your day and then everything that happens in between. Every interaction that you have and everything we do, He is there for the beginning and the end. Now, I feel the need to clarify something. God does not start our foolishness, nor is He a part of it. He gives us the choice to follow or ignore His direction. So don't try and blame Him for the craziness and foolishness, because if you really sat down and thought about it, He sent warnings. But you chose to ignore them. But to God be the glory, that He was there to be Omega and end it before it ended you. This is why it is so important to give God credit and praise for every little thing and don't credit ourselves for things that we really did not and could not do. If the Word of God is true, and I know that it is, it clearly says that it is through God that we move, breathe, and have our very being.

To God Be The Glory For Being Alpha and Omega! And a final word to the wise, let Him be just that in every area in your life so that you can have that peace that surpasses all understanding!

Blessings and Love,

Pastor Nichica Smith

Stop Focusing On The Rug

We have all heard the phrase: "Pulled the rug out from under me." Sometimes in our Christian walk we feell like the rug has been pulled out from under us because we were in a place where were happy and content and then all of a sudden it seemed as if anything that could go wrong... did. Or something 'out of the blue' kind of blind sides us and we are left wondering, where did that come from? Then we spend amazing amounts of time wondering why, and how we are going to fix it, how could this happen, where did this come from, what did I do wrong, and a whole host of stuff that clouds our minds and gets us focusing on the 'rug'.

The rug represents that thing that we thought mattered, but really didn't hold that much significance or importance. We got used to the rug being there and were comfortable with its presence, but if we actually took a step back and examined it....the rug didn't really do much but collect dirt. So when God decided to remove the rug, through His perfect will, we focus on the rug. We watch it leave our presence and wonder why God decided to remove it now...as if there would have been a better time for Him to do it. Or as if He needed to consult with us prior to doing anything. We put all of our energy on the removal of the thing that did nothing but collect the dirt in our lives and cause our allergies to act up because it was also holding on to the dirt of people that we allowed into our space. We start getting upset and afraid and nervous that the rug is no longer going to be there. Blaming the removal of it on the enemy and not believing that God would do something like that?! And to quote one of my members, we are focusing so much on the rug that we don't realize that the floor under neath, that had been covered up and ignored this entire time, is Gold!

Stop focusing on the rug and bless God for what He is getting ready to do. When God does something, it most definitely has a purpose. But it is up to us to trust His judgement and open our eyes, heart's, and spirit's to what he is trying to show us and the levels that He is trying to take us to.

Blessings and love,

Pastor Nichica Smith

Rental Contract or Ownership?

We are taught early on that it is better to own than to rent. We are taught that you get more in the long run if you own your home versus renting because renting is like throwing your money away and there is no real pay off. The same principle holds true in our relationship with God. The majority of the believers are operating based on a rental contract with God. Whenever they don't understand what God is telling them to do, whenever they are uncomfortable with doing what God is asking them to do, or when they just don't want to do it......they in essence are evicting God and putting their own will before His perfect will. Then once we see that we have messed up the situation or we see that it was better to do it God's way, we go through the repentance process and invite Him back in, but still under the terms of the rental agreement. Just like with any rental agreement, there are clauses that state what can and can not happen and what the land lord will and will not do. Does that sound familiar in regards to our walk with God? Yes, God I will do it but only if......; Yes, God I will go but only if....... RENTAL AGREEMENT!

As I was studying Genesis 39, it talks of the familiar story of Joseph and Potiphar. If you are not familiar with that, take the time to read it as it is not a long chapter and it will help you understand more of what I am saying. There is a consistent statement made throughout the chapter and that statement is..."The Lord was with him and everything he touched was blessed." For those who are familiar with Joseph, you know that Joseph had many up's and down's. He was favored by his father Jacob, but his brothers tried to kill him. He was sold into slavery and then set up on rape charges and placed in prison. However, in spite of all of this the bible clearly declares that "the Lord was with him" and not only that, others who did not even worship the Lord took note of it. Why? Why in spite of all of these things that happened in chapter 39, there is no record of Joseph rolling in the floor and crying out and questioning God and all of these other things that we tend to do when craziness starts happening in our lives? Because Joseph did not have a rental agreement with God, he allowed God to have full ownership of him.

The bible clearly declares that our bodies are a temple for the spirit of God. Joseph allowed the spirit of God to have a permanent home within him and not a 6, 9, or 12 month lease. That is why Joseph's blessings and victories were consistent instead of sporadic. Yes, he obviously had things, situations, and people that came his way with the hope of destroying him. But because God had ownership of him, those things could do nothing but fail! How powerful is that! Now, listen carefully and pay close attention to what I am getting ready to tell you.......you can still be blessed by having a rental agreement! What?! Yes, you can. HOWEVER... you have to determine a couple of things: 1. Do you want your blessings and victories to be consistent or sporadic 2. Any tenant in a rental agreement has the right to leave when they want and not renew their lease, so do you want to be in an eternal covenant with God? He is not a yo yo and should not be used as such. Allow God to take up permanent residency in you and watch how your life will change. Now this doesn't happen over night. It is a process and a journey because you have to allow God to remove everything and everyone that would stand in the way of you and Him. Temptation will come and come some more. Distractions will come and come some more, but you have to keep your mind centered on what your ultimate goal is. Keep in mind Joseph and if everything he touched was blessed and other people were blessed just because they were in his presence, then God can and will do the same thing for you.

If you have any questions about this or any other posting, or just questions in general, please let me know by submitting a post on this blog and I will answer them within 24 hours. I pray that this blog is helping you to grow in your walk with God and to want Him more than you ever have. The bible declares that it is through God and by God that we move, breathe, and have our very being. So I pray that your relationship with Him continues to reach new heights each and every day of your life!

Blessings and Love,

Pastor Nichica Smith

Bible Study--1 Samuel Ch. 9

Overview:
The people have selfishly and blindly stood their ground in regards to their request for a king "like the other nations". Even after the warning they received from Samuel, the man of God, by God. It is amazing how we think we can see further and deeper than God.

Verses 1-10

Kish was Saul's father and he was noted as a mighty man of power, which meant he was well respected as a leader during the times of war and was also a wealthy land owner. He was of the tribe of Benjamin,which is the smallest of the 12 tribes of Israel.

Saul is described as being extremely handsome and the writer even goes as far as saying that there was not a person among the children of Israel that was more handsome than Saul. He was also extremely tall. In other words, Saul was not too bad on the eyes!

Kish's donkeys got loose and Saul was sent along with his servant to go look for them. (not a coincidence--keep that in mind--God always has purpose) They searched and searched and searched to the point that Saul was beginningto get concerned that his father would forget about the donkeys and start worrying about him. Saul's servant began to be used by God to lead Saul to Samuel. He lets Saul know that the city they are currently in has a man of God who may know where the donkeys are because he talks with God, is the mouthpiece of God, and everything he says comes to pass. (remember what he said in Ch. 8) But Saul says, that they can't go because they don't have anything to bring the man of God.
>>>>>>It was customary during that time to bring something to the prophet whenever you came to ask of them as it was how the prophets physically survived. When the people brought them food, clothes, money, etc they used those things to survive as they were constantly traveling from city to city doing God's work.

Now, some theologians argue that Saul really did not want to go and see the prophet. They say that there was no way that Saul did not have anything to give the man of God, because he came from a wealthy family and his father would not have sent him out without any money. Also, the fact that the servant had something and Saul obviously had access to more than the servant, Saul was holding out and was selfish to take the little that his servant had. But, again it goes right along with what God warned the people concerning their new king. That he would use their possessions (land, children, etc) before his own.

Verses 11-21
They went to the city and got confirmation that Samuel was indeed in the city. They were also given instructions as to where to meet Samuel.
>>>>It is extremely important that as we are going through life's journey that we are following the instructions that God gives us so that we can come face to face with our divine destiny. There are times when God gives us instructions directly and other times, when they come through someone else. But when it is from God, we have to be mindful to follow the instructions given regardless of where it takes us.

Saul and his servant followed the instructions and came across Samuel. The bible tells us that God had spoken to Samuel and told him about Saul.
>>>>>This is the wonderful thing about God. If we stay in His presence and keep the communication lines open He will not allow us to be caught off guard. He will keep us a few steps ahead and prepare us for what is to come. He is faithful in this.

Now Saul had no idea what Samuel looked like.
>>>>Alot of times we have an expectation of what our destiny pitstops and our destiny itself should look like. Which is why we don't recognize it when we walk right up on it. That is why we should praise God for Grace and Mercy, because they don't let us miss it IF the communication lines are open.

Samuel let Saul know that he was the person that Saul was looking for. God was letting Samuel know everything that Saul was thinking and feeling. Samuel gave Saul instructions and told him not to worry about his donkeys that were lost.
>>>>>>Can you imagine the look that was on Saul's face when Samuel said that? That was one of those 'pick your mouth up off the floor' moments!

Samuel in a way gave Saul a clue that he was going to be and do some great things when he made the statements: "And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on you and on all your Father's house?" But Saul, like so many of us, naturally put a limit on what God could do by outlining to Samuel all of the reasons why this could not happen to him.
>>>>>Why do we do that? Please understand, that when you accepted Christ into your heart and as your personal savior the bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. " So don't harp on what you did or used to do, what your mama did or didn't do, etc. You are what God says you are and you can be what God says you can be. Dot, Period, End! And if you haven't then I encourage you to invite him into your heart. I have provided prayers in previous posts that you can utilize if you need to.

Verses 22-27
Now Samuel extended to Saul ,and his servant, the privilege of sitting at the head of the table and all that were there (and there was noone there that had not been invited) saw this. Then to top it off, Saul got the part of the meat that was usually set aside for the guest of honor.
>>>>>See this is what I mean. God already knew that Saul was coming that way and He told Samuel. Everything was ready and in order for Saul's arrival because Samuel listened to the voice of God. Even though Samuel did not like the fact that the people wanted a king, he still obeyed God and blew Saul's mind. It isn't about what we like or don't like. We have to understand that it isn't about us at all! It is about Kingdom building and bringing God glory!

After the feast, Samuel instructed Saul to have his servant go ahead because there were some things that Samuel needed to share with Saul and they were exclusively for Saul.
>>>>>>People are in your life for a purpose and a season. When that purpose and season is up it is time to move on. God allowed that particular servant to come with Saul to look for those donkeys because He knew that that servant would lead Saul to Samuel. That was his purpose...purpose fulfilled. Let them go on to their next assignment. When you latch on to a person longer than you should you become a parasite. And when you let them stay too long in the role that they should not be in, you become the host to the parasite. (Whoa..I just said something right there,but I'm gonna leave it alone for now and let you ponder on that!)
>>>>>> When God has something just for you, don't go around telling everyone. There is a time and place for testimony and it is a strong tool used to bring people closer to Christ. However, there are times when God tells you things strictly for you and you alone. There are some parts of your struggle where it will just be you and God. You can't tell your girl about all about it and there may be times where you can't tell your pastor. It is your wilderness season that God is gonna have to get you through if you are to make it through. Please don't learn that the hard way, as you will find that the people you thought that were praying for you were actually praying against you. You will find that all along, the only person you really had in your corner was God.

I pray that this bible study brought about some clarity and insight for you in your walk with God. If you have not subscribed to this blog, do so now!

Blessings and Love,

Pastor N. Smith

Straight Talk--Frustration

The butcher knives of frustration cut deep and they always cut to the core. They seem to all come at one time. I know that all of you can relate to that. Frustration isn't frustration until it is caused or triggered by those whose opinion we value. Alot of things stem from the seeds of frustration. From the seeds of frustration the poisons of bitterness, hatred, malice, stress, hurt, disappointment, and so many other things grow. These things feed off of one another and the roots are deep. The reason I know that the roots are deep, is because we can be doing something or dealing with someone and have a flashback of another incident that was similar. An incident that we said we would never go through again! Does that sound familiar?

Now everyone has their moments of frustration. The computer is running slow, waiting too long in line at the grocery store, etc. Those are normal levels of frustration. I am not talking about that. I am talking about the levels where you say in your mind, "If they say one more thing to me, there are going to be problems". Or the frustration that comes on just being in the same room with a particular person. They don't even have to say anything or do anything, just their presence gets on your nerves and you feel your blood pressure going sky high. The bible tells us in Isaiah 26:3, that God will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Him because he trusts thee. Now the 'him' with a little 'h' is us and the 'him' with a capital 'h' is God. So does that mean that 24/7 we constantly have God on our mind? It would be ideal, but it is not the reality. However, if you seek God's council before you do anything, then you give God the opportunity to prepare you for what lies ahead. He will guide you and help you avoid some of those frustration butcher knives. Also, when those butcher knives hit, you can't start marinating or stewing in the situation. You have to begin talking with the Father and I don't mean one of those: "God if you don't get them I'm gonna hurt 'em". Okay, none of that.

Understand, that frustration is a simple but effective weapon that the enemy uses to get us off balance and to cause us to do things that will seperate us from God. Whether that seperation lasts for a moment or for a season. If you think about the killings that have taken place in the schools and the malls across the country. They all started with frustration. People commit suicide because they are frustrated. Recognize the weapon and call for what it is. Take 60 seconds and pray in order to bring yourself back to the place where you need to be. If you can't get the words out of your mouth and you can't seem to form a sentence, then just call on the name of Jesus. Prayerfully, you will not allow it to get that far. If it is a case where you are unable to catch yourself until it is too late, then your first prayer needs to be that God help you to recognize when you have gone past your limit and to help you be more aware and in tune with yourself.

Frustration happens to the best of us (all levels of it), but we should all make up in our minds that it will not over take us. For we are more than conquerors!

Blessings and Love,

Pastor Smith

(If you have not subcribed to this blog, then do so now. You will get automatic updates every time I post and it is FREE!)

Straight Talk- Jan 21, 2008

Okay, so as I was reading and studying this morning God led me to the book of Amos Ch. 5. (What's up with the ch. 5's here lately?HMMMM)

Anyway, after reading it and meditating on it God gave me the thought----"Don't Count On Tomorrow". How powerful and scary is that? There is an unsafe assumption amongst believers and nonbelievers that we have a certain amount of time. We are often heard saying "I can't wait until I get that age or I can't wait until....." But the reality is, we can't count on tomorrow for anything because tomorrow is never promised to us. We can't count on tomorrow to tell someone we love them or even give our lives to Christ. We have to do it now! How many times have we opened the paper or turned on the news and saw where someone was murdered, raped, burned, or gone missing? There are people that we talked to last week that aren't here right now. Does that not bother you at all? Where is the sense of urgency to do right and be right? I am not saying be perfect, but be right. We all know right from wrong, for as much as we have been taught.

In this chapter, the prophet Amos was bringing a message to the people of Israel from God. God was giving a warning to the children of Israel that if He were to come through right then it would not be a good situation for them. There was so much sin and idol worship going on and the people were turning to those things for life and happiness and fulfillment instead of God. Amos pleaded with the people to seek God and live. The only way we will make it in this life and the next is to seek God and live. I know that there are millions of people out there who have the nice cars that we want and the nice houses that we want, but if they don't have God then what is the point? Why have something that is up for grabs from the enemy? Do you understand what I mean by that? Things that have been gotten outside of God's will or without God being in it at all, don't belong to that person and all of the things and the people are a playground for the enemey to do what he will. Take a moment and think spiritually with me. Go into the spiritual realm for a minute. Before God blesses us with things He allows us to go through a preparation period in order to ensure that the enemy will not be able to come and take it or manipulate it. Kind of like the mortgage process. That banker is suppose to go through and see what you owe and what you have coming in in order to ensure that this home will not go into foreclosure. If you try to get over on the banker and present false information or push the banker without listening to what he is saying then you can't get mad if the bank comes and takes your stuff. God takes us through a period of preparation to ensure that the enemy can't try and foreclose on what God has given us. That period of preparation can be hard and trying, but it is one that we must go through and we need to embrace. Which means that we can't keep telling God, I am not ready or Wait! From the enemies point of view.......READY OR NOT, HERE I COME!

Israel was not willing to go through the stages of preparation that God had instructed them to. They felt that there were easier ways out or a shorter way to get from point A to point B. They wound up getting caught up in other's peoples foolishness (is any of this hitting home) When the enemy came it was not hard to corrupt them and devour their present and their future (for some of them). Don't count on tomorrow...get it right with God today. There are too many people that have wasted time and lost ground and now you are moving in fast forward. Moving in fast forward is exhausting (speaking from experience)

Know that God is your source and everything else is just a resource and as long as God is your source, He will lead you to every available resource. He is the God of love and peace and He has that for all of us who are willing to accept it. If God were to do an inspection right now, would He look at you and see the reflection of His son in you? If the sky were to crack open right now and you were to stand before the throne of judgement as we all will, will you ascend or descend? It doesn't matter how old you are or how young you are. For the Word of God says that no man knows the day nor the hour. So don't count on tomorrow for it may never come. But one thing that we do know, we will have to stand before the Father and give an account. We can't come with excuses of I didn't know because if you are reading this blog you know. We can't come with the excuses of I didn't have anyone to go to, because if you are reading this blog you have someone to go to and get your questions answered. If you are looking for a church home, just let me know what city you are in and I will make some phone calls for you to get you into a church home so that you can fellowship with other believers. But don't depend on the preacher to preach you into heaven. Getting into heaven depends on you and you alone.

DON'T COUNT ON TOMORROW!!!

Straight Talk--Jan. 19, 2008

Whenever I read or study, I always ask God what it is He wants me to know for today. I allow Him to guide my hand to the place in the bible that He wants me to study or meditate on for my fellowship time with Him. This morning I was drawn to Proverbs 5. I study out of the NKJV of the Nelson Study Bible and the heading for Proverbs 5 read "The Peril of Adultery". I thought "WOW"! How appropriate for the time that we are living in, when it seems as if people do not take the sanctity of marriage serious. For this day and age, it seems as if marriage is just something to do or a cover up for a baby that is on the way.

The author of this Proverb is a mother who has given instruction to her children. She warns her son of fooling with an immoral woman. But we know that this transcends gender and applies to men too. The mother starts out describing an immoral woman (man) as such:
"her lips drip honey and her mouth is smoother than oil; but in the end
she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two edged sword" (vs 3-4)

I liked to fell over when I read that because this mother hit it right on the head and the same description applies today. The entire Proverb talks about how easily one can be trapped and lured into the clutches of a setup.

I urge you to read this Proverb on your own as I am only going to give you some nuggets.

The Proverb goes on to say that "Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well. Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers" (vs 15-17)

As I was reading this God began to speak several different things to me.
>>>>>>1. We are so nonchalant about having sex with so many different people. I have heard folk say "Can't no one man/woman satisfy me" What in the world is that? God warns through this mother's knowledge and understanding, that you don't go drinking from everybodies well or fountain. You only drink from the one that belongs to you! Do we not know that when we "drink from other folks well or fountain" that we get the bacteria that is in that fountain or well? Or we think that just because we put a filtration in there to catch some of the bacteria then it is okay? Let me break it down for you.....every person you sleep with (drink from their fountain or well) you take a piece of them with you internally. Not just bodily fluid because the condom (filtration system), but a piece of their spirit (or spirits because if the person is going around sleeping with all manner of persons then deliverance has obviously not taken place). You also leave them with a piece of you (backwash from the drink). God intended for this to only happen between husband and wife as they grow with one another and grow in Him. These exchanges were meant to stay holy and sanctified. But because we have allowed perversion into our midst (church folk and leadership willingly doing what the world is doing) you see countless persons with STD's, people dieing of AIDS, you see children being born from father's and mother's who are married, but not to each other. All of this is in the church! I am not talking about in the street! Women and men who have 3 and 4 kids by 3 and 4 different people. "Should your fountains be dispersed abroad?" (vs 17) Should be sleeping with anybody who tells you that you are cute? Should you be so easily swayed and trapped? NO!!!

But then we ask the question, God why do I keep attracting these type of people? I am sooooo glad you asked!!! Look at verse 22 and 23 " The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast. He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly."

When I read this God spoke so clearly and said this: "The devil knows the desires of your flesh. He watches and studies you. Just as I know the desires of your heart, your flesh screams out to him because it wants satisfaction. This is why I say, to die from your flesh daily. The devil is not gambling, he is not taking shots in the dark. He sets in your path the things that your flesh is crying out for. If you have been recently delivered from something, the devil is still going to tempt you with it in order to draw you back in. When I tell you in Psalms 91, "He who dwells in the secret place (shelter) of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." What I mean is, the way I cover you and protect you is through my Word. When you study and pray and fast and meditate on my Word, your flesh becomes silent. It no longer calls out to him for that moment in time. My Word cleanses you and every time you come before me and allow my Word to truly enter in and consume, a piece of that flesh dies. This is why he tries to distract you and cause you to be too tired to spend time with me. I can't hide you if you are not in my presence and in my Word. My Word is power and it is power that he can not come against. Stay in my Word and I will stay in You----thus sayeth the Lord.

I had to take a moment right there. When God spoke that, I was left with my mouth wide open and I had to tell you what He told me. Please go back and read that Proverb and then read this blog again. Stay in God's word so that you can dwell in the secret place. A place where the devil has no power over you and you can be free, be healed, and be empowered. Stop allowing yourself to be trapped and ensnared. Know who you are in Christ and recognize what you are without Him. I encourage you to pray this prayer:

Father God, in the name of Jesus, I thank you now for who you are in my life. I know that I haven't done all that I should or could and I ask your forgiveness right now. Help me God to understand your Word and not to be intimidated by it as the enemy would have me to be. I want to be in your presence and I want to be a son/daughter that you are proud of. Teach me oh God, how to be loved by you, that I may love myself and not accept anything less than Godly love from another person. Give me the strength oh Father, to stand firm when the enemy comes to ensnare me and get me off track. I love you Lord and I thank you for loving me! In Jesus name I pray--Amen.

I encourage you to subscribe to this blog so that you will automatically get updates as they are posted.

I Samuel Ch 8

Overview
In the book of Ruth we learned what God will do when we trust and obey Him. We bore witness as to what happens when we walk in blind obedience, which is in essence faith. We will now study Saul and see what happens when obedience becomes disobedience.

Verses 1-3
Samuel, the prophet and man of God, made his own sons Judges over Israel. These sons did not believe in God and live a Godly life the way that Samuel did. They took bribes and found ways to always benefit. They were a poor representation of Samuel and God. The people were furious with their behavior and they were also upset with Samuel because he did nothing about it.

>>>How many of us have experienced a leader in the church who preaches or teaches or even criticizes others, but their own kids or their own house is not in order? This is the position that the children of Israel were in. We look at leaders like this as hypocrites or we don't give them the respect they think they deserve because our mindset is "How can you tell us what to do, when you can't even control your own house?"
The problem with this mindset is that we don't usually pray for the leader, but we criticize or we talk about them or discredit them among ourselves. We, as believers, must always lift one another up in prayer. We never know when such issues shall come upon us or when we shall get to the point that our ability to make decisions are no longer God driven, but emotion driven.

Verses 4-9
The children of Israel were making decisions off of emotion. This was nothing they prayed about or took counsel with God about. They wanted a king so that they could be like the other nations and they wanted a king like the other nations. WHOA!
>>There is a red flag right here. For them to say that they wanted a king like the other nations meant they wanted a king that had the characteristics of the other nations. Now who were the other nations? They were idol worshippers and people that God did not want Israel to mingle with. The people of Israel were the chosen people of God, but that was not good enough. They wanted to be like the other nations. Well, when we try to be like others we take on their mindset, which means we take on their problems, which means we take on their consequences and their reward. How backwards we become when we are driven off of emotion?! You don't even have to have a whole lot of religion to know that that request was absolutely rediculous!

They told Samuel that he was getting old, which basically meant ---you are going to be dieing soon! They told him that his sons were out of control and they did not want to be under their rule any longer. Samuel was hurt by this because he thought that the people had turned their backs on him and he was angry at their request. Samuel took the request to God and God told Samuel to let it go because they were not rejecting him......they were rejecting God. Now the God that we serve is so Awesome!! God knew what was/is best for His children. But like any parent, He gets to a point where He says, "I can show you better than I can tell you". So He tells Samuel to give them what they want but warn them. And He gives Samuel an exact listing of the characteristics of their future king.
>>>>Now why was this a rejection of God? (I'm glad you asked)
Let's take a look at their request: They wanted a king that would go before them and fight their battles. Now doesn't that sound like Christ? But they did not want a heavenly king. Nothing in their request said give us a king that will obey you oh God and teach us to walk in your statutes. They said give us a king like all of the other nations. So they were saying to God, that we don't want you to lead us. We don't want you to go before us in battles and bring about victory because we don't think that you can! What a statement to make to God....I don't want you and I don't need you. I just need what you created. (Is it just me or is that completely retarded) But, every time we do contrary to God's Word we tell Him that He doesn't know what He is talking about. Every time we knowingly sin, we tell Him that we don't believe what His word says--the wages of sin are death. So how are we different? It is so easy to criticize others, but at some point in our lives we have been the others. We might not have said what they said, but someone said that "actions speak louder than words". When is the last time that you showed God how much you love Him or appreciate Him. How much time have you spent with Him today. How much time do you spend cultivating your relationship with Him?

Verses 10-22
>>>Now why would He tell Samuel to warn them? Oohh, BECAUSE HE IS JUST THAT GOOD! He was giving them another opportunity to change their minds and allow God back into their hearts. He does the same for us. He gives us that last opportunity to turn around before we walk off the cliff. But they refused it because they weren't listening. They already had their minds made up. You remember how your friends told that that person didn't mean you any good and all you could see was what you wanted to see? Ummhum...that is where they were and there was nothing that Samuel could say to change their minds. Samuel went back to God and told him all that the people had said. God instructed Samuel to give them exactly what they want!

There are many times when we get frustrated with God because He does not give us what we want when we want it. We withhold ourselves from Him because we say to ourselves, 'what's the point'! Learn from the mistakes of the past and trust God. He knows what is best for all of us because He does not operate off of limited vision. He sees everything from every angle. Take this opportunity to make it right with Him by saying this prayer out loud:

Father God in the name of Jesus, I ask your forgiveness right now for my impatience and wanting things when I want them. I know in my heart that you, above everyone, knows exactly what I need when I need it. I am reminded of your word where you instruct me to be anxious for nothing for in due time I will reap. I thank you God that even in my disobedience and selfishness, you never allowed the enemy to devour me. I love you Lord with all of my heart and I ask God that you wash me completely in the blood of your son Jesus Christ that I may be clean. I ask that you give me a clean and pure heart and renew the right spirit in me. I thank you Lord that even now I feel your presence, your power, and your love. Lord, I declare right now that you are the best thing that is happening to me right now! In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen!

May God continue to bless you and may you continue to grow in Him like you never have before. If this bible study has impacted you in any way, please let me know. Also send your questions, thoughts, and testimonies.

Blessings and love,
Pastor N. Smith

Bible Study: Ruth Chapter 4

Overview

Ruth went through the process to get ready and execute the plan.
1. Go and wash yourself
2. Anoint yourself
3. Put on your best garment
4. Go down to the threshing floor
5. Do not make yourself known until after he eats
6. Pay attention to where he lies down

Boaz makes a covenant with Ruth to take care of her, but he told her that he must first speak with the closest relative that is above him.

Verses 1-12

Boaz discusses the issue among the elders at the gate. Now the gate is where business generally took place. We know that Boaz had to be someone important and highly respected because when he summoned the elders they came and sat down where he asked them to sit.
There was no commotion or confusion. When he summoned the closest relative he also came and everyone listened to what Boaz had to say.

Boaz went through the steps of declaring what needed to be done:
1. Get the land back that was sold (relative agreed to this)
>>Now we learned in the last bible study that people were already talking about Ruth and Naomi so the question to be asked is: Why did Boaz have to bring it to the relatives and elders in order for something to happen? If everyone was talking about what Ruth was doing for Naomi, then they had to know about their situation.

There are people in the church and in the community that are going through hard times. There are people that know that these folk are going through hard times and do nothing about it. When someone is hungry they want food. When they are thirsty they want something to drink. They appreciate your prayers, but they want something to take care of their problem right then and there. They have already been praying and you came along and didn't do what you could have done. But for you who are feeling that God has forgotten about you and you are wondering when....just know that your Boaz is on the way. The story of Ruth is not just about her finding her man (as many like to teach it). It is about walking into your victory and your abundance!
2. Marry Ruth (relative was not willing to do this)
>>The relative wanted the land, but he wanted it for his children and not any children that would be birthed from the union of him and Ruth. He gave his right to Boaz and the deal was made at the gate in the presence of the elders.

Verses 13-18

Boaz and Ruth married and had a son. The name of the son was called Obed who was the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David and from the lineage of David came the Messiah. Ruth was critical in bringing forth the Messiah. Why is that important? Society and the church have a way of making people feel less than what God has ordained them to be. These boxes that we put ourselves in and allow people to put us in are hinderances to us. But let me encourage you! Ruth came from a tainted heritage. Think back to the first bible study and the heritage of the Moab people and how they were birthed in incest. They were the lowest of the low in the eyes of the children of Israel. She was a Moabite, a woman, a widow, and childless. She was as good as dead in the eyes of the people. But God is willing to use anyone who wants to be used and who do not think of themselves higher than they should. Know that you are special in God's eyes and you are not defined by the world or by the church. You are what God says you are! Believe it and write it in your heart! It ain't over until God says it is over. From an outcast came our blessed Savior....how awesome is that!!!

Now understand, yes Boaz represents our abundance and our victory but remember that Ruth had to put in some time and hard work. She didn't just walk into the land and Boaz fell at her feet. No! She had to work and she had to labor and she had to endure. I can only imagine the looks that she got and the way that people talked to her and about her. But she had a purpose and she had focus. It didn't matter what they thought or said! Did you hear me....it does not matter what they think or what they say! Know your purpose and stay focused on that. There will be nay sayers and hell raisers, but God is still good and He will give you double for your trouble!

I also want all of the Naomi's in God's kingdom to understand their purpose as well. Naomi's job was to prepare Ruth for her purpose. Naomi had to lose everything and was left with a nobody! She had to love, nurture, and guide this young lady. She sacrificed the ultimate things that a mother and wife would have to sacrifice: her children and her husband. But in the end.....she received a blessing that was greater than seven sons. Remember that God never does anything just to do it.....He always has a purpose and a plan.

I pray that this bible study was a blessing to you! As always, leave me a message on the blog and let me know your thoughts, suggestions, and prayer requests!

Blessings and Love,

Pastor N. Smith

Bible Study--Ruth Chapter 3

Overview: Boaz lets Ruth know that he has been inquiring of her and that he wants her to
1. Go in the fields where his servants go
2. Only go and get water where he has directed
3. Know that he told the young men not to harm her

Ruth no longer sees herself as a foreigner. Naomi finds out that Boaz is helping Ruth and she is very excited to hear that

Verses 1-5

Naomi poses the question to Ruth as to whether or not she trusts her enough to help her find a mate. One might ask the question..well why would Naomi do that seeeing as how Ruth has done absolutely everything that Naomi has required and asked without hesitation. Well this is an entirely different level of trust. It's like someone telling you that they have someone for you to meet and you ask how they look and the only answser you get is that they have a nice personality. Oh my goodness...all kinds of red flags and sirens start going off in your head and trust goes out of the door. But Ruth, had a different mindset. She was not caught up in the superficial.....she was caught up in wanting the best and she knew that her mother in law had not failed her yet so why not trust her in this. Now lets pause right here (you know what I am going to say). God wants the same thing out of us. It is so amazing how God has to keep proving himself daily to us as if what He did yesterday does not matter today. What?! How would you feel going to a job and working your butt off day in and day out and no matter what you did the day before, it didn't matter. Everyday you had to go in and prove yourself just like it was the first day of employment. You would be miserable and wonder when you were going to be appreciated. Do you not think that God feels the same way?

Or you keep telling God that you can't trust Him because of the trust issues that you have had with other people. People have let you down and let you down and now God is having to pay for that. His word says that He is not a man that will or can lie. Whatever flows out of His mouth has no choice but to come to pass. He is the same amazing, wonderful, joyous, faithful, and forgiving God yesterday, today, and forever. If you trust Him for the little things, then you must trust Him for everything.....everything!!! He is a God that CANNOT fail...remember that!

Naomi told Ruth that if you do exactly what I tell you to do (which means don't add to, take away from, or argue with me) then your life will be better because Boaz isn't doing all of things just to be doing them. He is interested and is being obedient to the voice of God and the plan of God.
>>>>>Remember that God always has a plan and a setup for us to get blessed beyond what we could know. Read Malachi 3 to see what the promises of God are if we just try Him and obey what He has asked us to do then He will:
1. Stop Satan in his tracks as the word of God tells us that the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy. This doesn't mean that we will not have hardships or problems. But know that as bad as it may seem, it is not as bad as the enemy wanted it to be. The enemy not only wants to destroy you, but also your seed. Know that Christ is interceding on your behalf and telling the enemy that while he is allowed to ruffle a little feathers, there is a line that he can not and will not cross. God is the ultimate power and authority and there is no one that can over rule or over take Him. Trust and obey Him and He will never fail you or lead you in the wrong direction.

2. Open up the windows of heaven and pour us out a blessing that we will not have room enough to receive. Do you know why God said that He will open up the windows instead of the doors? Think about it, a house usually only has the front door and the back door. However, there are windows galore which means there is more for you to receive and to receive quickly. This means that it is always God's plan for us to have abundance...more than enough. Don't let your situation or circumstance tell you anything different. Walk by faith and God can only move as fast as your faith is strong.

3. Nations will call you blessed. God did not say that all the people that like you will be the only ones that speak praises of you. He said that nations, that means everyone (good, bad, and indifferent), will see the blessings that God has given you and all they will be able to say is.."it must have been God!"

If we just follow the plan, these are the things that are in store for us! How amazing and encouraging is that?!

Naomi provided Ruth with detailed steps which are as follows:

1 Go and wash yourself
---we have to be willing to go through a cleansing in order to remove the excess baggage from our past (last year, last week, 5 minutes ago)
2. Anoint Yourself
---fresh anointing of God's spirit. Without it we have no power.
3. Put on your best garment
---Your heart has to be right and you must be fully covered in God's spirit
4. Go down to the threshing floor
---the threshing floor was where the reapers and the owners of land took their grain so that the animals could walk on them and break the husks open in order to get the grain. The grain was then thrown up in the air so that the wind could separate the grain from the chaff. You only went to the threshing floor if you reaped your harvest, which technically makes it 'invitation only'. So the fact that God had instructed Naomi to tell Ruth to go to the threshing floor, that was God's way of telling Ruth that you are about to receive your abundance and reap your harvest. Getting your abundance is a process and it is work. You have to get the ground ready to receive the seed (washing), you have to plant the seed and then tend to it to make sure that it is not overcome by weeds (allow the holy spirit to enter in and being obedient to God's word) and then reaping the harvest. Once the harvest is reaped you have to take it to the threshing floor so that what you have worked for can be unlocked and the blessing received. When the animals walk on the husks they are literally unlocking what is inside so that you can have it which means that God puts people in our lives to help us unlock our abundance and we have to step back and let them do what they do. When we receive the harvest we have to give God praise for all of it.
5. --Do not make yourself known until after. This lets us know that God does everything in decency and in order.
6. --Pay attention to where he lies down, uncover his feet, and lie down. This is God's way of telling us that we need to humble ourselves and keep ourselves humble.

Now Ruth did not argue with Naomi at all. She didn't offer suggestions or changes, she just did exactly what she was asked to do. Ruth told Naomi that she would do everything that she was instructed. We often times question who we know God has placed in our path by seeking consultation from others when God told it plainly through the person He sent. Then we get angry when we mess up and wonder why God continues to allow these things to happen. Are we serious? Are we paying attention? We have to understand that when God answers our prayers He is answering it for today and tomorrow. He is not just passifying the moment, but He is building up our future. We have to accept the fact that even though we may daydream about how we want it to be or end up, God is perfect in all things and whatever or whomever He sends our way is exactly what we need.

Verses 6-13
Ruth does everything to the letter. She does not change anything that Naomi said to her. When Boaz wakes up, he notices a woman (Ruth) and asks who it is. When she makes herself known to him by saying who she is, he blesses her and is excited by her presence. He agrees to do all that she has asked him to do.
>>>This is what obedience to God brings. This blessing didn't come immediately. Ruth had to work, she had to go out by herself among strange people, follow strange customs, but God blessed. God worked through Naomi and Boaz and Ruth's obedience to the both of them opened up the doors to her abundance. Let me encourage you right now. We don't always know the paths that we will go down and the mistakes that we will make. Know that God is for you and not against you. He has you set up for greatness, just follow the plan!!!!

Verses 14-18
Ruth had a teachable spirit. What does that mean? It means she did not think too highly of herself. She was willing to learn and to be taught. She listened and listened well. Persons with teachable spirits know that without God they can do nothing and are nothing. They don't always have the talents to do what God is asking (or so they think), but they follow His instructions to the letter. God uses these people to work miracles. Think about the Noah's and Moses', Mother Theresa's and Ghandi's. Ordinary people being used by God to do extraordinary things. What He did through them, He will do through you if you allow it. It is not what you can do, but what He can do through you.

Now we see that Boaz sent Ruth back home to Naomi with a little something. How wonderful is God! Now some of you probably read those verses and thought nothing of it. However, look at it this way. God is giving her something to tie herself over until she gets her abundance. She knows that there is something special coming her way, although she doesn't know exactly what it is. God allowed her to have this in order to hold her over until she got her abundance. There are times when we are weary from being obedient and we need a little something to hold us over until the blessing comes in order to energize us. God is great and greatly to be praised!!


I pray that you have enjoyed this week's lesson and that it has encouraged your spirit. When you visit this site, please let me know that you were here and let me know how this ministry has blessed you or if there is something you want to see on this site, please let me know. I pray that each of you have a BLESSED THANKSGIVING!!

Blessings and love,

Pastor N. Smith

STRAIGHT TALK: Psychic or Prophet---What is the difference?

There are a lot of people that wrestle with these terms and try to validate their usage of either one. The difference between the two is quite simple----the source of their information. The term psychic is not found in the bible. We find the following terms: seer, prophet, and medium. According to the book of I Samuel chapter 9, the seer at that point in time was also a prophet. At that point in time, they were considered religious men and women who received their visions or ability "to see" from God.

Again I stress that at that time, the seers were referred to as prophets and even well into the time of David and Solomon. However, as always, you have counterfeits trying to pretend that they were the real thing and the bible warns us of false prophets (seers). What makes them false? Again, the source of their information. A true prophet has God as their source of all of their information. They say what God wants them to say; no more and no less. Their purpose is to serve as the mouthpiece for God. A false prophet or seer gets their limited vision from satan. Why do I say limited vision? Because that is what satan is operating with. He is not all seeing and all knowing. He can only see and know what God allows him to see and know (limited) and he will then pass that information on to his seer's or what we call psychics.

Why is it that people are drawn to these false seer's or psychics? Because......although the devil works with limited vision he really utilizes all of his resources to lure people in. He allows his psychics to tell us exactly what we want to hear. That keeps folk coming back for more, until they don't even consider talking to God and waiting for THE TRUTH, instead of a version of the truth. People have gotten to the point that they don't want to deal with the truth and they do not want to do what is necessary (by God's standards) to get what they need and to walk into their abundance. We want everything now and fast and most of the time that is what gets us in trouble. God tells us in His word, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."(2 Chronicles 7:14) God gives us the formula for how to get things done and He also tells us "In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." (Phil 4:6)

What does all of that mean? It means that if you are in foolishness or if you have not COMPLETELY---I DIDN'T SAY CONVENIENTLY-- given yourself to Him then you need to because you are His child. He never left you (us), it was our choice to turn our backs on Him. He says that if we do that first (acknowledge our sinful ways through confession and repentance) and then pray to Him and ask Him for His guidance and forgiveness.....THEN He will do what needs to be done. Then He sends out a warning-----don't be too anxious. Be patient and wait on Him and continue seeking His face through consistent prayer. If we are too anxious, we begin to put our $5 worth and start messing things up. This means that it is going to take longer, because now God has to go and undo what we did. We must learn to trust God!!

TRUST HIM...TRUST HIM....TRUST HIM!!!

How is it that we can trust a complete stranger, but will not trust the creator of all things and the controller of all things. It seems to me that we would want to be on the winning team!!!

If you are seeking the advice of a psychic, either on the phone or in person STOP!! There is nothing in God's plan that tells us that we should. He actually forbids the use of magic and sorcerty! You are blocking the very thing that you say you want.

Now in regards to mediums...these are people who call on the dead and conjure up spirits and potions and things like voodoo or roots. They are also referred to as witches or warlocks. There should not be a single believer dealing in any such thing or participating in things like that. I know so many people that call themselves 'playing' with Ouija boards and the like. Do you not know that satan is NOT playing with you and he is always looking for a way in? Do you not know that he is on the clock 24 hours, but somehow we continue to allow our guard to be let down because someone uses the term 'play' or 'joke'. If we put the same time into God as we do avoiding Him......how powerful we would be!!!

God wants us to be and have the best. He wants us to be safe and to have peace in the midst of our situations and circumstances. Life is not always going to be easy and there will be times when you feel like you need a RIGHT NOW answer. Just remember that you have an ON TIME God, that will give you the Right answer at the Right time......TRUST HIM!!


Let me know your thoughts and experiences. You can remain anonymous.

Blessings and love,

Pastor N. Smith

STRAIGHT TALK

THESE QUESTIONS ARE COURTESY OF MY BABIES IN OAKLAND (you know who you are!!)


Question: I understand that we have to have problems in order to know what we can withstand. But why do we have to go through so much to the point where you don't want to live?

Answer: This question has many parts to it, but it is a question that everyone has asked at some point in their life regardless of their age. So here we go......
1. The bible says that God will not put more on us than we can bear (I Cor. 10:13--No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.)

This passage is reminding us that there have been others that have experienced the same pain, disappointment, hurt, confusion, etc that we are experiencing right now. It also reminds us that God is sooo good that He will not allow us to be pushed or tempted beyond what we are capable of handling. It also tells us that even in the temptation, God gives us a way to get out of it so that we don't have to feel the full weight of it. How amazing is that? The catch is, we have to have a relationship with Him in order to see and hear the way of escape. We expect God to come in surround sound. We find out from Elijah that sometimes, God is the still, small voice. (1 Kings 19:11-12). This means that we have to stop our whining and complaining and begin talking to God about what He wants us to see and hear and ask Him to reveal it to us. When we get still and quiet and focus our energy on Him, we find that He has been speaking all the time.

2. Now since the bible already has said that God will not put more on us than we can bear, then how did it get to the point that we could not bear it. Well for one, we tend to put more on us than we can bear because we don't pay attention to all of the red flags and patterns that take place in our lives. We tend to stick to people's promise (who disappoint) versus God's promises. Because we don't trust God the way we should and the relationship with God is not what it could be, our loyalty is to what seems logical and more common sense to the world. But God plainly says, "My thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways are not your ways" (Isaiah 55:8) God is going to do things that is going to bring Him glory. When you find a believer who hasn't had any overtime, has the same amount of bills that they did last month, but they have an extra $100 in their account---that's God.

Now I understand that some people are born into the world's worst family situations that you did not ask for and you feel that you really can't change anything about it. Well, we can't change who our parents are. However, prayer can and will change anything. It comes through being crazy enough to believe that the God we serve can do exceedingly and abundantly above anything that we can ask. See, when we don't believe or when we have doubt (even if for a moment) we literally put the brakes on God. God can only move as fast as our faith is strong. The stronger our faith, the quicker He moves. We have to take our eyes off of our situation. Does that mean ignore it...NO. Because the reality is, we are living it. However, God allows us to see it so that we know what to pray about. He allows us to hear it, so that we know what to pray about. Now I will do something on prayer later, but know that God is showing you exactly what you need to pray against. If we look at Hannah, ( 1 Samuel 1: 1-20) her miracle did not come immediately. She endured ridicule in her own house for many, many years. She was laughed at and made fun of to her face. But a change took place when her faith took over. I want you to read that for yourself and put your name in Hannah's place. Put your prayer request in the place of hers..cry what you need to cry and when youget off of your knees, come up with a renewed faith in God that He not only heard it, but He will answer it according to His will.

3. Now the scripture that we read towards the beginning stated that God will give us a way of escape. The catch is, we have to take it. If we don't move when He says move, then that is on us. It doesn't mean that He will not open another door, it just means the longer you stay in the fire....the deeper your burns will be. First degree burns can be treated with a little butter and ointment. Second degree burns take more and leave scarring. Third degree burns can be fatal. See sin will take you further than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.

If you are to the point that you want to end it, then there is something that you missed. Take a few minutes, by yourself, and talk to God. You have to be like Jacob when he was wrestling with the Angel (see if you can find this one) and Jacob told the Angel that he would not let go until the Angel blessed. You stay on your knees and you pray and you pray and you pray until you get clarity from God. It may take a few minutes or a few hours.....but hold on until you get your blessing!!

Now this is the first of many questions and if you have your own questions or thoughts,please add them to the post and I will research your question according to God's word as well.

Blessings and love,

Pastor Smith

Bible Study--Book of Ruth Ch. 2

Overview:
Naomi's husband Elimelech and her sons Mahlon and Chilion have died. Her daughter in law Orpah left to go back to her people and her other daughter in law Ruth has decided to go with her back to Bethlehem, Judah. Naomi is bitter as she thinks that God is punishing her and they have arrived in Naomi's hometown.

Chapter 2

Verses 1-2
Introduced to Boaz a relative of Naomi's husband. We are told that Ruth wants to go and glean in the fields.
>>>>What is gleaning? It means to pick up or gather what is left behind. When the reapers would gather the harvest they would intentionally leave some behind for the widows and the orphaned based on God's commandement to the children of Israel in the book of Leviticus 23:22
"22 " 'When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.' "

>>>>Anything that God commands is important and has a purpose. If we look again at the customs of this time period, a widow had it extremely hard because she had no men to take care of her. If she was not or could not be married again she was forced to fend for herself in a culture that looked down on women. Leaving something for the orphan or the poor is easy to understand as well. However, it seems as if we have lost sight of this as we have taken on an every man for himself mentality or we take on the mentality that we are only going to take care of 'our own'. If we are all God's children and we were all bought with a price by the blood of Jesus then we are all members of the same body. It should not be a second thought to help one another, for the bible tells us that if someone is hungry we should feed them and if they are cold we should clothe them. (Matthew 25:31-46) Now I am not saying to give yourself to scammers, but when God tells you to give, whether they have asked for it or not---give it.

Take note of Ruth's continued respect and loyalty to Naomi. She took the time and asked Naomi if she could go and glean in the fields. Now, we know that they both had to be wondering and maybe even talked about how they were going to take care of themselves because Naomi was too old to marry and they did not know if anyone would take Ruth in because she was from Moab. So for Ruth to ask permission, despite her hunger, her worries, or her thoughts says alot about her. If Naomi had said, "No", Ruth would not have gone. That is the type of loyalty she had. How many of us have asked God for something and really wanted and possibly even needed it. But God said, "No" and we did it anyway or we had to think about it for a long time and literally convince ourselves or talk ourselves out of it because we really wanted it. God wants us to have a loyalty of love for him that when He speaks, we trust Him enough to obey.

God's word teaches us the importance of obedience. He tells us in the book of Samuel that ''obedience is better than sacrifice".
>>>>>So lets pause right here, because if we say that we trust God then why is it that we find it so hard to obey Him? The reason is, we only trust Him in certain situations. Now this is not everybody, so don't start talking to the computer saying ''she don't know me, I trust God....." If you are at the point now that you trust God through whatever then that is awesome!! Then what I need for you to do is go back to the time when you didn't, because we didn't come out of the womb speaking in tongues and shouting. It was and is a process for all of us. Think about the times when you immediatley did what He said, the times you had to convince yourself to do what He said, the times you did part of what He said, and then the times you tried to convince yourself that that was the devil because God wouldn't tell you to give up your most prize possession or give up something you worked so hard to get. But if we think about it.....He would as He gave up His only begotten Son for all of us knowing that He would be rejected, knowing that He would suffer, knowing that there would be some that would put out books and movies and blogs and email forwardings and pass laws that go against Him.

>>>>Now there are different levels of trust. You have people that you trust no matter what they tell you to do because you know that they have your best interest in mind. Then you have people that you trust depending on the situation. Then you have people that you trust to do what is right for them. The people in the first category are the ones that we obey regardless of what is going on. The second group, it depends on the situation and the possible outcome. The third group, they might as well be talking to a wall. Which group is God in, because if we say we trust Him, then we should obey Him? If He is not in group one, then I want you to stop and pray this prayer:
Father God, in the name of Jesus, I come before you God as humble as I know how. I ask your forgiveness for not trusting you the way that I should. I know God that if anyone has my best interest at heart it is you. I know God that I don't always understand why you do what you do or the timing of the things you do. But God, despite my worries, my concerns, my hangups, my faults, I am going to do as you have commanded me to do. You were there for Noah, you were there for David, and God I know you will be there for me. I put my hand in your hand and ask that you lead me and help me to understand as we go along the way. I can't see all things, but you can. I trust you God and I love you for loving me. I come against the spirit of fear that is trying to grow in my heart and my mind. Everything I am is because of you, so use me Lord as you see fit and I will be mindful to give you the praise and the glory. In Jesus name I do pray---Amen.

Now He will begin to tell you to do things that you don't usually do. If you are unsure as to whether or not it is Him, just ask Him in your prayer time to let you know and He will.

Verses 3-9
Boaz notices Ruth. He notices that she is not an Israelite and he inquires about her and finds out that she asked permission to come into the fields which told Boaz that she had respect for the customs of a people that he was not a part of and that she had been working extremely hard. This told Boaz that she was not a lazy person and was not looking for handouts.

He then decides to protect her by telling her to glean only in his fields, stay close to his servants, told the young men not to harass or harm her, and told her where to get water when she is thirsty.
>>>>>>When we are obedient and follow God's plan we see that He has already made provisions for us. We just have to be there to receive it. Obedience lead us to blessings. We don't have to search for blessings. We just have to work at being obedient and God will take care of the rest. He tells us in Matthew 6: 33" Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His rightousness and all these things shall be added to thee" Now I am not saying go and be lazy! But there are people who are of the mindset that if they work hard enough, they will get blessed when the word of God clearly says that it is not by works, but by faith. (Ephesians 2:8-9) We can't work our way into Heaven, but if we are obedient to God's word we will have our place with Him.

Verses 10-12
Ruth asks a very normal question (paraphrasing)--"Why are you doing all of this and I am not one of you". She wanted to know what his intentions were and why he would decide to help someone whom the Israelites look down upon. Don't we do the same thing? When someone goes out of the way for us, we wonder what they want from us, what are their intentions, are they doing it so that we become indebted to them and every opportunity they get ,they throw it in our faces and tell everyone what they did for us?

Boaz lets Ruth know that he has been watching and inquiring about her because of her loyalty and obedience to Naomi. He had become intrigued by her.
>>>>>But we can not assume that he was the only one that had heard about Ruth or had seen her. So what was different about Boaz? What is different about us? You have some who are talkers, some who ignore what is going on, and those who take action and do something. Now we can't do everything for everyone, but if we have a servants heart then we will hear God when he tells us to move. We have to believe that God had been speaking to Boaz to help Ruth and because of his servants heart, he heard God, and because he trusted God, Boaz obeyed.

Boaz blessed Ruth in verse 12. That blessing was a sign to Ruth of what God had in store for her regardless of whether she was an Israelite or not. When we step out in faith and submit ourselves to God, our past does not matter, our handicaps do not matter, because God can use anyone who wants to be used. He says in His word that when we are weak, He is made stronger. The more we think we are, the less we think we need God. But when we come to the understanding that it is only through God that move, breathe, and have our very existence then we become someone that God can use. Take the time to read Psalm 46 before proceeding. Although this Psalm was written years after this occurrence, you see that we serve a God that is the same yesterday, today, and forever because David spoke of the same thing that Boaz spoke to Ruth.

Verse 13-19
Ruth not only thanks Boaz, but there is a feeling of acceptance as she does no call herself a foreigner, but she refers to herself as his maidservant.

Now through these passages we see that steps are being taken for Ruth to no longer get leftovers. Ruth's loyalty and obedience was being rewarded. We know she got tired and the work was not easy, but she continued to work for herself and for Naomi without complaining.
>>>>How often have we asked for something, God provided it, and sometime after that we start complaining about it? But then we wonder why things are the way they are. Or how often have we asked God to make a way, He does it, and we don't take it? Then we wonder why these opportunities are not coming as often. Ruth had a loyalty love for Naomi and God wants us to have the same from us, not the "I love you when things are okay or when they have that new smell to them" kind of love. I believe that Naomi and Ruth had been asking God to make a way for them and He did and they took it. They did not let anything or anyone stand in the way of their blessing. Do you actually think that the other women wanted Ruth there knowing that she was not one of them? Of course not!! But when we have the mindset of "what God has for me is for me" we don't worry about others. They are not a threat for us. Churches should not be in competition with one another. There are enough souls for everyone. How often have people tried to make you feel bad for what God has blessed you with or have you been one to talk about another person and ridicule their blessing? What they have does not take anything away from what God has in store for you. And if you are one that God has abundantly blessed, don't let people cause you to be ashamed of what you have. You just have to be mindful to give God the praise for what you have and when they ask how did you get that, you simply reply---''nobody but God"!

Verse 20-23
Naomi sees all that Ruth is bringing back and she knows that someone is looking out for Ruth. When Naomi finds out that it is Boaz, she encourages Ruth to do exactly as he says and Ruth does.


This lesson is all about loyalty love and obedience. Please provide your thoughts, questions, and testimonies concerning this lesson or anything else going on in your life. Be blessed!!!