Hello Everyone!
It was a night to celebrate the accomplishment of more that 50 students who began and finished.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Antonelli College Commencement Address 2009
Hello Everyone!
It was a night to celebrate the accomplishment of more that 50 students who began and finished.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Clutter
Clutter. the word even sounds like junk. I was looking around my house the other day and found a beautiful upright gold lamp. One problem---it doesn't work. The lamp is broken. So no matter how beautiful it is. It is just taking up space in my life for something equally as beautiful and even useful; Something that not only looks good but serves its purpose.
It has been said that the highest aim of all created things is to be used for the purpose for which it was created. When things are not used for their created purposes they become clutter. Just stuff sitting around the wall of our life taking up space.
That goes for stuff, people, negative emotions, old relationships. To some people marriage is clutter. Its a relationship that for neither person is serving the purpose for which God created it. So the relationship just sits on the shelf of both lives taking up space, broken.
To other people emotions are clutter. Anger, hurt, bitterness, a lot of negative feelings that are crowding out the heart, preventing us from accessing worth while emotions that increase our value to ourselves and the world. Old emotions that poison the soul and taint all the good that comes our way. Emotions left over from broken hearts, broken relationships, broken spirits---a bunch o' broken stuff--Clutter!
so we have a choice. If its broken, fix it or get rid of it.
Because in the end, you only have so much room. Why fill it with broken things.
It has been said that the highest aim of all created things is to be used for the purpose for which it was created. When things are not used for their created purposes they become clutter. Just stuff sitting around the wall of our life taking up space.
That goes for stuff, people, negative emotions, old relationships. To some people marriage is clutter. Its a relationship that for neither person is serving the purpose for which God created it. So the relationship just sits on the shelf of both lives taking up space, broken.
To other people emotions are clutter. Anger, hurt, bitterness, a lot of negative feelings that are crowding out the heart, preventing us from accessing worth while emotions that increase our value to ourselves and the world. Old emotions that poison the soul and taint all the good that comes our way. Emotions left over from broken hearts, broken relationships, broken spirits---a bunch o' broken stuff--Clutter!
so we have a choice. If its broken, fix it or get rid of it.
Because in the end, you only have so much room. Why fill it with broken things.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
A Continual Source of Wisdom
There are times and season when it becomes vital to our growth that we access a source of wisdom that pushes us towards our purpose and gives us the fuel needed to overcome the challenges and obstacles of life.
Occasionally I am inspired to share one of those wisdom streams with you in the hope that you too will begin to drink regularly and thus be impacted with the power of God in new fresh ways.
Today I want to share a ministry I have come to love and crave fresh insight from on a regular basis. It is the ministry of Dave Roberson. This powerful soldier has a level of insight that makes me realize that I am yet a babe in Christ. With all I have learned I only know that it is still a drop in the ocean compared to what there is to know about God and His enormous love for us.
Below is a opening letter about the Love of God from www.daverobersonministries.org
Read it enjoy it then go to the site and download some of the messages. They will make you hungry for more of Him!
Dave Roberson speaking on The Love of God
People often ask me, “Of all the things God has given to you, what is it that has affected you the most?”
I would have to say it is the love of God, because His love always takes the very best things about Him and makes them available to us. I know now that the most devastating thing Adam lost to the sin nature was the capacity to love.
The first major hurdle I got past in my Christian walk came about when God let me see people through His eyes for just a moment. That did it for me. What God showed me at that time changed forever the effectiveness of my prayers for people. I had no idea that God loved people so much; I wept for nine hours straight. At that moment of revelation I thought to myself, Wait a minute. If God truly loves people this much, He must love me this much too!
And, of course, I was right! I finally understood that God’s love for people was maxed-out at the Cross of Jesus. God has no more love He can give because He has already given His all. There is no other place He can go to get more. God is the fullness of love.
Please listen to me: God cannot love you anymore than He already does. But through the teachings you will find on this website, you can stop and learn how to receive the love He has always loved you with. These teachings can help you get past the flesh enough to realize it is God’s love that you and so many others are really looking for; you just don’t realize it until change comes and fills the empty places in your life.
This love is by far the most powerful place of fellowship and strength you will ever walk in, and the path to receiving God’s love is as deliberate, on purpose, and final as the Cross that provided it.
In His love, God gave us the Holy Spirit to help us along this path. He is the One who helped me understand God’s love, and He will surely help you.
One of the primary things Jesus said the Holy Spirit would do for us was guide us into all truth.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.
He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.
—John 16:13,14
Even though the mandate of the Holy Spirit is to guide us into all truth, revelation knowledge is not automatic by merit of the baptism of the Holy Spirit alone. If this were so, wouldn’t all of us Charismatic and Pentecostal ministers be saying the same things about doctrine and truth? But we are not. In fact, most preachers can barely agree beyond the foundational truth of Jesus as our Savior. One preacher says, “It’s not God’s will to heal everyone,” and another says, “Yes it is.” Still another will say, “You cannot speak in tongues anytime you want to,” and another will say, “Yes you can!”
Yet, in all of this disagreement and confusion, there must be a way you can release the Holy Spirit on the inside of you as your Teacher, on purpose, just because you want to, as often as you want to. There is, and it is just as available to you as the air you breathe!
God wants you to know how to release the Holy Spirit in your life, to walk in truth, and to know His love. He will use everything He has at His disposal to get this over to you. So there must be a way to release the power of the Holy Spirit on the inside of you that is as deliberate and on purpose as anything else He has ever done—and there is!
You can unlock divine mysteries and discover God’s personal plan for your life that was established before the foundations of the earth. You have the right to slip into the Presence of the Holy of Holies and take a bath in revelation knowledge. And you have the Spirit of God inside of you to help you overcome every hindrance and obstacle in your way.
You cannot help but be transformed, changed, and set down on that Rock, that place where the heart of the Father is made reality, where Jesus’ truth is made fact, that place in which all God’s promises are Yes and Amen!
So please explore the Media sections on this site, for there is a wealth of knowledge and step-by-step instructions on how the Holy Spirit can hold this place in your life, and He can show you how to receive God’s incredible love for you. Minister Dave Roberson
Exerpts from Dave Roberson Ministries
Please use this powerful resource to impact the lives of those around you.
Till next time...
Love on Jesus!
Stella
Occasionally I am inspired to share one of those wisdom streams with you in the hope that you too will begin to drink regularly and thus be impacted with the power of God in new fresh ways.
Today I want to share a ministry I have come to love and crave fresh insight from on a regular basis. It is the ministry of Dave Roberson. This powerful soldier has a level of insight that makes me realize that I am yet a babe in Christ. With all I have learned I only know that it is still a drop in the ocean compared to what there is to know about God and His enormous love for us.
Below is a opening letter about the Love of God from www.daverobersonministries.org
Read it enjoy it then go to the site and download some of the messages. They will make you hungry for more of Him!
Dave Roberson speaking on The Love of God
People often ask me, “Of all the things God has given to you, what is it that has affected you the most?”
I would have to say it is the love of God, because His love always takes the very best things about Him and makes them available to us. I know now that the most devastating thing Adam lost to the sin nature was the capacity to love.
The first major hurdle I got past in my Christian walk came about when God let me see people through His eyes for just a moment. That did it for me. What God showed me at that time changed forever the effectiveness of my prayers for people. I had no idea that God loved people so much; I wept for nine hours straight. At that moment of revelation I thought to myself, Wait a minute. If God truly loves people this much, He must love me this much too!
And, of course, I was right! I finally understood that God’s love for people was maxed-out at the Cross of Jesus. God has no more love He can give because He has already given His all. There is no other place He can go to get more. God is the fullness of love.
Please listen to me: God cannot love you anymore than He already does. But through the teachings you will find on this website, you can stop and learn how to receive the love He has always loved you with. These teachings can help you get past the flesh enough to realize it is God’s love that you and so many others are really looking for; you just don’t realize it until change comes and fills the empty places in your life.
This love is by far the most powerful place of fellowship and strength you will ever walk in, and the path to receiving God’s love is as deliberate, on purpose, and final as the Cross that provided it.
In His love, God gave us the Holy Spirit to help us along this path. He is the One who helped me understand God’s love, and He will surely help you.
One of the primary things Jesus said the Holy Spirit would do for us was guide us into all truth.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.
He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.
—John 16:13,14
Even though the mandate of the Holy Spirit is to guide us into all truth, revelation knowledge is not automatic by merit of the baptism of the Holy Spirit alone. If this were so, wouldn’t all of us Charismatic and Pentecostal ministers be saying the same things about doctrine and truth? But we are not. In fact, most preachers can barely agree beyond the foundational truth of Jesus as our Savior. One preacher says, “It’s not God’s will to heal everyone,” and another says, “Yes it is.” Still another will say, “You cannot speak in tongues anytime you want to,” and another will say, “Yes you can!”
Yet, in all of this disagreement and confusion, there must be a way you can release the Holy Spirit on the inside of you as your Teacher, on purpose, just because you want to, as often as you want to. There is, and it is just as available to you as the air you breathe!
God wants you to know how to release the Holy Spirit in your life, to walk in truth, and to know His love. He will use everything He has at His disposal to get this over to you. So there must be a way to release the power of the Holy Spirit on the inside of you that is as deliberate and on purpose as anything else He has ever done—and there is!
You can unlock divine mysteries and discover God’s personal plan for your life that was established before the foundations of the earth. You have the right to slip into the Presence of the Holy of Holies and take a bath in revelation knowledge. And you have the Spirit of God inside of you to help you overcome every hindrance and obstacle in your way.
You cannot help but be transformed, changed, and set down on that Rock, that place where the heart of the Father is made reality, where Jesus’ truth is made fact, that place in which all God’s promises are Yes and Amen!
So please explore the Media sections on this site, for there is a wealth of knowledge and step-by-step instructions on how the Holy Spirit can hold this place in your life, and He can show you how to receive God’s incredible love for you. Minister Dave Roberson
Exerpts from Dave Roberson Ministries
Please use this powerful resource to impact the lives of those around you.
Till next time...
Love on Jesus!
Stella
Friday, September 25, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Self Measurements
Sometimes you have to take out the yard stick, aline it next to your self, and see how well you are measuring up to your own potential.
There is nothing worse than wasted potential. That is when we have the capacity for doing, being, and creating more and yet chose not to use the ability God gave us to do it. We have all been assigned to the earth as agents of possibility. We were sent here to do something. Every living human being has the capacity to impact the world for good or bad.
But we have to use the capacity. We have to exercise the gift of our own life and create something new. We must tap into our own mind and find the answers to problems all around us and solve them. When we look at issues and fail to find solutions, we live lives that are untapped for potential. When we go to work every day and see the same old problems without ever trying to really apply our minds to find solutions, we are untapped potential.
What determines our willingness to push into the realm of possibility and find solutions? It is the conviction that presses us to be better people. To make better choices, to gravitate towards positive circles of influence that say "you are better than you are manifesting." These relationships press us to stretch for higher and better standards of achievement.
They are yardsticks, on the shelves of our lives waiting to show us how well we measure up to our potential.
Who are you hanging out with? What have they done to make the world better? If the answer is nothing, you need to change people -- fast. You need to change your circle of influence. Because if the people around you are not doing anything positive and meaningful--Chances are you won't either.
Find a crowd of folks with tall orders, big dreams, clear vision and concrete plans! These folks are using themselves up! They make great measuring instruments to size up your life. then get busy using up all the potential inside you!
Stella
There is nothing worse than wasted potential. That is when we have the capacity for doing, being, and creating more and yet chose not to use the ability God gave us to do it. We have all been assigned to the earth as agents of possibility. We were sent here to do something. Every living human being has the capacity to impact the world for good or bad.
But we have to use the capacity. We have to exercise the gift of our own life and create something new. We must tap into our own mind and find the answers to problems all around us and solve them. When we look at issues and fail to find solutions, we live lives that are untapped for potential. When we go to work every day and see the same old problems without ever trying to really apply our minds to find solutions, we are untapped potential.
What determines our willingness to push into the realm of possibility and find solutions? It is the conviction that presses us to be better people. To make better choices, to gravitate towards positive circles of influence that say "you are better than you are manifesting." These relationships press us to stretch for higher and better standards of achievement.
They are yardsticks, on the shelves of our lives waiting to show us how well we measure up to our potential.
Who are you hanging out with? What have they done to make the world better? If the answer is nothing, you need to change people -- fast. You need to change your circle of influence. Because if the people around you are not doing anything positive and meaningful--Chances are you won't either.
Find a crowd of folks with tall orders, big dreams, clear vision and concrete plans! These folks are using themselves up! They make great measuring instruments to size up your life. then get busy using up all the potential inside you!
Stella
Friday, May 22, 2009
When I Change Life Changes
When I Change Life Changes
It is amazing how much time we spend thinking about change. Change our hair color. Change our minds. Change our job. Change our circumstances. But the focus of that change is on things that exist outside of our world. God wants us to change inside.
Change my heart. Change my focus. Change my thoughts. Change my beliefs. It is the internal changes that create the atmosphere for lasting external change in our lives.
With that in mind, I consider the opportunity to renew my mind and fill it with the Word of God a challenge and a privilege. I have to constantly change my thoughts to reflect Gods thoughts about me. I have to change my inner image to reflect what God sees about me. I have to change my insides. Then and only then will my world around me begin to change.
Several months ago, when I launched my new Book, A Word In Season, It was on the wings of realizing three things. I noted them as...
1. Life without passion is just breathing.
2. Love gives life a reason.
3. What you spend your life on is nonrefundable.
I knew that my inner life was calling for me to change. It was telling me that there were areas of my world that need to pass on and that there were also things in my life that needed to be released into existence but my thoughts, attitudes and mindset was getting in the way of vision. It was blocking my ability to clearly see where I needed to go.
I knew that my finishing the book was a key to pushing beyond the impasse. I did not realize how true that statement was. As I completed and released the new book, my world opened up. Both my inside world and my outside world began to expand and enlarge themselves. No longer did I find my life stuck at the corner of a waiting place, but now I have begun to move forward!
And I am once again elated at the prospect of what tomorrow holds for me. Finishing A Word In Season allowed me to answer the mandate from my future so that I can begin writing the next chapters of my life even as I wrote the chapters of a book.
Alas, the book is done. Now, the website is done (for now -- though it is a work in process even as I am learning to create the elements of my own website).
And it all began with a desire to change--myself. It grew out of a desire to alter my own world by changing how I view it and myself. Such is life.
Which causes me to consider this thought, "Change is the plunger that forces old stuff out of the way, so that new things may come and flow through us readily."
So what inside you needs to change?
Truly Yours,
Stella
Monday, April 20, 2009
A Word In Season Has Arrived!!!!
A Word in Season has finally arrived!
Its hard to believe that the seeds of this book reach back to 1986. Years age, there were areas of my character that I didn't like very much. I wanted desperately to change, so I began to write words that inspired me onto note cards. On the bottom I added scriptures that reinforced whatever concept I was endeavoring to get into my heart.
Well, it took a while but it worked. Around 2000, I found the little file box with those words inside and had a trickle of an idea about the concept for this book. I started with a few words, and well, as they say, the rest is history.
What you now see is the final product. I am enormously thankful that God has allowed me to fulfill this journey.
If you would like a copy, you can go to www.stellalockhart.com and order a copy on line. the cost of the book is $23.00, plus tax and $4 shipping and handling.
Please be advised that the paypal account does work. Unfortunately, the individual who was working on my site has completely vanished and I cannot contact them to complete the work they began. The old www.stellalockhart.com site will continue to work until we get everything transferred.
So I have secured a new web designer, Mr. Jeremy Vanover. Thanks Jeremy for rescuing me! The new website address will be www.betterlifewithstella.com. It shoud be up and running by the end of April. Thank you for your patience. I am learning this marketing thing as I go!
But all things being equal, life is good! I am thankful for the things God has done!
As for my other upcoming books, Accessing the Windows of Heaven, and God's Financial Bailout Plan, co-authored with Pene' Woods, these will be be released in June and July consecutively. I, like many others in the body of Christ, am experiencing a season of enormous creativity. Ideas and concepts for new material are flowing heavily into my spirit. I can't wait to get it out.
Now, what about you? What dreams lie dormant in your heart? What are you waiting for? Get busy! Get started! and Go for it!In His Service,
Stella
Thursday, April 9, 2009
God's Financial Bailout Plan
It just keeps coming! Hello all! I am amazed that God is so powerfully inspired me to write yet another book that is about to hit the press! God's Financial Bailout is wrapping up revision and will be going to print in the next few weeks.
This latest book is a how to manuel that breaks down the methods and means by which wealth is created. Then it helps you identify the channel God has ordained to include you in that wealth building flow.
God wants you to participate in his plans. He has a preordained method for helping you do just that! Now you have to access his mind and find out the means by which you will tap into the income wealth stream earmarked for you!
Here are some of the chapters!
- Identifying Your Wealth Streams
- 10 Ways Wealth is Created
And Much More! Stay tuned, more information on the way!
And yes you can pre order your copy! They will be back from the publisher mid-May 2009!
To God be the Glory!!
Stella
Thursday, April 2, 2009
The Revelation of Worship
Greetings All,
Tomorrow night or should I say tonight, I will be at the City of Refuge International Church in a town called Prentiss, MS for a Women's Conference. And I am excited, as always anticipating what God will do as he expresses himself through us. All I can think about as I move towards these events is knowing more about Him. He already knows so much about me. I realize that I am living with missing information. I don't know enough about this God I profess to love so much.
Tonight as I was meditating on the events of tomorrow, I found an old entry in a journal I wrote on December 1, 1999. My birthday. It still speaks to me. Its about Him, my Heavenly Father, making things know to me about Him. Here goes...
Making Things Known
Making Things Known
There are occasions when I am so filled with the dilemmas of my day that for short periods of time, the wisdom of your presence in my life evades me. I forget that you are there. I struggle with decisions; I avoid them and then I fall into the wicked sin of procrastination.
To make matters worse, God, I later avoid you because I am too guilty to acknowledge the error of my ways. I know this is foolish. And yet, I still do it. At the end, I find myself running back to you scrounging around for words to express my heartfelt stupidity.
Then there you are quietly waiting for the dust of my emotions to settle so you can speak to me. The remarkable thing is that you do. When I seek you, You ALWAYS speak to me. Each time I find myself amazed with the depth of wisdom that comes from your eternal infinite knowledge.
God you are omniscient. You really do know everything about everything. Your perspective is from the end to the beginning and you already know the solution to my dilemma.
In your presence, there is wisdom and understanding and you are ever willing to share and impart it to me. In your path is light. With you, I can see. I know. I understand. I get it. By spending time with you wisdom comes and truth is revealed.
In your presence, there is wisdom and understanding and you are ever willing to share and impart it to me. In your path is light. With you, I can see. I know. I understand. I get it. By spending time with you wisdom comes and truth is revealed.
Dear God,
Thank you for revealing truth to me at the moment I choose to seek it. Today I will seek your wisdom. I will expect answers as questions come. I anticipate understanding as issues arise. I believe that you are revealing your plan to me and are directing my path today.
Thank you for revealing truth to me at the moment I choose to seek it. Today I will seek your wisdom. I will expect answers as questions come. I anticipate understanding as issues arise. I believe that you are revealing your plan to me and are directing my path today.
And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
Isaiah 11:2
May your day be fill with more of Him!
Be blessed! Stella
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
When Christ Comes In You
In my last blog, I told you that there were two events over the weekend that were overwhelmingly exciting. The first was the womens conference. I talked about that last time. The second event was equally as inspiring. Sunday afternoon I hosted a youth choir anniversary and in all honesty, I had no idea that God would do what he did. Before the program was through, some 38 young people had connected with God in a very real and tangible way.
It was over whelming.
But as I think about these children I am pressed with concern. I keep asking myself what can I do to help expedite the process of developing a relationship with Jesus. I don't want them to just have a brief exprience along the road of life, but my enerst desire is that Christ become formed in them.
Colossians 1:26-29 from the living bible reads,
26 He has kept this secret for centuries and generations past, but now at last it has pleased him to tell it to those who love him and live for him, and the riches and glory of his plan are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ in your hearts is your only hope of glory.
28 So everywhere we go we talk about Christ to all who will listen, warning them and teaching them as well as we know how. We want to be able to present each one to God, perfect because of what Christ has done for each of them.
29 This is my work, and I can do it only because Christ's mighty energy is at work within me. TLB
When I read this scripture, It makes me passionate to help these kids do more than just accept christ, I want then to truly know him. I want them to be filled with a desire to know him more and more. In order for that to happen, they have got to become exposed to his word. So here goes! When you are a new convert to Christ, there are some basic scriptures that you need to read. I will outline them here and then I am going to text message this website to everyone of them. In order that they can get to know Jesus for them selves.
Here is a great article to get you started!
Steps For New Christians By Dr. Dale A. Robbins
To accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior is the most important decision you will ever make in your life. In reality, it is the beginning of a brand new life in Christ, and as a new-born child of God, there are many important things you need to understand. As you read this, please note the scripture references and look them up in your Bible. (Bible quotations are taken from the New International Version, © The New York Bible Society, 1978.)
1. You are saved by Faith -- Your salvation is based purely upon your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. In other words, salvation is not something that can be "earned" by how good you try to be or some religious act that you perform. Salvation is a free gift from God, and came as you simply put your faith in Jesus, His death and resurrection, and trusted him to forgive your sins and become your savior and Lord. The scripture says "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
2. You're not saved by feelings -- Good feelings are nice to have, but feelings do not prove whether you're saved or not. There may be times when you "feel" that God is close to you, and other times when you "feel" that He's not. But remember that He has promised to always be with you and never leave you, regardless of feelings (Hebrews 13:5). Always remember that the Christian lives by faith, not by sight or the feelings of our natural senses. The Bible says "We live by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7).
3. You may experience doubts -- One of most common things that happens to a new believer is that the Devil tries to whisper doubts in your thoughts: "You're not really saved," or "nothing really happened to you." But don't buy into Satan's lies and deceptions! If you placed your faith in Jesus Christ, then you are saved, regardless of whether you feel it or not. God's Word promises, "If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).
4. You are Forgiven of all your sins -- The Bible teaches that all mankind has a sinful nature which keeps him separated from God's presence and will result in eternal death. But Jesus came to suffer the consequences of that sin as our substitute, so that we could be forgiven of sin and have access to God's presence. When you repented (turned away) from your sins, and asked Jesus to forgive you and become your savior, that's exactly what he did. He forgave every sin you've ever committed, regardless of how awful or evil they may have been. God can forgive more sin than man can commit. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
5. You're not perfect, just forgiven -- Being a Christian doesn't mean that you won't make mistakes, but it means that you are forgiven of sin and that your goal is to live like Christ and not live in the old sinful way anymore. Don't ever let the Devil condemn you if you stumble or make a mistake! God loves you and wants you to ask Him to forgive you (1 John 1:9), then He wants you to get back on your feet and keep walking for Him! Don't ever let other people or the Devil bring condemnation upon you! God loves you and will correct you, but He will not condemn you. "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..." (Romans 8:1).
6. You are a New Creation -- At the moment you accepted Jesus, He came into your heart by His Spirit, and now His presence and nature lives and dwells in your heart (1 Corinthians 6:19). You did not merely become a better person, you were "born again" spiritually as a brand new person! Now He wants you to learn to live your life according to the new nature of His Spirit inside you. The Bible says "Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
7. You have the promise of Eternal Life -- God's Word says that when you place your faith in Christ, you are given eternal life. That is, someday when your physical body wears out and dies, your soul will go to be in the Lord's presence to spend eternity with Him! "For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
8. You must keep living for Christ -- You must understand that your salvation is based upon your "continued" relationship with the Lord. He has promised to keep you saved, as long as you keep believing and living for Him. As a new Christian, you need to grow in your relationship with God and deepen your faith, so that discouragements, temptations, or trials will never cause you to drift away from God. Remember, if you depart from the Lord, you also depart from what gives you the promise of salvation. The Bible says that Christ will one day present you before God, holy and unblemished "...If you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the Gospel" (Colossians 1:23).
9. You need to go to Church -- You should attend church regularly so that your faith can be strengthened by the preaching of God's Word, and so you can grow spiritually and be encouraged by the fellowship of other Christians. Church is where you can go to express your love, faithfulness, and worship to God. Church is where we can learn how to be a Christian, and where the Pastor and spiritual leaders can help you and encourage your faith. The Bible warns us not to absent ourselves from church attendance, because we need the strength and encouragement it brings. "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another..." (Hebrews 10:25).
10. You need to Pray every day -- Prayer is vital to your spiritual growth. God is your Heavenly Father, and He wants to hear from you and have daily fellowship with you. Not only does He promise to answer your prayers, but as you pray He will also provide guidance and spiritual strength. The Bible tells us to "Pray continually," that is to pray faithfully every day (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
11. You need to read the Bible daily -- The Bible is God's Word, and as you read from it every day, it will cause you to grow spiritually (2 Timothy 2:15). As you study His written word (start with the Gospel of John), He will strengthen your faith, speak to your heart, and give you guidance and direction for every need and decision in your life. "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" (Psalms 119:105).
12. You need to be baptized in Water -- At your first opportunity, you should obey the Lord's command to be baptized in water as a confession of your repentance and faith in Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19). Water baptism in itself, (not to be confused with baptism in Holy Spirit) does not save you or wash away your sins, but is an act of your obedience in God's Word. It symbolically shows that you have died to the old sinful life, and have risen in the newness of the Life of Christ. The scriptures say "...Repent and be baptized, every one of you..." (Acts 2:38).
13. You need to live a Holy life -- As we have mentioned, Christians are not perfect. However, God wants you to "aim" toward perfection. That is, your goal must be to grow in submitting yourself to the new nature of His Spirit in your heart, follow the example of Jesus, and live a godly and wholesome life (Hebrews 12:14). You repented and asked Him to forgive your sins, and now you need to grow closer to Him each day, which will take you farther away from sinful thoughts and behavior which are displeasing to God. Your faith in God will cause a desire to obey Him and do those things pleasing in His sight (Colossians 1:10).
Should you continue to live in an unrestrained, sinful lifestyle, this would lead you away from God and back into the old ways which lead to death. But as we grow in our relationship with God, His strength in our life will increase to overcome sinful behavior and habits. "Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God" (2 Corinthians 7:1).
14. You need to be Filled with the Holy Spirit -- We already said that the Holy Spirit was born in your heart when you received Christ and now resides in you. But the Bible also says that the Holy Spirit can "immerse" you with a special power for service, to enable you to live a powerful Christian life, and to be bold in your Christian witness and testimony. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you: and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). To receive this special power, all we have to do is ask Christ to baptize us with His Holy Spirit, and He promises that He will.
15. You need to tell others about Christ -- It is important for you to openly declare Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord to others, as it establishes the testimony of your faith. Once you have accepted Jesus Christ, tell someone. Don't keep it a secret. The Bible says that "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown before my Father in heaven" (Matthew 10:32-33).
So there! These are the things you need to do and know as a new convert to Jesus. This new life in Christ is exciting and real. He is not an idea. He is not a religion. He is a very real person who loves and cares for you. Get to know him. He already knows and loves you.
Stella
It was over whelming.
But as I think about these children I am pressed with concern. I keep asking myself what can I do to help expedite the process of developing a relationship with Jesus. I don't want them to just have a brief exprience along the road of life, but my enerst desire is that Christ become formed in them.
Colossians 1:26-29 from the living bible reads,
26 He has kept this secret for centuries and generations past, but now at last it has pleased him to tell it to those who love him and live for him, and the riches and glory of his plan are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ in your hearts is your only hope of glory.
28 So everywhere we go we talk about Christ to all who will listen, warning them and teaching them as well as we know how. We want to be able to present each one to God, perfect because of what Christ has done for each of them.
29 This is my work, and I can do it only because Christ's mighty energy is at work within me. TLB
When I read this scripture, It makes me passionate to help these kids do more than just accept christ, I want then to truly know him. I want them to be filled with a desire to know him more and more. In order for that to happen, they have got to become exposed to his word. So here goes! When you are a new convert to Christ, there are some basic scriptures that you need to read. I will outline them here and then I am going to text message this website to everyone of them. In order that they can get to know Jesus for them selves.
Here is a great article to get you started!
Steps For New Christians By Dr. Dale A. Robbins
To accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior is the most important decision you will ever make in your life. In reality, it is the beginning of a brand new life in Christ, and as a new-born child of God, there are many important things you need to understand. As you read this, please note the scripture references and look them up in your Bible. (Bible quotations are taken from the New International Version, © The New York Bible Society, 1978.)
1. You are saved by Faith -- Your salvation is based purely upon your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. In other words, salvation is not something that can be "earned" by how good you try to be or some religious act that you perform. Salvation is a free gift from God, and came as you simply put your faith in Jesus, His death and resurrection, and trusted him to forgive your sins and become your savior and Lord. The scripture says "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
2. You're not saved by feelings -- Good feelings are nice to have, but feelings do not prove whether you're saved or not. There may be times when you "feel" that God is close to you, and other times when you "feel" that He's not. But remember that He has promised to always be with you and never leave you, regardless of feelings (Hebrews 13:5). Always remember that the Christian lives by faith, not by sight or the feelings of our natural senses. The Bible says "We live by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7).
3. You may experience doubts -- One of most common things that happens to a new believer is that the Devil tries to whisper doubts in your thoughts: "You're not really saved," or "nothing really happened to you." But don't buy into Satan's lies and deceptions! If you placed your faith in Jesus Christ, then you are saved, regardless of whether you feel it or not. God's Word promises, "If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).
4. You are Forgiven of all your sins -- The Bible teaches that all mankind has a sinful nature which keeps him separated from God's presence and will result in eternal death. But Jesus came to suffer the consequences of that sin as our substitute, so that we could be forgiven of sin and have access to God's presence. When you repented (turned away) from your sins, and asked Jesus to forgive you and become your savior, that's exactly what he did. He forgave every sin you've ever committed, regardless of how awful or evil they may have been. God can forgive more sin than man can commit. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
5. You're not perfect, just forgiven -- Being a Christian doesn't mean that you won't make mistakes, but it means that you are forgiven of sin and that your goal is to live like Christ and not live in the old sinful way anymore. Don't ever let the Devil condemn you if you stumble or make a mistake! God loves you and wants you to ask Him to forgive you (1 John 1:9), then He wants you to get back on your feet and keep walking for Him! Don't ever let other people or the Devil bring condemnation upon you! God loves you and will correct you, but He will not condemn you. "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..." (Romans 8:1).
6. You are a New Creation -- At the moment you accepted Jesus, He came into your heart by His Spirit, and now His presence and nature lives and dwells in your heart (1 Corinthians 6:19). You did not merely become a better person, you were "born again" spiritually as a brand new person! Now He wants you to learn to live your life according to the new nature of His Spirit inside you. The Bible says "Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
7. You have the promise of Eternal Life -- God's Word says that when you place your faith in Christ, you are given eternal life. That is, someday when your physical body wears out and dies, your soul will go to be in the Lord's presence to spend eternity with Him! "For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
8. You must keep living for Christ -- You must understand that your salvation is based upon your "continued" relationship with the Lord. He has promised to keep you saved, as long as you keep believing and living for Him. As a new Christian, you need to grow in your relationship with God and deepen your faith, so that discouragements, temptations, or trials will never cause you to drift away from God. Remember, if you depart from the Lord, you also depart from what gives you the promise of salvation. The Bible says that Christ will one day present you before God, holy and unblemished "...If you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the Gospel" (Colossians 1:23).
9. You need to go to Church -- You should attend church regularly so that your faith can be strengthened by the preaching of God's Word, and so you can grow spiritually and be encouraged by the fellowship of other Christians. Church is where you can go to express your love, faithfulness, and worship to God. Church is where we can learn how to be a Christian, and where the Pastor and spiritual leaders can help you and encourage your faith. The Bible warns us not to absent ourselves from church attendance, because we need the strength and encouragement it brings. "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another..." (Hebrews 10:25).
10. You need to Pray every day -- Prayer is vital to your spiritual growth. God is your Heavenly Father, and He wants to hear from you and have daily fellowship with you. Not only does He promise to answer your prayers, but as you pray He will also provide guidance and spiritual strength. The Bible tells us to "Pray continually," that is to pray faithfully every day (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
11. You need to read the Bible daily -- The Bible is God's Word, and as you read from it every day, it will cause you to grow spiritually (2 Timothy 2:15). As you study His written word (start with the Gospel of John), He will strengthen your faith, speak to your heart, and give you guidance and direction for every need and decision in your life. "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" (Psalms 119:105).
12. You need to be baptized in Water -- At your first opportunity, you should obey the Lord's command to be baptized in water as a confession of your repentance and faith in Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19). Water baptism in itself, (not to be confused with baptism in Holy Spirit) does not save you or wash away your sins, but is an act of your obedience in God's Word. It symbolically shows that you have died to the old sinful life, and have risen in the newness of the Life of Christ. The scriptures say "...Repent and be baptized, every one of you..." (Acts 2:38).
13. You need to live a Holy life -- As we have mentioned, Christians are not perfect. However, God wants you to "aim" toward perfection. That is, your goal must be to grow in submitting yourself to the new nature of His Spirit in your heart, follow the example of Jesus, and live a godly and wholesome life (Hebrews 12:14). You repented and asked Him to forgive your sins, and now you need to grow closer to Him each day, which will take you farther away from sinful thoughts and behavior which are displeasing to God. Your faith in God will cause a desire to obey Him and do those things pleasing in His sight (Colossians 1:10).
Should you continue to live in an unrestrained, sinful lifestyle, this would lead you away from God and back into the old ways which lead to death. But as we grow in our relationship with God, His strength in our life will increase to overcome sinful behavior and habits. "Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God" (2 Corinthians 7:1).
14. You need to be Filled with the Holy Spirit -- We already said that the Holy Spirit was born in your heart when you received Christ and now resides in you. But the Bible also says that the Holy Spirit can "immerse" you with a special power for service, to enable you to live a powerful Christian life, and to be bold in your Christian witness and testimony. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you: and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). To receive this special power, all we have to do is ask Christ to baptize us with His Holy Spirit, and He promises that He will.
15. You need to tell others about Christ -- It is important for you to openly declare Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord to others, as it establishes the testimony of your faith. Once you have accepted Jesus Christ, tell someone. Don't keep it a secret. The Bible says that "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown before my Father in heaven" (Matthew 10:32-33).
So there! These are the things you need to do and know as a new convert to Jesus. This new life in Christ is exciting and real. He is not an idea. He is not a religion. He is a very real person who loves and cares for you. Get to know him. He already knows and loves you.
Stella
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Songs for the Season
Hello Everyone!
Welcome to my new Better Life Blog! I am so excited to be finally joining the rest of the Blogging world by sharing my thoughts and ideas.
What have I been doing? Well this weekend was incredible I had two events that blew me away with excitement! First there was the womens conference At Anderson Chapel CME Church in Holly Springs, MS with I guess about 300 women altogether. God was not only with us but he was in charge.
I found myself worshiping, crying and praising God till I nearly had no voice. The theme of the conference was "Loving God Enough." It spoke of letting go of things, attitudes and mindsets that we hold as dear and more important than our relationship with Him. During the Friday night session, while listening to an inspiring message by Evangelist Janice A. Hill, I heard the following words coming from the Holy Spirit,
Do you Love me Enough
Do you love me enough th let me reign.
Do you love me enough to truly change.
Do you love me.
Do you love me.
Will you make me your choice.
Do you love me enough to surrender your life.
Do you love me enough to e filled with Jesus Christ.
Do you love me.
Do you love me.
Do you love me with your life.
It was a song for the season. A new song. A song written at the spur of the moment for the very hour. Over and over God tells us to sing unto him a new song.
Psalms 33:3 says, Sing unto him a new song: play skillfully with a loud noise.
40:3 says, And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God...
96:1 O, sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the lord, all the earth.
Isaiah 42:10 Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth... Revelations 5:9 and they sung a new song, saying, thou art worthy tho take the book...
The references go on and on. As I meditated on this thought, I wondered what was so important about new songs and it occured to me that only when we are singing a new song unto God are we hearing what he is say-ing. We can hear what he is speaking in the present moment.
Songs from past moments are rooted in past revelation. The past moment is tied to a memory that as we re-member it, it means to reassemble the experience in our mind so God can challenge us to believe what he has already done. Then as we re-member, we put the images and the experiences together in our mind again. This inspires our faith in Him and incites God to do again what he did in the past. This is good.
But there are times when God switches reels. He changes course, and frequently we may not have a clue as to where he is going or what he is doing until that moment of revelation when all of a sudden we catch the vision, we understand what he has been orchestrating, or the pieces of the puzzle that once were scattered all over the floor come together and things make sense. It is in these moments that often the old songs are inappropriate for creating the re-memberance that God desires.
So, he deposits a new song. Our instruction is not to create it. Just to sing it. The song exists with the father and he releases it,--- brand new--- into our minds and faith enables us to sing something new that has never been heard before. The catch is, only those who are hearing him in the now present moment will hear a new song. New songs are for NOW. They are for this moment. You hear them in the now. You sing them in the now and often you may only get the next line after you sing the line in your mouth in this moment.
This is the process for hearing prophetic songs. This is one way they will come to you.
The new song becomes a memorial to the experience of the hour. It is a new altar, with a new message to re--member (assemble the images and events of a past moment again in your mind) what God is doing--right now.
Here is my question for you, when was the last time you heard what God was saying? When was the last time you had a new song? Listen to him. Meditate on his word and fellowship. Before you know it you will be singing a new song in no time.
Stella
Welcome to my new Better Life Blog! I am so excited to be finally joining the rest of the Blogging world by sharing my thoughts and ideas.
What have I been doing? Well this weekend was incredible I had two events that blew me away with excitement! First there was the womens conference At Anderson Chapel CME Church in Holly Springs, MS with I guess about 300 women altogether. God was not only with us but he was in charge.
I found myself worshiping, crying and praising God till I nearly had no voice. The theme of the conference was "Loving God Enough." It spoke of letting go of things, attitudes and mindsets that we hold as dear and more important than our relationship with Him. During the Friday night session, while listening to an inspiring message by Evangelist Janice A. Hill, I heard the following words coming from the Holy Spirit,
Do you Love me Enough
Do you love me enough th let me reign.
Do you love me enough to truly change.
Do you love me.
Do you love me.
Will you make me your choice.
Do you love me enough to surrender your life.
Do you love me enough to e filled with Jesus Christ.
Do you love me.
Do you love me.
Do you love me with your life.
It was a song for the season. A new song. A song written at the spur of the moment for the very hour. Over and over God tells us to sing unto him a new song.
Psalms 33:3 says, Sing unto him a new song: play skillfully with a loud noise.
40:3 says, And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God...
96:1 O, sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the lord, all the earth.
Isaiah 42:10 Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth... Revelations 5:9 and they sung a new song, saying, thou art worthy tho take the book...
The references go on and on. As I meditated on this thought, I wondered what was so important about new songs and it occured to me that only when we are singing a new song unto God are we hearing what he is say-ing. We can hear what he is speaking in the present moment.
Songs from past moments are rooted in past revelation. The past moment is tied to a memory that as we re-member it, it means to reassemble the experience in our mind so God can challenge us to believe what he has already done. Then as we re-member, we put the images and the experiences together in our mind again. This inspires our faith in Him and incites God to do again what he did in the past. This is good.
But there are times when God switches reels. He changes course, and frequently we may not have a clue as to where he is going or what he is doing until that moment of revelation when all of a sudden we catch the vision, we understand what he has been orchestrating, or the pieces of the puzzle that once were scattered all over the floor come together and things make sense. It is in these moments that often the old songs are inappropriate for creating the re-memberance that God desires.
So, he deposits a new song. Our instruction is not to create it. Just to sing it. The song exists with the father and he releases it,--- brand new--- into our minds and faith enables us to sing something new that has never been heard before. The catch is, only those who are hearing him in the now present moment will hear a new song. New songs are for NOW. They are for this moment. You hear them in the now. You sing them in the now and often you may only get the next line after you sing the line in your mouth in this moment.
This is the process for hearing prophetic songs. This is one way they will come to you.
The new song becomes a memorial to the experience of the hour. It is a new altar, with a new message to re--member (assemble the images and events of a past moment again in your mind) what God is doing--right now.
Here is my question for you, when was the last time you heard what God was saying? When was the last time you had a new song? Listen to him. Meditate on his word and fellowship. Before you know it you will be singing a new song in no time.
Stella
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