WE ARE ONE!

A Prayer for O.N.E.
(One Nation Empowered)

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.
Psalm 33:12

Almighty Father, God, You merely spoke and the heavens were created. You breathed the Word, and all the stars were born. You assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs. We praise Your name forever and ever, for You possess all wisdom and power. Father, thank You for blessing the United States of America with abundance and prosperity. Thank You for surrounding our nation with Your favor, grace, and mercy. Jesus, thank You for shedding Your blood for our redemption. Holy Spirit, thank You for Your guidance and power.

You are an awesome God!

Heavenly Father, let Your kingdom come and Your will be done in our nation. Your Word states that we are to pray for kings and all people who are in authority, so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives that are marked by godliness and dignity. We know that this is good and acceptable in Your sight. Today, we pray for our new President, Barack Obama, and his presidential administration. We declare that as they prepare to lead our nation, they will trust in You with all of their hearts. They will not depend on their own understanding, but they will seek Your will in all they do and we expect that You, Lord, will show them which path to take when making decisions for the American people.

We decree that our local, state, and national leaders will not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful; but their delight will be in the law of the Lord and in His law they will meditate day and night. They will be like trees planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf will not wither and whatever they do will prosper. Gracious Father, some nations boast of their chariots and horses; but we boast in the Name of the Lord, our God.

We submit to Your care, President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton, Timothy Geithner, Robert Gates, Eric Holder, Ken Salazar, Thomas Vilsack, Hilda Solis, Tom Daschle, Shaun Donovan, Ray LaHood, Steven Chu, Arne Duncan, Eric Shinseki, Janet Napolitano, Leon Panetta, Dennis Blair, Lisa Jackson, Robert Mueller, Lawrence Summers, James Jones, Susan Rice, Peter Orszag, Ron Kirk, Robert Gibbs, Rahm Emanuel, the U.S. Congress and all governmental officials.

Holy Spirit, unite this new administration and remind all of our leaders that they are working for the good of the nation and not for the advancement of self. Please help our leaders to put aside "politics" and operate in the best interest of the American people. Heal the wounds that negative politics, fear and ignorance have created within our nation. Empower us, the Body of Christ, to lead the effort in the healing process. Eternal God, Lord of Heaven’s Armies, we ask You to bless and protect our leaders’ families. Please continue to protect our troops and our borders. Increase the courage and strength of our servicemen and women as they fight courageously for our country.

Merciful Father, we repent on behalf of our nation for our many sins. We acknowledge that our actions have created problems that only You can solve. Forgive us for all sin, including greed, arrogance, selfish ambition, disobedience, rebellion, hypocrisy, injustice, jealousy, hatred, violence, ageism, sexism, racism, and dissension. Father, forgive us for shedding innocent blood and denying Your power. We confess that we have not loved the world as You love the world. We ask You to heal our land and make us one, even as You and Jesus are One. Please have mercy upon all of us and help us! As a nation, show us those we need to forgive and help us to forgive.
Lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from the evil one.

Now, unto You, the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture References for the Written Text: Psalm 33:6-7, Daniel 2:20, Matthew 6:10, I Timothy 2:1-3, Proverbs 3:5-6, Proverbs 11:14, Proverbs 4:6, Proverbs 22:4, Psalm 1:1-3 (NKJV), Psalm 20:7, Philippians 4:19, Matthew 6:13, I Timothy 1:17

Confirmation!

Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns -- October 17, 2008:
Make a concerted effort to turn your focus from politics, economy and world events to seek My face, says the Lord. All of these concerns will steal your joy and peace. Do you not know that I alone am in charge of your world? And, I will bring to pass everything that is necessary to establish My kingdom in the earth. My government and authority are above all that you can conceive of in the natural realm. So, I say, shift your focus upward and trust that My order is being established.
Isaiah 55:9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."

In Times of Trouble

Matthew 9:29...“According to your faith let it be to you.”

As I watch t.v., read the news, and listen to friends talk about what the world is going through today, I get a sense of minimal faith. Now with the economy, the war, the personal struggles within each one of us, it comes a time when we need to look at our faith. Yes, I see everything that is going on around me but I can't and won't let that shake me. Focusing on the negative only brings about fear and God definitely is not the creator of it. Our trust should not be in the president or the government but in our God who continues to show us his everlasting love. When the attacks of the enemy emerge, we are to seek God's help and believe that God will bring us through it.

As I read the story of the Canaanite woman and her faith to press towards Jesus to heal her daughter of demon possession (Matthew 15:21-28), I know that's what we need to do. She didn't let the disciples deter her from her mission. She knew in her heart that Jesus was the only one that could help her. She persisted and when she faced Jesus, He tested her faith. That obstacle didn't stop her either. She was determined to have Jesus heal her daughter. This is the type of faith that we need to illustrate when the obstacles of life start to weigh us down. We have to place our trust in Christ. We cannot give up, turn around or turn away from it.

Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. It is an act towards our future. Although we are losing money, loved ones, houses, and a sense of commitment from others, we must not lose our faith. This is our test. This is our time to go to God and really surrender our life and our sins and diligently seek Him. If you look at notable women in the past like Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Mary McLeod Bethune, etc., who did not let anything discourage their fight for their purpose, we certainly can't give up on what God says in His word. We must position ourselves to strengthen our faith by reading the word until it fills the core of our soul. We must remain steadfast and remember that with God all things are possible. Our reward is waiting for us in the future and in heaven. Have the assurance that God will answer your prayer and He is still in control of our lives.

Today, be sure to honor God and exercise your faith in Him for a better, brighter future no matter what the world says. We are living in a season of disarray but God is the only certainty that I know will never let us down. Don't be afraid to live your life based on the negativity surrounding you but live your life based on the God that is within you.

Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

Follow Your Dream!

Philippians 1:6 "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;"

Lately I have been getting questions and conversations regarding following dreams and doing what you really want and would love to do. I have many friends who have told me that they would really like to be a teacher, hair stylist, or football coach but are stuck doing other "jobs" that basically just pays the bills. I myself am working a 9 to 5 job right now knowing that my passion is in the fashion industry as a fashion stylist. I was always told that a "j.o.b." is just over broke. We are working for someone else and making them loads of money while we are sitting miserable on getting by. We are all in our 30s wondering what are we going to do with our life because we feel as though we are to our breaking point. I don't know if we are in a mid life crisis or God is pulling on us to get up and follow our dreams in which He has instilled in us. If we all had the opportunity to rewind our life and go back, we would have chased our dream and went a different direction whether another major in school or not listening to any outside influences. Since we can't do that, we just have to start again. Everyday is a new day and we need to make a declaration first that Today is the First Day of the Rest Our Life.

So my passion, dream, or vision (whatever you want to call it) has been really hitting me in my heart lately. I started to do research on how I can get into the fashion industry. There is a school program available now at the Art Institute but that is a whole 4 year degree program. I have a bachelors and masters degree already in a totally different field but I don't want to start all over to obtain another degree. I really am not ready to do homework, tests, projects, etc. Even though this seems like the logical way to go, I just feel there is another route that I can take. I can't shake this dream that I have nor do I want to. God is really trying to tell me something. It is my duty to push towards this desire and accomplish all that God has planned for me to do.

Jesus says, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

So why aren't we living in the abundance that God has promised us? What are we waiting for? Is it procrastination? Are we using excuses to validate our laziness? Are we living in fear? Is it a lack of self confidence? Are past failures and disappointments keeping us from going for the gold of living the God given dream?

These are the enemies tricks. Don't listen to the enemy. His purpose is to get us off track and bombard us with distractions that he thinks will side track us. The enemy will purposely put these stumbling blocks in our path just to take away our focus and be entangled in false prophecies. God has given us these visions for our life and we need to press our way through to our dreams and take action to do whatever we can to live the life we are promised. As we run this race and move in the direction that God wants us to, our life will be blessed in ways that we can't imagine. So I want everyone who has a dream, including myself, to first write it down (Habakkuk 2:2) and then pray about the steps to be taken in accomplishing this God given vision. Be specific and then trust God according to your faith and be bold, courageous, and confident to achieving these goals. God will send us the resources we need in order to move forward. It is up to us to put in the work (James 2:26) and watch God bless us beyond measure. God Bless.

Lyrics to "Get Up" by Mary Mary:

Layin' Low

Rest n' pause

Sleeping long

Slow motion

Gonna do

Shoulda, coulda, woulda done

Excuses

What are you afraid of?

Don't you know what you're made of?

One of God's greatest creations

Take this invitation now

Get Up'

Cause you can't stop

Get Up

Got a lot to do

24 hours

Almost gone

Get Up

Don't sit there

Get Up

If you wanna get there

Clocks don't stop and

Time won't wait

He said

She said

They said

What do you say?

It's your dreams

Your choice

Your time

Your life

So don't you

Don't you

Miss it

What are you afraid of?

Don't you know what you're made of?

One of God's greatest creations

Take this invitation now

Get Up

Cause you can't stop

Get Up

Got a lot to do

24 hours

Almost gone

Get Up

Don't sit there

Get Up

If you wanna get there

Clocks don't stop and

Time won't wait

Welcome to the rest of your life

From now on, just try

To live more, want more, work a little harder

Dance more, laugh more, be a little smarter

Hug a little longer, love a little stronger

You've been down but now it's time to

Get Up

Cause you can't stop

Get Up

Got a lot to do

24 hours

Almost gone

Get Up

Don't sit there

Get Up

If you wanna get there

Clocks don't stop and

Time won't wait [x2]

One more time,

Say...Get Up [x9]

A Time to Heal

Romans 5:1-5

1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

I just want to send out a little prayer and encouragement to the victims of Hurricane Ike and the family of Tony Gradney. There are so many down here in Galveston and Houston (and surrounding areas) who have been severely damaged and wounded by hurricane Ike that I don't want to see anyone lose hope. The family of Tony Gradney has been hurt by this senseless death of a 23 year old young man who was a glowing light in his family. I just want to say don't let these joy killers steal your joy in the midst of this storm. God is going to bring you through. The enemy may be trying to throw you off course but God has the last and final word. Keep strong in your faith. Speak victory over your life. Be courageous in this fight. The God you serve is a mighty God who can do anything. These circumstances will not bring you down, NO WAY! I just pray for every ones safety, physically and mentally. Don't lose heart because there is a brighter day coming. Keep pressing forward to what God has in store for you and keep reminding yourself that trouble don't last always. Keep praying for God to restore you and your families. Believe and hope for the best. Expect a miracle. When God brings you to it He will definitely bring you through it. Keep the faith.

Love Always

B-E-L-I-E-V-E

Mark 9:24 “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

I am in a season of tests and trials. In my many circumstances of attack from the devil, one thing stands true: I MUST TRUST AND BELIEVE WHAT GOD SAYS. When I look over my life right now and see how much that I am dealing with now, I can't help my human nature when it starts to sway. I tend to put a spotlight on my situations and make them the center of attention. So I am making it a point to strengthen and empower my belief in these uncertain times.

One thing I do notice from a lot of people, including myself, is when the storms of life start raging around them and in them, their belief becomes shaky. I see uncertainty all over from not knowing what to do or how to do it. We know our God is faithful to His word but it seems like an everyday battle just to believe. When things are going right in our lives, we tend to, of course, be happier and have no worries. We profess our beliefs at the drop of a hat and smile bright as the sunny days in Houston. Then comes those times of despair when we get the dark clouds over our heads and rainy days seem to follow us around. The boat gets to rocking and our belief goes overboard to drown in despair. It is always easier said than done to believe that your situation is going to work in your favor. It is a hard task at hand to focus on God when it seems as though the devil is having a party in your house. It is difficult when trying times try you from every angle and push you to the edge of giving up. Yes, we are perplexed and bewildered at a point in time but we must remember that when the enemy is in our life on the attack, believing God is our only weapon for war.

Belief is what we choose to do everyday. Belief is not something that we put to the side once we have finished playing with it. Belief comes with our faith. Belief is what we need to seek out and grasp with our hearts. If I were to put action with Believe this is what I suggest:

B - Boldness - Declare in your situation that you will trust in God and hope for the better. Bravery comes from your assurance and God's possibilities.

E - Excitement - Raise your head to the sky and don't be down in the dumps. God has a great plan for your life.

L - Love - Your hearts desire will come through with God's love towards your circumstances. Love the lessons learned.

I - Inspire - Reach out and help others who may be going through what you already experienced. Don't take your problem as an assault against you but receive it as a weapon for your future instructions.

E - Enjoyment - Live life to the fullest. Benefit from the abundance that God has promised you.

V - Victorious - Claim the victory in your situation even if you are still going through it. Take what God is showing you to build yourself up.

E - Endurance - Don't give up. Use your faith and let God fight your battles. The road may be long but God rewards the righteous.

Mark 9:23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”