Tag: christian counseling

AWESOME GOD (4) The Wisdom Angle.

Proverbs chapter Four contains some great counsel that anyone who follows it will be at an advantage.

I get very emotional when I receive messages from people asking for food. After you get the food, what next? Keep on begging?

Nooo! Something must change!

Anyone who does not think beyond the immediate and the urgent, will  keep on being sad, miserable and beggarly.

A long time ago, I chose not to accept the status quo. I chose to walk daily with faith in the

Jesus Christ, who is the Wisdom from God (1 Corinthians 1:30)

Dear reader, Wisdom is profitable to direct (Ecclesiastes 10:10)

Hence we are to get wisdom in all our getting and to get understanding too! (Proverbs 4:7)

This can happen for you too:

Which reminds me of the prophet’s widow, whose husband died leaving a great debt!

Her sons were to go into slave-labor in order to pay the debts of their late father.

What a future!

But thank God for a wise mother who had understanding of the times, and who refused to accept the status quo!

She knew their problems were more deep-seated than just paying off debts. She and her kids needed a new  life.

She was a wise woman who understood that despite how low-life they have become, God will intervene supernaturally and give her and her kids a new lifestyle. 

It is so sad how people tend to accept whatever life throws at them without a fight!

But not this woman!

 She came to the understanding that she did not birth her children for a sorrowful life.

Therefore,  She stepped out of her comfort zone and sought supernatural Divine intervention. 

She went to God’s servant and explained her circumstances to him-prophet Elisha. 

All he did was point her to the miracle in her home!

 God did not leave her without a hope and a future!

And, instead of telling the man of God why his idea wouldn’t work, she believed his word,  and went to work obediently!

I pray you do not miss the day of your visitation by observing lying wonders,  in Jesus’s name.

She acted in obedience, and all debts were paid. Her sons didn’t need to do slave-labor!

Additionally, she had enough supplies to start a business and to keep turning over the profits, pay her bills and never be indebted again!

Read the story in 2 Kings chapter 4.

Indeed, wisdom is the principal thing that would distinguish the needy from idiots, scammers and lazy bones.

I have no idea how you have read your Bible today, and how it spoke to you.

As for me, I do know that this God’s Word is that rod of correction that has driven unwise choices and behaviors from me.

I refuse to observe lying wonders and forsake God’s mercy.

Lying wonders are those real time problems- they could be cancers or life threatening things- they are anything that make themselves the focus of your life- they are vanitie- worthless.  

There are so many solutions to lying wonders that creates more problems for those who observe them.

Only the AWESOME GOD has the solution that solves all problems.

Know, in Whom you have believed and whose child you are. We are not of this world.

Soul Searchlight:

a). In what ways have I been unwise in my choices for career, employment, church family, relationships, housing, medications,  etc.

b). Have I made emotional deposits into others or am I just a taker?

c). Have I been unwise in my choice of words- have I hurt others when my intention was to heal?

 d). Is my faith in God or in humans?

GEM:

After searching your soul, go back to God in repentance and worship. 

Recommit your life and move on. Don’t build a tabernacle in your mistakes. 

Decide on Bible-based working principles for your life,  and  you will begin to be stable,  relevant, independent but absolutely dependent on God. 

Your life will never remain the same.

I encourage you to keep moving forward. Tomorrow we are reading Proverbs 5.

Let us Pray:

Thank you Father for your wisdom that is at work in us and which is leading us to make right life changing decisions.

I stand against everything that wants to distract me from having faith in God’s awesomeness. 

Thank you Father God, for doing that one thing in my life that will answer all my questions,  resolve all my troubles and give me a new lease of life, in the matchless name of Jesus Christ.

Shalom from Hephzibah Christly, Ph.D., #TheSpiritualWarrior,  December 4th 2024

AWESOME GOD (3) The Attitude of Obedience:

This verse from Proverbs 3:1b, which says,

“…let thine heart keep my commandments” (Proverbs 3:1b) stood out during my spiritual exercise of today.

It’s no wonder the Bible says, “the letter kills,  but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6)

Keeping the law is a heart thing. It is not a religious obligation nor denominational dogma.  

It is an attitude of obedience by which we are distinguished as children of the Most High God, and we choose to do His will, irrespective of contrary opinions.

I am so thankful that Jesus Christ who already fulfilled the just requirements of the Mosaic Law, gave us a summarized version of the Ten Commandments,  as stated in  the Bible Thus,   

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

(Matthew 22:37-40 KJV)

Soul Searchlight:

a). How can I improve on loving God with the entirety of my being?

To do so might involve reprioritizing my priorities in life. 

In everything, God has to be number one- not my spouse, my kids, my siblings, my friends, or even my status, reputation or aspirations.  No one takes that place in my life, ever!

No friend, family or foe gave his life for me (John 3:16)

Eventually, spouses die,  children grow up and keep busy, and friends abandon or drift apart.

Only God is Eternal and will be there for me forever, as His Word says:

 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Hebrews 13:5 KJV)

I refuse to allow covetousness dominate my thinking, and choose to revel in the love of God.

HE alone is worthy of my reverence, respect, recognition and recommitment. 

b) In order to not be covetous and love others as I love myself, ( which is the second commandments)  I will have to function under the Golden Rule that says, 

”Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 7:12 KJV)

Summary:

The love of God and love for others is actually a constraining force which enables you to become a better version of yourself. 

Our progression shall continue to excellence  in Jesus’s Name.

Let us Pray:

Father God,  thank You for showing me that I have to improve on how I love you and others.

I ask that you cut off everything that distracts me from spending time with you in personal Bible study, prayer and meditation on your Word.

Prune me Father, so that I will not grow wild, stagnate, and die prematurely. 

Help me Father, to confront and overcome all deep seated resentment in my life and guide me to be more accommodating and respectful of the views and choices of others. 

Help me Father, to pray more about issues instead of offering despicable and inappropriate suggestions. 

Help me God to bridle my tongue and to speak words that build up, encourage and comfort others.

Thank You Father for the grace to be more outgoing and resourceful, as I seek ways to make positive impacts in the life of others.

Be magnified O God .  Be big in my life and families, in the matchless name of Jesus Christ ♥️ 

Gem:

Shalom everyone. Make every effort to read Proverbs chapter 4 tomorrow.  Make notes,  and pray at all times.  Use your time at work well. Think on the Words you read, and write down the insights you receive,  immediately! Lest you forget. The things of the Spirit are swift!.

 Rest well.

From Hephzibah Christly, Ph.D., #TheSpiritualWarrior, December 3rd 2024.

AWESOME GOD (2b) Respect:

 I had a great time after I shared the first part.

I worshipped God with songs, prayed and sang in tongues, and danced before Him. 

You need to do this always. It’s a beautiful experience to sing and dance by yourself to God 

As we make progress in our prayers, Bible reading, and meditation, it is important to understand the fear of the LORD and to discover the knowledge of God (See Proverbs 2:5).

For God’s Word says, “True humility and the fear of the LORD lead to riches, honor and long life” (Proverbs 22:4 NLT).

Question: What then is the fear of the LORD?

Answer: The fear of the Lord involves having respect for God’s power and wisdom.  

Do you respect God?

Do you believe that He is All-powerful (Omnipotent), and All-Wise (Omniscient)?

Remember all the times you have doubted God’s power to deliver, save, heal, provide etc for you?

That was disrespectful!

How about those times you accepted the verdict of your scientist above the Word of God who created you?

As I read and meditated on this scripture verses today,  I was broken for how we have failed God, disrespected Him and discounted His Word.

From henceforth, we should resolve to no longer disrespect God by not valuing His Word.

We should recommit to Him and acknowledge Him in all our ways, and He will direct our paths (Proverbs 3:6)

One of the things that has helped me stay healthy has been  obeying God’s hygiene laws in the Bible, as well as living by Biblical Principles. 

Hence I can boldly declare that surely, God’s goodness and mercy follows me, and the prince of this world will find nothing of his in me.

It will be greatly appreciated if you will share your insights from today’s Bible Reading.

Let Us Pray.

Thank you Father for the grace to come boldly to Your Throne of grace to obtain mercy.

We acknowledge we have been disrespectful, and have disregarded your Word. 

Help us Father to hold fast to your Word always and to make it our go-to-Word for everything.

We thank you for the gift of discernment and for making Christ wisdom for us.

Father,  teach us to fear you and no longer take you for granted.

Teach us to love you more than we do, dear God.

 Thank you for your  grace that enables us to grow in knowledge and understanding.

We acknowledge that you are our shield, and you will preserve our ways,  protect us from all injustices, and help us continually walk in integrity, in Jesus Christ matchless name ❤️. 

 Shalom from Hephzibah Christly, Ph.D., #TheSpiritualWarrior . December 2nd 2024

AWESOME GOD 2 (a): 

Today is day two of the yearly Spiritual exercises which helps me to grow in my relationship with God and others,  as well as reinforce the guiding principles of my life.

Before we go further, let us read the Bible from Proverbs chapter 2:1-end.

Don’t forget to highlight the verses that catch your attention, so that you will further explore them at the place of prayers and meditation.  

What that means is that you should simply think deeply on those verses, in order to catch what God is saying to you. Which could be God giving you directions or responding to your prayer requests. 

How would you know unless you read and then meditate (think on what you read).

Stop and think: Selah

When we come back, we shall share what verses caught our attention.  

And later, we shall eulogize God’s awesomeness and pray from that perspective. 

Shalom from Hephzibah Christly,  Ph.D., #TheSpiritualWarrior   December 2nd, 2024

AWESOME GOD: Commencing the Spiritual Exercises. 

Welcome to this season of eulogizing the awesomeness of God from two major perspectives.

When I received the word for the season, I was both excited and amazed!

Amazed at the thought of what next year holds for us who believe that God still communicates His moves to His people.

As is my usual practice, every December 1st to January 9th, I engage in the Spiritual exercise of “fasting off food and entertainments”,  in order to give more time to Prayer,  Bible Study, and Meditations on God’s Word. 

Doing these Spiritual exercises helps me to tune out the physical world and tune in to the spiritual frequencies, as well as proclaim my expectations for the upcoming season. 

Two major Reasons for this Spiritual exercises:

1). This holiday season helps me to reflect over my life, and review my performances.

The Bible admonishes us in 2 Corinthians 13:5 to

“ Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” 2 Corinthians 13:5 KJV.

In order to Examine myself appropriately, I will deeply search my soul for answers to 

the following questions:

A). Am I still in the faith?

 i) Do I still believe in God as Omniscience?  or

ii) am I now following science- allowing science to frustrate my faith in God?

B). Has reprobacy crept in unwittingly/subtly? :

i) where did I fall away?

ii) am I still relevant in God’s plans for the world- doing what HE called me to do or have I gone the way of Balaam- seeking financial blessings instead of obedience and selflessness?

2).These Spiritual exercises also empowers me to call things into existence and not live by happenstance. 

As Christians,  we do not live by happenstance, we cause things to happen. We have the creative ability of God in us. His enabling grace is at work in us to will and do His good pleasure.

As the Bible states, 

 “Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your’s;” 1 Corinthians 3:21-22 KJV.

Even though “all things are yours”, the devil and the forces of evil always try to frustrate your faith in God. 

Don’t forget also that we are still growing in faith and in the knowledge of God. Therefore, we fall into temptations or allow contrary situations and circumstances to overwhelm us.

Life just happens. 

But as you give yourself to these Spiritual exercises,  you will be on top of your game and no longer allow the oppressive forces to get you.

During this season, you line up all your ducks in a row. 

You may join me in this Spiritual exercises.  

I will try to share insights as I receive them, and I look forward to having you share yours with me too.

Outline for the Spiritual Exercises:

You can make some adjustments to personalize it to fit your work schedule. But stay the course.

Prayers Times: 

9am, 12 noon, and 3pm daily

Duration:  

Be Flexible- Pray as you are led by the Holy Spirit.  Just be consistent.

Write a Prayer List: 

It is important to have a prayer goal. I have a long list of things I need to happen for me in this upcoming year. 

Bible Reading:

i) Proverbs 1-31.

 One chapter daily will cover  the 31 days of December. 

ii) Psalms 1-9 will add up to get you the 40 days.

I apologize for not sharing this earlier. My eyes wanted to quit working,  so I just shut it down. 

I love you all and do appreciate that many people join me for these yearly Spiritual Exercises. 

#MyPrayer4you:

I pray that you receive more Grace to be able to do this for yourself.

I pray that you will grow stronger in faith and that you will experience the awesomeness of God in your life and family, in the matchless name of Jesus Christ ♥️ 🙏🏽 

Shalom from Hephzibah Christly, Ph.D., #TheSpiritualWarrior.  December 1st, 2024.

The Love of God:

#SpiritualGrowth
One of the fastest routes to take towards building your self-esteem is to believe in the inside of you, that God loves you.
Once you can get that into you, nothing and no one can ever make you feel worthless,  weak, or insecure, ever again!

God, the creator and owner of your soul, loves you – that is all that matters! Take that to the bank!
Read Jeremiah 31:3, again!
Shalom!

#Testimony (God’s Preemptive Mercy)

Bible Base: Jeremiah 29:11

My pastor, Wade Barker of the  Heritage of Faith Family Church, Rogers AR., said something recently that resonated strongly with me.

Most times we ascribe so much power to the devil, whereas it is God’ preemptive mercy at work. 

Some weeks back, I was distraught because  we could not meet our financial obligations to God, via tithing. 

We were on our way to fellowship, but had a very tight schedule. Then we got caught in traffic, and missed that window of opportunity, (or so I thought), and had to keep another appointment.

However,  after keeping that other appointment,  we had an emergency: The fix of which was the same amount as our planned Tithe.

We had a vehicular breakdown deep in the woods, and needed a wrecker to get our truck out of there!

Brethren, was it good that we had that amount at hand!  It would have been very embarrassing 😳 otherwise!

And there I was beating up myself for missing that window of opportunity to give, without even considering the possibility that God knew we would have need of that money. And in His preemptive mercy, helped us not to keep the appointment! I’m all so emotional as I recall that situation!

Most times, our deep-seated denominational indoctrination makes us forget that;

“Christianity is a relationship with God, based on a daily faith-walk with Christ Jesus”. 

My religious mindset/upbringing says,  ‘tithe goes to the church’ (period), whereas Biblically, Tithing is to God (Read Malachi 3:8-12).

Tithing is not a religious obligation but a relationship with God, that acknowledges His partnership in all your income! 

The Bible says: in 1 Chronicles 29:11-12 KJV:

“Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.

 Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.” (1 Chronicles 29:11-12 KJV)

What do you have that you were not given by God?

The tithe is an act of worship of God who freely gave you everything.

It has nothing to do with your pastor. It is your business with God. The pastor is just the one who executes the will of God- His custodian.

“Anyways, why should I bother how the pastor executes the will of God? He will give account to God. I have enough on my plate to bother about non issues.”

Background Story:

Decades ago,  when the yoke of poverty and indebtedness was a heavy burden on my shoulders, I did research on God’s Prosperity plan for His people. I was tired of being poor in the midst of plenty.

That was how I discovered Matthew 23:23, and was shocked that tithing was still a New Testament obligation.

Prior, I was of the school of thought that tithing was one of those ordinances that were nailed to the Cross (Colossians 2:14). So. I stopped tithing.

But all those changed after my research, and I resumed tithing.

In the passage of time, complacency set in, and I forgot the hard lesson that tithing is unto God, and not unto any human.

I reverted to the religious errors of thinking of the  tithe, as another religious obligation, devoid of a personal relationship with God.

Until one day, as I took out my Tithe in preparation to give in Church. Then I heard a sniffing in my spirit instead of an affirmation.  It was disturbing!

I stopped and asked God, “Dad, what am I doing wrong here? I’m praying over my tithe before taking it to church, and you are not happy?”.

Then a dialogue ensued whereby God made me realize that the Tithe was His, and I had no business spending His money as I deemed fit. 

Did you get that? I treated the tithe as my money, to spend as I wanted. Whereas, the sec. I set it aside as tithe, my ownership ended- it was no longer my money, but God’s.

My mind was set to take my Tithe to my church, but God’s Word says “into the storehouse” (Malachi 3:10).

 And we know there are lots of God’s storehouses globally.

And if we acknowledge God in all our ways, He will direct our paths (to the storehouse that we should send the Tithe to).

After that encounter, I take out my Tithes,  worship God as my provider, and wait for His direction. 

Surprisingly, over the years,  He has specifically directed me to some storehouses ( you have no idea!)  

As I obeyed, and walked in God’s will, the yokes of poverty and indebtedness lifted, and I began to enjoy the benefits of salvation. 

And then I relapsed again recently, into a religious mindset.

But I am so thankful that God’s preemptive mercy restrained me, and restored me back into acknowledging Him in all my ways.

Hence I said that my pastor’s message resonated strongly with me.

Perhaps, you are still of the school of thought that tithing expired with the Old Testament laws. 

My simple question is this, 

“How is that working out for you?”

#SpiritualWarfareTeachings ;

To break the yoke of poverty and indebtedness, you not only confront the forces of evils that are enforcing them:  You have to obey God’s Word, which immunizes you from the devourers! 

Read Malachi 3:8-12 without any religious bigotry, perhaps you will catch a revelation there.

Know God for yourself. A religious mindset will keep you in poverty and Indebtedness.

You can destroy that yoke by simply obeying and owning/personalizing God’s Word.

Search the scriptures and do what is right to do.

In closing, I pray one of the Pauline prayers for you:

“ That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory…give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ…” (Ephesians 1:17-20)

Shalom from Hephzibah Christly, Ph.D., #TheSpiritualWarrior, November 14th, 2024

#PrayerRequest: Pray for the East & West Coast of USA:

Kindly make time to pray for both the west and east coast of the United States of America. 

Your prayer as a Christian will call God’s power into play in our world. You are important in what God is doing in our world today. 

The Amplified Classic Bible (AMPC) says, “The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working] (James 5:16b)

#PrayerPoints4Today:

(1). Thank God for where you are at, and for His protection over you and yours already. 

(2). Identify with the sins of the land, ask God for forgiveness, cleansing, healings for our lands, and for His mercy to prevail over judgment. 

(3). Simply ask for God to intervene supernaturally and put out all the fires 🔥, with either rainfall 🌧 or snowfall ❄️ or as He deems fit. 

(4). Ask God to comfort and send help to all the people who have lost loved ones and properties in the raging fires.

(5). Pray specially for all the Firefighters 🚒,  Emergency services personnel, and for the family of Jacob Lazar, (the 18yrs old  volunteer firefighter killed by a falling tree).

(6). Be thankful to God for the assurance that He hears us always, “whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him”  (1 John 5:15)

Thank you for making time to earnestly intercede for others.

#MyPrayer4you:

I pray that you will never have to run for your dear life, nor lose loved ones and properties to floods or fires 🔥,  in the matchless name of Jesus Christ ♥️. 

Have a great life!

Shalom from Hephzibah Christly, Ph.D., #TheSpiritualWarrior, November 13th 2024.

#SpiritualWarfarePrayers:Deliverance from Evil Projections:

In our prayers today, we shall stand with you against the forces of evils that are influencing those who cheat, lie, steal, deny your rights,  and project evils against you, in a bid to cover up their wickedness, and project you as the evil one.

Most people have a hard time understanding that God is the righteous Judge of the World, “He puts down one and exalts another” (Psalm 75:7), and there is nothing hidden from Him. 

For, as the Bible states, ”…Nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest,  neither any thing hid, that shall not be known…”(Luke 8:17)

People’s sin usually finds them out (See Numbers 32:23)

OUR opening scripture from Job 20:15 Says:

“He hath swallowed down riches, He shall vomit them up again. God shall cast them out of his belly” Amein!

You may be in an inheritance or custody battle, where the oppressor may have taken possession, or skillfully hidden what rightfully belongs to you.

Whoever they may be, their conscience will not rest, and will continue to trouble them until they do right by you. 

And if they ignore or silence their conscience,  and not voluntarily restore your rights to you, God  as the righteous judge, will compel a restoration in  the matchless name of Jesus Christ. 

#SpiritualWarfarePrayers:

I command to go at once to the feet of Jesus Christ all the evil spirits that are influencing hatred, lies, and acrimony, against you, to lose their holds over your finances, job opportunities, relationships, self esteem, and mental health

I release to you now , the anointing of God’s Spirit that brings deliverance, healings, prosperity, reconciliation, redemption, restoration, and wellness. 

I declare that because Christ manifested to destroy the works of the enemy, therefore, you are set free to enjoy the gains of salvation, have life in all its fullness, and fulfill God’s purpose for your life, in the matchless name of Jesus Christ.

Shalom from Hephzibah Christly, Ph.D., #TheSpiritualWarrior,  November 11th, 2024.

Faith Over Fear:

It is important that you learn how not to allow fear of anything to be your first reaction when you encounter opposition. 

Instead, reset your mind default  to  ‘faith in God for everything’.


This means that no matter how fearsome an enemy is, or how daunting the problem is, you will always tell yourself with your chest out, “Hey (say your name), relax, God’s got this.”

I stand with you against the spirits of fear, intimidation, manipulation, premonitions, hopelessness, and infirmities. As well as those  that immobilize or paralizes a person with fears.

I command all the aforementioned  evil spirits to lose their holds and influences over all the faculties of your  soul and go at once to the feet of Jesus Christ.

I declare to you that you have been given the spirit of power, love, and sound mind, and you will keep growing in faith and in the knowledge of God, in the matchless name of Jesus Christ.

Say to yourself,

“I am victorious, for I am more than a conqueror because the One who lives in me is greater than he that is in the world” (Romans 8:32-39, 1 John 4:4; 5:4)

The Word of God works. Don’t stop saying it. Keep saying it until it forms the framework for your thinking.

Shalom from Hephzibah Christly, Ph.D. , #TheSpiritualWarrior November 9th, 2024.