Monday, February 22, 2010
Praise the Lord, Chosen Women! Oh Lord, You are my strength and my refuge. I love you with all that I am! This morning that is my praise! I send greetings to each of you this day -- and I am believing for His very best to be yours! This morning I want to acknowledge one of our long time supporters and Chosen Women Network friends -- Ms. Farah DePalm. In perusing the Chosen Women website she reviewed our "Wish List." The Wish List is a list of things that the organization needs for administrative and ministerial purposes. She saw our need for a printer and donated a wonderful machine that prints, faxes and scans! Hallelujah! We so appreciate this dear sister -- and ask God to multiply manifold blessings back into her life. The first blessing is the blessing of prayer. Some of the most powerful women in the kingdom read our messages of encouragement. Please remember Farah in prayer and she is about to embark on a significant move involving relocation. Please pray for her that God is in complete control in this situation for herself and her son. I love you Farah! Next, I must tell you that Chosen Women Conference 2010 planning is going forward! This year's event is going to be wonderful! Some of the speakers have confirmed -- and I am in negotiations now with the venue. We are going to make some exciting announcements soon -- keep this in prayer with me. Chosen Women is going to the next level -- and I am so excited! ________________________ This week's inspiration was birthed from a conversation that I had just last night -- and which I continued this morning with the Father. A friend called me last night to affirm my prophetic utterance to her some weeks ago. She was experiencing a unique attack from another sister and I told her, "This is just a test of your character! Be careful how you respond. You will see!" She called me to tell me she had indeed seen. She recounted how the storm had been going -- and made a strong declaration about her unwillingness to fail this 'character test.' She said she was determined not to be pulled into the flesh exchange that this other sister was so obviously seeking to provoke. This led me to share my thoughts of Navigating Storms (tests. trials.) I told her I learned long ago from my Bishop and First Lady about how to navigate storms. I was taught that whining, complaining, tantruming, going AWOL, etc., were actions that often prolonged difficult seasons. I told her that I remember an evangelist observing me once and telling me, "I like the way you go through." I understood what she meant. Going through storms does not mean that you go inside, shut the shades and drapes, put on an old robe, and commence to planning a pity party. This is the time to give your greatest praise; give your best gift; preach harder; encourage others more; put on your brightest colors, etc. In other words do the opposite of what your flesh and emotions dictate! As I talked my friend said, "As you are talking I see a huge sea with a ship and a large storm cloud in the middle with rain coming down. And I see this ship traveling through that storm. But it keeps circling and going BACK into the storm again and again!" She got it. She said, "There is a way to navigate the storms of life!" Exactly. Some people do the exact same thing every time a trial comes. For them trial means: (1). Slack up or stop going to church; (2). Stop taking care of themselves and keeping themselves up; (3). Start accusing God and being angry; (4). Stop giving; (5). Start complaining; (6) Start whining; (7). Start being mean; (8). Stop praying; (9) Stop praising, worshipping and rejoicing; and, (10). Start speaking foolish, negative things instead of words of faith and hope. Any or all of these actions will ensure that you will likely prolong the storm AND be destined to go through the SAME storm again. You will be just like that ship girlfriend saw circling back into the storm instead of proceeding forward into her season of peaceful seas. If this cut you then just say "Ouch!" and stop that self-destructive behavior. I have learned how to be a Storm Navigator. There have been enough storms that I have learned that He is going to deliver me from them ALL! (Psalm 34:19) I have simply learned to hold on to Jesus and let Him lead me as I rest in His arms. Because, though I might be a navigator -- He's the Captain! In Service for the Master, Evangelist Lisa Y. Mitchell
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This week I am posting a Mini-Word from my cousin Vernon II -- pray that it blesses you!
I WILL GIVE IT INTO YOUR HAND. JOSHUA 8:18 NKJV God's got you covered Before going into battle God said to Joshua: "Stretch out the spear that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand." It's amazing how courageous you become when you know God's got you covered. When you know He's behind you, you can say, "No weapon formed against me will prevail" (See Isaiah 54:17). Remember as a child how secure you felt in a fight, knowing your big brother or sister was behind you? Well, God is backing you up! The problem is, we say all sorts of things without first checking to find out if God's behind us. When Satan says, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" (Acts 19:15 NKJV), you must know two things: (a) That you are in right standing with God. (b) That it's His fight as well as yours. Jesus said, "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 18:18 NIV). There must be agreement in both realms. Jesus taught us to pray, "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10 NIV), because if it's not approved where He is, it's not approved where you are either. Your confidence comes from knowing you're operating according to God's will. The Bible calls us "laborers together with God" (1 Corinthians 3:9), so don't go off and do your own thing. Don't try moving anything the Lord doesn't want moved, or raising anybody from the dead except the Lazarus He calls forth. We do on earth, only what we know He's declared to be His will in heaven. That way we know we're covered. In Service for the Master, Evangelist Lisa Y. Mitchell Monday, February 8, 2010
Praise the Lord, Chosen Women! Happy Monday! This morning when I was on my way to the gym (that's already a testimony! LOL) I was listening to a religious radio station. I do not remember the speaker but he was talking about Overcoming Temptation, or some title like that. My mind drifted from what he was saying; I only heard the subject matter and then I drifted into my own conversation with the Lord. I began to meditate on the topic thinking that no man or woman makes it through life without experiencing temptation -- including and most assuredly the saints. On this past Sunday I found myself asserting once again in Testimony Service as I have so many times in the past that, "We cannot live holy if we cannot be honest!" I thought of this when meditating on this subject. Moreover, I am really held captive by the subject of temptation because I have been dreaming about compromise among the saints. Compromise is not always imminent in the face of temptation -- we can overcome temptation and not venture into compromise or sin. But avoiding compromise and sin happens at the point of temptation. If we do not deal with the temptation we are likely to venture into the area wherein we cease to demonstrate restraint. Overcoming temptation first requires an understanding that being tempted is not sin. If you think that you have sinned because you have been tempted, then you are less likely to expose the temptation and cast it down. Always remember that the enemy, satan, is the accuser and tempter of mankind. He loves to make us feel guilty for his filthiness. It only becomes your filthiness when you entertain it to long. You further take ownership when you straight out act upon it. You are enjoying the extra, flirty attention of that man or woman at the job or church who is married. Temptation. You have been hurt by someone and are opening up a bit to the amorous attention of people of the same sex. Temptation. You find yourself lingering longer and longer in those isles that offer the vices from which you have already been delivered; hearing some sweet sounding voice saying, "Now you know that drinking/smoking are not REALLY sins." Temptation. You are disappointed in your spouse once again and think it might be time to give him/her a taste of their own medicine. Temptation. You are tired of holding on and waiting on God and a voice is telling you, "As long and as faithfully as you have served God you KNOW He will not hold it against you if you go and get you some!" Temptation. God told you a long time ago to stop fooling with that individual because her conversation is divisive and she is not going in the same upward direction as you but you are so lonely for a friend you think, "It cannot hurt for us to just talk on the phone!" Temptation. You are thinking, "I have been paying into the kingdom too long with no results -- I am going to try something different!" Temptation. We will not always see or identify the issues of our lives as temptations or diversions towards sin. To have your spiritual antenna go up as soon as temptation arrives requires one to walk in the Spirit. What does that mean for real? It means having a prayer and Bible study life; having a praise and worship life; attending church where the pure Word of God is being preached and taught routinely; being committed to obeying the Voice and Word of the Lord and abstaining from evil; communicating with spiritual people sometimes to hear testimonies and to give and to receive exhortation; listening to spiritual music to feed your soul; not gossiping or backbiting; not allowing things into your spirit that will poison your thoughts, your conversation, nor that of your family and children. Once you identify temptation you have to be honest with you and see it for what it is. Then, in plain terms, you have got to shut it down! Some things will be easy to turn from. Some things will not. For those falling into the will not category, you will have to fast and pray. You might even have to expose it to a spiritual leader or person who knows how to pray and how to break the powers of the enemy over the lives of others. One thing you cannot do is lie to yourself. We can triumph daily over the enemy of our soul and this flesh in which no good thing dwells. But, it does require truth. The Word of God is what we always stand upon in order to have good success -- and the psalmist addressed this one best in Psalm 51:6 ~ Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt me me to know wisdom. Have a blessed week in Him! In Service for the Master, Evangelist Lisa Y. Mitchell Monday, February 1, 2010
Praise the Lord, Chosen Women! Greetings to you, God's most elect, in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! This week we welcome a new month, but continue with the same focus. I must admit that if my eyes focus on the natural they would seem to indicate the opposite of the Word God spoke to me early this year -- that this is the year of manifested healings, miracles and blessings for many. Thankfully I am not inclined to focus on what I see; but rather on what I know -- the manifestation of the promises of God upon my life and your life are about to become tangible. Though I believe it; though I have written it; though I have professed it; made vision boards about it, and simply made a decision to believe again when I got tired of believing, I know that I am about to SEE it! Hallelujah! I had to make up in my mind that there are no two ways about it. Why? Because our big brother James made it clear in his writings that a double-minded individual need not even think that s/he is going to get anything from God due to mere instability. (James 1:7-9) Further, he wrote in Chapter 4 to . . . purify your hearts, ye double minded! That says to me that a double minded person has a heart condition! Some might think it is a faith condition, as I did -- but James said the problem is with the heart. This means to me that your heart is not pure when you are double minded. If you have a pure heart of love towards God you will not waver in your devotion and faith towards Him. Your heart also encompasses your mind and soul. If you are a double minded, wavering believer you have not allowed your mind to be renewed, thus bringing about the transformation necessary to believe God for your miracle! I have been enjoying conversations with my friend Sis. Fykes. She is uniquely gifted with faith, and moreover, gifted to minister truths about where our hearts should be towards God. I have enjoyed conversations in which God has used her to strenghten my resolve to believe bigger. What I think happened is God washed my heart through the Word spoken through her. If the people that you talk to, hang out with or have befriended are not able to do that in your life, perhaps you should think of connecting with some other folks! It is time to make sure that you are connected with the 'New Vanguard' of faith-filled, sold out, pure hearted saints. They are sold out soldiers that have given it all up for Jesus. They do not operate in jealousy, envy, strife or confusion -- they have allowed God to bring them into another level of relationship wherein they are able to love purely. If you are like me God started shifting some folks out of your life in the last year. If He has not already done so, He will soon start bringing in some new folks. They might be different and maybe even challenging to you in some way -- but do not worry. Let them into your life. Vanguard means front-line soldiers. Let God connect you with those individuals who have the maturity, spirituality and holiness necessary to walk with you into this season of healings, miracles and blessing. The haters cannot go with you! But what's more -- THEY WILL HINDER YOU! I say again -- LET THEM GO! (Whoa . . . who am in talking too? God had me use caps AND underline! LOL Please dear soul -- listen to the voice of the Lord) Have a wonderful week in Him! Also, check out the News page of the website for an exciting announcement about the 2010 Chosen Women Conference! In Service for the Master, Evangelist Lisa Y. Mitchell | Chosen Women Founder
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