Praise the Lord, Chosen Women!
Okay, I have a confession to make. I was once one of the harshest critics of those online social networking sites. MySpace, Facebook and the like were just places to be idle and expose yourself to the devil's folly in my mind. That is until one of the saints asked me to join her page.
WELL I must say that Facebook has opened doors for me to reconnect with so many wonderful saints of God! We are having a 'lovefest' online! I am finding so much encouragement, exhortation, prayer and just plain old fellowship. So I take my criticisms back -- at least in this instance! I can say that Facebook has been a blessing to me. One extreme blessing has been to reconnect with a wonderful woman of God, Pastor Lisa Alexander. She and her husband Sr. Pastor Elgin Alexander moved to Texas from California some year ago. They are now the pastors of Zion Tabernacle Christian Church in Houston, Texas. I have been so impressed with the wisdom that she shares -- especially the ministry that she and her husband give to new pastors. Because of this I have asked her to be our Chosen Women Guest Blogger for July. Please receive the ministry of Pastor Lisa Alexander as she shares, "I'll show you mine if you show me yours . . . well maybe!"
In Service for the Master,
EVANGELIST LISA Y. MITCHELL
Founder, Chosen Women, Inc.
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I’ll Show You Mine If You Show Me Yours . . . Well Maybe
Vulnerability, full disclosure, exposure; these can be frightening words to the born again Christian. We have been convinced to believe it is better to suffer in silence, endure our private hells rather than become vulnerable, share our heart or expose our weaknesses. Why? Because past experiences taught us that people use those very things we shared in confidence to wound us, so we end up worshiping with the walking wounded Sunday after Sunday. But can I share with you from the Father’s heart regarding this matter?
In James 5: 16 the apostle tells us to confess our faults, pray for one another so that we can be healed. Then the latter part of that same scripture goes on to tell us that the effectual fervent prayers of the righteous avails much.
Holy Spirit reveals that fear is what keeps us from acting on God's Word. We fear being rejected, we fear being ridiculed, we fear being looked down upon, we fear being judged, we fear we'll be seen as less anointed and fear that as soon as we exposed ourselves our business is going on Twitter's home page.
Scripture says that perfect love casts out all fear and here lies the problem. We have not experienced pure agape as described in 1 Corinthians 13. Paul writes that love bears all things, hopes all things and endures all things. This love rejoices only in the truth and expects only the best. Some Christians have no idea what it is to be loved in this way by those called their brothers and sisters in Christ.
But today I assure you this is of great concern to the Savior.
Know that God wants you healed and this exposure is the remedy for hurt areas. Confession to someone who loves you like Christ does brings about healing. You don’t have to maintain a façade; you can be healed.
When I experienced this type of love it completely blew my mind. I would go to my spiritual mentor and reveal my hurt and was amazed that this woman still loved me. She did not think any less of me, my anointing was not diminished and she still saw me as the woman of God she had always known. Exposing those weak areas has brought about healing just as God’s word declared it would. This relationship is absolutely priceless and needed!
My prayer for you today is that you walk in complete wholeness and healing. Know that the Father has a person ordained to you to receive your confession and love and pray you into your healing. I pray that your heart be made ready to receive them when they are revealed. Sometimes hurt folk reject the very help that God sends. I pray you allow yourself to trust God’s process again. Your healing is in your exposure and your willingness to become vulnerable in the presence of the one He sends to you. If you don’t have a person like this in your life, put it at the top of your prayer list; the Father is faithful to answer.
Declaring your healing,
Pastor Lisa Alexander
"Praise the Lord, Chosen Women!"
This month's inspiration is being rewritten for you at 4:13 a.m. Why? I was sitting last night enjoying some Mary Mary (God in Me -- my new favorite) and had just finished writing when my son politely walked over and turned off the computer before I had time to save. Something very scary must have appeared upon my face because my husband immediately said, "Lisa, just go lay down . . . I will keep him with me!" I think he feared for Amir's little life! (smile)
I pray that your March was a month of March Gladness and not March Madness! My March was truly awesome in God! First, I want to thank those that came out to support me at the United Women in Christ Fellowship in Rialto hosted by Evangelist Sylvia Daniel. We had a phenomenal time in the Lord. God moved so profoundly and we were all so blessed. Special thanks to Evangelist Yevette Waters of Carson, CA and Evangelist Shelley Taylor of Rosamond, CA for your assistance. We will continue to inform you of upcoming speaking engagements for myself and friends of Chosen Women in hopes that you will keep us in prayer or even come out and support.
This month's message 2inspireU actually came to me through an HBO television pilot! I had been waiting for the premiere of The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency. Although it was classified as a comedy I was surprised to find myself tearing as the Lord ministered to me through the life of the main character, Precious. The story is set in Botswana where Precious is a private detective.
In the show we see how the seeds for inquisitiveness and adventure are planted in her youth through her close relationship with her father. He taught her how to pay close attention to details and to really listen. We see a young girl full of life and confidence gained through the love of her father. Later as an adult she marries a man that she loves and that she thinks loves her. He turns out to be an abusive man. One of his many beatings takes place while she is pregnant with their child - and she tragically loses that baby. Precious is a woman that knows heartache.
Later her father dies and leaves her an inheritance. Instead of remaining broken by the tragedies of her life she continues to pursue her passion and vision -- to move to the city, purchase a home, and open a detective agency. Precious did not allow the trials of her life to steal her ability to hope, to care and to love.
The gifts that were nurtured by her father did not die with her child. Because she continued to care and to love and to live she was able to impact the lives of others as the No. 1 Ladies Detective. She made a difference through a sensitivity that largely came from what she went through -- her suffering.
This character blessed me because I was reminded that the desert experiences in our lives are not intended to destroy us -- but to show us how strong we are through Christ Jesus. How many of us have been faced with situations that nearly took us out of here? I am not talking about a hangnail or a late cell phone payment -- I am talking about that thing that finally made you say that living one more day is not worth it. I am talking about a trial that seeks to destroy your body and soul. Yet, here you are -- alive and well!
It is through those life-altering seasons that you can TRULY discover that the Greater One is inside of you. It is through those seasons that you can TRULY discover the power of prayer, faith and the love of God. It is how He keeps us when we no longer want to be kept that can make us fall in love with Jesus all the more.
I do not think that the Lord could have ministered to me any more profoundly through a Sunday morning sermon or a weekday Bible Study. I am so glad that, like Precious, I still have my joy! I still have my smile! I still have a passion for life! I still want to share my gifts with the world and see people be blessed and enhanced!
The tests and trials did not steal my ability to believe! And most of all -- they have not made me bitter. I can still love. I do not backbite. I am not a hater. I love to see others be blessed. And (here is a big one) I am not living to prove anything to my enemies! I have found that so many wounded people live, speak and act with a mostly unknown agenda to prove somebody wrong. I am not trying to prove anything to anyone that did me wrong -- I have truly given them and those situations to God. I am not seeking vengeance or recompense from man -- I trust God! Besides, He said that vengeance belongs to Him. I am simply enjoying my life in Christ, growing with my little family, and embracing the opportunity to send out some encouragement.
If your tests have caused you to be hardened or salty or not so nice to be around or to listen to because you are the No. 1 Ladies HATER (really ask God to show you yourself -- it really could be who you are) -- then give it to Jesus and let Him give you your REAL smile back! Have a wonderful month in Him!
In Service for the Master,
Evangelist Lisa Y. Mitchell
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