About Belinda Williams

Monday, June 29, 2015

Praises, Prayers and Petitions

Praise Reports
·         Juanita's medical exam was good
·         Great visit with Chris - safely back in Australia
·         Tirea - store exceeded goals

 









Prayer Requests
·         Debora - relocation
·         Bryan - struggling emotionally - lost mother, father, brother and aunt in less than 2 years
·         Parrish - behavior problems
·         Lisa - cancer (breast and cyst on liver)
·         Brittany - change of lifestyle
·         Yvette C. - wisdom
·         Octavia - death of grandmother
·         Chyna - new job position
·         Hands of Love and Joy - tuition, van and housing for orphans


Tunisia
Located on northern most bulge of Africa
Population - 11,229,000

.3% Christian (0% Evangelical)


Thursday, June 25, 2015

Is Your Brain Being Held for Ransom?

"I don't know how it happened.  It was a typical day and I was prepared to spend quality time with my Savior.  My plan was sound - 1. put on worship music 2. place bible and note pad in front of me and 3.  pray and ask Holy Spirit to teach me. As I headed to my office, I caught a brief glimpse of a snack that could be consumed with little preparation.  I kept walking.  Then I remembered an important call I did not return.  The pull to change my plans increased.  As I pass my bedroom, I remembered I had laundry to do.  Now I was thinking about a snack, a call and my laundry.  My brain was slowly being hijacked away from the things of God" (excerpted from the dangerously redeemed mind).

I was doing my usual flipping through the channels thing when I stopped on a medical talk show.  The doctor and his guest were teaching people how to gain more will power.  The guest made a statement that caught my attention.  She said, " temptation hijacks the brain."  In this particular instance, she was talking about food temptations, but it applies to all temptations.  Some are indeed tempted by food, others by alcohol, drugs or other narcotics.  Many are tempted by fame or notoriety, money, position and power.  Some of those things in and of themselves are not bad, but when they are temptations, there is a root of evil involved.

To be tempted is simply a desire to do something, especially something wrong or unwise.  You are enticed away from the usual or proper course of action. As believers, we are to be led by the Spirit of God.  There is a constant battle between the flesh and the spirit.  The bible says there is enmity between  the mind of the flesh and the Spirit of God (Romans 8:7).  When we yield to our flesh, our brain has been hijacked by the enemy and that leads us to sin.

James 1:14-15(NKJV)
14But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.  15Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

James 1:14-15 paints a vivid picture of the route of temptation.  When we yield to the desires of our flesh, our brain is hijacked until the desire is fully conceived and satisfied.  Death is the result of the enticement to sin.  It is an immediate death to the God-desire within you.  Eventually, it is total spiritual death and separation from God.

It is why Jesus warned us in Matthew to watch and pray.

Matthew 26:41(NKJV)
41Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Though our flesh is weak, we are not to be dismayed.  Our trust or freedom doesn't come from our flesh, our will power.  God Himself has paid our ransom.  Jesus suffered and was crucified to pay the ransom demanded by our sin. 

Mark 10:45(NKJV)
45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Since our debt has been paid, we are free.  Our brain doesn't have to be held hostage.  Payment has already been made and we can walk in our freedom.  So when you feel yourself being lured away from the course God has establish for you, resist it.  Declare you are led by the Spirit and not by the flesh.  He has given us a way of escape.  USE IT!

1 Corinthians 10:13(NKJV)
13No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.


James 4:7(NKJV)
7Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 

Monday, June 22, 2015

Praises, Prayers and Petitions


Praise Reports
·         Grandma Daisy's surgery went well
·         Animal Safari Outing went well for ROLCC
·         Deas family received justice in the courts



Prayer Requests
·         Families affected by South Carolina Shooting
·         Safe travels for Steve
·         Safe travel for Chris back to Australia
·         Healing for the infirmed - Ronnie, Ronald, Marilyn, Lisa, Wayne




Yemen
·         Population 11,335, 000
·         Less than 3% Christian (0%)Evangelical)
·         Average Life Span - 51.5 years







Thursday, June 18, 2015

Training to Reign


Training - the action of teaching a person or animal a
particular skill or type of behavior

All of our lives we have been trained to do things a particular way.  We have trained our bodies in physical disciplines and our minds in scientific or artistic disciplines.  Some of us have gone through years of training to learn a professional skill, trade or craft.  I, personally, have been trained to do a few things in my life.  From the proper way to change oil in a car (you go to the nearest oil change shop and get it done) to how to properly put air in my tires (I look pathetic and ask for help). 

Whether we train to run a marathon, to rebuild an antique car, or to play a musical instrument, training is solidified in us when we put our training into action.  You can train to cook by observing someone prepare meals, looking at videos, or by reading relevant books.  Yet, your training is of no real value until you turn on the stove or oven and actually cook yourself.  On the job training is invaluable.  Sometimes you can learn more by doing than by watching or reading.

This leads me to a question.  Why do so many Christians spend so much time training without putting it into action?  We spend years in Sunday services, Sunday school, midweek services, bible study, revival or special meetings, conferences, conventions and bible schools/colleges.  We are trained in the things of God...or are we?  Are we really trained in the Kingdom of God or in the culture of the local assembly?  If we are trained in the culture of the local church, we know the do's and don'ts of church life.  We know when to stand, sit, kneel and pray.  We know when to give and we know the right times to shout "hallelujah" or say "Amen."  We understand what is acceptable in our place of worship.  In some ministries, you can sing, clap, dance and openly rejoice at His goodness.  In other gatherings of believers, you are trained to be quiet, reserved and disciplined in your responses.  We receive a lot of training, but we reach very few people beyond those that gather with us.

When we are truly trained in the things of God, we are trained in Kingdom culture and Kingdom action.  We are trained to know that we are the Church.  Proper training in the Kingdom results in action.  It is understood that studying, memorizing, and quoting is not enough.  As we become disciples in the Kingdom of God, we realize that true disciples put what they know into action. 

The branches of the US military train continuously.  There is a war going on and they put their training in to action daily.  We are in a spiritual war.  We must put our training into action each and every day.  The more we move in faith and obedience, the more we will desire training.  Seeing God's power at work through us produces a greater hunger in us.

It is easy to rest in the comfort of "church culture"  and "church life."  But God expects more.  He left us with spiritual mandates of things we are responsible for doing while in our fleshly bodies.  Let's put our training into action. 

Matthew 28:19-20(NKJV)
19Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  20teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.   

Monday, June 15, 2015

Praises, Prayers and Petitions


John 15:7(NKJV)
7If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you£ will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 




Praise Reports
·         Funds raised for DP's first surgery
·         Sent Ones  status granted
·         Fabes made it home SA safely
·         Chris arrived safely from Australia

Prayer Requests
·         Grandma's DP surgery
·         Chyna - healing, financial breakthrough, strength
·         Lisa - cancer
·         Auntie Ronnie - Cancer
·         A & R - marriage and finances






Western Sahara
A disputed territory - technically occupied by Morocco and Mauritania

0% Christian


Monday, June 8, 2015

Praises, Prayers and Petitions


1 John 5:14-15(NKJV)
14Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  15And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.


Praise Reports:

·         Debbie J. - foot better

·         Deb - feeling better

·         Michele Weaver  - doing better, good test results













Prayer Requests:

·         Bruce - liver cancer

·         Doris - beginning of kidney failure

·         Aline - justice; scam artist caught

·         Lawson - healing


Maldives
·         Population - 345,000

·         0% Christian
·         By dictates of constitution, all citizens must follow Islam


Thursday, June 4, 2015

Can You See Clearly Now?

I have worn eye glasses since I was 10 years old.  I am therefore very adept at going through a visit with the optometrist.  The part that is always a bit frustrating for me is when they put the phoropter  in front of my face and ask me, " Is this view better or that view better?"  I understand they are trying to provide me with the sharpest vision possible, but come on.  When there are great differences between the views, it is easy to say which is clearer.  But when the two versions look the same, it is frustrating to try to give an answer knowing it affects your prescription.


Phoropter
In many ways, I think the Lord is trying to sharpen our vision.  As we look through His phoropter, we are presented with views of what's godly and what's secular and He asks, "which looks better?"  He shows us what is spiritual and what is religious and asks, "What is better?"  Our eyes are open, but are we seeing clearly what is better?  From the emails and religious commentary I hear and see, it seems our vision is cloudy.  What seems different or uncomfortable appears to offend our religious senses, whether it is sinful or not.  I  wonder if all the things that offend us really offend Christ.  Could He be presenting us an opportunity to not see the offense, but see the chance to make a difference in this world?  Could our vision be so distorted by our comfort zones that we fail to see the hurt, the need, the cry for help?

In Mark 8, Jesus heals a blind man.  There is no explanation about how the man became blind.  He may have gone blind over time or was born that way.  When Jesus spit on the man's eyes and touched him, the man said he saw men like trees walking.  His new vision seemed distorted.  Was the healing imperfect or incomplete?  I don't think so.  I think that he didn't know how to perceive that which He was seeing.  It was distorted.

Mark 8:22-25(NKJV) 22Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him.  23So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. 24And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.” 25Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. 

Scientists have now learned that no matter how long a blind person has been blind, when they receive their sight back, the cerebral cortex (the part of the brain relating to vision) must be reprogrammed.  I believe the second time Jesus touched Him was not to complete the healing, but to correct His perception, reprogramming the cerebral cortex.  He could then see accurately.

Perhaps that is what we need...a touch from the Lord that not only heals our vision, but also our perception so that we will see things through His eyes and with His heart.  We will be moved with compassion to make a difference. Our focus will be on living out the mission of Jesus Christ.


Lord, perfect our sight and give us vision!

Monday, June 1, 2015

Praise, Prayers and Petitions

Praise Reports

·         Randy foot and eyes healed

·         Julie - foot surgery went well

·         Marline's husband recovering well after heart attack

·         Tuition provided for Hands of Love and Joy kids












Petitions

·         Debbie J. - foot healed from severe sprain

·         Michele W. - healing

·         Debora - healing from Vertigo

·         Grandma Daisy - dental surgery

·         Fiona - employment and work visa for USA

·         Delegates for All Nations Conference - visa's granted, funds for flights

·         Cindy - healing for family


Morocco

·         Population 33+million
·         2% Christian (0% Evangelical)

·         Some say that the Sidi Yahya shrine that is located in the Moroccan city of Oujda is actually John the Baptist’s tomb.