Joyous New Year to You!

May God richly bless your family this year. 2017 is going to be the turning point and I know He is going to do something amazing!

Happy New Year from the Clausens!

Merry Christmas from All of Us to You!

May you have the Lord's Light shining on you and yours through this holiday season! Here is just a glimpse of 2016 for the Clausen/Cox Clan! God is so good!

Happy Thanksgiving to You and Yours!

Happy Thanksgiving!

From Living Sacrifice Ministries

and

The Clausens

The Love of God!

Romans 5:5 

"And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us."

We go through day to day lives, many saying, “no one loves me,” but the Bible says there is one who loves us, more than we love ourselves. There is one that sticks close to us, even when we don’t always feel his presence.

 

We can live our lives, going through each day, not hearing a word of encouragement from anyone, but that isn’t what God intended for you to do. Even if there is no one in your life who will offer it to you, know you can go to the one place where you can receive encouragement each day. Affirmation after affirmation of God’s love and His desire for your life… It is in His Holy Book, the Bible. It was intended for daily use…

He will tell you every day, you are loved, you are cared for, that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. He promises to walk with you, talk with you, lead and guide you… God is good and His love is never ending.

Romans 8:39

"Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Faith Steps!

It is funny how life changes and it ends up not looking like you thought it was going to look like. You

see your children growing and following their own paths, and your own life changes are just as surprising to you than what you ever thought it was going to be for yourself. You see yourself another year older, and haven't done all the things you thought you would, you find yourself experiencing things in life that you didn't expect to experience, and yet you keep on going.

You take each step by faith, knowing that God has a plan, not your plan, not what you thought it was going to be, but a plan. You know tomorrow will be another experience, another challenge, and maybe even a new blessing. Take what you are given and praise God for a new day, He will show you the right path if you are listening to Him and letting Him lead you.

II Corinthians 5:7 - For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Joshua 1:9 - Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neighter be though dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersover though goest.

God's Going to Do the Same for You and Me

I love to read the Bible, read about all the people that God led through the wilderness, how He brought them

out of Egypt and the bonds of slavery, how He saved the widow and her son from starvation. I think about how He placed Esther into the King's Court as the King's wife, for "just a time as this." How He was there for David through his youth, through being chased by King Saul, to being crowned king of Israel. I think about all the prophets, the disciples, and the early church, who stood for God, some never had a pillow to lay their head on as they went from city to city sharing the gospel of Christ. 

I think about His deliverance of each person in His word, how He chose a time and a place to show up and show out His goodness for all to see. To show others that He is real and He will do what He promises. I have seen some good times in my life, prosperity, health, love, strength, and blessing. In the same respect, I have seen poverty, weakness, sickness, hatred, ignorance, and homelessness. There were times we asked, "I thought you promised an abundant life..." 

Here's what I have learned in all of this... "...In whatsoever state you are in, therewith be content..." Phil 4:11 and "In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God, in Christ Jesus, concerning you." I Thes. 5:18

It is not easy to sit alone, in the middle of a storm and just say, "Okay God, this is happening to me, I am okay with it and I am trusting in you. I know you have allowed this, now teach me what you want me to learn through this trial." It is the hardest thing to do... first of all, you aren't okay with it... it hurts, it is hard. Second of all, it isn't fun or easy to sit and wait to find out what you are supposed to be learning through it all. You want to say, "why are you doing this to me?" I know Bob and I have had a hard time with trials and struggles. I am one who says, "Okay this is happening, what can I learn, I have to be patient, and I know God is going to show up in this somehow." Where Bob is the one who wants to know, "why this trial, why now? What more can I possibly learn from this mess?" 

Somewhere in the middle of all this, we both come together in the name of Jesus, seeking His will and way and wait patiently on Him, together, standing on God's promises, and waiting on Him to do something amazing in our lives. What about you? How do you handle struggle? Do you ask God to help you through or do you try to figure it out on your own? The Bible says to "wait patiently on the Lord..." which is one of the hardest things to do. He tells us to take Him at His word, to trust in what He has promised and to stand, even when you can't stand. In the face of your deepest fear, trial or distraction, do as Jehoshaphat did, he feared, but in the face of fear, He lifted his eyes to the Lord and stood, worshiping His God and waited on God for His answer. 

He will deliver you, and at the end of your madness, your trial, you will have an amazing testimony that someone else may need to hear to encourage them. If God delivered the children of Israel, time after time, through their doubts, fears, and disobedience, their love, devotion and strength. Imagine what God is going to do for you, His loving, faithful servant, standing strong, waiting on Him... What God did for His children then, God will do the same for you and me.

Being Thankful!

"I will Bless the Lord at all times, His praises shall continuously be in my mouth."  Psalms 34:1

I have so much to be thankful for, even when I do not realize it. I try to make it a point every morning, when I first wake up to thank the Lord for the day. I was thinking about that this morning... Not just saying, "Good morning Lord, thank you for the day..." but literally, thanking Him for the little things I have already noticed about the day as I open my eyes, begin hearing the sounds of the morning, and realizing I still have breath inside of me for another day.

This morning was no different than other days... I woke up, I began to say my usual, "Good Morning, Lord!" Just as I began to get the words out of my mouth, there was a great light in my eyes, before I could even get them open all the way. I was thinking to myself, what is that light, since I knew the weather was still wet, cold and gloomy, but as I opened my eyes and let them focus, it was as if God, Himself was saying "Good Morning." to me first.

The clouds were everywhere, the sky was gray and the rain was still hitting my window, but just for a few moments, the clouds swirled around and they thinned out enough that the sun was shining through my bedroom window, falling right on my pillow. I felt His warmth and strength around me, as I lay there thanking Him for my day and praising Him that He saw fit to give me one more day to live here with my family.

What are you thankful for in your life? 

When I cannot remember what to be thankful for, I remember God's promises, things He has given me, through His Word, through my faith in His Son, and when I get to the point when praises just won't come for the things in my day... I sit back and think on these things.

• I am the Righteousness of God - II Cor. 5:21
• I am Loved - John 3:16
• I am Strong - Isa 40:31 and I Cor 16:13
• I am Armed - Eph 6:10-18
• I am His - Isa 54:50, Heb 13:5
• I am Protected - Ps 61:3 and Ps 57:1
• I am a Child of God - John 1:12
• I am Known - Ps 139:1-2
• I am Redeemed - I Cor 1:30
• I am Transformed - Rom 12:2
• I am Fearfully and Wonderfully Made - Ps 139:13-14
• I am Saved - Rom 5:9 and 10:13
• I am Trusted - Prov 31:11
• I am Content - Heb 13:5
• I am Justified - Rom 5:1,9
• I am a Good Work in Christ - Phil 1:6

When you feel you have nothing to be thankful for, take some time to search the scriptures and see what God has done for you and what you have become In HIM... 

Happy Thanksgiving!

What About You?

God is so good, even when we aren't watching sometimes, He is just there, working behind the scenes and never always telling us His whole plan for our lives, but gently leading us, talking to us, and wanting us to listen to His voice, to be able to walk beside Him, holding our hand...


I can't wait to see what each day holds for me, what He has in store for each day that I get to wake up and serve Him.


What about you? Do you know that you know, that you know, that He is with you today? Do you want to know? He is always there, call on Him, Repent, BELIEVE He is the Christ, the Son of God and be free from your sins, your past, and live a life that leads to Heaven, everlasting... I can show you how...through the word of God.

Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.
Romans 5:12 - Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon ALL MEN, for that all have sinned:
Romans 6:23 - For the Wages of Sin is Death, but the Gift of God is Eternal Life, through Jesus Christ Our Lord.

From the beginning with Adam, when he chose to fall into sin, death became a reality, a very sin nature was born in all of us, that we did not have before that very moment. Now, we all face the side we call, "the flesh," which is the part of us that draws us into sin, that causes the conflict from within that struggles with us in all decisions for good and bad. He told us that from then on, WE ALL of us have sinned, no one is good enough to "get by" on our own, but God has done something wonderful to give us a way to find salvation and forgiveness for our sins, so we can live for an eternity in Heaven with Him. How did he make this way for us?

Romans 5:8-9 - But God commendeth His love toward US, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ Died for US. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that He gave HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life.

Not only did God create us, but He loved us so much, that though we were sin, He wanted to give us a way of redemption, a way to repent, clear our name, and be saved forever. So He sent Jesus, His one and ONLY SON, to be born on this earth, to a VIRGIN, Mary, and to live on earth as a man, to suffer and go through the same things that we go through here on earth, the temptations, troubles, trials, disappointments, joys, building relationships just like we do, to be a living example, to show us how to live here on earth.

The bible says "He knew no sin" and Jesus CHOSE to be our example, and to be our sacrifice, He CHOSE to give up His life as King of Kings, to live as a Man, to bring the Word of God here to us, to live out the Word of God before us, and He CHOSE to die on the cross, whose blood has become the covering for our sins, His blood cleanses us and covers us so God sees us as nothing but Pure and Righteous. He rose again three days later, to show Death and Hell the power He has over them, because if He had not rose again, then we would not have eternal life.

Romans 10:9  - That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe with thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

What does this mean for you? It means that you have a way to be saved, that even though God knew the evil would come, He made a way for you and I, He gave us the easiest way to have this life in Him that He has promised.

Jesus did die on that cross over 2000 years ago, as I stated above, but so many people doubt that He is alive today. The bible tells us, He not only rose again, but He came back on this earth, presented Himself to His disciples, commissioned them as apostles to go out and preach the Gospel, he also appeared to others, and a group of 500 people, to show that He was a live and real after His burial. He ascended to the heavens, where God says, He sits at His right hand watching over us, waiting for the day of His return, but also, Mediating with the Heavenly Father, God, on our behalf for every situation we face, everyday of our lives.

All you have to do, to accept this gift of salvation is to call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, confess you are a sinner, and that you believe that God is the God of all, Lord of our lives, and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who lived, died and rose again the third day, to give us a way of salvation. Ask Him to come into your heart and be Lord of all you do, all you have, and all you are. He loves you, He WANTS to hear from you, and He wants to make a home for you in Heaven. All you have to do is call on Him today.

If you believe that Jesus Christ did all this for you, that you want to be saved, just call out to Him today, but if you are unsure what you want to say, I have put a sample prayer here for you to use as a guide. You put it into your own words if you want, but just do it today, you don't have much time, and I would hate to see you miss out, thinking you will do it tomorrow. We do not know how many tomorrows we have left, NONE of us.

Pray something like this...

Dear Heavenly Father, I call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to come as my savior, forgive me of all my sins, as I realize I am a sinner and there is nothing I can do to get to heaven without you. I believe you are God, I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He lived here on earth, died, and rose again to save me from my sins. I ask Lord, that you cleanse me from the sins in my life, forgive me Lord for the wrong I have done before, and help me to put you first as Lord of My Life, and to live the way you would have me to live. Lord I know you love me, I will do my best to show my love for you by the way I live each day of my life. In Jesus Name I Pray, Amen.

Know this, now that you are a child of God, you are now beginning a new relationship with your Heavenly Father, something new, but so wonderful. He has many plans for you, you need to read your Bible, use that word of God to show you how you are to live, how He wants you to walk and talk. Talk to Him everyday, pray, ask God to speak to you, through your heart, mind, and in His word, and let Him lead you in your way. Find a local church, a good pastor who will help you, pray with you, and teach you through the Word, how to be a child of God and know that we are always here for you, you can contact us anytime for prayer, guidance, and help anytime.

We look forward to hearing from you

If you prayed this prayer, please email us, or contact us and let us know how you are doing, that you have
prayed this prayer, so we know to pray for you, I would also like to send you a small gift to help you in your journey. Remember, this isn't just a prayer to pray, you are now building a one on one relationship with the Lord your God. Have fun, enjoy this path you are on, not all of it is easy, but you will find fellowship with God is sweeter and sweeter as the days go by. 

This IS What We Do!

Our Family: Madi Cox, Pastor Janet and Pastor Robert Clausen, and KayCee Cox

This IS Living Sacrifice Ministries!            
Here we are, simple, Loving the Lord our God with all Our Heart, Mind, Soul, and Being. Evangelists, Singing for the Joy of the Lord, Singing Praises and for His Glory, and in 2008, He has gave us the most amazing outreach that is touching so many lives, hurting, sick, and the castdown, through our Prayer Shawl Ministry. Why do we do what we do?




Because God told us to...
He has given our family not only the great commission to "go into all the world and preach the Gospel, to every Creature." Mark 16:15. He charged our family a long time ago, about the people in our own community, but also all across the nation, that NEED to hear REAL TRUTH, HEAR the GOSPEL of Christ, and we have been told to go out, bring the lost people to Christ, bringing the wandering and hurting souls that know Christ, but feel too far removed that they will never be restored, and to RESTORE them back to the Kingdom of God. To find the families, friends, spouses, and others who feel like their lives have spun so out of control that they will never be able to have a REAL FAMILY, be able to talk to their kids and share with their spouses ever again. That it is too far gone. We are here for the Pastors, Leaders, Shepherds, Evangelists, and other Men and Women of God who have and are facing the hard place instead of Leaning on THE ROCK. We are here to help rejuvenate, restore, and rebuild, encourage, and bring back to life the heart and soul of those men and women who have been called by God to preach the Gospel, Redeem the Lost and to Shepherd the flock they have been given in the Bride of Christ.

How do we do this?
Oh well, there are many ways that God has shown us how to do these things, He has given Bob and I a heart for others and has shown us what is to come in our ministry, our community, our city, state, and in our nation. He has called us to bring the Word of God to our community in an honest, loving way, to tell the TRUTH, of God's Word, and to show others what they are missing out by having Religion, INSTEAD of a RELATIONSHIP with God. He has given us words to share and a voice to sing, prayers to pray, but what we need are EARS TO HEAR. He has told us to share with everyone who wants to know more about Him, to Grow in Him, and to Live a Life FREE, and we have spent the past 6 years, PREPARING Our HEARTS, Our MINDS, and Our Family for this full-time ministry, to help rebuild and restore families, to help others rebuild and restore their marriages, and to help others find God in a VERY REAL WAY. He has burdened our Hearts for the Pastors, Evangelists, and other Men and Women Called of God who are tired, weary, burdened but cast down, who have all but given up, and to rejuvenate, encourage, build up, and help them find rest in the Lord.

Well, you know what we do, why we do, and how we do this... NOW we need to tell you, at this time is... How you can help our ministry.
So many people ask us how they can help with our ministry, and what is our greatest needs, as this is a full-time ministry we have many needs, we would love to see our ministry growing with partners, people who will give to the ministry to help get our ministry out in media, traveling church to church, and other speaking and singing engagements, and we would love to have others to help us in our Prayer Shawl Ministry, but What we WANT OTHERS TO KNOW ABOUT US IS... We would never assume to know how God wants to use you. If you have a strong desire to help our Ministry, and we hope you do, we ask that you pray and ASK GOD HOW YOU can be used of HIM, Ask God how He would have you to help our ministry and how to be an effective tool for God's work.

We pray daily that through some help and partners that we will see bookings for our singing ministry, through others we will be called on for Various Seminars and Conferences God has placed on our hearts for Marriages, Families, Parents, Individual Ladies and Mens groups, engagements for speaking or preaching for various events for Ladies Groups and Meetings and Men's Prayer Groups, Revivals, Camps, and Many Other Events that churches and communities offer, some will want to give to us financially, which we would greatly appreciate and honor their giving, and many more will want to partner as Prayer Partners, to come together in agreement and pray with us for the many people we pray for in our outreach, pray for our family, and pray for our health and strength to continue on in this endeavor. We NEED PRAYER CONSTANTLY, for sure. We want and need your help, we appreciate any and all forms of giving and partnering with our Ministry, but we truly WANT your part in our Ministry to be Ordained and Blessed of God, How He DESIRES for you to do your part. We pray for you daily, and we ask that God will bring sincere hearts and dedicated lives to become a part of Living Sacrifice Ministries, How ever You decide to take part in it, we just ask that you take part, in SOME WAY, GREAT OR SMALL, all giving of self, is great to us, and to God.

Please contact us via Email at LivingSacrifice2003@gmail.com, to see how you can help us or for booking an event with Living Sacrifice Ministries. We are here and have several dates open for the fall of 2013 and much of 2014 and we would love to share our hearts with you and your church or group. Thank you for your time, your prayers and support, May God richly bless all who reach out, and who help the ministers of God. 

Singing Ministry Sends Out the Gospel Message!

Pastor J singing "Little Is Much"

It All Started from simple roots, a child sitting on her mother's lap, learning harmonies she found so beautiful then as she grew and began to sing in the family ministry, "Lively Stones Family Ministry" She began to find the melodies reached into her soul and the words she found so intense, so compelling, "that this God she is singing about would want me, someone like me." Thus began Her Passion... and a lifetime of Service to Her Lord and Savior as King of Her Life, the only way she knew she could give back, and give Her all to Him, was in the Words of the Music she heard and could Sing.

From Pastor J: "My Singing Ministry and Passion to Serve Comes from the Humbled Heart of God's Child. I have been singing since I was old enough to hold a microphone, sharing the gospel of Christ has been the most important thing in my life since I was a small child. I told someone recently, sharing the gospel of Christ isn't something that I do to get attention, for a title, a big place in the church, it is because I am COMPELLED to share it by the Holy Spirit.

It took me a long time to understand and to be able to figure it out for myself, but I found out, when you are walking each day with your Lord, when He has shown you what He suffered, bled and died for, and that He came back to this earth for You, it becomes the most humbling, broken, and special change in your heart and life you can ever imagine. I look at what He did for me, all He suffered for, and I can't help but want to shout from the roof tops all He has done for all of us, what He is coming back for, and what this whole thing is about. It is about HIM, our Savior Jesus Christ. It is about God and King, and in the truest sense of it all, it is ALL ABOUT ME AND YOU. He came and did all these things, just for Me and You, so that we could have eternal life in Heaven with Him. How amazing is that, that I am that important for God to send His son to die for me, or for you. Who am I?

It has taken me a long time to get to a place that I could believe with all my heart that I was worthy to serve my God, that I could do it on my own, without the support of family and friends that I held so dear, and that I could do it through God's power, not my own. I thought I had to be in control of everything, every aspect of my life had to be planned down to the letter, I had to know exactly what was going on and when every moment of my life. Then one day God told me, "I thought this was about Me, I have a job for you to do, but until you can let go, submit to my word, my authority, and my will, you are going to be stagnant, just sitting here waiting on the phone to ring. You have to let it all go, let me lead you, let your husband be the head of his home and over this family, let Him hear from me and I will lead and direct this family, ministry, and you. I couldn't believe what He was asking me to do, how God who knew me so well, was asking me to Let God? What was He thinking? But I knew what it was, I had to let go and give Him my will, so His could be made known to our family. It was honestly the hardest thing I have ever had to surrender, but I tell you, surrender and submission can be so sweet, so inviting, and so blessed. I never want to turn back now, or ever."

We started Living Sacrifice Ministries in 2003, we thought it was to be  a singing ministry only, sharing the Gospel of Christ to any and all who would listen in songs and testimony. It seemed like the next logical conclusion in our marriage and in our walk with the Lord. We love to share the gospel of Christ, the death, burial and resurrection of Christ for the salvation of our souls from the sin in our lives. We carry His message to churches all over the community, the county and the state, to any church, organization or individual who invites us to come and share.

Pastor Robert Tells us: "Our Ministry is about sharing the Gospel message, it is about learning to build a one-on-one relationship with our God and King and learn to live as Christ lived, and gave Himself for the Church." We are to put our all on the alter for God, to put our own selves, our own desires, and our own selfishness aside for the ones we are trying to witness to, the ones we want to win for Christ. They MUST SEE JESUS IN ME and IN YOU, that is the witness they need to know about Christ. You remember how you saw Him through others, the ones who brought you to the cross, to the place where you accepted Christ for yourself. Where was that for you? How did it make you feel knowing God gave His Son for You and that His Son, FREELY laid down His Life for you? Are you willing to put it all on the cross for Him? Are you willing to share the Gospel of Christ with others? 

We need your help and support in this endeavor. We want to be able to share the Gospel everywhere we go, but we need your invitation into your churches, your communities, and bring us to the place where we can share the love of God to the Lost in your area.

We are now booking Concerts, Revivals, and other Special Events for the 2013 Calendar Year, and we would love to have it full and ready to be made public to our supporters by the end of the year, so you can plan to attend our special events that God has asked us to create. It is up to you, pastors, churches and other leaders in the community, to allow us to come share the Gospel of Christ, to advance the Kingdom of God.

Remember, this isn't about us, it isn't about the show, it is about God. It is about Saving the Lost, Restoring the Wandering, and bringing them back to God.

Calvary Promotions and The Minister's Quartet are hosting a Benefit Concert and Silent Auction 

October 27, 2012 at 5:00pm 

Location: 

The Church at Linwood
561 West 600 North
Alexandria IN, 46001. 

Featuring: 

The Minister's Quartet, The Jubilee's  The Bell Family, Forever Blessed Trio, Mike Pender, The Clausen Family, and Master's Own. 

Free Admission but we will be taking up a love offering 

As a Benefit Concert, ALL PROCEEDS GO TO the Griffin Family!!!
This concert is to benefit Ms. Griffin's 11 year old daughter who has a very serious illness and has many medical bills that the insurance will not pay. God has told us to help with the least of these and to love the little ones, we must help and love her into His kingdom.

There will also be a Silent Auction which has items donated from local businesses.
Such as... Car washes, Photo Sessions, Tanning and lots of other items.
CASH, CREDIT, OR CHECK are accepted for donations and purchase of these auction items!

Flier for the Concert on October 27th. We hope to see you there!

Earthly Fathers are a Glimpse of Heavenly Father

God created man to take care of the earth, to tend to the plants and name the animals. He thought that man could rule over this world and make it even more amazing as it was filled with more, as everything was to be fruitful and multiply. God did not want man to be alone, so He created a woman for the man. ONE woman, for ONE man... He wanted her to be by his side, to be his helper, to rule with him, not for Him to rule over her, that is why she was taken from his side, not his head to be head over her, nor his foot for him to walk over, but to be partners, to live together, grow together and to love together.

God wanted man and woman to create children, to give this world other men and women to marry, to have families and to fill the earth with his creation, His children. He had every intention on this being a partnership forever, down the line, to work together and to honor and cherish one another. After the temptation and fall of Adam and Eve, God put Adam over Eve as the head of the household, to have one to be the "responsible party" in the family. One that would have to answer for the actions of the family, one to be able to teach right from wrong, one to show love, compassion, and to teach what the Lord would have for each of the members of the family to do with their lives. The wife was put under the husband, in subjection to his authority, because God wanted just one to answer for the family, and since Adam let the fall happen by partaking of the fruit himself, God chose Adam to be that head over all.

He needed the man to take the control of his family, to be the responsible one for the spiritual guidance and leadership of the home. He intended for Adam and for all males to be that head person, to show unconditional love to one another, just as God had shown to Adam and Eve. Yes, He did punish them for their disobedience by removing them from the garden, making them have to work for their own food from now on, but He made them clothes by spilling the blood of an innocent lamb, making their clothes from its skin, and making sure they had provisions until they were established for themselves. He held them accountable, but He still showed them His unconditional love by giving them life, forgiving them and clothing them. He showed them that even though their fellowship with Him would not be in the cool of the day walking through a beautiful garden, but that He would always be there when they called, He would always still provide and take care of them when they needed Him.

God created a heart in a man, to be full of love for his family, to show them right from wrong, to answer for their sins or wrong doings, to teach them about their God, and to show them unconditional love, so that way, when it came time for them to decide for themselves, and someone began telling them of their heavenly father, they would be able to understand that love a little better, through the unconditional, abounding love of the father God gave them.

In our world today, when a man and woman split up, divorce, or move away from one another, for the most part, the mother takes the kids, seems like the natural, logical choice, because they are so nurturing and caring of their own children, but the men seem to settle into a life of single, manhood. As if their children no longer matter. Some think, "as long as they are getting money from me, they should be fine, they know that is the love I have to give." Others just think, "she had them, they're her kids, period." Our children are growing up without their fathers, without that glimpse into their heavenly father, because their's just gave up and walked out. Not their job, I suppose.

Here is the thing, IT IS THEIR JOB, it is more than their job. How are children to understand it when we say, "God will never leave you, nor forsake you..." "Your Heavenly father loves you unconditionally, you can call on him anytime, night or day?" They can't imagine what that type of love from a "man" or "Father" would be, because they don't see it in their own fathers, so how can you compare. It is in their feeble attempts to understand the spirit world and God's love through the eyes and actions of their own earthly dad, and can't figure out what they are talking about.

Statistics show that boys without their father are more likely to join violent games than to get involved church services, because they are looking for no condemnation, belonging and family. Girls are looking for a father figure, one who will show them unconditional love, whether for ever or just right now. They begin to sexually active to anyone who will pay attention to her, usually at the very young, tender ages of between 10 and 14, instead of being an older teem member. They run the risk of high teen pregnancies because they feel, "at least I will have someone who will always love me, and won't walk away," which usually backfires on them as well, somewhere in their future with their own children.

We need our father's back. Dad, they need YOU. They need to know they can see you, hear you, feel you close to them, and they need to see or hear you, their fathers, talk about how much you love them, your hopes and dreams for them, and that no matter what is happening between mommy and daddy, that they are not pawns in your game, but your children as much as they are hers. Give them your all, just as your heavenly father gave us His, when He put His own son on the cross to die for us all, so that we had a way of escaping hell. Don't you want that for your own children?

Ministering to the Heart of a Kingdom Man!

As we set out this week, I just really felt impressed upon this morning to encourage all the wives to pray for your husbands, we need to hold our husbands up in prayer and let God have His way in our husbands lives. God wants our men to step up and be the man He created them to be, He wants them to show our children what a Man of God, A Kingdom Man looks like, so they have examples for their own lives.

I know that some of you are thinking, "my husband is the leader of my home, he is a man of God... I don't have to pray him into the Kingdom," God has given so many of us a good, righteous, Holy man for Him, and that is wonderful that God has so many men already working on His behalf, Here is the thing, Satan knows it too, that is why we need to continue to Hold them Up, Bind Satan in their lives, and ask the Holy Spirit to give them encouragement, minister to their hearts from the inside, and strength as they lead our families. Everyday, each one of us need to thank God for our husbands, Speak to God the husband you see in Him. The virtuous woman LIFTS her husband up to the position she sees in him by speaking it out loud and claiming the promises and the word of God on their husbands. 

As a Kingdom Man, our husbands still need their wives to
continue in prayer for them, the battle for their minds isn't over
with the prayer at the alter for salvation, it continues on as our men
continue in Christ to lead the families as God would have them to lead.

We help our husbands become that man for God's Kingdom through our prayers, ministering to their hearts in love, peace, and encouragement. God will lift them up to their place of HONOR in the home, through your prayers and words. "If you are faithful in the small things, we will be suited for the great things God has planned for you." You just have to be faithful to this for your husband.

We, as a society of women, can work with God to bring to life, restore, and encourage our Kingdom Husbands and Fathers, but we have to do it, be faithful, and strong in their stead. Stand in the gap for your families. Satan is working hard to bring down the Kingdom men in our lives who are striving to Be what God wants and needs them to be in our world, and it is the strength and prayers of the wives that will help keep our men strong in the Lord. We have to bind Satan in his attacks, and continue to help our men in their position to LEAD OUR FAMILIES!!! 

From Guilt and Condemnation to New Life!

So many times, we spend time asking questions like, "Why does God punish us? Why do the punishments last so long, and why are they so harsh? We even ask "Why does He keep punishing me over and over again for the same sin? It was a long time ago and I asked for forgiveness for that sin, why is He still reminding me of my sin if I am forgiven?" 

I can tell you this question is one that everyone asks at one time or another in their life, even pastors, ministers, and other people who work in the church. I can tell you for a fact, even for myself it was something that I struggled with for so long, and I didn't know where to turn or how to get my heart and mind clear from my past to be able to move ahead to be able to Serve God in any capacity. You see, my spirit and my mind believed belonged to God, I got saved so many years ago, and I never doubted my salvation, but my heart belonged to another, someone and somethings that I couldn't let go of for a long time. I struggled with sin, guilt and lived daily with condemnation not only from others, from my family, and from Satan, but largely from myself. I knew I was not living right, I knew my heart was not letting go and wasn't ready to give up the sin and pleasure that had been holding on to me for so long. When that sin no longer was a "pleasure" and the guilt was too much, I wanted to walk away, I wanted to give my heart to God too, but the pull on my heart was just too strong and I couldn't let go, not just yet, and though I struggled with all of this for so long, the more everyone pushed me to let it all go and let God have His way, I continued to fight, pull away and ignore pleas of help and rescue from myself.

Then one day, I just looked up, said, "it's over, I'm done." Walked away and never looked back. I fell to my knees and begged God to forgive me, to renew a right spirit in me and to renew my mind and sanctify me wholly for His service, and from Satan's snares. I knew right then and there I was forgiven. I felt new inside, in my heart and in my mind. I knew that I could stand proud as a Child of God and heir to His kingdom, and that I no longer had to be ashamed of my sins or my past, because God had brought me through, He had been working on me, and I was now HIS forever!

Satan kept bringing this sin to my mind, he kept trying to put memories in my head, kept putting people in my path to tempt me and others to condemn me and try to make me feel bad for my past. They kept asking me, "How are you SUPPOSED to serve God after all the things you did, after all the sin and everything you put your family through." For a long time, I kept thinking, "they're right, how can I be a minister, how can I work with people to save their marriages, restore the family units and show others the way to God after all I have done, after everything I have been through." They had me beat down so much, I could just feel Satan dancing around me saying, "I have you, I have you, la di da da da... hahahaha...!" I would go to the altar, I would plead, beg and ask God, "Why do you keep bringing this up to me? Why do you keep punishing me for my past" I thought we had everything taken care of so I could serve you again."

One day, a pastor friend of ours was sitting with me, we were talking about the strong desire to serve God I had, but how I keep getting set back from God's punishment on my past. He told me something very similar to what I am about to tell you now. It changed my life forever.


God tells us in the bible in Hebrews 8:12, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember them no more." Jesus told the woman caught in the act of adultry, "Where are those accusers were there None that accused you?" when she told Him they were gone, and none to accuse her. So He said, "Neither do I condemn thee; go, and sin no more." John 8:11

You see, God does not want you to live a life of condemnation, He wants you to live a life of abundance. (John 10:10), He loves you, and in His mercy, He forgives you of any of your sins once you have sought forgiveness for them and TRULY REPENTED of your sins. True Repentance is, "A Change of your heart, mind, soul, and life, to renew your mind and not live and do the things you did before your repentance." If you have repented, to God it is over and done with, but you need to understand something else, God does forgive you and He forgets whatever it is... But even in His great forgiveness, just like as a child, if we have sinned, God does rebuke or punish us, it is usually a punishment in love; one for us to learn from and strengthen our grip to Him. Once the punishment is over, it's over. He doesn't double punish or prolong punishments.

There is a point to make, once sin is truly dealt with, it is over, if all you did was, "I felt a little guilty and so I am gonna pray a little prayer to get rid of the guilty feeling for now, and so many think that's enough. If you ask God to forgive, He won't notice that your heart and the sin isn't truly dealt with, it is just forgiven for the moment. When you seek forgiveness and the sin was never REALLY dealt with, and then the Holy Spirit will continue to deal with you to stop and seek true repentance. You are not free from the pull of the sin and the power it has over you, until you ask God to help you with it, ask Him to remove the draw from you, help you with the temptation, and to provide the strength to walk away and turn your back on what you struggle with. Once you settle the sin in your heart, mind and soul, it is settled.

So when you feel like the sin has come back to remind you, to pull you back in, and to make you feel unworthy of God's love and grace, you need to know and understand that on one hand, God has forgiven you, but on the other hand, Satan, in His battle for your mind, will do anything and everything to destroy your walk and relationship with God. He will do anything to make you doubt your forgiveness and your restoration with the Lord. He will do anything to make you think that trials and troubles LOOK like continued punishment and condemnation from God, WHEN IT IS REALLY, Satan's Game, His  guilt and condemnation in your mind, and NOT punishment from God, that looms over us when we feel like an attack is not letting up.
When you were a child, you would do something wrong, your parents would have to punish you, it is the same as a child of God. When we sin, we have to take our lickings when we do wrong, but once your punishment is complete, it is over forever. God doesn't prolong punishment, He doesn't punish you over and over again, just once for the sin you confessed, but it is Satan who tries to bring it up and make you feel like it is God bringing it back up again. God doesn't do that, so when you feel Satan's attack on your life, you have to rebuke Satan, say something like, "I settled that with my God a long time ago, and YOU are not going to keep bringing this up, because In the Name of Jesus Christ, and His shed blood, I have been set from from the Sin, the Guilt of Sin and Condemnation, and I am free from the attacks you lay on me..." Speak the name of Jesus, the Bible says, Satan can't even stand in the presence of His name, and that Demons tremble at the sound of the name of Jesus Christ.

You have the Power to overcome this fight for your mind with Satan, through the power of God, in the Name of the Lord, Jesus Christ and through the blood of the lamb. Once you have seek forgiveness and truly repent, let your sin, guilt and condemnation go, once you do, God will not continue to condemn you of your sin, so neither should you.

Ps 103:5-12 "Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. He mad known His ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will He keep His anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST, so FAR HATH HE REMOVED OUR TRANSGRESSIONS from us."

What is a Living Sacrifice? From Pastor Bob

How many of us reading this blog really know what being a "Living Sacrifice" for Christ truly is? How do we know for sure if we are being a Living Sacrifice? Is God pleased with our Sacrifice to Him? How can we know?

Psalms 51:17 says, " The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."

To be a Living Sacrifice, you have to be able to humble yourself, and submit to God's leading.

Psalms 34:18 says, "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit."

In order to be a Living Sacrifice, you have to be born again into God's family. You must come to Him with a humble, submissive and repentant heart, and call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved. We dwell with the Holy One once we have done this step in our lives.

Isaiah 57:15 says, "For thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."

Isaiah 66:2 also says, "For all those things hath mine made and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and tremble at my word."

You see, the Lord will dwell and look to us that have the repentant heart and a submissive spirit. Being a Living Sacrifice is totally, humbly, and whole heartedly submitting and surrendering to the calling God has in and for our lives. God has a plan for us, the scriptures say, from the womb, He had a plan for you, and once we are saved, He wants to begin building a One-on-One relationship with Him, so He can teach you all things, bring all things to your heart and mind, and sow in you the seeds you will need to obey and follow His will and direction on your life.

Since God sent His son to die for us, that is the least we can do for Him. We owe Him our whole life for what He did to provide a way of escape from hell.

Romans 12:1 tells us, "I beseech ye therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a Living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

When we follow His plan, we enter into His blessing. God's blessing is where you want to be, always, because the alternative is not that wonderful of a place to be.

I spent a few years running away from God and from my calling, and believe me, there is no future in disobeying God's call. I got real tired of running from God, He is in much better shape than I am without Him. You see, when you live life the way you want to, without Him, without His blessings, you think things are wonderful, great, no one could do it better, IN THE BEGINNING, but, the scriptures tell us, that whatever we sow, that will we also reap (harvest). Even though I repented of my life of sin, running from God and doing things my own way, I still have to pay the consequences for my own sins of the past. He doesn't remember them anymore, but there is a time when you have to stand up and take responsibility for your disobedience and neglect of your call. God does not let the punishment slide, just because you seek Him and repent. That isn't the way the world works. You see, you pay for your past. You pay for your sins. Maybe not through the hands of God, but it could be through unwanted, added expenses on your family, indebtedness that you can't do anything about now, because it is consequences of past actions.

It may not be financial for you, David had an affair with a married woman, the seed from their relationship caused him to order her husband killed on the front line (Murder) to cover up sin. God took the child from them, not because He wanted to punish the child, but because He wanted David and Bathsheba to repent and see they should not be blessed for their sin.

It may be a relationship that needs to end because it has brought you down farther and farther than you ever planned to go, it keeps you walking a path further and further away from God. It may be incarceration for a past action you thought you got away with one day, but the scriptures say, "be sure your sins WILL find you out." There are so many more examples I can give you, but I think you already see and know what your struggling with in your own life.

Take the time to study the scriptures, know what God has for your life, speak to Him in prayer and meditation of His word, wait up on that still small voice that so longs to speak with you. Be that Living Sacrifice that God has planned for your life, that living testimony of His love and what He can do in your life when you come to Him and let Him have control. He will make it worth your while and take you places that only you dream about! The blessings He has for you, O What a Thrill and a Privilege to know and serve God. He loves you more than you can ever imagine, He wants you to know just how much and what He has waiting for you, will you take that step? Will you be a Living Sacrifice for God today?