encouragment, glam, Purpose

Not Your Little Friend: Just God!

Letโ€™s Pray. Father, thank you for your Son Jesus who has given us access to you. I also thank you for every son or daughter who comes across this letter. Bless them continuously beyond measure. Keep them as the apple of your eye. Release your unconditional love into the depths of their heart & soul. Remind them of your faithfulness and all the wonderful things you have in store. Forgive us for our sins and wash us in your saving blood & love! In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

As always I pray all is well with you and yours! And I’m so grateful and glad to have this opportunity for us to share together in this journey called life. Iโ€™ve been reflecting on some of the things we talked about in our last post, and the word INFLUENCE stood out to me GREATLY!!

The Oxford Dictionary defines influence as the capacity to have an effect on the outcome/flow, character, development, or behavior of something or someone, or the effect itself. It also goes on to list some synonyms such as: impact, control, power, sway, authority, mastery, guidance, and rank. We talked a little about this before when talking about prayer/intercession, and its ability to make an impact on, in, and through us & others. In fact the bible tells us that life and death are in the power of the tongue (Proverb 18:21).

Never underestimate the power vested in us to speak and create/make. My time in prayer/ worship is the most important, influential, and special part of my day daily. Not only am I able to talk to & with God, but Godโ€™s presence impacts my heart to live and love (what He loves & hate what He hates)! Recently I had a moment where I was so overwhelmed that all I could do was speak in my heavenly language. I did not know the words to express what I needed at that moment, but after a few minutes praying I heard Father say โ€œRestโ€ as I fell asleep. When I awakened I felt refreshed, renewed, and amazed at how something as โ€œsimpleโ€ as rest was exactly what I needed. And notice I had no idea of what was going on with me as my mind raced, but God (fore-) knew and KNOWS EVERYTHING there is to know about absolutely everything. In this I find both GREAT comfort and reverential fear!

Psalm 94:7-9 Yet they say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise? He that planted the ear, shall He not hear? He that formed the eye, shall He not see?

1 John 4 warns us beloved to believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Even those with little discernment can see & agree that the times/conditions we are currently living in are quite abnormal. Letโ€™s not forget that a few years ago MILLIONS of people WORLDWIDE lost their lives to an unseen virus transmitted through the airways. And to this day it and others of its kind are still active. In addition to diseases we have natural disasters, terrorist like crimes, unstable leadership, danger, peril, and famine all throughout the land. โ€œThese are the times that try menโ€™s soulsโ€ -Thomas Paine.

1 John 2:15-17 ESV Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the worldโ€”the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of lifeโ€”is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 

Itโ€™s up to us which type of influence we will abide in & under, heavenly or hellish. Because of Godโ€™s just righteous sovereignty He has given us the power to choose. TALK ABOUT INFLUENCE! However, we ought not be deceived. God is not mocked; a man shall reap what he sows(Galatians 6:7-8). This is one of those superpowers that cannot & will not ever change because it is a Kingdom (King Dominat-ed/-ing) principle. Regardless of our awareness of it we all are govern-ed/-ing by principles & principalities. (Iโ€™d love to talk more about this when space & time permits it.) Nevertheless our right to choose doesnโ€™t relinquish us from the effects of those choices on our lives.

Sometimes we look at our lives circumstances and wonder how did we end up here? This is a good thing. Asking questions and making assessments/evaluations is a wonderful way to monitor growth & development. This type of awareness shows that we are conscious of our whereabouts and curious as to where we stand. The disciples often asked Jesus questions as they journeyed with Him. Even when Jesus exposed the sin sickness of their(&our) generation, their hearts were convicted as they inquired how to increase their Faith. It takes a certain level of “bigness” and boldness to seek God with the intent of becoming better.

โ€œGo Big or go homeโ€

American Authors

Last post we were challenged to take an assessment of who, what, where, how, and why we say and do what we say and do. To determine if the people, places, and things we find ourselves coming into alignment with TRULY align with the word of God. And to pray that God would give us the wisdom to make any necessary adjustments. Remember small adjustments over the course of time makes a big difference in our lives and the lives of those around us. In this journey be encouraged and IN JOY!

Inscribed, XOXO K. Joiย …… P.S. Coming Soon!

encouragment, Uncategorized

Holly-Weird๐Ÿ”ฅ Vs. Holy Wood๐Ÿชต

Jeremiah 2:21 Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?

Joel 1: 14 Santify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God, and cry unto the Lord.

Genesis 4: 3-7 And in the process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. 4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 6 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

Leviticus 10:1-2 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. 2 And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord

Greetings in Grace Beloved, ๐Ÿฅฐ

Merry Christmas ๐ŸŽ & Happy Holy Days to you & yours! I am really excited about today’s post, as it is so fitting for the time & season we are in. I love when Papa(Father) God impresses upon my heart โ™ฅ๏ธ to receive of the hidden manna/word that is only for those who are His. And my friend that(His) is my greatest title in this season, that iโ€™m wearing as a badge of honor. In a time where everyone wants to be somebody of โ€œgreat recognitionโ€ I find myself groaning ๐Ÿ˜ฉand beckoning unto God often, God I just want you. Excuse me in my folly. But my dear friend not only for myself do I inward & outwardly groan, but for you also (See 2 Corin 11:1-2).

What Iโ€™m saying is if you happen to be one of my nearest & dearest I fail not to make mention of you! And if you would like to be added to that list, I am open and taking requests ๐Ÿ˜€! On that note letโ€™s pray. Father in the name of Jesus, I thank, praise, and acknowledge you as Lord & Savior. Touch whomever is reading this letter with your tender loving kindness and mercies that fail not. Renew us on this day and everyday to come. Let us not be conformed to this world but let us be transformed by the renewing of the mind. ๐Ÿง We know that Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Give them eyes that see & ears that hear in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen. ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿผ

So lately God has been having me to be watchful and prayerful concerning several things and an elect people (His & my Beloveds ๐Ÿ™‚). Itโ€™s both a privilege and an honor. In addition to those that I watch for, He has been having me to petition for others, in particular those on elevated platforms. This includes leaders (spiritual & natural), โ€œcelebritiesโ€, and authority figures (ie, police, administrators, etc.). If you know me you know that there is a call/burden on my life in particular for music ministry/industry. In fact I’d say my top three โ€œsectorsโ€ of burden/influence would be Business (Kingdom & Earthly), Education, and Arts & Entertainment. Family is also another but for the sake of time & space we revisit that next time (hopefully). 

If you watch the news, social media, and/or listen ๐Ÿ‘‚๐Ÿฝ to the conversations of the โ€œelite & commonโ€ you know that there has been a lot of controversy, confusion, and change all around us. And if you have any discernment you are aware ๐Ÿ‘€that the things we are experiencing in today’s times are not normal. As the bible warns we are in end times and evil men & seducers are getting worse & worse (see 2 Timothy 3). Not only in the world but even in the church, designed to be the household of faith & prayer. And nobody wants to get to the root of it, but more so just skimming the surface in hopes of stirring up the latest greatest controversy. In the words of comedian Katt Williams โ€œInfluenceless Influencers, A time/place where anybody can be anythingโ€. Sadness. ๐Ÿ˜”

Image by Racool_studio on Freepik

Beloved the world and its systems will always be what it is, but when we canโ€™t count on the church โ›ช๏ธ(Godโ€™s chosen) to be the church according to His design, we are in trouble. I heard someone say they really couldnโ€™t tell the difference between the gospel industry and the worldly/secular industry. And unfortunately I understand. Please donโ€™t take this out of context. ๐Ÿ›‘ I am not one who endorses hypocritical religion. Iโ€™m a Son/Saint saved by THE Son/Savior, our Lord Jesusโœ๏ธ Christ. I watch movies, listen to different music genres, wear pants & of course a cute dress or skirt occasionally, and will/have gone into dark places to be a light. Just like Jesus. Except Iโ€™m not 100% devine. Only HE IS!

Nevertheless, as a called out & chosen one it is my responsibility to live & speak THE TRUTH. Even when itโ€™s not popular or well received. ๐Ÿคท๐Ÿฝโ€โ™€๏ธRemember, it came to me first. So if I have to make the adjustments, nobody is exempt. In fact I am not really your friend beloved if I canโ€™t be honest with you. Why would I want someone I love to be โ€œcaught lackinโ€ in any kind of way? Back to topic. I was ๐Ÿ‘๏ธwatching some recent & older Youtube videos & magazine articles, and was horrified (not literally) as to what we consider great. The people, places, platforms, purposes, etc. that we celebrate are catastrophic and gross. I cringe as I scroll through the common.

Have you ever experienced something or someone strange, weird, off? Kind of disconnected from reality. Maybe that was you & I at some point in time? โš ๏ธWarning, one may experience behaviors and words that are outrageously outlandish. Well at least to the uncommon man. In fact the word strange translates, outlandish, adulterous, alien, heathendom, queer, unnatural, deviant, creepy, off-center, etc. But for some reason itโ€™s accepted as greatness to most (See Isaiah 5:20). How? Why? When? Where? Who? Friend, we really need to start asking ourselves some questions. ๐Ÿค”Examining ourselves, those we are connected to, our surroundings, and the word of God in order to see if we have alignment. If not we ought to Repent (change). Remember, we canโ€™t change ourselves but God can (search posts on repentance).

Letโ€™s not act as if God doesnโ€™t see or know. He is all seeing, all knowing, and all places at all times (See Psalm 139). Not only does He see, know, Be, but He will repay. God is not mocked, a man will reap ๐ŸŒฑwhat he sows (See Galatians 6:7-9). Letโ€™s take some time to reflect & write.

R&W Exercise ๐Ÿ’ญ๐Ÿ“

What have I been watching, hearing, doing lately good & not so good? How does this align or misalign with the word of God (you can search scriptures by topic or consult a spiritual advisor, including us here at GC INK.)? Where do I want to go in this life & after? Why? Who are my biggest influencers? Consider these things and more as led by God. Ask God for direction & discipline to carry out His desires for your life.

In closing I want to encourage us to continue in this reflection into the new year. Consider fasting from food & distractions for ๐Ÿ•ฐ๏ธ24 to 72 hours to reset and ready ourselves for the new season/year. Feel free to reach out and connect with us for an abundance of resources to assist you in this, as consecration ๐Ÿ™‡๐Ÿฝโ€โ™€๏ธand celebration๐Ÿฅณ is who we are and what we do. Grace, Peace, and Love Be Unto You & Yours! And until next time fare-well for now.

Signed, GC K. Joi XOXO ๐Ÿ˜˜

encouragment, glam, peace, Purpose, suffering

F.O.E.

Family/Friends Over Everything?

(Matthew 12: 48-50) 49 And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, โ€œHere are My mother and My brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.โ€

(Matthew 10:32-39) 34 โ€œDo not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and a manโ€™s enemies will be those of his own household.

Also See 2 Timothy 3 (w/ emphasis on verses 16 & 17), James 4 (w/ emphasis on verses 6 & 7), and John 3:16-18

Letโ€™s Pray!
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You.
During these last days of the thanks + giving challenge.
We honor and acknowledge You! For who You Are.
You Are the Most High and Lofty One.
Seated in Majesty and Supreme Authority.
There is none like You and we bow ourselves before You in Worship.
For YOU Alone are worthy of worship (Prostrated Homage, Reverence, and Adoration). For You alone do we fall to our knees and lay upon our faces.
We know that we Worship You, not just in word,
but in deed through our complete obedience,
and surrender to Your Will and Way. This is our prayer,
In Jesus Matchless Name we pray, Amen.

Blessings Kings Kids
What a privilege and honor it is to be called a Son or Daughter.
In our weekly student teacher sessions we were reminded
that before we are/were anything else
(wives, mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, husbands, fathers,
grandfathers, brothers, uncles, career titles & positions, etcetera)
we are/were FIRST Godโ€™s Sons & Daughters!
It is His spirit that gives & bears witness to this
through our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ!
HALLELUJAH!
My Friend, that is worthy of celebration!
As we close out the month of November & soon the Fall season
let’s enter in with Thanksgiving & Praise (See Psalm 100:4).

Quick story: I live across the street from a Lexus car dealership (Iโ€™ll give you my testimony on that later) and itโ€™s positioned on the right hand side of the street (take mental note of this). As I was passing by, on my way to work I saw a sign that said December to Remember & 3 shiny new Lexus vehicles topped with BIG red bows.
At that moment God began to remind & speak to me concerning His promises.
This was my regular route to work, but someTHING was different this time. The
scenery had changed, and I realized it was a setup/positioning for what was NEXT!

@HPCD3ยฉ

Created By K. Joi

I love moments like these, where God speaks to us out of the smallest & simplest things, people, and/or places. These things, people, and/or places serve as a reminder of what God said, and that His promises are YES & AMEN. God Does NOT change, therefore neither does His Word/Promises. Oh friend we change, sometimes for the good and sometimes for the not so good, but GOD IS FAITHFUL (See 2 Timothy 2:13). And It is only by His Holy Spirit that we also can come into a place where we donโ€™t vacillate between two opinions. The Bible states in the book of James chapter 1 verse 8 that a double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

In this time/season of reflection, growth, and development, letโ€™s take some time to ask God to reveal and help us to fine tune the areas of our lives that are unstable. We all have them. Maybe itโ€™s in the area of putting God First, loving others as ourselves,
time management, caring for the things entrusted to us by God,
stewarding/using the gifts & talents He placed within us, etc..
Whatever it is, God is willing and able to help us to get it right.
With time & practice we will find ourselves excelling
beyond those things that once had us stuck.

On that note, letโ€™s take some time to reflect, write down, be prayerful,
and put in some spirit led practice for improvement.
And Remember, Godโ€™s got Us (See 2 Peter 1:3)!!!

encouragment, glam, peace, Purpose

Happy Holidays Challenge!

Heyyy Ladies & Gents,

So before 2024 ends it was impressed upon my heart โค๏ธ to take some time to hone in on the things this time of year is all about: Thankfulness, Gratitude, Giving, More Christ (Christ-Mas), Holiness/Sacredness, Love, Peace, Joy, Fruitfulness, Family, Friends, Food, Fun, Celebration, Gathering, Reflection, Evaluation, Growth, Goals, Newness/Freshness, Beauty, Wonder, Praise&Worship, The Word, and (if y’all anything like me) some good music, cute clothes, and pretty decorations (#mood #period ๐Ÿคฉ)!

And when I say it all came in like a flood how eternally grateful I am to God for every season i’ve lived thus far, it’s an understatement! We ARE truly BLESSED ๐Ÿฅน! Some of you may say but you don’t know what i’m going through. My friend, I can’t say that I fully know what you’re up against but I just want to ๐Ÿง re-mind you. God LOVES US SOOO MUCH, has so many great things in store, and wants to re-store every part of our broke๐Ÿ’” hearts & lives. Life brings with it great pain, but God is still in control! Keep your head up ๐Ÿ†™ and Smile!๐Ÿ™‚

On that note, this week i’ll be doing 7 days of Thanks + Giving ( feel free to do the same and share if you’re #GCINSPIRED24 ). Seven 7๏ธโƒฃ is the number of completion and I want to share & show how completely grateful I am for YOU! YES YOU! If we ever crossed ๐Ÿšถ๐Ÿšถ๐Ÿฝโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿšถโ€โ™‚๏ธpaths in real life or ๐Ÿ’ปvirtually, I just want you to know you inspire me! Your strength, your story, your glow ๐ŸŒŸup, your ๐Ÿ˜beauty, your ๐Ÿฆ„creativity, and MORE! Also stay tuned for a new divinely inspired post on Nov. 30th, after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Image by Biljana Jovanovic from Pixabay

You may ask, what is 7 day of Thanks + Giving, and how do I do it? Well first I want you to take some time to reflect ๐Ÿค”on what you have to be grateful for. If you need some help, ask God to bring it to your remembrance. Ask Him to reveal ๐Ÿ‘๏ธโค๏ธto you all the times He was with you and for you. Even when we are unfaithful, HE YET REMAINS FAITHFUL! (See bible verse 2 Timothy 2:13).

Caution! โš ๏ธ This reflection may cause feelings of shame, grief, feelings of unworthiness, even heart ache. Transparent moment, these feelings are warranted. We are imperfect/flawed humans who need a Savior. But we can rejoice in knowing that we have ONEโœ๏ธ! God’s LOVE โค๏ธ COVERS US no matter what we do or where we are. His Grace, Love, and Mercy is there/here to restore us to His original plan for our lives (GREATNESS)!

If you want someone to talk to, pray with you, and stand with you on this journey of life, PLEASE reach out to us via message. This can be through the message/contact section โฌ†๏ธabove, comment section โฌ‡๏ธbelow, text message๐Ÿ’ฌ if you currently have my/our number, or ๐Ÿ“งemail. One of our admins will connect and pray with you in faith that God will meet every need! Email Information= hpcd3glamchic24@gmail.com

Stay posted as we continue to ๐Ÿ’—grow. Check the blog or my personal instagram (listed under contact section above) for updates, the latest posts, and how you can stay connected and/or be apart of our team! We are MOVING FOR WORD #BrideTribe!

On that note, the 7 Days Of Thanks + Giving Glam Chichallenge ๐Ÿ’‹ STARTS TODAY. November 25th through December 1st 2024. And this is how it works: After we reflect on what we’re thankful for, and ask God for forgiveness for all the times we were not, LETโ€™S have a little FUN! ๐Ÿคฉ Hereโ€™s the challenge. Each day take some time to show God, Others, and Even Yourself Gratitude. Simple Right? I don’t wanna limit your creativity by telling you how to do that. Pray about it! Let Him Lead You!

But if you need a little help here are some ideas: love/like/share &support a LOVED ๐Ÿฅฐ ONES content, business, and/or journey, say thank you and/or apologize, give someONE a special gift ๐Ÿ’ , feed ๐Ÿฝ๏ธand/or cloth ๐Ÿงค๐ŸงฃsomeONE in need, spend some extra โฐ time in ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝprayer/praise&worship๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿฝ/word๐Ÿ“–, visit or call โ˜Ž๏ธ someONE you haven’t talk to in a while, buy yourself ๐Ÿฅžbreakfast, ๐ŸŒฎlunch, and/or ๐Ÿdinner, take someONE on a date ๐Ÿ“†, book a ๐Ÿ›ซ๐Ÿ๏ธvacay, etc. Bottom โœ๏ธLine LOVE GOD, OTHERS, AND YOURSELF in word & in deed!โฃ๏ธ

XOXO ๐Ÿ˜˜

G.C. INK. ๐Ÿ’Œ~K.joi~

encouragment, glam, Purpose, suffering, Uncategorized

Cry Now, Laugh Later. Laugh Now, Cry Later.

Psalm 34:17-19 The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Revelation 21:8 “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.โ€ 

Psalm 10:13-14 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it. Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.

Greetings In Grace โค๏ธ Beloved Ones,

I pray this post finds you well. Todayโ€™s post is a little impromptu as I didnโ€™t realize it was the 5th of the month. Itโ€™s been a very eventful past couple of weeks & days, and I am still โ€œgrasping my bearingsโ€ โš–๏ธ per se. So just a few updates, I attended a live recording a few days ago that was AWEsome. I’m still gathering myself from what took place that night. I will soon be incorporating more music posts on my blog, this will include my personal creations and the creations of others that I know will be a blessing to you. ๐ŸŽถ With that being said, as soon as the recordings from that night are released I will be sharing it! Also our ministry is doing a 24 hour emergency fast until this evening AND Yโ€™ALL ITโ€™S BEEN QUICK & POWERFUL. โš”๏ธ Looking forward to finishing strong and joining the saints in prayer & the word in a few hours. Weโ€™d love for you to be apart, itโ€™s a collaborative Kingdom effort, so ALL are welcome (message me or comment below for more details).

As many of you know today is also a very important day in history, as our new commander in chief or president ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ will be selected this evening. With that being said there is a lot of activity going on right now in the spirit realm, and I encourage everyone to be prayerful ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ& watchful/vigilant๐Ÿ‘€. I just reached out to my loved ones to make sure everyone will be settled and safe as things are unfolding both spiritually and naturally. I encourage you to do the same, check on your loved ones and BE safe.

So God was impressing upon my heart โค๏ธ a few scriptures over these past weeks (see scriptures above). As I was pondering on them I heard todayโ€™s title. And I admit this time I had mixed emotions ๐Ÿฅน about what God was putting down. I was excited because I’m saved, but I know and love several others who are not. The bible says God DOES NOT want anyone to perish, but for all to be changed/saved (see 2 Peter 3:9). And beloved as Godโ€™s daughter & friend I feel the same. Iโ€™ve heard and seen stories ๐Ÿ˜ฑ about hell and itโ€™s heart wrenching to think of that being anyone’s ending. Non-stop pain, suffering, torture, and eternal death is not the way to go. The bible says it will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (see Matthew 13:47-50).

See the enemy, the Devil, is always up to no good. He roams about the earth seeking whom he can devour (see 1 Peter 5:8). He does not fight fair! He lies and schemes to trick people into believing that if they serve him and live any kind of way (indulging in pleasure/flesh) they will be happy. And yes this may be somewhat โ€œtrueโ€, but as the old saying goes itโ€™s all fun and games until someone gets hurt. ๐Ÿ˜ข And beloved someone ALWAYS GETS HURT! You get strung along on this quick & easy magical fantasy ride until next thing you know it all comes crashing down/disaster. No matter to what extent we allow the enemy to have room in our hearts/minds and lives, it never ends well. For this reason I made up my mind ๐Ÿง that he canโ€™t and wonโ€™t ๐Ÿšซhave any place in me or mine.

On the contrary God promises us just the opposite. He says that if you deny yourself now and suffer with HIM โœ๏ธ you will have an everlasting abundant life (See 2 Timothy 2:12 & John 10:10). One may ask well why does God want us to suffer? The thing is friends, suffering is inevitable. We will either suffer with God or suffer without Him. But with Him ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿฝ it is so much better. We will suffer for various reasons including: choices/decisions we & others make, living in a sinful fallen world, doing whatโ€™s right, doing whatโ€™s wrong, etc. But in the end it all comes down to who we suffer with and why we are suffering. Are we suffering for good or for bad? ๐Ÿค”Perspective is everything!

Itโ€™s important as we are going through the trials of life we ask God what it is He wants us to get from what we are going through. โ‰๏ธThere are always lessons to be learned in every test, trial, and tribulation. The thing is sometimes because we donโ€™t ask or seek God as to what that lesson is we can often find ourselves going through the same troubles again and again. ๐Ÿซ Think of it like we are in school, when we fail a significant test that’s required for our next level, we have to keep taking it until we pass. The good news is our teacher (God/Jesus/Holy Spirit) wants us to pass. In fact the bible ๐Ÿ“– says His divine power has given us everything we need as it pertains to LIFE and GODLINESS (see 2 Peter 1:3).

Comedy and Tragedy theatrical mask isolated on a blue curtain background. http://www.freepik.com

My leader says it like this: God wants us to LIVE LONG and LIVE WELL! Unfortunately our adversary the devil doesnโ€™t want us to have either, but on the contrary his desire is for us to die prematurely and die full of sin/sickness. BUT NEVERTHELESS GOD IS FAITHFUL and provides us with a way of escape (see 1 Corinthians 10:13). And let me admonish you that any one who does not want you to live long and live well IS NOT INSPIRED BY GOD but by the devil. ๐Ÿ›‘ Stay Away. Transparent moment: it was really hard for me along my journey to think that I had anything in common with the enemy. It wasnโ€™t until I had a wake up call that some of my behaviors were proving contrary. See beloved, our flesh/carnal mind is an enemy of God! This is why God says we must be transformed by the renewing of our minds (see Romans 12:2). We are all sinners in need of Godโ€™s grace to save us from evil, including the evil right within our hearts.

But Iโ€™m so glad, God again, gives us a way of escape. He says repent, change your mind and actions. Yet, again He doesnโ€™t want us to even try to do this alone. He says that if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us of ALL ๐Ÿ™‡๐Ÿ™‡๐Ÿฝโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿ™‡โ€โ™‚๏ธ unrighteousness (see 1 John 1:9). All we have to do is be honest and humble enough to come before God and say Lord I NEED YOUR HELP! And in our humble cry He will hear and answer! PRAISE GOD!

Letโ€™s ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ Pray: Father thank you for loving us unconditionally. Thank you for giving us a way of escape through your Son Jesus. Who came to suffer, die, and be resurrected in power so that we could do the same. Forgive us for every sin, known and unknown. Wash us and purge us with hyssop until we become whiter than snow. We donโ€™t mind laying down our life so that we can receive a greater one. And we acknowledge we need and want your help.

 In Jesus Name We Pray, Amen.

XOXO ๐Ÿ’‹ Grace, Love, and Mercy, Signed K. Joi

encouragment, glam, Uncategorized

Lord Have Mercy

2 Samuel 24:14 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the Lord; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.

Greetings in Grace Beautiful Ones,

Hope this message finds you well. I am overjoyed when I get the opportunity to come and connect with you via Godโ€™s word. Not only when I’m sharing but also when I get to read ๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿฝโ€๐Ÿ’ป your posts as well. Itโ€™s such a blessing to be able to connect with my sisters and brothers all over the world. Regardless of physical location, situations, circumstances, demographics, or administration we are Godโ€™s masterpiece and a beloved family, Glory be to our Lord & Savior Jesus! ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿฝ

I want to continue in the vein from a few posts ago, dealing with the mercies of God. Psalm 100:5 says โ€œFor the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.โ€ The word everlasting in that verse means enduring through all time, eternal, always, constant, and relentlessโค๏ธ. Bible hero David had such a revelation of Godโ€™s mercy. When looking up the number of times mercy is mentioned in the book of Psalms it is noted a total of 99 times. In fact the book of Psalms uses the word mercy more than any other book in the bible.

In the passage above (2 Samuel 24) David makes a poor decision to number Israel & Judah (Godโ€™s people) and is dealing with the consequences of his misbehavior. ๐Ÿ˜ฉ He is faced with having to choose whether he would suffer at the hand of God or at the hands of man. In verse 14 he petitions to be given over to Godโ€™s mighty hand and not manโ€™s. This is the same David in the book of Psalms who stated that if he ascends into heaven or makes his bed ๐Ÿ› in hell God is yet there. He knew that there was no place nor condition he could ever be in that God wasnโ€™t present.

One of my favorite scriptures to pray ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ is 2 Timothy 2:13, if we are faithless he is faithful, he cannot deny himself. I remember a season when I was so overtaken in depression that it felt as if there was no way I’d ever come out. Even in moments where we are suffering, and unable to see Him, He sees us ๐Ÿ‘€ and already has a plan in place to bring us out. Regardless of if we caused it, know it, believe it, or see it. This was revealed to David and caused him to proclaim FOR HIS MERCIES ARE GREAT!

In the post โ€œMercy Mercy Meโ€ we talked about repentance and Godโ€™s pity on us, remembering that we are yet clay. However, I wanted to pivot a little and focus on two other elements/synonyms for mercy, kindness and favor. I donโ€™t watch the news much, but every now and then for prayer purposes ๐Ÿ“บ I chime in. And my friend it often leaves me feeling a sense of heaviness. It breaks my heart ๐Ÿ’” to see how callous and cold this world has become. Even sometimes during my daily adventures, I encounter others that seem to have no compassion, conscience, nor consideration for others, and it saddens me. Nevertheless we (you & I) must command our souls (mind, will, and emotions) to be of good cheerโ€ฆ. God is near/here!

The word kindness is defined by Oxford as the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. So even in a mean, stingy, selfish, and inconsiderate world that IS NOT how GOD is to usward. I donโ€™t know about you but that makes me glad and geared up to be benevolent like our ๐Ÿฅฐ Father & Friend! The revelation of Godโ€™s lovingkindness is such a comforting & conforming element of His nature that it encompasses every other thing working against us (inside & out)! This is why David could not be moved to cause harm to King Saul even though Saul had set himself out to kill him. A man indeed after Godโ€™s own heart.

In conclusion friends I want to encourage you to be encouraged and look to the hillโ€™s from which comes our help. God IS a very present help in the time of need/trouble. After we have suffered a while HE will strengthen ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿฝ& establish us. Let this mind me in us that was also in CHRIST JESUS, who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation. He was obedient even unto death (even the death of the cross). Rarely will a man suffer for a good man but HE died FOR US when we were yet sinners AND that we would have life (and have it more abundantly)! On that note friendโ€ฆ LIVE!!!

XOXO โ€ฆGrace Love and Mercy ๐Ÿ˜˜

Inscribed K. Joi ๐Ÿ˜โค๏ธ

encouragment

One W.U.N.

๐‘ป๐’‰๐’† ๐’‡๐’†๐’‚๐’“ ๐’๐’‡ ๐’•๐’‰๐’† ๐‘ณ๐’๐’“๐’… ๐’Š๐’” ๐’•๐’‰๐’† ๐’ƒ๐’†๐’ˆ๐’Š๐’๐’๐’Š๐’๐’ˆ ๐’๐’‡ ๐’˜๐’Š๐’”๐’…๐’๐’Ž: ๐’‚๐’๐’… ๐’•๐’‰๐’† ๐’Œ๐’๐’๐’˜๐’๐’†๐’…๐’ˆ๐’† ๐’๐’‡ ๐’•๐’‰๐’† ๐‘ฏ๐’๐’๐’š ๐‘ถ๐’๐’† ๐’Š๐’” ๐’–๐’๐’…๐’†๐’“๐’”๐’•๐’‚๐’๐’…๐’Š๐’๐’ˆ. ๐‘ญ๐’๐’“ ๐’ƒ๐’š ๐’Ž๐’† ๐’•๐’‰๐’š ๐’…๐’‚๐’š๐’” ๐’”๐’‰๐’‚๐’๐’ ๐’ƒ๐’† ๐’Ž๐’–๐’๐’•๐’Š๐’‘๐’๐’Š๐’†๐’…, ๐’‚๐’๐’… ๐’•๐’‰๐’† ๐’š๐’†๐’‚๐’“๐’” ๐’๐’‡ ๐’•๐’‰๐’š ๐’๐’Š๐’‡๐’† ๐’”๐’‰๐’‚๐’๐’ ๐’ƒ๐’† ๐’Š๐’๐’„๐’“๐’†๐’‚๐’”๐’†๐’….

Proverbs 9: 10-11

Greetings in Grace โค๏ธ Beloved Ones,

Happy new season. We’re a little over a month into the Spring ๐ŸŒทseason and I hope things are springing forward for you and your loved ones. I am excited about the renewing, refreshing, reviving, and restoring that’s breaking forth in/throughout the ๐ŸŒŽ earth. Even in the midst of the worlds darkness God’s grace love and mercy continues to triumph! Which brings me right into the peculiar treasure ๐Ÿ’ for this month.

I am so grateful to God that the revealed nature/persons of Jesus Christ is both an anchor โš“๏ธand lighthouse๐Ÿ’ก๐Ÿก there to securely guide us continuously. I’ve been reflecting on this during this season where we celebrate the death, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord & Savior. One of the supplications that I keep before the Lord is open the eyes of my understanding that I would know you. It makes me cringe a little when I come across the scripture (Matthew 7:22) that speaks about many coming to Him saying I did “this” in your name and “that” in your name and His response being depart from me, I never knew you.

If there is anything we must return to as a whole it’s the fear of the Lord. This not a cowering fear that causes us to stray away but a respect and honor that causes to ๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿฝโ€โ™€๏ธrun to, kneel๐ŸงŽ๐Ÿฝโ€โ™€๏ธ, and bow ๐Ÿ™‡๐Ÿฝโ€โ™€๏ธ before our Holy God. In this we receive the wisdom that leads us to know Know and Understand. One of my favorite scriptures is Hebrews 11:6 that speaks of the importance in believing/Faith in who He is and being rewarded for seeking Him. In a time where so much information is easily accessible to us, it’s easy to get drawn away by distractions that take our attention off the ONE who knows all things, in pursuit of other things.

I’m not speaking against learning new things. ๐Ÿง Knowledge is power. However, as a generation we at times become too “smart” for our own good. Impressed with our track record of degrees, skills, and accomplishments all the while forsaking the Truth that sets us free. I love what my Grand Papa in the gospel simply states “Read your ๐Ÿ“–bible and ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ pray for the understanding.” I’m finding as time goes on with my word journey my heart/eyes are being opened more and more to things I didn’t notice before.

In the beginning was the word! And our Lord Jesus is the Word made flesh, the lamb slain before the foundation of the world. There is no way we can walk in the complete victory God created for us to walk without the Word being at the forefront of our lives. The bible says meditate in my WORD day and night and THEN you will make your way prosperous and have GOOD success (Joshua 1:8). We will find that when we ask God to help us make this a daily practice we receive the instructions, strength, and courage to Win daily. This contending is what the bible calls the GOOD FIGHT of FAITH!

When we do this our hearts/minds become realigned(one) with the heart/mind of Christ so that we can ๐Ÿšถ๐Ÿฝโ€โ™€๏ธwalk in manifested ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿฝ victory in every area of our life. He(JESUS) is the who, what, when, where, why, and how of our LIFE. ๐Ÿ’กRemember….He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to them that know understanding.

Friend in a world where lose seems to be everywhere we turn, we must get be clothed in Christ/the Word, ๐Ÿ›กโš”๏ธ armored up, and ready for battle! Letโ€™s end on this ๐Ÿ“note….

Matthew 16:25 AMP “For whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake will find it [that is, life with Me for all eternity].”

GRACE LOVE and MERCY,

Signed K.โค๏ธ XOXO

encouragment, glam, Purpose

โœžโœž Sแดœา“า“แด‡ส€ ๐š๐š’๐š—๐š ๐Ÿ‘‘๐Ÿ’

To him that overcometh, I will grant to sit with Me on my Throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne -Rev 3:21.

If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us – 2 Timothy 2:12

Greeting in Grace Kings Kids ๐Ÿ‘‘๐Ÿ˜,

Glory to God in the highest! He is Good and His mercy endures forever! There is truly nothing that can compare to the completeness given to us in & through Jesus Christ!!! My heart so rejoices in Him, the word says that I would have fainted unless I believed that I would see the goodness of God in the land of the living. With so much going on around us we are in treacherous and trying times, but He is yet faithful and able to save & keep us.

He is working and willing in us to do that which pleases Him and has called us for such a time as this to represent him in the earth. Thankful! With that being said God has been reminding me(us) to take up our cross and follow Jesus. The cross represents the place of exchange, sin & death for grace/truth and eternal life. Jesus paid the ultimate price yet it will cost us something (the old us).

Because we are in difficult time with much pain & suffering going on around us I felt led to deal with suffering again but from another standpoint. There are different forms of suffering, the bible talks about persecution, distress, peril, famine to name a few in Romans 8:35 and goes along further to say we have victory over all this through Christโ€™s Love. When we look ๐Ÿ‘€ at the bible heroes and โ€œvilliansโ€œ of old suffered much, some due to bad decisions, some due to opposition and so on and so forth.

Nevertheless, we always see Gods Love, Grace, and Mercy displayed throughout. God is always aware of whats going on and always provides a way out/over that He reveals if we LET HIM. See the awesome thing about suffering with God is that He brings us over and itโ€™s Never purposeless even when we dont understand. My Apostle always says there is no Glory without Death. How can we share the redemptive love of Christ w/o being redeemed ourselves?

Say I Will Grow through this! God promises us that as we suffer and overcome we become partakers of His Reign. Ever heard the song paid the cost by James Brown ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜ฉ. There are places of authority/rule we are called to spiritually and naturally, that also impacts the lives of others connected to us, as we press through. What, Who, Where has God called us to affect in our lifetime? And are willing to surrender all for it?

Thatโ€™s what Jesus did my friend while He walked among us (and even still today). It was His passionate Love for the Father and His Fathers kingdom (Us) that made Him willing to suffer and โ€œDieโ€œ just to be risen again, and release unto us the Power to do the same! He is now seated in heavenly places interceding (mediating) for you and me.

The bible says we go from Glory to Glory as we die to our old ways daily. I end with this In Courage Meant…..Lets Fight the good Fight of the Faith…Hold tightly to eternal life to which we were called and declared before many witnesses. (1 Tim 6:16) And Rule

Grace Love and Mercy โค๏ธ๐Ÿ’‹๐Ÿ‘‘ XOXO