Set Apart

We all have our different callings and purpose that it is placed in us, but one thing that remains the same within all of us is that God has called us to be set apart. In 2 Corinthians 6: 11-18 (NKJV) it says ¹¹ O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. ¹² You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. ¹³ Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open. ¹⁴ Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? ¹⁵ And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” ¹⁷ Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” ¹⁸ “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.” Also in  Romans 12: 1-2 (NKJV) it says 12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Some may question why do we have to be set apart or what is meant to be set apart? Well to be set apart means to keep something for a specific use or purpose. When God called us he placed in us a specific individual purpose for our lives. Without being set apart from the world we may continue to grow to be like the world rather than like Christ. There are many verses that state this but I will share with you two In Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money and 1 John 2:15-16 says 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, because all that is in the world (the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the arrogance produced by material possessions) is not from the Father, but is from the world. You have to be either or there is no in between when it comes to being called to be set apart.

Living a life set apart is having the lifestyle of not doing what is the norm for the world. When we made the decision to accept Christ and love Him we gave up the old man. We cannot sit here and say that we can live life the same as before because “God knows my heart”, “I’m getting there but I’m enjoying where I am”, or the infamous “I’m not perfect”. These sayings are merely excuses to justify that you’re simply not living a life set apart from the world, and God is nowhere near pleased with the excuses that people have come up with. No, the phrase “I’m not perfect” is not false; we are not perfect, but we do have the capability to think on what actions take place in our life because most sin is premeditated. The reason I say this is that in Mark 7: 20-23 it says ²⁰ He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. ²¹ For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, ²² adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. ²³ All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” When we intentionally sin it is something that has been sitting within us, and that we have meditated so long and hard on a temptation that it turns into a desire (a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen.) and desire gives birth to sin and from sin death. (James 1:14-15 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.)

If you chose the life to live a in between lifestyle then you’re making the mistake of being dismissed from God in Revelations 3 God speaks of the lukewarm church in verse 15-16 it says 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold- I am about to spit you out of my mouth. Simply what spitting you out of His mouth means is that he will reject you because ultimately you are still living by the world's standards which is not pleasing to Him.

In order to overcome this battle of struggling with the thought of sin and living in between it is necessary that we not meditate on sin and must meditate on positive. (Philippians 4:8-9 Meditate on These Things ⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. ⁹ The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.) Also if you don’t know how to give up the things of the world you ask God to help you, pray, surrender to Him, and fast from ALL the things that are hindering you from being set apart. At one point and time I can say I was lukewarm saying I love God, going to church, dancing, and playing the roles, but cursing, listening to worldly music, etc. In order to overcome my lukewarm lifestyle to become on fire for Jesus I had to go through some wonderful life changes (that were not comfortable at the time) fasting and praying, and eventually having the short term goal which was fasting from what was not helping strengthen my relationship with Christ it became my lifestyle to live my life set apart and now I wouldn’t want life any other way.

Don't Worry, But PRAY

Have you ever sat and start to worry and dwell on things that is bothering you in your everyday life. Well in Philippians 4:6 it says “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” This basically means that yes you will have things that bother and weigh down you such as finances, health, family, or whatever your case may be, but you need to surrender that to God and talk to Him about this situation that is making you want to worry about it. While going through this situation God will give you the comfort that you need to trust in Him. Sometimes He makes you wait for the blessing to end this situation just to show you that He has his hands in it and that he is working it all out just for you. I know for a fact that he will work it all out because I have often sat and tried to worry about things especially when it comes to not having enough to pay for bills or buy things that I need.

My family and I struggled this summer with getting my rent paid as  well as maintaining the main household with utilities, gas and mortgage, but let me say that in the past there has been times where we’ve been in these situations and we would worry and not pray and things would go wrong. Well this time we made up our mind that despite whatever situation we were faced with that we would pray and worship God through the pain. Let me tell you all this I have never seen nothing like what God has done for us! With my rent it always got paid in miraculous ways and I received favor and was never evicted although I was over the payment deadline, Utilities for my mother’s home was never cut off or was ever put on the cut off list and money would always seem to come right on time. We did not rush Him all we did was believe, have faith, pray, but most of all we did not worry about one thing, and God worked it out every time for us. We also had lost our car due to once again not trusting God and doing things our way, but how many know that God looks past our faults and mistakes and will give you what is due you anyway. So to continue we was trying to do things our way and listening to others about where and how to get a car, but every single opportunity it seemed like the door was shut in our faces because of credit issues. Someone suggested a place that they got their car from, and I just felt like God wanted my mother to try this place what damage could it do to try we were used to the rejection by now, so we prayed and fully left things up to God. Well long story short in matter of 2 days my mom had a car with no cosigners meaning her credit alone was good to get a car with reasonable car payments! Wait! Didn’t the other places say her credit was horrible….yes it was when we wasn’t trusting God, but immediately as soon as we put it in his hands he opened up the door for us. He is an awesome God that will work it out for His people!

Saying all of that and telling you all our testimony for this summer is to let you know yes you may face these tests that life seems to through at you, but God will turn your test into your TESTimony! Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3: 5-6. Don’t worry and trust God he is your guidance and he will provide comfort and ways out of your situations. Though it may be painful at the moment just know that with God all things are possible, and that no situation is too big for God to handle!

Matthew 6: 25-34

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

We cannot worry about not having what we want 

and sometimes need, but we must trust God at all 

times and focus on Him because we are important to

 Him and He will never leave us in a rut.

I love you all, but REMEMBER that God loves you MOST!! With Him All Things Are Possible! Be Blessed!

Live and Never Die

Hebrews 6: 4-6 NIV

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who, have tasted  the heavenly gift, who have shared in Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

When reading this passage I was confused what do you mean for those who fallen away it is impossible to be brought back to repentance. Does this mean if I make a mistake and backslide I cannot come back from that mistake? NO, this scripture simply means if someone is to get saved, confess that they believe in God and that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, and then one day in life they just say that they do not believe in God or Jesus and not wanting to be a Christian anymore; then it is impossible for to come back from that. Let’s put it this way simply before we got saved we were not dead and born physically, but we were unborn spiritually living like babes without guiding or wanting guidance. Then when we get save we are born spiritually and made new living under God and living a life pleasing, holy, and acceptable to Him. Then if we decided to crazily profess with our mind and tongue that we do not believe in God or Jesus Christ then we are basically dead and who do we know that has came back from the dead only person I know is Jesus, and nobody is Jesus. Therefore when the bible it is impossible to come back from that it is because we cannot be revived after being dead in this case.

What happens if we confess that we do not believe in God? (Last Stages of Life)

1. Withdrawal from external world
   1. You no longer are connected to spiritual realm
2. Vision and Hallucinations (Being Deceived)
   1. 2 Thessalonians 2: 11-12 AMP
   2. Therefore God sends upon them a misleading influence, a working of error and a strong delusion to make them believe what is false, 12 In order that all may be judged and condemned who did not believe in [who refused to adhere to, trust in, and rely on] the Truth, but [instead] too pleasure in unrighteousness.
3. Losing of Appetite
   1. When you have lost your appetite for God you no longer wanting spiritual feeding. You do not want to read the word, pray to God, or fast. This is no longer a part of what you hunger for.
4. Bowel and Bladder Function
   1. You are losing control of part of you and the world’s way has taken over pushing out everything that God has put in you.
5. Confusion, Restlessness, and Agitation
   1. Now that you have lost control you are unhappy again, and confused about what you should be doing and frustrated again with life.
6. Changes in breathing, Congestion in Lungs or Throat
   1. Basically you have rejected God breath and life and you are having difficulties breathing.

Spiritual Death

1. Cessation of breathing
   1. You no longer have the breath of life in your body from God
2. Cardiac arrest
   1. No pulse
3. Pallor Mortis
   1. “Pallor” meaning paleness
   2. “Mortis” meaning death
   3. After losing the breath of life you are lifeless without Christ
4. Livor Mortis
   1. “Livor” meaning bluish color
   2. A setting of blood in the lower portion of the body
   3. Losing the blood of Christ that has you covered in your everyday life
5. Algor Mortis
   1. “Algor” meaning coldness
   2. The reduction in body temperature
   3. When you start to become cold and no longer on fire for Jesus and you are no longer living for Christ
   4. Revelation 3:16 AMP
      1. So because you are lukewarm and neither cold not hot, I will spew you out of My mouth
         1. God wants you to be hot on fire for him and if lukewarm or cold he doesn’t want that
6. Rigor Mortis
   1. “Rigor” meaning stiffness
   2. The limbs of the corpse become stiff and difficult to move or manipulate
   3. Stiffness, no longer able to be used in the body of Christ you cannot be moved. Also you are no longer able to receive the move of God.
   4. Jeremiah 17: 23 AMP
      1. Yet they would not listen and obey or incline their ears; but they stiffened their necks, that they might not hear and might not receive instruction.
7. Decomposition
   1. This is when every part of God has decomposed from you and left you, and your life is filled with a strong and a never-ending stench of darkness.

To keep living

In order not to get to the point of no return you have to keep God first in all that you do, and believe in Him in order for you to keep his breath of life, read your word daily to feed your spirit so your spirit will not starve and eventually die and lose its appetite. Stay active and involved in your Church home especially where God has called you to in a certain part of ministry so that the enemy may not attack you with the “You’re bored and nobody wants you doing anything” well you have to get up and do something nobody is going to tell you what your calling is except for God. Also an important factor in staying saved is fasting to get connected with God and disconnected from the flesh. Pray more and speak to God because that’s your phone line between you and Him; without it yeah you have a relationship with Him, but it would be weak, and eventually it would die. Also get saved if you are not already saved and believe that Christ died on the cross for your sins and that you do not want to be like those that are in darkness forever. You have the chance to turn your life around become that man or woman of God that He wants you to be, and to live the life filled with joy and peace. A life with Christ is a life not forgotten by Him. He will give you that breath that you need that pulse of excitement for living right that you want. He will let Jesus blood flow throughout you; you will no longer be stiff and be used by him to minister unto people the way you are receiving Him today.

I Love You All, but Remember That God Loves You Most!!!

- Nicole <3

Time To Forgive

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

Matthew 18:21-35

²¹ Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

²² Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. ²³ Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁵ But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. ²⁶ The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ ²⁷ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

²⁸ “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ ²⁹ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ ³⁰ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. ³¹ So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. ³² Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. ³³ Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ ³⁴ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

³⁵ “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

Have you been hurt by someone and thought I’ll never forgive the hurt that they inflicted onto me in this present time? Well it is time to forgive. Not having forgiveness towards someone only hurts you even the more while this person is living their life. You’re causing turmoil in your life because you have no forgiveness towards others because in the bible verse Matthew 18:35 quoted above is basically saying if you do not forgive God cannot give you forgiveness. That makes sense right? If God can forgive all of our sins and ways that do not line up with His word why cannot we forgive the next that hurt our feelings.

I can say that so many people have done me wrong and I’m the type that would hold onto this pain and thinking I’m hurting them going against them when in all reality I was really doing myself damage. At the end of the day my unforgiving ways was not pleasing to God especially since I was trying to ask Him for forgiveness probably that same day (what kind of mess is that) and also I was left still feeling hurt while not forgiving. When I finally gave this hurt to God and released to this person that I forgave them whether they knew what I was talking about or didn’t care I was set free from the pain that was hovering over my head.

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:22 

Also not only do you need to forgive others, but you also need to forgive yourself so that you may draw nearer to God. What do you mean forgive myself? Well if you sit and think on your past with how you sleep with this guy, lied, cheated, stole something and get upset with the fact that you let yourself do anything like that or that you’re still ashamed of your past sins it is time to forgive yourself. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 it says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." This means once you made that decision to turn away from your old ways you have become cleansed and God has separated you from your past. So since God has forgiven you and He does not even care about it anymore why should you dwell on it and let the enemy attack your mind in this way. It’s time to renew your mind take back control and forgive yourself.

For me during my not forgiving myself phase it lead to so much turmoil in my life. It started with an attack in my mind that even brings back to remembrance the things that I have done in my past. It was then that I would dwell on them and that opens doors for anything to come to mind. When I would dwell on these things I would think maybe I’m not good enough to do what God has called me to do, and what if people think I am weird which lead to me getting myself in a space where I wanted to isolate myself because of things that I went through and encountered. Things like this will create harm to you because even now it is still hard for me not to isolate and interact with people because I did separate so much when I was in that stage of my life, but God is surely bringing me out of that stage. I have forgiven myself and now that I have it is like God is pushing me to another place. Once you forgive yourself God will open new doors because he will know that you are ready to receive because He will know you are not dwelling on the past, so that means you will be able to focus on the future and the call that He has placed on your life.

Forgive and Forget. God did it for you! It will free you!

I Love You All, But Remember God Loves You MOST!

Fork In The Road

 

 

There is a war going on and there is no being neutral, in the middle, or choosing both sides. We are in the end times where evil is trying to snatch our freedom and destroy God and his people at every angle. Which side have you chosen or choosing? Good or Evil, with God or the devil, light or darkness, heaven or hell; if you’re having a hard time choosing and actually contemplating between both sides here is the answer choose life, goodness, righteousness, holiness, to be cleansed, and most of all choose God.

If you’re are in the “middle” and playing with God in Matthew 6:24 it says No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be against the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions, or whatever is trusted in) (AMP). It is time to stop playing with God because the devil is not playing games with us. The devil is looking for every possible way to destroy us so that we may jump over the median barrier in between the two roads trying to go back to our old ways. If the devil is not playing around why are we still playing patty cake with this precious gift we call salvation? It is just not the time to play around, and it’s not the time to be timid Christians. The world is confident in getting us what they want us to do, so we have to be even the more courageous and confident in Christ (Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9) It’s time for extreme measures to be taken and for us to start spreading the gospel, preaching salvation and not these feel good sermons, breaking beyond the barriers that the world has put us in just preaching within the church, and most of all just preach God’s word that saves you can never go wrong with it.

If you’re on the verge of choosing the path that is living in the worlds way let me warn you this road may come with the “pleasurable” lifestyle doing what you want, having sex, cursing, partying, drinking, smoking, or whatever may apply to you, but it also comes with death: death of your spiritual man and death that leads to hell. Every day that you live on this road is another day that you separate yourself from God causing confusion, hurt, hardship, and pain in your life. If you’re on the path leading to death or about to choose the destructive path it is not too late because for me I was on the road leading to destruction, I was lukewarm, I was not living, I was playing saved and not living it, but I made the decision that I wanted to walk on God’s path and not the road leading to death. It was like then God brought me to another fork in the road saying are you going to take this exit to my path or continue on this destructive path that you are on now. I took the exit going on his path and soon as I took the path and said God I believe in you and that Jesus is Lord and that He raised him from the dead that the destructive path I was walking on was erased from my past! (If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. Romans 10:9-10)

For those who have chosen God’s path I just encourage you to surrender yourself fully to Him. Do not withhold your gifts that he has placed within you. If you are in a place where you feel uncomfortable it is time to move higher up in Him, don’t ever get complacent with where you are because there is different levels that situations need to be handled and different people that need to be ministered to get them to choose the path of life. Most of all stay strong in Christ and not for one second let your hair down to relax in the moment of life because the devil is waiting there to attack you. Be a light unto this dark world, and be unashamed!

 

In John 10:10 it says the their comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

God gives life and the enemy is death. Which one: life or death it's time to choose a path God or the world...I choose God!

 

I Love You All, but Remember That God Loves You MOST! Have a blessed day everyone!

 

What Are You Searching For?

 

Way back when (a few years ago) when I wasn’t saved in some points in my life I was filled with sadness, fear, hurt, rebellion, vanity, and many other spirits that just came with not being saved. I can say that I was looking for something to fill a void because how many know that majority of the time while we weren’t saved and doing whatever that we was looking for something to fill an empty spot within us whether it was with food/having a gluttonous spirit, drinking, smoking, having sex; whatever it was our hearts were searching for something at least mine was. For example at one point in my life my family and I lost our home and was living with family and friends for a month or so, and while in this test my heart was searching for a comfort that no one could give me but God, and I was willing to do anything to find it. I was willing to almost give my purity up (if it won’t for God blocking every “appointment” I scheduled it would have happened) which would have led to soul ties that were not needed at all! I was searching in all the wrong places and for the wrong things to fill a void that no person or thing here on earth can fill.

After searching for the wrong one day it was like God slapped me like Nicole you’re not going to find what you’re looking for because you are not searching for me. It didn’t happen overnight, but quickly I started to search for God/Be saved (But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 4:29). Searching for God led to me totally surrendering my life to Him and giving up the spirits that were not of him. I gave up the obsession of secular music (waking up, in class, at home, and going to sleep listening to secular music), the wrong friends (those that know you’re trying to do right but persuading you to do wrong), and I started getting busy doing ministry to glorify Him and also to not have an idle mind. God has changed my life in so many ways when searching and now continuing to pursue Him because although situations come God is that comforter and void filler that keeps me level headed (should’ve been cray cray a long time ago), and once you find someone that will never leaves you or say you’re not important to me that’s someone you can never give up on!

Search for God he will fill every void that you think cannot be filled!

If you don’t know where to start with searching for God…Step 1: Give your life to God (Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9).

I will end with this scripture “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

 

I love you all, but REMEMBER that God loves you MOST!! Be Blessed!

What Do I Wear?

As a Christian Female I always ask myself what should I wear, and recently I have come in to different ways to wear the latest fashions like crop tops without looking like the world. So I’m just giving some fashion advice along with pictures of examples, and in the near future I will show some of my own modest but fashionable outfits that I come up with for my day to day wear.

My favorite pieces of clothing are crop tops, the super long cardigans, and of course leggings (girls favorite comfortable thing to wear). So below I’m just showing different ensembles show modesty, but are fashionable.

 

This ensemble contains the crop top which is usually worn to show the mid drift area, but in this ensemble it’s paired with a tulle skirt than can pulled pass the mid drift area to cover exposed skin.

Here is a more casual look for a more casual day where you do not want to wear a dressy outfit and want to be comfortable

 

Majority of these pieces are name brand so what I would do is take the pictures and shop around for these items to get the items that are on the higher priced side for a lower price. Start at the thrift store (There isn’t nothing wrong with the thrift stores save some money)!

 

For the men it’s not hard to dress modestly so I have a few outfit ideas that may catch your eye to help if you’re stuck in what to wear or just need ideas to add in your closet

 

 

 

I Love You All, But Remember that God Loves You Most!!! Have a blessed day everyone!