Nobody But JESUS!

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Revelation 12:11

You may be asking, what do I mean by the title, Nobody but Jesus?  Well, I’m glad you asked.  With an unexpected loss of a loved one, a demonic attack against my body, having to serve as a caregiver, working on projects and looking at evil, wicked and ungodly people, and other things that I am not at liberty to speak on right now, let me tell you, it was a rough season. But I’m still standing because of nobody but Jesus! He has been my Rock, my Fortress, my Strong Tower. He has been my Wonderful Counselor, Comforter, Great Physician and my Therapist!  He is a Keeper!  He is the Bishop and Shepherd over my soul and a promise keeper indeed!  He is my Sustainer! He is my EVERYTHING! There are truly no words to describe HIM or MAGNIFY HIM!  There are no words that can really articulate what He means to me!

 

I thank GOD for the EFFECTIVE, SINCERE, HOT, FIERY PRAYERS of RIGHTEOUS MEN AND WOMEN THAT AVAILS MUCH 

(James 5)!  

 

It all started back in February. I went to my parents’ house to bring them some chicken from Boston Market. After warming up their food, I ate a small piece of the outside of the chicken.  It was kind of hard. Had I known what would have transpired from eating that small piece of hard chicken, Lord knows, I would have left that crap alone.  Lord have mercy! Trust me; it wasn’t even worth the forthcoming suffering. When I got home, it felt like it got stuck in my chest.  Let me tell you; it was the worse feeling ever.  My husband and I kept praying, and I kept drinking lots of water, trying to get it down, but it would not budge.  I thought I was going to have to go to the hospital or urgent care.  After continuing this for a few hours, it eventually went down.  Praise God! However, from there on, things got worse.  I couldn’t eat any solid food or swallow any pills for almost 40 days. This was the kicker, not being able to swallow any pills.  So, every time a doctor would give me medication in pill form, I couldn’t take it.  I had to call and ask them if I could get it in capsules or in a pill that I could open and pour on my food. It was getting tiresome. My body was super sensitive at the time.   I was stressed about taking any kind of pharmaceuticals or eating food, period. I would go into a panic attack because I had an allergic action to almost everything.  It was like a nightmare, but God held me up with His mighty right hand and outstretched arms!  What a mighty and awesome God we serve!!  Nobody but JESUS!!!

 

I went to various doctors, specialists, Urgent Care and went to the hospital twice. I lost 46 pounds.   I was losing weight really fast.  My mother told me that I was losing weight too fast like I could stop it.  This made me really nervous.  I didn’t want to look like a skeleton.  (I had prayed for God to help me lose weight, but not like this).  I will be more specific with my prayers from now on. 

 

We have to be mindful to speak life and not death.  For the Bible tells us that life and death are in the power of our tongue, and we will eat the fruit thereof.  Now, I never speak negativity over my life, but I did prior to this incident. I had to rebuke it and bind it quickly when I realized what I said.  Sometimes we can speak curses playfully and jokingly out of ignorance and wanting to be comical. However, I couldn’t help but wonder if what I said contributed to this physical attack. Thank God He knows that we are but flesh.

 

I contacted a lady who is a prayer warrior from a church I use to attend, and she prayed with me and suggested that I drink some holy water that a friend had given to her from a Pastor out of town.  She shared different testimonies of healing.  She even sent me a picture of her nephew, who the doctors had given up on. He had lost a lot of weight but was healed by the LORD and could eat a full meal a day after drinking the water. My faith was pumped up like it was on steroids. I couldn’t wait till the next day to get some solid food into my belly. I needed something that would stick to my stomach. I felt like I was starving. I was praying that I wouldn’t suffer malnutrition due to not getting enough nutrients through the little broth and small amount of my protein shakes that I could ingest. I collected the water from her and began to take sips throughout the day, saying, “in the name of JESUS,” with every sip.  I drank it for about two weeks, but still no healing.

 

I had no bowel movements for weeks.  Not to be gross, but my bowels were mainly mucus.  They are normal again. Praise God! 

 

In the meantime, I was still providing caregiving duties.  I was weak. I was tired. I was totally stressed out.  I was drained, but I stayed in God’s face!  I stood on my healing scriptures. I took communion when I could get it down. I stayed under my tallit (prayer shawl), and I reached out to prayer warriors for prayer. I would get on a 6 am prayer call almost daily, and whenever a word of healing was spoken, I would grab hold of it and stand on it with every fiber of my being.  It was hard work! There were days when I felt like I would pass out because my body was so weak, but God!

 

I called places to inquire about getting vitamin IVs to go in my arm because I lacked the necessary nutrients. My body began to reject almost everything for a while. I could only take sips of water at a time.  I didn’t want to become dehydrated.  It was a chore to keep the water down, stay focused and positive, and stay in the Word of God.  I ate the Word of God; I slept the Word; I diligently sought and stood on His Word. I meditated on God’s Word day and night and night and day!

 

I was managing until after about 21 days without solid foods. I would have given anything for pizza or a cheeseburger.  Oh, my goodness!  I was tired of watching others eat and enjoy their meals.  I would cry out like blind Bartemeus – Thou Son of David, have mercy on me (Mark 10:47)!

 

I watched my husband eat some of my favorite foods for a while before I couldn’t bear it anymore.  While I was eating chicken broth, he was eating pizza.   I had to repent, but there were many days when I wanted to slap my husband upside his head for eating and smacking in front of me and telling me how good the food was.  I spent my birthday at Urgent Care while giving all of my food gift cards to my husband and watching him devour the food like a savage. Finally, I started to get really irritable and cranky.

 

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them out of all their troubles! Psalm 34:17

 

I am an alternative medicine kind of girl, always seeking out natural herbs and remedies, but even that couldn’t help me this time.  I could always rely on my herbal supplements, but my body was rejecting almost everything for a time.  Oh my God!  I had to literally trust God to save me.  All I had to rely on was JESUS.  Nobody, but JESUS!

 

That old serpent and adversary was tormenting me with negative thoughts. I couldn’t sleep in my normal position. I had to sleep with my head elevated, or else I would feel so miserable, so I wasn’t sleeping as well as normal.  Throughout this ordeal, after eating anything, I had to stay up for at least 4 -6 hours before going to bed.  All of this was taking a toll on me.

 

I was experiencing anxiety attacks.  I had to take progesterone and magnesium spray with me everywhere to rub my skin to help calm me down.  It was downright frightening.  I had never had anxiety like this.  It was worse when I was riding in the car and before going to bed. It was out of control, like panic on steroids.  It took so much out of me.  I was having heart palpitations and had to see a cardiologist for a series of tests. I thank God they didn’t find any issues.  Hallelujah!

 

He sustained me through this very scary and difficult ordeal as only He alone could do.  There comes a time when “Nobody, but JESUS” can help you!  Mama, daddy, husband, children, or friend cannot help.  The doctors were limited to what they could do, and some simply didn’t care. Some of them were terrible.  With all due respect, every health care worker is not a hero. I’ll leave that alone as another blog for a different day. However, there are some god-sent doctors, and one of them I must give kudos to is my new doctor, Dr. Dang. Right off the bat, she was able to help me navigate my symptoms.   May God’s permanent blessings rest upon her and her family.  Also, my precious husband, Pastor and everybody who stood in the gap for me!  

 

The doctors wanted me to do invasive testing, but I didn’t feel comfortable with this. My husband kept telling me to hang in there and wait on the LORD.  He kept telling me to trust God and have faith that He was going to heal me.  This all sounded good for a while, but then I got tired of hearing that.  I told him God uses the doctors to do their part, and I would just have to do what I have to do. Finally, after almost a month without solid foods, I didn’t want to wait anymore.  I told the LORD that He needed to make haste to help me heal me and not delay. Around the 40th day, I could smash up certain soups with meat and eat it.  Hallelujah!!!  I was ELATED, HAPPY, and beyond ECSTATIC!   Who would have thought that I would be this excited to eat soup?  

 

Hebrews 6:12 - We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who, through faith and patience, inherit what has been promised.

 

 

My husband truly prayed, fasted, encouraged me, and weathered this storm with me when I wanted to give up.  I thank God for him. Lord, knows I do! I spent many days in tears, crying out to God to make haste to help and heal me!  

 

My meals now consisted of malto-meal, soup broths, certain protein shakes, and water.  There were days when I couldn’t get much food or water down.  I was diagnosed with thrush and dysphasia, which made my mouth extremely dry and difficult to swallow.  It was terrible.  I never experienced anything like this before. Nonetheless, I knew things could be worse.  I had to fight and pray against the spirit of fear.  It was major spiritual warfare!  We had to put on the whole of armor of God.  The adversary was trying to tell me that I will never be able to eat my favorite foods again or my favorite lattes.  JESUS, not my lattes, please, sir!  I was reading comments and posts online about people not being able to eat solid foods.  People were saying how they would give anything to eat a hamburger again.  My husband kept telling me - you are going to eat steak, hamburgers and anything you want again!  He kept speaking life and healing to my body and kept going into our prayer room!  I thank God for a godly husband who could go to God and intercede on my behalf.

 

As I moved throughout the days and nights, driving, cooking, cleaning, etc. I would declare, “In the NAME OF JESUS!” There is supernatural power in that name. There is HEALING, DELIVERANCE, MIRACLES, SIGNS, WONDERS, BREAKTHROUGH in that name. I didn't only declare this once or twice. I was consistent. Like Jacob, I refuse to let Him go until He blessed me (Genesis 32:26)!

 

I would put on my praise music and bask in it.  I got in the presence of the LORD JESUS!  I got off the phone and social media.  When you are looking for a healing, you have to put out the negative people, doubters, and naysayers like Jesus did with Jarius' daughter that was brought back from the dead (Mark 5:21).  It was no joke.  This was a very serious time for me.  I laid on my scriptures and audio healing scriptures day and night. You have to eat, sleep, read and diligently seek His Word until you get that breakthrough and answered prayers!

 

It’s amazing how people can take a doctor’s prescriptions as directed, sometimes three or four times a day, but when it comes to standing on God’s scriptures on healing, they will do it only once and expect instant results. Sometimes, God heals immediately, and sometimes we have to endure the sickness for a season and for some even for a lifetime.   

 

I called and went to numerous Holistic places for some relief but found none.  I prayed day and night consistently - LORD, bring me some relief! Please, LORD! I kept writing in my journal - LORD JESUS, bring RELIEF NOW! The relief finally came. Nobody but JESUS! Three weeks ago, I enjoyed eating meatloaf and pizza, but I couldn’t eat the hard crust.  I ate homemade smothered chicken, a Five Guys burger, and I made a homemade banana pudding that was good to my soul. I was able to eat my favorite foods once again and my favorite iced mocha/caramel latte. Recently, I ate a steak.  Oh, my goodness. God, you are so awesome.  I give you praise, honor, and glory!  

 

Like the one leper, I return to you LORD JESUS to say THANK YOU! THANK YOU!  THANK YOU! Also, a special thanks to Dr. Dang for her kindness, concern, patience, and correct diagnosis.   

 

You shall live and not die but declare the works of the living God 

(Psalm 118).

 

Like many, I didn’t have the best earthly physicians or the best health insurance, but I had the GREATEST Physician ever, Dr. JESUS.

 

Key things that helped me get through this:

Effective prayer - Call on prayer warriors and the elders (James 5)

Pick up your sword – The Word of God (Ephesians 6)

Standing on healing scriptures (Proverbs 3:8)

Put out negative folks (Mark 5) – Surround yourself with people who have faith and who believe in God’s miracle-working power!

Praying in the spirit – Building myself up in my most Holy faith, praying in the spirit (Jude 1:20).

Keep a repentant and clean heart – (Psalm 51).

Laughter is like medicine.  Make sure to do your best to get your daily dose (Proverbs 17:22).

 

I don’t know why the Lord permitted this to happen.  However, I know that the scriptures say, “All things work together for good to those who love the Lord.”  I do know what the devil meant for evil God will turn around for good.  Because of the weight loss, I pretty much had to go out and buy a new wardrobe.  I’m truly grateful for that.  

Prior to this ordeal, I had begun eating better and cooking my own food, and I will continue to eat healthier because my body is the temple of the living God.  

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:38).

Devine M.

GOD - "Where is My Honor"?

One dictionary defines the word "protocol" as "the official procedure of rules governing affairs of state or diplomatic occasions." In meeting any high-ranking dignitary, there is an unspoken etiquette that needs to be learned and adopted, or else there might be dire consequences. 

There is a CERTAIN PROTOCOL that we should adhere to when it comes to our King! There is a CERTAIN CONDUCT and PROCEDURE that He requires of us! Because HE is HOLY!!! 

Holy Holy Holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory!!! 

Isa 6:1-4 - In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two, they were flying. And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy the whole earth is full of his glory." At the sound of their voices, the doorposts and thresholds shook, and the temple was filled with smoke. 

The most common meaning of protocol is "a system of rules that explain the correct conduct and procedures to be followed in formal situations."  Since there are specific protocols for earthly kings, queens, leaders, and high-ranking dignitaries, there most certainly has to be one for the God of Israel, Abraham, Issac, and Jacob! Before the actual audience takes their place before God, you would be escorted into a room where a Palace official will explain the correct procedure and protocol for several minutes. He would probably say: I am here as a Kingdom Ambassador/official to explain the proper procedure and protocol when it comes to appearing before our King! For He is the King of ALL Kings! He's the Lord of ALL Lords!! He's the God of ALL Gods!! God told Moses - take off your shoes, for you are standing on holy ground! You have to be clean. Your heart must be pure. You have to be Holy. For without holiness, no man can see a Holy, Extraordinary, Terrifying yet Loving God who is abounding in steadfast love toward us. 

Psalms 51:7 - Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 

Revelation 21:27 - And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither [whatsoever] worketh abomination, or [maketh] a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. 

2 Corinthians 7:1 - Having, therefore, these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. God is righteous and abounding in compassion and love, patience, kindness, and longsuffering towards us!! 

HE IS TO BE HONORED!

Malachi 1:6 - "'A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?' says the LORD of hosts to you, So, how do we honor God? We honor Him by obeying His commands and following His Instructions. If you don't know his Word, you won't know his commandments. You must be a student and doer of His Word! The only way you will learn of His ways and characteristics is to READ and STUDY HIS WORD! We're to give him our best in ALL that we do!! The Bible tells us that you honor with your lips only, but your hearts are far from me! We cannot treat God in any way that we please. We cannot just talk to Him in any old way. He is to be honored, feared, respected, and reverenced! 

1 Samuel 2:30 - I am the LORD, the God of Israel. I promised to always let your family serve me as priests, but now I tell you that I cannot do this any longer! I honor anyone who honors me, but I put a curse on anyone who hates me.

Hebrews 12:28-29 - Therefore, let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,  for our God is a consuming fire. There is a certain protocol that we need to follow when it comes to our KING! PROTOCOL TOWARD THE KING!! 

HE IS TO BE FEARED! 

Proverbs 9:10 - The fear of God is the beginning of Wisdom! Proverbs 31:30- Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. This type of fear refers to reverence for Him. When you fear God, you stand in awe of Him and respect Him. When you have that reverential fear for Him, you do ALL within your powers to walk in His ways, serve Him, and love Him with every fiber of your being. You do whatever is humanly possible to please Him. We live a life free of sin when we truly fear and love Him because sin becomes less appealing as we seek to honor the one true and living God. 

HE DESERVES THANKSGIVING

Psalms 100 - Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and enter His courts with praise! Be grateful until Him and bless His Holy Name! We make a joyful noise to Him through songs of praise and worship. Psalm 95:1-3 says: Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the LORD is a great God and a great King above all gods. 

HE IS TO BE GLORIFIED! 

We glorify God when we demonstrate through words or actions, His glorious character or deeds. Modeling the character of Jesus is a good way to glorify God because we are showcasing His attributes. We also praise God when we repent of our sins and embrace and practice true religion. When we glorify God, we bring Him honor. 

HE IS TO BE REVERENCED AND PRAISED 

What does it mean to revere GOD? It means to delight in Him, glorify, regard, or treat with deep respect, high regard, and high esteem! 

Psalm 22:22-23 - I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly, I will praise you. You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! Jesus said if we keep quiet, the stones will cry out! 

Luke 19 37-40 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!" I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." We Serve our King In service to God, our King, we must do whatever He tells us to do! 

WE OBEY OUR KING 

True obedience is required of all who claim to love God. John 14:21 - Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them." 

In John 2: 1-5, On the third day, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine." Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it." 

WE LOVE OUR KING  

Deuteronomy 10:12, 20-21 records, "And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes." Mark 12: 29 - Jesus replied, "This is the most important: 'Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is One Lord, 30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Thou shalt have no other God before HIM! Love him with your whole heart! 

Psalm 148 calls all creation in heaven and earth to worship Yahweh. God is Lord over all, and as such, even the heavens declare the glory of God. The angelic beings, the sun, moon, and stars are all called to honor this Holy God because he is our worthy Creator. Next, the earthly things are called upon to praise God, every mountain and hill, fruitful trees and cedars, beasts, birds, kings and common people, men, women, and children. God is worthy of our praise, and his name alone shall be exalted. 

You cannot play with a Holy God because you will be judged for it!  It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31). 

In the Old Testament, God taught the Israelites how to show proper reverence by giving them hundreds of laws related to holiness and worship. His presence dwelt in Ark of the Covenant, and the Israelites could not touch it. Otherwise, they would be struck dead if they dishonored the holiness of God. Similarly, the Holy of Holies inside the tabernacle also required the highest level of reverence. Those who disobeyed God's command about entering this holy place died instantly. (Leviticus 22:9, Numbers 4:20) The purpose of this experience was to show the Israelites and us today that God deserves reverence and He must not be trifled with. 

WHO IS THIS GOD? 

He is the self-existent one! He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omipresent! He is Sovereign! He is Creator and Sustainer of all things in heaven and in the earth. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End! God is unchanging, and He is faithful. God is love! He is Elohim, El Shaddai, and Yahweh! He is the Shepherd, the Husbandman, and a Refuge! God is all-sufficient, and He is God all by Himself! And so much more. We cannot help but worship, honor, and reverence the one true God of the universe and Possessor over heaven, earth and beneath the earth!

Rev 7: 11-12 - All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:

“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”

Dream of Sackcloth

In January 2020, I had a dream that my husband and I were in a store looking to buy sackcloth. After the dream, I felt sadness and a feeling of dread. I felt strongly that something really bad was on the horizon. I said to myself, Lord, have mercy! It was upsetting, to say the least. I knew from reading my Bible that sackcloth represented mourning and or repentance. The Lord knows that when He shows me something, I will do my best and everything within my power to make it happen. He knows I will be obedient and follow through on it. I immediately began my search and prayed to the Lord to show me where I could purchase sackcloth garments for my husband and me. To my surprise, it was quite a chore to find this item. I eventually ordered a potato sack bag that I thought I could make into sackcloth, but that didn’t work at all. Many that I found online were very expensive. However, I never gave up. After months of searching and contacting different people, I finally found someone on Etsy. The lady told me that she could customize one from fabric that she already had. Praise the LORD! When I received them, mine was a bit tight, and I felt like I was in a straitjacket. Lord, have mercy! But I made it work. Sackcloth was a sign of mourning and repentance in the Bible. We see the King of Nineveh put on sackcloth when Jonah visited them and proclaimed throughout the streets that their city would be overthrown if they did not repent. Fearing that Joseph had been eaten by wild animals as his brothers implied, Jacob put on sackcloth as he mourned for his son. During his turmoil and afflictions, Job sewed sackcloth over his skin as he deeply mourned his losses and repented in dust and ashes. In addition, we read that King Hezekiah, when faced with blasphemous threats from the King of Assyria, through Rabshakeh, tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord. The righteous do not have to fear. The Lord reminded me of the curses that took place in Egypt, the plagues, and deaths. The Bible tells us that while there was a famine in Egypt, there was plenty in Goshen. While there was darkness in Egypt, there was light in Goshen. King David said, I've been young, and now I am old, and I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging bread. (Psalm 37:25). Are you in right standing with your Maker and Creator? Throughout this pandemic, I’ve been crying out like the blind beggar, Bartimaeus in Luke 18, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on us!” Those who were leading the way were sternly telling him to keep quiet; but he screamed all the more. This should be the cry of all of us as the days become darker. My other prayer petition is, Lord Jesus, manifest your GLORY! Research God’s glory and what happens when His glory is revealed! Search out those in the Bible and those among us who have experienced the Glory of God and the powerful demonstrations of God’s power like such as Smith Wigglesworth and Mother Mary Jenkins, William Seymour (Azusa Street Revival), Evan Roberts (Welsh Revival), and John Kilpatrick (Brownsville).

Do You Look Like Christ?

Since the pandemic, I started watching an online prayer meeting. As a person who is constantly seeking the face and glory of God, I can’t tolerate certain teachings, especially if they don’t line up with God’s Word. Truth is some wonderful, biblical teachings are out there. However, I’m in pursuit of God’s glory! My pastor, a general of the faith, was blessed to experience one of the greatest revivals of all time. He experienced the weight of God’s glory. He saw many miracles and people being saved; it is mind-blowing! Please do it again, Lord Jesus!

A righteous remnant longs for the Holy God of Israel, the God of Abraham, the God of the universe, and the possessor of heaven, earth, and beneath the earth. He is the God who answers by fire. He is the one, true and living God. He is the lover and keeper of my soul, as well as the Author and Finisher of my faith. He is the God of miracles, signs, and wonders. He heals the sick and raises the dead. He is the extraordinary and Holy God who sits on His holy throne. Praise Him with me today!

David said, “I thirst for You, Lord, in a dry and thirsty land.” He also said, “As the deer pants for the water so my soul pants for the living God.” Some of us want more of Him and less of us. The apostle John said he must decrease that Christ may increase.

Back to my story. As I was watching this online prayer service (Global Prayer Meeting), I was drawn to the pastor. There was something different about this man of God. His countenance was different. The way he prayed and spoke was different. He didn’t come across as so many others do. As he prayed and spoke, my spirit and heavy heart felt light. I felt refreshed, renewed, revived, and it seemed as if the fire of God was coming through the screen. I sensed something different while in His presence, even though I wasn’t with him physically.

After it ended, I started wondering, who is this? Where did he come from? I hadn’t seen or heard of him before. I pushed the subscribe button for this channel because I wanted to see him again and know his name. As I watched him, he said something very profound, which explained the difference in him. This pastor told the story about how he was getting up every single morning around 6:30 AM before sunrise and going into his prayer closet. He had been doing this for the last 30 years. Wow. When I heard that I thought to myself bingo! That’s it. That’s what the difference is. He was spending time in the presence of the Lord God Almighty! I couldn’t help but think about Moses when he came down from the mountain of God with two tablets after his 40-day visitation. The Bible says the light of God shone on him so brightly a veil had to go over his face.

The more time you spend in His presence, the more you will look and become like Him. I’m not saying this man was perfect, for we are all flawed and works-in-progress. We are all under construction.

All that said, I would like to pose a question to you. If you profess to be a Christian, when people see you, do they see Christ or the characteristics of the Devil? The world should see something different about you: the way you look, act, walk, talk, as well as how you carry yourself and treat others.

Coming from an Islamic background, I didn’t see many who looked like Christ; this was a turn- off. Had I not set my focus or gaze on Christ, I could have very well stumbled or even turned away from the faith. But I thank God that Christ has always been the center of my life and not people.  Remember Jesus said you will know my disciples by the love you have for one another. He also said let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:6).

My Testimony

I was raised up as a Muslim under the leadership of Elijah Muhammad and I attended Muhammad's University of Islam in Detroit Michigan along with my older brother. The girls attended school in the afternoon and the boys went in the morning. Even at the Mosque, the women were seated on the right side and the men on the left. We wore our headpieces and floor length long skirts and dresses to school, the Mosque as well as in public. We were taught that Allah was God and Elijah Muhammad was the Messenger of God. We were given guidelines, rules and regulations that we had to adhere to and if they were broken there were consequences. I remember a friend of mine being expelled from the Mosque for committing fornication.

We were taught in a very structured environment with a very strong emphasis placed on moral and ethical principles. Some of the teachings included – respect for one’s self and their bodies, eating to live and not to die and being self-sufficient and not waiting or depend on the government or anyone to give you anything. The majority of the brothers and sisters owned their own businesses. It was also drilled and instilled in us that your word is your bond and the “golden rule” – Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. This is what Jesus taught as well and we need to see more of this among the body of Christ. We always greeted each other with “As Salaam Alaikum,” meaning peace be unto you and “Wa-Alaikum-Salaam," meaning "And unto you be peace.

We didn't eat pork (Chitterlings and pork chops were outlawed in our house!) or a lot of red meat, but we ate plenty of fish, navy beans and bean pies. People would laugh at us because we ate so much fish and beans, but let me tell you – we were much healthier back then.

At times, I felt like my parents were way too strict. We were not allowed to do very much. We couldn't go to the movies without a chaperone. We weren’t allowed to go to parties or listen to certain kinds of music. I couldn’t appreciate my strict upbringing then. However I can certainly appreciate it now. We didn’t celebrate Christmas or Easter. I remember visiting my cousins during the holiday season and seeing all of their gifts under the tree and feeling slighted, not fully understanding why we didn’t receive any gifts. Yet, my parents definitely made my brother and I feel like it was Christmas the whole year round.

Now fast forwarding, I am now in my early 20’s and feeling such an indescribable emptiness and void on the inside. I felt very lonely and like something was missing from my life. At this time, I was no longer going to the Mosque nor was I going to Church. I didn’t feel a sense of purpose. Every day, on my way to and from work I remember passing by a Church on Alter Road and East Jefferson in Detroit that I felt compelled to visit. The pull seemed to get stronger every day. Something kept telling me to visit this House of Worship but I resisted because Churches had always been creepy to me. They reminded me of funerals. This is because in the past, the only time I would visit a Church was to attend a funeral. So, I associated them with death. So after wrestling with this thought for a few weeks, I finally surrendered and decided to go and to my surprise I had a really good time. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and everything the Preacher said agreed with my spirit. Although, the message seemed so right, why did I feel so? After all, these teachings went against everythingI had ever been taught. Nonetheless this felt so good it just had to be right! So I didn’t give into my reasoning, I gave into my spirit and went back to visit the same Church the following Sunday. I was baptized and accepted the LORD Jesus Christ into my life and my life has never been the same! JESUS was that missing piece from my life! I am so very happy and over thrilled that I obeyed and didn’t resist that small still voice. If I didn’t take that leap of faith and didn’t obey the Spirit of the living God I don’t want to even think about how differently my life would have turned out.

Now there was another hurdle I had to face. I had to figure out how I was going to tell my Family about my newly found faith that has ETERNALLY transformed my life. How was I going to articulate my new found faith? After all I don’t even understand this myself. What will my family think? “Oh boy, I’m in trouble now”, I thought. I knew my mother would probably understand because she had been brought up in the Church but converted to Islam after marrying my father. Well, I finally got up enough courage to spring this good news on them. Just as I expected my family thought I had lost my mind. They couldn’t understand how I could so easily convert to believing in Jesus Christ after basically being brought up as a Muslim, because after all – Islam was all I ever knew. It was difficult for me to explain to them that there is only one GOD. There is this misconception among many Muslims that Christians worship three gods. This of course is not true. The Father, Son and Holy Ghost are one. There is only one God!

One other thing I would like to address is the teachings that the white man is the devil. I have discovered as I’ve gotten a little wiser and older that the devil comes in every color white, black, red, yellow or brown and he will use any nationality. After coming into the knowledge and truth of Jesus Christ, I realized that He loves us all no matter what color or race we are! The scripture tells us in John 3:16 that “God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son that if we would believe on Him we would not perish but have everlasting life.” I learned that the love of God transcends all racial and ethnic boundaries. I John 4:8 says, “He that loves not knows not God for God is love,” and I John 4:20 says, “If a man says, I love God and hate his brother, he is a liar. For he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” Then Jesus said, “You would know my disciples by the love they show toward one another (John 13:35).” Blessed be His glorious name forever and ever! I must confess that I have found no GREATER LOVE, peace or joy than the unfailing LOVE that only JESUS CHRIST can give.

I cannot deny that I took away many wonderful attributes and traits from my Islamic background. In many ways, being raised a Muslim helped to shape me into the person I am today. I developed discipline, self-control, character, integrity and high standards. Because of my strict upbringing I was always cognizant about the way I dressed, what I ate, where I went and what I did. Now here I am over 25 years later to testify and praise the LORD for bringing me out of darkness into the MARVELOUS light! I was on my way to an eternal hell but HE saved me. To Him alone belongs all the praise, honor and the glory!! I don’t know why He chose me. Nonetheless, I am beyond euphoric and ecstatic that He did.

Dream of Jesus Return!

On Sunday, September 13, 2020, I got up early in the morning to make an appointment to get my long overdue pedicure. After making my protein shake and finding out that the nail shop didn’t open till later, I went back to sleep to take a nap. I had a brief vision. In the vision, my husband and I were walking somewhere outside. We were surrounded by buildings and people scattered here and there. I noticed some kind of dome over one of the buildings or structures. Suddenly, I saw two hands reaching out from the clouds. It was like Jesus was getting ready to come through and crack that sky. It was dramatic and so very intense. It felt so vivid and so real. I knew Jesus was getting ready to come in the clouds. I was beside myself with panic because I knew it was too late to let anyone know. My first thought was to grab my phone and take a picture, but I didn’t have time. My next thought was that I need to call my mother and father to let them know that Jesus was getting ready to return, but I didn’t have time. Oh my God! 

After awakening from the dream, I was shaken to the core and felt so drained from it. It was like I was trying so very hard to let my parents know about Jesus's return that it drained and took everything out of me. It seemed to take away all of my strength. I called my husband upstairs to tell him about the dream and I wept uncontrollably as I told it to him. I also couldn't wait to call my parents/children and wept again as I told them my dream. Since having the dream, I have felt a heavy burden to warn God's people and to tell everyone that I know about it.

I want to urge you to get right with Jesus. If you don’t know Him, find Him while He might be found (Isaiah 55:6). The time is short! Please get the word out to everyone you know. God is giving the lost a chance to get to know Him and receive Jesus Christ into your heart. His desire is for none to perish, but for all to be saved!  His return is imminent!

Revelation 1:7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him— even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen. 8“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIyu0AF7peo&feature=youtu.be

Come and Let us Praise the Lord God Almighty!

Psalms 150:1 - 127:6 - Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.  

John 4:23 - But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Psalms 100:2 - Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

Psalms 150:6 - Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

Psalms 95:1-6 - O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.   

Colossians 3:16 - Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Hebrews 13:15 - By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of [our] lips giving thanks to his name.

Psalms 117:1-2 - O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.   

Psalms 100:4 - Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, [and] into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, [and] bless his name.

Psalms 96:1-9 - O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth.   

Zephaniah 3:17 - The LORD thy God in the midst of thee [is] mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

John 4:24 - God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.

Ephesians 5:19 - Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

Psalms 146:1 - 127:2 - Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.   

Psalms 30:11 - Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

Psalms 149:3 - Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.