I have been enjoying listening to the radio as they have been playing all the Christmas hits during this holiday season. One station with the help of the listeners and Chick-fil-a, have been granting Christmas wishes to people that had special needs. Each day the station would say what Chick-fil-a location to go to in order to get a Christmas wish card. They would also tell you that Santa will be there, and you can get your picture with him. Every time I heard them talk about going to Chick-fil-a and Santa, something on the inside of me wanted to get my picture taken with Santa. Real silly, huh? Well not for the Lord.

Vinings Worship Center, my church, is in fellowship with Good News Church. They are a church pastored by people from Korea.  This church is part of a national organization that puts on “The Christmas Cantata“, which travels all over the world. The cantata is done in several different languages.  Good News Church here in the Atlanta area was presenting a smaller version of “The Christmas Cantata” at their local church featuring their young people all the way to college age. Before the performance, the church had a dinner for the Pastors. As I walked into the church foyer, their sat Santa in his little village. My heart leaped with joy!! I immediately ask if I could take my picture with Santa. The camera immediately began to click.

As I reflected about all of this, I remembered how my heart really wanted to get a picture with Santa. Even though it was a small and seemingly insignificant desire, the Lord caused that desire to be filled. My heart filled with joy, gladness and thankfulness. The Lord cares about everything about us no matter how small.

The scripture says to delight yourself in the Lord. So, what does that mean exactly?
Noah Webster in his 1828 dictionary gives this definition for delight;

DELIGHT, noun
1. A high degree of pleasure, or satisfaction of mind; joy.
His delight is in the law of the Lord. Psalms 1:2.
2. That which gives great pleasure; that which affords delight
Titus was the delight of human kind.
DELIGHT is a more permanent pleasure than joy, and not dependent on sudden excitement.
DELIGHT, verb transitive
1. To affect with great pleasure; to please highly; to give or afford high satisfaction or joy; as, a beautiful landscape delights the eye; harmony delights the ear; the good conduct of children, and especially their piety, delights their parents.
2. To receive great pleasure in.
DELIGHT, verb intransitive To have or take great pleasure; to be greatly pleased or rejoiced; followed by in.

To delight yourself in the Lord just simply means to show pleasure towards the Lord. Delight can be seen for the Lord by praising Him and just to enjoy being in His presence. Your heart is filled with pleasure, joy and satisfaction for the Lord. In turn the Lord grants you the desires of his heart. When Jesus Christ does that, you will experience joy and happiness that cannot be explained. That is what I felt when I took my picture with Santa. I was so delighted that Jesus Christ made it possible.

I pray that during this Christmas season, you will experience the delight of the Lord in a greater measure. As you spend the Christmas Holiday with family and friends, take time to delight yourself in the Lord. Expect the Lord to give you your own special “Santa surprise.”

“Merry Christmas“

 1 Corinthians 9:7-11 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

⁷ [Consider this:] What soldier at any time serves at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat any of the fruit of it? Who tends a flock and does not partake of the milk of the flock?

⁸ Do I say this only on human authority and as a man reasons? Does not the Law endorse the same principle?

⁹ For in the Law of Moses it is written, You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the corn. Is it [only] for oxen that God cares?

¹⁰ Or does He speak certainly and entirely for our sakes? [Assuredly] it is written for our sakes, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher ought to thresh in expectation of partaking of the harvest.

¹¹ If we have sown [the seed of] spiritual good among you, [is it too] much if we reap from your material benefits?

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

Growing up in a traditional church,  I didn’t have an understanding about paying pastors or ministry gifts.   I can remember having a musical program and inviting a group to sing four songs It never occurred to me that I should have given them an offering for coming.

Malachi 3:10-12 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
10 Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
11 And I will rebuke the devourer [insects and plagues] for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine drop its fruit before the time in the field, says the Lord of hosts.
12 And all nations shall call you happy and blessed, for you shall be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

The definition of Tithe from Noah Webster’s original dictionary of 1828.
TITHE, noun The tenth part of any thing; but appropriately, the tenth part of the increase annually arising from the profits of land and stock, allotted to the clergy for their support.

Tithe simply means a tenth. The Lord requires us to give the first tenth of our income. If your weekly check is $1,000 then $100 is the tithe from that check.

The tithe is established to support your local church. In Malachi 3, the Lord says “storehouse.’ The storehouse is your church. This is where you get spiritual food as well as fellowship. The tithe is designed to maintain the churches expenses like rent or mortgage, utilities as well as salaries for the staff.

Churches when they receive the tithe can tithe off what they receive also. Many churches give to missions, to the homeless and the like. Just recently a church worked with an organization to pay people medical bills. What a tremendous blessing to those people but also a tremendous witness of the Love of Jesus Christ in action. When you tithe to your church, you are part of that giving also.

The Lord never tells you to do something without having blessings attached to it. That can be said about tithing. As a tither, there seems to be a supernatural favor. The Lord pours blessings into your life in unusual ways. Your money seems to go further. You buy things and they last longer. The Lord will cause your light to shine and people will see the blessings of the Lord flowing in your life!!

Step out in faith and tithed to your church. Watch the Lord keep His Word in your life!! The blessings and favor will flow in whys you can’t even imagine.

Luke 6:38 King James Version (KJV)
38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain

Luke 6:38 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
38 Give, and [gifts] will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will they pour [a]into [the pouch formed by] the bosom [of your robe and used as a bag]. For with the measure you deal out [with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others], it will be measured back to you.

The Lord Jesus Christ was truly a giver. He gave is life for us to we can have life. Jesus Christ in Luke was giving directions to his disciples to give. Giving is a vital part of the Christian life. It is a way of life.
Giving represents your heart. In order for you to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you had to open up your heart to receive the sacrifice He gave.
It is important that you allow the Holy Spirit to lead you and make you sensitive to where and who to give.

Prayer Opens Doors

1 Timothy 2:1-2 Amplified Bible (AMP)
First of all, then, I urge that petitions (specific requests), prayers, intercessions (prayers for others) and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all people, 2 for [a]kings and all who are in [positions of] high authority, so that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

I have been sharing on a consistent basis on Facebook how important it is as a Christian to pray for their leaders and the people that are in authority over them. This really became so important for me to share when I would see some ugly post and comments on Facebook about our leaders. I began to strongly encourage Christians to pray for our leaders. I also emphasized the importance of keeping your heart right because this could open a door for the Lord to use you to directly minister to our leaders. That is exactly what happened to me. The Lord opened a door for me to speak a word of encouragement to one of our leaders.

I attended the March For Life in Washington, D.C. recently. This march is all about protecting and speaking up for the life of the unborn. I marched with Democrats For Life of America (DFLA). As we were walking to the site of the rally, we suddenly saw a police car and a motorcade. One of the leaders with DFLA shared that he saw Vice President Pence in the car. After the motorcade passed we preceded to go to the rally. Because of the crowed we suddenly stopped. I didn’t realize that we stopped right behind the stage for the rally. Vice President Pence was speaking to the crowd. I could see the secret service as well as military personnel with HUGE guns. After Vice President Pence finished speaking, he came down the stairs not far from us. I immediately yelled “Look this way.” That got his attention. He turned and looked at me. I extended my hands towards him and began to speak blessings to him. The whole thing took about 5 seconds.

I believe all of that took place because I had made a decision to pray for our leaders and keep my heart right towards them. I may never know the impact of the words the Lord had me to speak to Vice President Pence. That is why it is so important to watch what you say about our leaders. Prayer is the key to change as well as the key to keeping your heart right.

The scripture says in I Timothy 2 says that when we pray for our leaders that will help us to have a peaceful and quiet life. Praying for our leaders not only helps them but helps us to have a peaceful life. Praying for our leaders can open doors for you to minister to them as well as bring answers to prayers in your life.

Remember, prayer is the key! Continue to pray for our leaders so peace may abound in our land and our lives.

Blessings to you!!

Rev. Harriet

Plant A Seed

Genesis 8:22 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

²² While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

Everything starts with a seed.  If you want to have a harvest you must first plant a seed.   If you want corn to eat, you much plant corn seeds.   If you want your money to multiply,  must plant seeds of money.  If you want to have a great return or harvest, you must plant in fertile soil. Your seed will grow richly.

Zechariah 4:10 says despise not small beginnings.  You may only have a few seeds.  Plant them in rich soil and soon you will have a tremendous harvest.  Just as every plant that grows contains seed in them,  so does your seed of money.   Be a continual sower and you will have a continual harvest.

As we celebrate the birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,  the Lord  planted a precious seed, His son, and in return He now has many sons.

Let us remember as we enjoy our families and friends during this Christmas Season, that Jesus Christ is the REASON for the season.

Merry Christmas

During a recent Women’s Day at  Vinings Worship Center,  the theme for that day was to share about being a spirit-controlled woman and how the Lord helps you with your weaknesses.  You will see on this video how my “Happy Sanguine” personality comes out in full force.  I emphasized how important it is to embrace who you are, look at your weaknesses and allow the Lord to make them your strengths.

There is a temperament test that you can take to determine what temperament you possess.  It is also good idea for married couples and even engaged couples to take the test in order to determine how your temperaments can work together in harmony.

Here are the definitions of each temperament.  Can you see yourself described?

Popular Sanguine

Sanguines are spontaneous, vivacious and cheerful. They see the positive in everything around them and always expect the best out of life. Being naturally optimistic, sanguines can take any dull task and make it fun.

Perfect Melancholy

Melancholies are thoughtful, faithful and persistent. Their detail-oriented minds, combined with extremely high standards, often lead them to make great strides in their area of expertise. For melancholies, planning and organization are an essential part of life. They are meticulously tidy, and always on time. It’s fun for them to analyze data and find creative solutions. The melancholy’s motto: If something is worth being done, it’s worth being done right.

Powerful Choleric

Cholerics are adventurous, persuasive and confident. These natural born leaders are great goal setters, risk takers, decision makers and managers. If there’s a problem, they have a plan. If something “cannot be done,” they want to do it! Cholerics enjoy being in control, and welcome change and opposition. They tend to be more interested in achieving goals, and less sensitive to the feelings of others. The choleric’s maxim: “Do it my way, right away!”

Peaceful Phlegmatic

Phlegmatics are friendly, patient and contented. These well-balanced souls are the easiest of all temperaments to get along with. They are agreeable, eager to help, and not in need of too much attention. A strong desire for unity, plus their ability to listen and offer objective opinions, makes them wonderful moderators. Phlegmatics are pessimistic “realists.” However, their low-key nature allows them to be calm and collected when others might get anxious or upset. Their main goal in life: to live in peace.

These definitions were taken from the website of Joyce Meyer Ministries.  https://www.joycemeyer.org/everydayanswers/ea-teachings/understanding-the-4-personalities

Just as discussed in the video clip,  you can learn and celebrate your strengths. The Lord will bring people into your life that will balance and help you with those weak areas.  Then your strengths will help others that are weak in the areas where you are strong.  A true BALANCED life!

John 13:35 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

³⁵ By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves].

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

I do a Facebook Live every Sunday before my church service . This video is a Facebook Live video where I was very emotional.  I watched Aretha Franklin’s homegoing service.  Her family had invited Ariana Grande to sing “Natural Woman” after they heard her sing the song on The Jimmy Fallon Show.

I mostly listen to Gospel and Contemporary Christian Music.  I am not familiar with a lot of the secular music artist.  I had only heard Ariana Grande’s name and never her music.

Ariana caused a HUGE controversy for some in  the Christian community.  She wore a short black dress at the homegoing service that wasn’t a “Sunday Best” dress.  My first thought when I saw her in the dress  that this was HER VERSION of being conservative.  Otherwise, this was a toned-down dress for Ariana.  I also thought that she wasn’t familiar with church protocol.

Immediately, the Christians began to blast her on social media saying things like “a church mother should have told her what to wear” or “what she is wearing is inappropriate.”

What disturbed me the most was out of all the comments posted by Christians on my Facebook,  no one said anything about sharing the love of Jesus Christ with her or sharing the  plan of salvation.   No one even suggested that we as Christians need to pray for her. What Christians didn’t remember that Ariana was invited and she was on our territory, the church.  This was a perfect time for us to share the love of Jesus and see if she had Jesus in her heart. That is what the Lord has called us to do.  If a person isn’t familiar with church, then, they won’t know what to do.  As Christians we should have shared about Jesus first and then allow Jesus to change her.

As you will hear on the video,  I believe that this was a test for the Christians.  What will you do if someone comes to your church and they don’t look like what you think they should.   Yes, there is protocol for the church but let’s get the person saved first and then give correction.

To add to the story a few days after the homegoing service for Aretha Franklin,  Ariana Grande had a friend very close to her died suddenly.  I wonder if any words were said to her at the homegoing to help her face that situation.

I continue to pray for Ariana Grande believing for her experience a loving, saving encounter with Jesus Christ.

Psalm 147:3 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds [curing their pains and their sorrows].
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

Every Sunday I do a Facebook Live sharing a short encouraging message. Here is a Facebook Live I did about examining your heart.

Recently, I attended an event and when a person wasn’t in attendance someone asked about them. When they did that, I wasn’t happy. I had forgiven the person but wasn’t thrilled with the idea of seeing this person in that social setting. This set off a “signal” inside me that I needed to release the hurt and get things right. I did that immediately!!
This Facebook Live challenges you to examine your heart.

The Lord has provided a way for you to be healed of your hurts physically as well as emotionally. When you get that “signal” admit it to the Lord, release it to him and watch the Lord bring healing to you.

You have the Victory!!!

Surrendering To Freedom

Revelation 12:11 King James Version (KJV)
11 And they overcame him (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.  King James Version

SURREN’DER, verb transitive [Latin sursum, and rendre, to render.]

1. To yield to the power of another; to give or deliver up possession upon compulsion or demand; as, to surrenderone’s person to an enemy, or to commissioners of bankrupt; to surrender a fort or a ship. [To surrender up is not elegant.]

Recently, I went to the premiere of Here’s My Heart: A Documentary of Surrendering to Freedom. This documentary takes you on the journey of 12 people that were entangled in a lifestyle of homosexual/lesbian/transgender to finding freedom in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. True Overcomers!
As I sat there captivated by each of their stories, it was amazing to see how Jesus Christ transformed their lives. One person showed a picture of him when he was in the lifestyle. I had to blink because he looked totally different. A true transformation!
Even though each story was slightly different, I began to see common traits in all of them.
1. Each person didn’t know how valuable they were. Many had been rejected and abandoned. They were looking for acceptance and the homosexual lifestyle presented them with a false sense of acceptance and twisted love.
2. It was a small step that led to bigger steps into the lifestyle.
3. They believed a lie that homosexuality was their “true” self.
4. The deeper into the life of perversion the emptier they felt.
5. In the emptiness, they began to cry out for help.
6. The Lord had Christians come across their paths to share the love of Jesus Christ and pray for them.
7. At their lowest pit, they reached out to Jesus Christ. There were always people that helped to lead them.
8. They had to make a decision to surrender to Jesus Christ. That is when their transformation took place.
9. They recognized that it is only by the Lord’s grace that they are walking in freedom.
10. Now they are going back and sharing with others in that lifestyle the freedom and acceptance they found in Jesus Christ.

This documentary will provide a bridge from the church to reaching out to the LGBT community. True freedom can only be found in Jesus Christ. It is the love of Jesus Christ that changes a life.

Here’s My Heart: A Documentary of Surrendering to Freedom is an awesome tool that can help a church or small group minister deliverance to the LGBT community. The testimonies presented in this documentary are based on the Word of God and can change a life. This documentary can “preach” for you.
The DVD will be available shortly. You can go to their website. The information will be posted when the DVD is ready for release.

Lastly, the steps to their freedom from the homosexual lifestyle, are the same steps that you can take for anything that may have you captive. Just cry out the Jesus Christ and He will not only hear your cry but do something about it. Just SURRENDER TO FREEDOM!! That freedom can be found only in Jesus Christ.

To surrender your life to Jesus Christ, just say this simple prayer:  Jesus, I am a sinner.  I ask you Lord to come into my life and save me.  Thank you, Lord for saving me.  I accept your righteousness and walk in the newness of Life.  In Jesus Name.

It is just that simple.  You have been made new.  Now ask the Lord to lead you to a good church for you.  If you are in the Atlanta, GA area,  I invite you to my church, Vinings Worship Center, 4372 Oakdale Road, Smyrna, GA.  For those of you outside of the Atlanta, GA area, complete the contact form and I will recommend some churches in your area.

Also, if the Lord is leading you to plant a seed into this ministry, click on the Give and it will give you directions on how to do that.

Truly this is a new day for you!!  Walk in the your TRUE freedom in Jesus Christ.