God With Us: The Shift

And the angel said; to the shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David (Bethlehem) a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

[Lk 1:11]

Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, Isaiah, that: “A virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name Emmanuel ...which being interpreted is,          God with us.”

[Isa 7:14; Matt 1:23b]

Hence, the shift: from “without” to “within;” or, as Pastor said; “God did happen to us {mankind}, in a most intimate/vital way; over against the very ordained 'laws' of nature, that He himself established and upholds...such that the “unlimited” {God} was irrevocably joined to “limited” {mankind}.”

ThenSingsMySoul:

MILD HE LAYED HIS 'GLORY' BY,

BORN THAT MAN NO MORE MAY DIE,

BORN TO RAISE THE SONS OF EARTH;

BORN TO GIVE THEM SECOND BIRTH.

HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING,

GLORY TO THE NEWBORN KING!

By Faith (The) [Gravy]

The Lord is so full (complete) that the mind get's lost in the fatness of Him; hence 'the gravy.' [Pastor]

In order for “faith” to be made perfect/complete, it must consist of two things: “hearing” and 'responding' to; or receiving, as seed into good ground, and walking in, or participating in (or making full use of) what you have received. [Pastor; Rom 10:17; Jas 2:20]

Therefore, every rhema (saying) of God must have a receptacle (vessel) to be deposited into. Jesus was that rhema (Word) of God, made flesh; to 'do' (participate in/or fulfill) the will of God. 

[Pastor; Jn 1:14; Heb 10:5,7]

The Amplified version of [Lk 1:37] reads: “No word of God is void of power (or ability), to do the impossible.”   

For God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: has He ever promised without doing what He said?                       [Num 23:19 kjv/tlb]

ThenSingsMySoul:

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH YOU,

MY LORD, AND KING.

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE, MAKER OF EVERYTHING.

YOU MADE THE WORLD OUT OF NOTHING;

YOU FORMED IT BY YOUR WORD.

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE;

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH YOU!

Before and After Sin

Before the fall (sin), man communed/fellowshipped/and interacted with the invisible God; received the “blessing;” was clothed in His glory and honor, “naked and unashamed;” given “dominion” and authority over creation; received the “woman” taken out of his flesh; and they beheld Him together.

[Pastor; Gen 1:28; 2:25, 21-24]

After the fall (sin), man rejected the glory of God, and substituted it with fig leaves [Gen 3:7]; and rejected the communion/fellowship/and interaction with God, and hid from the presence of the Lord [Gen 3:8]. And man even rejected the “woman” that God gave him; accusing her of misleading him [Gen 3:12]; and, instead of seeing Him who is invisible, they were only able to see their nakedness.

[Pastor]

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God (after being translated, by His salvation, from darkness into His marvelous light), and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”

[1 Jn 3:2; Col 1:13; 1 Pet 2:9]

ThenSingsMySoul:

RESTORATION HAS FINALLY COME,

BEEN RESTORED BACK TO MY PLACE IN GOD.

THIS IS MY PRAYER TODAY,

RESTORE ME, RESTORE TO ME THE JOY!

[Winans]

Jenelsie's Corner (#319)

My Grace and Truth Family, 

Grace and peace be multiplied to you all as this race set by our Lord is run with patience, longsuffering  and perseverance, knowing that running is not by power, nor by might, but by HIS SPIRIT.  As this year end approaches, consider how our Father God has increased us in stature of the image of the Lord Jesus through the many vicissitudes that the Holy Ghost has presented..."being made conformable"...as witness of His connection with His redeemed 'man' in the earth.  We can be encouraged and confident that our God, who began this good work in us, shall manifest its completion. 

Let us pray for one another as we communicate, even talk, with our Father God out from a solid foundation of understanding about His relationship with us and ours with Him through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Hallelujah! 

Love to you in Christ Jesus, 

Sister Jenelsie, Pastor's wife

To Finish His Work

Participation is necessary: the reason for “being” of man; that we might be partakers of (be joined to) the divine nature (aka eternal life). [Pastor; Ps 8:3-4; 2 Pet 1:4]

We are learning “If man does not participate (respond, by faith), nothing will be accomplished (or finished);” because “faith without works (participation) is dead, being alone.”

[Pastor; Heb 4:1-2; Jas 2:17]

This participation is nurtured, and directed, by unceasing communion with the Father; and prayer is the touchstone upon which eternal life is sustained. The line of communication must be maintained.                        [Pastor; 1 Thess 5:17]

In His last prayer for His disciples, Jesus said: “As Thou hast sent Me into the world (to do Thy will, and finish Your work), even so have I sent them into the world.”

[Jn 17:18; 4:34; Matt 28:19-20]

As the “body of Christ” in the earth, our response should be, “Here am I, Lord, send me.”

[1 Cor 12:27; Isa 6:8]

ThenSingsMySoul:

  

WHATEVER IT TAKES

TO DO YOUR WILL, LORD, I WILL DO IT

WHEREVER YOU SHOW TO ME, I WILL GO.

WHOEVER YOU LEAD ME TO, I WILL SPEAK YOUR WORD.

FOR CHRIST'S SAKE, THIS CHOICE I MAKE;

WHATEVER IT TAKES!

"You Are Making It Personal"

This was pastor's confession unto the Lord recently, during prayer.

Pastor then said, God saved us so that He could talk to/speak to (or commune with) us on a personal level; that we can be made participants in the Godhead.  [Pastor; 2 Cor 6:16]

note. The Lord made us for a relationship; and out of that relationship “all things are yours;” because, as “joint heirs,” what's His is ours. [Pastor; 1 Cor 3:21b; Rom 8:17]

note. “Salvation” is the “power of God” demonstrated; such that our 'impossibility' must be joined to the 'possibility' (of God); that the “impossible” may be accomplished in/thru and for us.                                  [Pastor; Rom 1:16; Lk 1:37] 

There is a “specific' faith for a “certain” salvation; and

faith is a response to who God is, and what He promised; “for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”

[Pastor; Heb 11:6]

ThenSingsMySoul:

WE DO BELIEVE,

WE DO BELIEVE IN YOU.

WE DO BELIEVE,

WE DO BELIEVE IN YOU.

WE DO BELIEVE,

WE DO BELIEVE IN YOU,

AND WE'RE GOING TO PRAISE YOUR NAME!

His Power To Us-ward Who Believe

Our heavenly Father has ordained “A Specific Faith;” having a special quality (or power), that we could walk with Him in a very “sure” relationship; built on a “sure” foundation. [Pastor; Isa 28:16c]

The Lord, Jesus, is the “stone” of Daniel, and Isaiah; and the rejected “stone” of Matthew 21:42; destined to become “the head of the corner” (aka chief cornerstone).

[Dan 2:34; Isa 28:16; cf Ps 118:22]

As Christ was tempted, and tried; so shall our faith be tried, by fire; to prove it's praise worthiness, at Christ's appearing; that our faith would stand in the power of  God. [Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 1:7; 1 Cor 2:5]

As a “man,” Christ's model (blueprint/example) for faith was His earthly father Abraham; the father of us all. [Pastor]

[1 Tim 2:5; Rom 4:16; cf Isa 51:1-2 “Look unto Abraham”]

  

Concerning that “Stone;” which was Christ, Isaiah concluded: “He that believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.” [Isa 28:16d/AMP]

ThenSingsMySoul:

WE ARE NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

FOR IT IS GOD'S POWER OF SALVATION

TO EVERYONE THAT BELIEVES IT

TO EVERYONE THAT RECEIVES IT

WE SHALL HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE!

The Testimony Of The Lord

Celebration 2013 has been a whirlwind of prayer and thanksgiving; as our generation praised the works of the Lord, in Grace and Truth, to the generation that is coming after us.

[Ps 145:4]

As Pastor rehearsed His deeds among us, he reminded us, as a Fellowship, that God's miraculous doings in our history are only a sign, that “every record of what God has done is a promise of what He will do again;” saying, IF HE DID IT BEFORE, HE'LL DO IT AGAIN!  

[Pastor; Heb 13:8; Tye Tribett]

  

The root meaning of the word “testimony” is “to repeat again;” that the virtue of the speaking will release Abba's hand, to manifest His power in bringing and sending us forward; while sustaining us, to do His will. Where God guides, He provides.

[Pastor; Gen 22:8, 14 Jehovah Jireh]

By the “hearing” of our ears, we have been enabled to “taste and see that the Lord is good;” and that “no good thing will He withhold from them who walk uprightly.”

[Ps 34:8a; 84:11c]

ThenSingsMySoul:

THE LAW OF THE LORD IS PERFECT, CONVERTING THE SOUL.

THE TESTIMONY OF THE LORD IS SURE,

MAKING WISE THE SIMPLE.

MORE TO BE DESIRED ARE THEY THAN GOLD,

YEA THAN MUCH FINE GOLD;

SWEETER ALSO THAN THE HONEY

FROM THE HONEYCOMB.

[Ps 19:7, 10]

With All Thy Getting

Our Lord, Jehovah, declared; thru His prophet Jeremiah:  “I will give you pastors according to Mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.”

[Jer 3:15]

That's where being shepherded into His “rest” [GTFI vision] takes on an entirely new meaning; like having our perspective transformed, by the renewing of our mind; shifting our focus from I/me/my unto Him, who is the author and finisher of our faith.

[Rom 12:2; Heb 12:2]

The Apostle James, in his letter to the church, wrote: “If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, Who giveth to all men bountifully ...and he shall receive it.”

[Jas 1:5/implied; Jn 16:24]

Wisdom speaks, thru king Solomon; the wisest man on earth, saying, “Wisdom is the principle thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting, get an understanding.”

[1 Ki 3:9-12; Prov 4:7]

ThenSingsMySoul:

SHOW (US) YOUR WAYS,

THAT (WE) MAY WALK WITH YOU.

SHOW (US) YOUR WAYS,

(WE) PUT OUR HOPE IN YOU.

THE JOY OF (OUR) HEART IS TO LOVE YOU MORE,

TO LIVE WITH THE TOUCH OF YOUR HAND;

STRONGER EACH DAY, 

SHOW (US) YOUR WAYS.

To Ask And Receive

Jesus said, “Whosoever shall say ...and ...believe that those things which he says shall come to pass ...shall have whatsoever he says.”

[Mk 11:23] 

Why “must” the “works” of God be manifest? And what is man's role (IN Christ) in the completion of those “works?”

[Jn 9:3b-4]

That the brilliance of the light of the Father's glory might shine, through man's participation in exercising dominion over “the works of His hands.” 

[Pastor] [Jn 9:5, I AM the light; Matt 5:14, Ye are the light; Ps 8:6] 

So, “Let your 'light' so shine that men may see your good 'works,' and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” 

[Matt 5:16]  

  

Then you, too, can pray, as Jesus did; “Father …I know that you hear Me always, “ but, so that others may know that you called and chose me to finish Your 'works,' I call upon You.

[Jn 11:42; 1 Jn 5:15;  

ThenSingsMySoul:

HITHERTO HAVE YOU ASKED NOTHING IN MY NAME;

ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE, THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL.

[Jn 16:24]

Jenelsie's Corner (#318)

My GTFI family, 

Our Father God has brought us, along with the saints all over the world, through another year full of triumphs and victories following our sufferings and trials.  Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers us out of them all.  Our celebration is that our God delivers His people--'from a place into a place'.  HE gives us a story to tell in proving that we are His beloved--a chosen generation. 

Let's assemble ourselves with hands lifted up, mouths filled with praise and hearts giving thanks to bless our God.  By One Man, Christ Jesus, we have been redeemed and returned to the Father.  Now joined to  HIM by JESUS, we are a new creation--the new man; JESUS is the head and we, the church, are the body!  We are filled with HIS SPIRIT!  We have much to CELEBTRATE, 2013! 

"Rejoice, rejoice, and again I say, rejoice!" 

Love in Christ Jesus, 

Jenelsie Howell, pastor's wife

Say Amen

“In the beginning was The Word, and The Word was with God, and The Word was God. All things were made by/or through The Word, and without The Word was not anything made ...and, by The Word all things consist”

God does not say, or do, anything without “The Word.”

Let the church say Amen!

[John 1:1, 3; Col 1:17; Gen 1:3,6,9,11 “...And God said”]

In a letter to Timothy, Paul revealed that we; who have been born of the Spirit, have been saved ...and called, with a holy calling, according to God's own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus/The Word ...by which we live. Our steps should be ordered by The Word.         Let the church say Amen!

[2 Tim 1:9; Matt 4:4; Ps 119:122]

   

note. God chose to create man for the purpose of loving him, with His love; toward the end that man would respond to (choose, or Amen!) that love, and be joined to (or participate in) the (eternal) life of the Godhead. For it is in The Word that we live, and move, and have our being.

Let the church say Amen!

[Pastor; Gen 1:26; Acts 17:28]  

ThenSingsMySoul: 

MAKE THIS YOUR RESPONSE/AMEN!

TO WHATEVER HE SAYS/AMEN!

FROM THE HEALING OF YOUR BODY/AMEN!

TO THE RAISING OF THE DEAD/AMEN!

EVEN IN THE VALLEY, OR STANDING AT YOUR RED SEA/AMEN!

CONTINUE TO SAY/AMEN!

CAUSE YOUR HELP IS ON THE WAY/AMEN!

THE LORD HAS SPOKEN;

LET THE CHURCH SAY AMEN!

Jenelsie's Corner (#317)

My dear sisters and brothers, 

What can be our response to what is being spoken to us at this hour?  "Lord, give me a hunger so that I can eat Your WORD and live."  "Give me an understanding, Lord."  "Lord, it's my desire to take the more earnest heed to hear, receive, and believe what You are speaking."  "Be it unto me, Lord, what You have spoken, according to Your WORD". 

...and the body at GTFI all say 'amen'. 

With love in Christ Jesus, 

Jenelsie Howell 

Pastor's wife

Jenelsie's Corner (#316)

My GTFI Family, 

I remember the theme for our celebration a few years ago:  "In SYNC with the Spirit."  The WORD which our Lord has delivered to us over the past few months has been sure evidence of the paradigm shift occurring in our midst. 

The 'Jordan' illustration captured the essence of where the Spirit of the Lord has brought us to in our 'walk with Him.'  But I know HE will speak again and again, so let us give our ears to hear.  HE suffers long with those of us who are slow and dull of hearing, and HE is full of compassion.  We are HIS BELOVED and HE has not changed His mind about 'taking us to the store so we can choose our delight.'  So whether we're in the 'washing' or 'distraction' process, know that His purpose for calling us from darkness to His marvelous light is a present reality. 

Hallelujah! 

Love you all in Christ Jesus, 

Sister Jenelsie, Pastor's wife 

Jenelsie's Corner (#315)

My family at GTFI, 

Behold!  What manner of love the Father has given to us...that we should be called the sons and daughters of God!  And greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.  But as HIs 'man-children' now bearing the image of His Beloved Son, we too shall love one another as HE has loved us.  The Holy Ghost whom the Father has sent to us shall teach all these things. 

We have a good daddy!  Hallelujah! 

Your sister, 

Jenelsie, Pastor's wife 

Jenelsie's Corner (#314)

My sisters and brothers, 

My thoughts have been on this wise:  The Spirit of the Lord is taking time to reveal, even to teach to us, just how 'peculiar' HE has made us as 'man.'  Formed to be-loved; be-loved to be formed--fearfully and wonderfully made!  Oh, to apprehend that by which we have been apprehended! 

Don't be deceived, my friends, our minds must be renewed in the Truth, and hearing again and again is our blessing.  My prayer for us:  Papa, open our ears to 'ear' and give us hearts to receive when YOU speak to us.  Now let the church say, "AMEN!" 

Hallelujah!  Hallelujah! 

Your sister in Christ Jesus, 

Jenelsie, Pastor's wife

Jenelsie's Corner (#313)

My GTFI Family, 

Our Father is so wonderful, kind, and merciful!  HIS WORD is destroying, pulling down, tearing down, and pulling up strongholds that have held us captive in depression for a long time.  The "high calling of God" has absolutely nothing to do with our achievements and accomplishments nor our faults and failures. Our 'happiness' has been so tied into our success stories that whenever we don't succeed, we plummet into a 'deep' sadness.  But in this current series, our God is declaring His love for us as man and woman; His affection is set towards us.  We are the apple of His eye.  The blood of Jesus Christ has redeemed us to God, and HE has given us a new life hidden in HIM.  Little by little HE is dispelling the notions and lies which keep us in bondage in our own minds.  HIS SPIRIT is breathing LIFE from HIS WORD, and we are walking in a freedom out from depression! 

Our worship and praise are in response to what our Lord is speaking to give us clarity and understanding about His thoughts about us since before the beginning.  Our deliverance from depression is linked to the "high calling." 

 And this is life eternal: to know our FATHER, the only TRUE GOD and Jesus Christ, whom  the Father has sent!  Hallelujah! 

Love in Christ Jesus, 

Sister Howell, Pastor's wife

The High Calling Of God

...is the unfathomable union of the Creator and His creature (man) as one, for ever!  So unfathomable/immeasurabe/incomprehensible that it must occur in a 'dimension' called eternity. Amen!

[Pastor; Phil 3:13-14]

Man was chosen, in the Creator, from that 'dimension;' called “before the foundation of the world,” that we should be holy and without blame before Him IN love.  [Eph 1:4]

  

Why did God make man? To “love” him.

“Beloved” and “pleased” are two words that describe the Father's attitude toward us, as son's and daughter's.

[Pastor; Matt 3:17]

Behold, what manner of love the Father has given unto us, that we should be called the son's (and daughter's) of God. [1 Jn 3:1; 2 Cor 6:18]

The Spirit of the Lord is working IN us both to “know” and “Believe” the love that God has for us. [1 Jn 4:16]

ThenSingsMySoul:

TO BE LOVED, TO BE LOVED;

OH, WHAT A FEELING, TO BE LOVED!

Jenelsie's Corner (#312)

My Grace and Truth Family, 

Beloved, be reminded of the new covenant, even a promise from our Father through Lord Jesus:  HE will never leave us nor forsake us.  Now then, our trust is unto Him; our hope is unto Him. Our worship is unto Him...Who has chosen us...unto Him who has given us this great salvation...now unto Him Who is able to keep us (His beloved 'man'--the church) from falling again and to present us faultless before the presence of His glory with  exceeding joy... 

Hallelujah!  Amen! 

Love in Christ Jesus, 

Jenelsie Howell, Pastor's Wife

Choose Ye This Day

From the garden of Eden to the cross of Calvary, and beyond; man has been given a choice ...”to not eat,” and live; or “to believe,” and not perish.

[Gen 2:16-17; Jn 3:16; Isa 53:5-6]

 The Lord, Jehovah, said: “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life...”

[Deu 30:19b]

 Part of the “high calling of God” is to be huMan! the earthly image and likeness of the Son of man. 

[Pastor; Phil 3:13-14; Gen 1:26]

God sent His Word into the earth, to become a man(flesh); that, through His beloved Son (the Word), the Lord might redeem and bring many sons to “glory;” that we might be called the son's of God.

[Jn 1:14; Heb 2:19; 1 Jn 3:1-2]

The “glory” of God is man's participation; or his divinely ordained ability to choose.

[Pastor; Phil 2:13]

ThenSingsMySoul:

CHOOSE YE THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE,

WILL IT BE GOD OR MAN?

WELL NOW THE CHOICE IS YOURS;

BUT YOU MUST CHOOSE YE THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE,

WITHOUT A MOMENT TO LOOSE

YOU MUST CHOOSE.