According to the word of God, God wants us to show compassion to others through our actions. To do so requires us to walk in the love of God and to always be willing to forgive. The word of God says that vengeance is His. Romans 12: 19-21 says:

¹⁹ Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

²⁰ Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” ²¹Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

To lack forgiveness in your heart towards someone and to not walk in love will make it very difficult to have compassion for anyone. The word of God mentions having compassion over one hundred times. Jesus Christ was a perfect example of someone who showed compassion to others. He was a living example of how we should treat others. It is not Godly for us to be selfish and only live to please ourselves.

For some people, when it comes to helping others, they concern themselves with what it is they have to give up in order to help someone. They forget that God will always supply their needs according to His riches and glory by Christ Jesus(Philippians 4:19).

The same God that gave them what they have now is the same God that will give them what they will need. So it should never be a problem to help someone in need. But with the way that we think, there will always be a reason why we shouldn’t help. There are a lot of scriptures on having compassion for others, but I will only list four.

⁸Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another, love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous,
⁹not returning evil for evil or reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.
1 Peter 3:8-9

¹²Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering;
Colossians 3:12

³²And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32

⁸The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion, slow to anger, and of great mercy.
⁹ The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.
Psalms 145:8-9

It is never meant for us to have the feeling of defeat when we choose to stay in the love and compassion of Jesus Christ when someone has wronged us. It is meant for us to stay in the love of God and allow God to fight our battles for us. He will always give us wisdom where it is needed in any situation. We just have to trust him according to Proverbs 3:5-6; 5: ⁵Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; ⁶In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

In conclusion, we should always trust the word of God when it is showing us how to deal with people, especially those who have wronged us. To stay in the love of God and have compassion for everyone, even those who have wronged us, can not only have a great impact on our lives but also on those who have wronged us.

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There are times when we face heartache, the passing of a loved one, the loss of a job, and health issues. And we get to a point in our depression or grief where we are blaming God for what we are going through. This should never ever be the case. 1 Peter 5:8 says: Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Satan is always lurking around, trying to stir up trouble. He is always hiding in the bushes, waiting to strike.

Sometimes these afflictions can cause us to make changes for the good. That’s all God wants for us is good, and it is also for His glory. During these times in our lives, God will help us to make sense of what we are going through. That’s why it’s so important to read the word of God during the difficult times in our lives.

The things we go through in life are meant to strengthen us and help us to grow in the Lord. He will increase us in the wisdom of God and His word so we can handle whatever we are going through with and for Him.
Sometimes it is for us to just quietly sit and listen for God’s voice, for His instructions. You will know when He is speaking. Pray for God to give you ears to hear what He is speaking to your heart.

So never feel you are alone in this world. God will always love you, and He is always with you. He will even bring the right people into your life who will know how to love and support you in the good and bad times.

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On November 11, 2020, I was diagnosed with diabetes and high blood pressure. God told me that this would be temporary because He wanted to show Himself in my life to me and to others around me. God gave me specific instructions. He told me to eat smaller portions, drink plenty of water, and walk. He told me to stand on Isaiah 53:4-5. ⁴Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. ⁵But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.

So when God gave me this word, I began to do as I was instructed. I began to lose weight. I was spiritually strengthened. I saw that the healing had begun. But as time passed, the enemy began to stir up problems in my family. It emotionally and physically brought me down and I strayed off the path that God had me on. I got alone with the Lord. I cried, I got angry, and I questioned it all, God allowed me to do whatever I needed to do to let go, to move past this setback and get back on the path He had me on. God told me that the enemy could not get to me directly because of my relationship with Him, so the enemy came at me through my family.

He made me fight for them in ways that it was not meant for me to fight. I tried to be there for them and the enemy had them come against me. The stress, the crying every day, the depression, the feeling of being lost and alone caused me to get distracted and get off the assignment that God had me on. God told me that this battle with my family could not be fought in the natural, only in the supernatural. He instructed me to read Psalms 91 over my family every night. It made me realize that if I trust the Lord with my life, then why not trust Him with the life of my family?

So one morning at 1 a.m., the Lord woke me up and I knew there was something He wanted to tell me. He said that He woke me early in the morning because it was the perfect time to talk with me. I was not doing, and going, I wasn’t distracted. I was finally still, so that He had my undivided attention. He showed me everything that had gone on in my life, what got me off track, how the enemy was coming after my family, and how I allowed it to take my eyes off the path that God had me on.

I had gained all the weight back and because of the stress, other health issues tried to arise. God spoke two words to me that night. He told me to “come back”. I understood what it meant, and that’s exactly what I did. So God helped me to get back on track. I boldly walk in His peace. I stay in the word of God. I go to church. I get on the prayer calls. I do whatever I can to help me stay focused and do what God has called me to do. So, I’m back to doing what God has instructed me to do. I am down 23 pounds. And I got 2 good doctor reports.

She told me if I continue to do what I’m doing, I will have a clean bill of health. (No more diabetes!!!) Everything God has been speaking to me, He confirms it through my pastor’s preaching. So God confirmed and summed up everything last night in the message our pastor preached on healing. I have learned to love people with the love of God. Because to do it in your own way, will only lead you on the wrong path. You will be fighting battles that were not meant for you to fight.

I pray my story will encourage anyone who is going through a storm in their health and with their family.

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For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

That’s right, the word of God also speaks on this topic. It tells us that sex outside of marriage (fornication) is a sin. But before we go any further, let’s take a look at the definition of sex. Sex is defined as sexual activity, including specifically sexual intercourse, normally between a man and woman (male and female). The first book of the Bible, Genesis, speaks of the physical union between man and woman, as God created them to be.

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Genesis 2:24

So sex outside of marriage is a sin in the eyes of God. According to the word of God, sex is not just a physical act of pleasure between two people. It is a spiritual çombining where man and woman become one. This is why it is important to allow God to send you that helpmate who will be one with you spiritually and physically. You do not want to give up something so important to just anyone. Only to the one God intended for you to be with.

In this sinful world, intercourse is probably the greatest sin, next to sinning against God by denying Him and denying who He is. Sex has been used and greatly abused in so many unclean ways. It has also left many people blind to the truth. Sex has made people believe they were in love just because they chose to share the act with just anyone. Sex has led to people cheating and, even worse, catching diseases.

Sex is something many rush into with their spiritual eyes closed. Satan has used it to blind people to the truth. They have been misled, hurt, abused, lied to, and physically mistreated. Many people had mistaken sex for love. Sex has also led to adultery. It has ruined marriages and has been the cause of many divorces. And it has led to jealousy, which in many cases has led to lives being taken. Some people would rather have sex than have a faithful life with God and the person God has given them to be with. Sex may feel good, but it can lead many astray as well as leave them lost in their relationship with God and with the person they are supposed to be with.

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Through Him God created everything that was created. He was the word that was spoken into existence. In Him was life, and this life was the light of men. Darkness could not understand this light, nor could it take it in.

And though the world was made through Him, the world did not know Him. Even His own did not receive Him.

This man, that was not a man, was born through the word of God and became flesh and dwelt among us. This man was Jesus Christ. Jesus was born of the Holy Spirit through the virgin Mary, who was the wife of Joseph.

When Mary’s husband Joseph saw his wife pregnant, he thought his wife had an affair with someone else, so he was planning to secretly put Mary away.

But one night an angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a dream, letting him know that the baby that Mary is carrying was of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 1:21; “And she (Mary) will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
This man who was born of the Holy Spirit, walked this earth as an example for us

Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist. He then fasted for forty days and forty nights, and then was tempted by Satan, who tried to make Jesus sin against God.

While Jesus walked on the earth in the flesh as a man, He allowed God to use Him to minister to the people, to heal them, to deliver them from unclean spirits. Through Jesus, many were saved, healed, and delivered.

But despite the many things that Jesus did for the people, the many signs, wonders, and miracles that He performed for them, there came a time when Jesus Christ was being betrayed by one of His twelve disciples that followed Him. And even though Jesus was innocent they found reasons within themselves to crucify Jesus. They even allowed a criminal to go free and let Jesus take his place.

After being tortured and beaten, Jesus was crucified, and He arose the third day. Everything that the word of God had spoken came to pass. Today Jesus’ crucifixion is known as His Resurrection. The beatings He suffered was for the forgiveness of our sins.

This man named Jesus Christ lived a life that was pleasing unto God. Everything that in the word of God had to be fulfilled through the word, which was Jesus Christ. Jesus’ crucifixion was a sacrifice to bring about repayment for our sins.

The extreme torture, pain, and beatings that Jesus went through left Him with many scars, including the scars on His hands and His feet when He was hung on the cross. He had a wound on His torso from the beatings He painfully endured. There were scars on His head from the crown of thorns He wore on His head. There were scars on His back and shoulders from carrying the cross and the severe whips and beatings.

So, Jesus Christ was no ordinary man. He was created by God through the Holy Spirit. Everything that He endured while He was on the earth was for us. The life He lived through God was an example for us to follow. Every scar that Jesus had on His body symbolized His love for God the Father and for us, for the forgiveness of our sins.

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Scriptures on Adultery

Now, let’s look at a few scriptures that give us more details about adultery and why it is frowned upon, especially by those who strongly believe and walk according to the word of God:

Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1 Corinthians 6:9 (KJV)

Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
Hebrews 13:4

You shall not commit adultery.
Exodus 20:24

“But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Matthew 5:28

Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.”
John 8:3-4

The scriptures further explain that the woman should be put to death, according to Moses’s law. But Jesus said in verse 7 that he who has not sinned, let him throw the first stone. But according to the scriptures, none could throw a stone at the woman because they too had once sinned. So, to commit adultery is to sin against God and His word. But those who come to the Lord and repent of their sins will be forgiven.

History of Adultery

Adultery involving a married woman and a man other than her husband was considered a heinous crime even in the past. In 1707, English Lord Chief Justice John Holt stated that a man having sexual relations with another man’s wife was “the highest invasion of property” and claimed, regarding the aggrieved husband, that “a man cannot receive a higher provocation” (in a case of murder or manslaughter) (Samuel H. Pillsbury, 2013).

There is much that could be said on this topic. There are even those who believe in open marriage or the swinging lifestyle, where both spouses agree to have other sexual relations. There is also the case of raped victims concerning adultery. A married woman who has suffered rape by a man who’s not her husband will not be held accountable. Only the man who raped her has committed adultery. Many religions consider adultery to be a serious crime, one that should come with consequences and severe punishment.

Adultery Affects the Entire Family

Adultery is wrong and can cause people to get hurt and marriages to fail. If they have kids, it can cause long, painful custody battles that can scar a child for a big part of their life. For a child to grow up with only one parent, eventually it leads to questions that can often lead to more hurt and pain. Then why do people get married if they know they have a problem being committed to one person?

Usually when two people get married, they feel they love each other enough to be together for many years. When a spouse is unfaithful, it leads to divorce, a sense of mistrust, jealousy, guilt, and broken relationships. It can even lead to domestic violence. In conclusion, adultery is a sinful, callous act that should never be done to anyone, especially to a loved one. The best way to prevent the act of adultery is to be sure you can fully commit to one person before marriage.

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You’ll know when God is telling you it’s ok for you to seek that person. When you go somewhere in private and talk to God, tell Him exactly what you are looking for in a person. Don’t leave anything out and be very detailed. This is a very important step because you are asking God to send you someone who you might end up spending the rest of your life with. So, make sure you know what you want before you go to God with it. That is the very first step in having a successful relationship. Put God first and let him seek out that special someone for you. If you try to seek this person out for yourself you are more than likely going to fail at this because Satan comes in all kinds of disguises. And only God above can see through anyone and anything. Only God knows the thoughts of a man or woman for that matter. Only God knows what that person’s intentions are. Whether they are only trying to hurt you or not. So first know in your heart that you can trust God to fully make this life decision for you.

After you pray to God about who you wish to be with and what kind of person you want to be with, the next thing you should do is to let it go and trust in God to bring that specific person you prayed for to you. You will know because only you and God know what you asked for. Be patient with God and with yourself. If this doesn’t happen for you right away don’t worry. God knows how precious your heart is and He does not wish to see your heart broken. That right person that you prayed for will come at the right time because it will be in God’s time. It’s ok to go on dates, but don’t give anything that shouldn’t be given until that right person that God wants in your life comes along.

When that person you prayed for comes into your life know right off that it will have its ups and downs. And through it all make sure you always keep God first and in the center of your relationship. He will continuously guide you and show you what you can do to make that relationship stronger and He will also tell you where it went wrong at and what you can do to fix it. There were so many times in my relationship that my partner got angry with me about something. And instead of us arguing about it we just gave each other time first then we would talk it out. So when we finally did talk it out, God would have already revealed to me what the problem was before my partner was ready to talk it out. That’s just how amazing God is. I promise you it works.

For the ones that have already had their share of bad relationships see it as a blessing in disguise. You now know what you really want and don’t want. You know what to stay away from and what to hold on to. But most importantly you know to put God first. That’s the only way any relationship or marriage is going to work,

Now how do I know all of this? Because I have been through it already. But when I first started out I didn’t know what I wanted. I was afraid to commit to something that would eventually be wrong for me. I had already been hurt before I even considered being in any relationship. So, I turned to the only one that I knew for sure didn’t one, hurt me, and two, He knew how to truly love me. So, in my heart, I knew He would find me someone who could love my heart as much as He loved my heart. So, I got alone with God in a room and I took my time and had a long talk with God. I told Him exactly what I wanted and what I didn’t want in a man.

After I told God what kind of person I desired to have in my life, I let it go and trusted in Him to send that exact person I prayed for to me. As the opportunity came to date men, I knew what I requested of God. When I didn’t see that in that person I was dating, I kindly let that person go. When he did come, I knew it in my heart, because I felt it strongly. And any time an obstacle tried to stop us from being together or trying to get to know one another, God always made a way for us to come together again.

To this day, I and my husband has been together for twenty- one year and we dated for eight years before we decided to have a child together. And our love for each other is still strong in the Lord God. It’s only because of Him that we are still together. Because if we would have done it on our own we would not be together. The obstacles that we faced with God, we couldn’t have gotten through them on our own strength.

So, whatever point you are in your life, if God isn’t first, put Him first. Because if anything comes against you in your life, that thing will have to face God first. You can trust Him. He will fight all your battles for you. It will not be an easy road to travel, but always know that when you have God first in your life you will not be traveling that road alone. He will always be there with you and for you. Be blessed.

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But the one style of poetry that I write most is the free verse. Free verse does not require your words to be written in any special way. It can rhyme or not rhyme. Either way it is still artistic writing that comes from the writer’s heart. This type of writing has been around for hundreds of years. I love for my mind and my fingers to freely let the words flow.

Free verse is a spoken or written form of communication that can be musical effects of rhythm and sound. There were a few poems that I had written that I decided to make into music. And it sounded good. I love the fact that this style of poetry writing gives you the option to go in any direction that you want to go with your poetry.

But surprisingly, most writers do not consider free verse poetry to be “free”. T.S. Eliot wrote, “No verse is free for anyone who wants to do a good job.” But, to me, it all depends on your love for writing. It can be as free as you want it to be, and still be the best job you have ever done.

Even though free verse has no rhythm, when a reader reads the free verse poem, they can hear the rhythm of the words that has been used in the writer’s poem. A poet can create whatever rhythm they want to when they free verse.

In conclusion, free verse poetry does not follow any rules. It is free to go in whatever direction the writer wants it to go in. Free verse is based on a writer’s own rules and personal opinions or thoughts. The poet has the right to create the structure to express certain sounds and words. So, of the fifty different poems that is out there, free verse is just what it says. It is freedom of expression in whatever fashion that you wish for it to have. So, follow your heart and free verse away!

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If We Are the Church It Requires Us to Renew Our Mind

If we are the church in this world, it will often require us to renew our minds daily in the Lord. Satan will come after the children of God and we must always be prepared. The word of God has everything we need to defeat the enemy.

God knows what we are up against in the world. So, as we represent Him, God promised us that He would never leave us nor forsake us. And He is a God of His word.

Living in The Peace of God

To be the church requires us to walk in the peace of God which also requires us to walk in love. To have peace with others requires you to first have peace with God. He will teach us how so that we can know how to be in peace in love out in a hurting and lost world.

Problems will come during our journey in the Lord. But we have the full power of God dwelling in the inside of us. It is time for us to spiritually grow up and use our faith to trust and believe in God in whatever we may face in this world. God will never give us more than we can bare because whatever we may have to bare in this world He will bare it with us.

We will never run out of the power that God has given us because the spirit of God that is within us is being renewed every day. And it will continue to be renewed if we spend time in the word daily. Be determined to have more of God in your life and less of yourself.

So, as we strive to be God’s temple, God’s “church,” we should also humble ourselves and submit ourselves to God. Continually resist the devil and he will flee. Whenever we choose to humble ourselves before the Lord God, we put ourselves in a position to receive more from God than what we even asked for. Because God knows what we need before we even ask. Always put your trust in God and use the word to come against Satan whenever He tries to get in your way of doing the will of God. God has everything you need to defeat the enemy. Just stay in the word of God and continue to represent Him.

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When my mom passed away January 14, 2014 I started seeing things in the spirit. I felt as if this was a part of my spiritual growth as well. But I started learning on a deeper level.

My Very First Vision

One vision I experienced was when I was in the living room of my dad’s house one night and I saw an angel in all white coming from the back of the house where my mom was in the bed sick. This happened days before my mom passed away. It made me feel like God was letting me know my mom would not be with us much longer. But I knew in my heart that when she did pass away she was at peace and her suffering was over.

My Second Vision

Another vision I experienced was the night I was laying on my couch listening to gospel music. There was a bright light in the room and two or three seconds later it was gone. I wondered then whether I saw God or an angel. It happened so quickly that it literally left me wanting to know more about my Heavenly Father.

There were a few more I had, but these experiences alone made me realize that I needed more of God in my life. I wanted to know more of what I was experiencing. It is so true what they would always tell me, you cannot know God if you do not know His word. I knew once I read the word of God then I would find the answers I seek.

During my walk with God blessings started to come into my life. But I allowed it to pull me away from God and I temporarily lost my way. But God waited for me with open arms and it helped me to see how deep God’s love for me truly went. He blessed me to go to the 2018 Women of Worth Conference which helped me to spiritually grow and to find my place in Christ as a woman of God.

So spiritual growth in the Lord requires us to have a personal relationship with God and to read His word daily for us to personally know Him and His love for us. It is a true guide through life for us and answers questions that life has placed before us.

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