Saturday, January 31, 2015

Codependency & Emotional Healing Group




The Balm of Gilead Ministries will be hosting a  Codependency and Emotional Healing Group Starting Thursday February 19, 2015 from 6:30-8:00. Webinar will be available for those unable to attend on site. There is no cost to attend. The class is open to anyone struggling with unhealthy emotional dependencies, which are typically seen in the negative and often toxic behaviors of codependency.

As bad as the behaviors appear they are actually coping mechanisms that manifest to mask a deeper underlying issue that propels us into an unhealthy "survival " lifestyle, causing emotional pain  and crippling the ability to love and have meaningful healthy, intimate relationships with God, ourselves or others.

This survival lifestyle robs us of  our joy and peace causing us to feel disconnected, filled with shame, fear, guilt and unable to truly experience God's amazing love and grace.This is not how we were created to live.  We were created for  significance and purpose.


Please join us as we embark on a journey of healing that is meant to bring cleansing to defilement, healing to brokenness, beauty for ashes, joy for sorrow, God's truth over the lies of the enemy, purpose and right identity. But above all else....Our prayer is that you will encounter the radical redemptive love of our beloved Jesus.
We are covering you in prayer and look forward to meeting you. . May God richly bless you.

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their
wounds."
Psalm 147:3

" He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound,"
Isaiah 61:1


For more information visit us at The Balm of Gilead Ministries

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Got Goads?


It is never a good idea to resist the leading of God in your life. Actually it is quite useless and painful. A very proud Pharisee discovered this truth a couple of thousand years ago on the road to Damascus. In the greatest conversion story recorded in the Word of God found in Acts 9, we read that on his way to persecute Christians who had fled there, to beat them and bring them bound back to Jerusalem, believing with all sincerity that what he was doing was the will of God, he learned just how sincerely wrong and out of God's will he actually was when he was knocked from his horse and encountered the true and living God. On the ground blinded by a glorious light he heard the voice of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords say..."Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me." Cut to the heart he asked "Who are you Lord?" And the Lord said, "I am Jesus who you are persecuting. Is it hard for you to kick against the goads?"

What does it mean to kick against the goads? A goad was a long stick with an iron point at the end used to steer and drive an ox in the right direction when plowing. Today it is commonly used for steering cattle,etc. When an animal rebels and resists the direction his master wants him to go in they actually dig their flesh deep into the pointed iron causing great pain. By asking Saul  this question, Jesus was revealing to the rebellious Pharisee that  he was resisting and fighting against God's divine plan for His church and for Saul himself.  He was going in the wrong direction. When this powerful truth resonated deeply in the heart of Saul he was undone causing him to surrender completely and allow God to use him mightily and powerfully to radically turn the gentile world upside down for Jesus Christ. 

How is this applicable in our lives as Christians? Saul was resisting and kicking against God's perfect will and plan, His highest and best for him without even realizing it and we tend to do the same.  The goading of the Holy Spirit may be prompting us to move or change direction but we too may be rebelling, fighting, resisting, and kicking causing the goad to dig deeper in our flesh causing extreme pain. 

What are your goads? God uses different things to get you to change direction and pursue His path such as.....a message, the word, difficulty, suffering, loss of a job, loss of a business, loss of a relationship. Perhaps He's asking you to change jobs, change careers, leave that relationship, give up an addiction, forgive, leave a ministry, join a ministry, step out in faith, trust Him completely, give up that thing,  set your dream aside to make your family, your spouse, your children top priority, surrender. Whatever it is, His way is perfect and He wants the best for you. When the pain of kicking against the goads become greater than the pain of change, like Saul you too will drop to the ground undone, exhausted, fully surrendered and ready to be led by your Master in the right direction unwavering, unhindered, and fully trusting His perfect plan for your life. Amen!

by Cecilia Trent

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Joel C Rosenberg Message In Ezekiel At Harvest Christian Fellowship



Listen to Prophecy Expert Joel Rosenberg's Message On How The Conflict With ISIS And The State Of Our Nation & Throughout The World Ties In With Bible Prophecy And What That Means To Christians About The Urgency Of Sharing The Gospel. A Must Hear Message.

http://www.harvest.org/media/watch/interview-with-joel-rosenberg.html

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Know Your Enemy




In 1925 a very charismatic man drunk with political power wrote a book detailing how he would defeat his enemies and conquer Europe. People didn't bother to read his book and those who did dismissed him as a quack and failed to see him as a threat. That man was Adolf Hitler. The book?...'.Mein Kampf: The world didn't believe him but he strategically rose to power exactly as he detailed in his book.. wreaking havoc throughout Europe by silencing the opposition and destroying all who got in his way. Never underestimate your enemy!

We too have an enemy who comes to kill still and destroy. (John 10:10). But God has provided us a detailed book on the tactics of the enemy and how to combat him. That detailed book according to
2 Timothy 3:16-17, is the inspired word of God. It is living and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword (Hebrews 4:12), and The Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17) which is the word of God....The Holy Bible.

Unfortunately many Christians dismiss the real threat of the war Satan has waged against God's children and before they know it, they are in bondage to him living a life of death and destruction missing out on the abundant life that we should be living as children of the living God. The war is real and the only way we can win it is  by picking up the Word of God and getting to know our enemy, his tactics and plan of attack to conquer, enslave, strip us of our identity and draw us away from God.  Someone once wrote the following: It's so true.

Satan's Number One Target:
Your Mind
His Weapon:
Lies
His Strategy
To Keep From Knowing Your Value & Worth In Christ & His Plan For Your Life
Your Defense
The Inerrant Word Of God!


God indeed has a purpose and a plan for all His children. He ordained your days from the foundation of the world and has a calling on your life. Satan wants to thwart God's plan for you. He is on the prowl using the same tactics of deception to bring God's children into bondage as he used with Adam and Eve. His tactics haven't changed. He's only perfected them. He wants to usurp God's authority over your life. Romans 6:16 declares that we become slaves to whomever we choose to obey. When Eve chose to believe the lie of the serpent she placed the enemy as authority over her life and the human race fell into bondage, sin and death. Sound familiar? Same tactics same results. 

Don't be ignorant of the enemy's tactics. He is a real foe and wants nothing better than to wreak havoc on  your life and the lives of those around you. Open God's word and put it as a shield over your heart and mind. Remember, the enemy had the audacity to try to tempt Jesus by twisting God's word to him in the desert when He was weak and hungry from fasting. But Jesus said "It is written man cannot live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." (Mathew 4:4)  If he dared come against the Son of God how much more will he come against you?  

You are not defenseless. You have the authoritative Word of God. But you have to be be a diligent student of His word.  One of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to bring scripture to remembrance when you need it to comfort, exhort, protect and encourage you or others, but only that which  has already been implanted in your heart and mind can be brought to remembrance, so study the word! Hide it in your heart and you will never be alone. You will always be prepared  to go to battle against the enemy of your soul and win the battle armed with the infallible, inerrant word of the Living God. So when the enemy attacks.... .no matter what lie, innuendo, twisting of God's word or any other tactic he may use..... you too can say,...."IT IS WRITTEN!"


Friday, January 16, 2015

God's Simple Plan Of Salvation



In Mathew 28:16 Jesus gave His disciples the great commission. To go make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. As disciples of Christ in this generation we too have been called to preach the goods news of salvation through Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world. The message of salvation is not difficult. We tend to complicate it. This keeps many of us from sharing the gospel and missing out on the blessing of leading people from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to the power of God and welcoming them into the family of God.

If the bible is God's revealed and infallible word to mankind and we at Growing In The Word, believe it to be so with every ounce of our being, then the bible can be trusted and dependent upon to speak truth about salvation. The following is the simple message of salvation taken from God's living Word,  plain, simple, biblical.



God's Simple Plan of Salvation
By Ford Porter


My friend: I am asking you the most important question of your life. Your joy or your sorrow for all eternity depends upon your answer. The question is: Are you saved? It is not a question of how good you are, nor if you are a church member, but are you saved?  Are you sure you will go to Heaven when you die?

God says in order to go to Heaven, you must be born again. In John 3:7, Jesus said to Nicodemus, "You must be born again."

In the Bible, God gives us the plan of how to be born again which means to be saved. His plan is simple! You can be saved today. How?

First, my friend, you must realize you are a sinner. "For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

Because you are a sinner, you are condemned to die. "For the wages [payment] of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). This includes eternal separation from God in Hell.

"... it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).

But God loved you so much he gave his only begotten Son, Jesus, to bear your sin and die in your place. "For he has made him [Jesus, who knew no sin] to be sin for us ... that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Jesus had to shed his blood and die. "For the life of the flesh is in the blood" (Leviticus 17:11) "... without shedding of blood is no remission [pardon] of sin." (Hebrews 9:22).

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8).

Although we cannot understand how, God said my sins and your sins were laid upon Jesus and he died in our place. He became our substitute. It is true. God cannot lie.

My friend, "God commands all men everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30).

This repentance is a change of mind that agrees with God that one is a sinner, and also agrees with what Jesus did for us on the cross.

In Acts 16:30-31, the Philippians jailer asked Paul and Silas: "... Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved... ."

Simply believe on Him as the one who bore your sin, died in your place, was buried, and whom God resurrected.

His resurrection powerfully assures that the believer can claim everlasting life when Jesus is received as Savior.

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name ."(John 1:12)

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).

Whosoever includes you. Shall be saved means not maybe, nor can, but shall be saved.

Surely, you realize you are a sinner. Right now, wherever you are, repenting, lift your heart to God in prayer.

In Luke 18:13, a sinner prayed: "God be merciful to me a sinner."
Just pray:

"Oh, God, I know I am a sinner. I believe Jesus was my substitute when he died on the cross. I believe his shed blood, death, burial, and resurrection were for me. I now receive him as my Savior. I thank you for the forgiveness of my sins, the gift of salvation and everlasting life, because of your merciful grace. Amen."


Just take God at his word and claim his salvation by faith. Believe, and you will be saved. No church, no lodge, no good works can save you. Remember, God does the saving. All of it!

God's simple plan of salvation is: You are a sinner. Therefore, unless you believe on Jesus who died in your place, you will spend eternity in Hell. If you believe on him as your crucified, buried, and risen Savior, you receive forgiveness for all of your sins and his gift of eternal salvation by faith.

You say, "Surely, it cannot be that simple." Yes, that simple! It is scriptural. It is God's plan. My friend, believe on Jesus and receive him as Savior today.

If his plan is not perfectly clear, read this tract over and over, without laying it down until you understand it. Your soul is worth more than all the world.

"For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world but loses his own soul?" (Mark 8:36).

Be sure you are saved. If you lose your soul, you miss Heaven and lose all. Please! Let God save you this very moment.

God's power will save you, keep you saved and enable you to live a victorious Christian life. "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.." (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Do not trust your feelings. They change. Stand on God's promises. They never change. After you are saved, there are three things to practice daily for spiritual growth: Pray: you talk to God. Read your Bible: God talks to you. Witness: you talk for God.

You should be baptized in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ, as a public testimony of your salvation, and then unite with a Bible-believing church without delay. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes." Romans 1:16

" “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 10:32).

How Can We Trust God?






How do we know we can trust someone?   We observe their behavior.  Are they kind, loving and considerate of others?  Do they take the time to listen to you and communicate with you?  Are they honest, reliable and keep their promises? Trustworthy people have certain characteristics.  In order to earn trust,  you must become trustworthy.

When you have trust in a relationship, you know that relationship is secure and solid because it is built on trust. When you don't have trust, you live in insecurity because you never know  if you can count on that person.No matter how sincere and well intentioned people are they will fail you at some point but there is one who never will.

The word of God declares that there is only one that you can depend on fully. You can trust His behavior because He displayed love in action by willingly shedding His precious blood so that you may have eternal life. He is the best communicator. He knows your very thoughts and beckons you to come to communicate with Him in prayer. He is the best listener. He is reliable. The bible declares that He will never leave you or forsake you. He is with you always. He is honest, never wavering in His commitment to you and He keeps His promises.

Jesus Christ has proven over and over again that He can be trusted. Look over at your life. He has been there in the mountain tops and in the valleys. He is a loyal God who can be trusted at all times. It is the essence of who He is. That is why He shows unfailing love and faithfulness, no matter how much you disappoint him when you step out of His will for your life because it hurts you and keeps you from experiencing His best for you.  God loves you no matter what.  You can count on that! There is an awesome blessing we get from trusting God.... complete and utter peace. "You will keep those in perfect peace whose mind is set on you. " Isaiah 26:3




Psalm 18:2 “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”

Psalm 91:2 “I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.”

Nahum 1:7 “The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. ”

Psalm 18:2 “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”

Psalm 91:2 “I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.”

Nahum 1:7 “The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. ”

Job 13:15 “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.”

Psalm 7:1 “O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:”

Psalm 25:1, 2 “Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.”

Proverbs 30:5 “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.”Trust God; He will Deliver as Promised

Psalm 9:10 “And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.”

Psalm 22:4 “Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.”

Psalm 37:5 “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”

Psalm 56:3 , 4 “When I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.”

Psalm 71:5 “For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.”

Thursday, January 15, 2015

One Of The Boys Testimony





The Sy Rogers story is an inspiring testimony about triumph over abuse, sexual brokenness and homosexuality. He shares how he encountered the living God in the midst of despair, pain and utter hopelessness, and how God not only healed his damaged soul but gave him a life beyond. A life that he never imagined full of purpose and identity as a precious child of the living God. 

It's a story about hope, love, restoration and redemption made possible only through the shed blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What the enemy means for evil God indeed turns around for our Good.