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The “fruit” of the Holy Spirit refers to the godly attributes of those who “walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16). The true manifestation of the Holy Spirit at work in a believer’s life is that the believer becomes increasingly more like Christ in character and actions. The fruit of the Spirit should characterize the life of every believer. Today we take a look at three fruits of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22 — love, joy, and peace. Love In both Hebrew (ahab) and Greek (agapē), words translated “love” are action words, indicating conscious acts on behalf of a beloved. However, biblical love seems to demand going beyond merely a particular behavior to include a certain inner attitude, that is, a positive inner response (1 John 3:17). While several Greek words describe specific forms of love, the Greek word agapē most expresses Christlike, selfless love. Unselfish, loyal, benevolent concern for the well-being of another is called by Paul “the greatest” gift of all (1 Corinthians 13:13). Christian love is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, a virtue of godly living (Galatians 5:22). The attributes of love reflect both feelings and loving acts (1 Corinthians 13:4–8). True love is characterized as: • Patient and slow to anger (verse 4)• Kind and gentle to all (verse 4)• Unselfish and giving (verse 5)• Truthful and honest (verse 6)• Hopeful and encouraging (verse 7)• Enduring, without end (verse 7) Biblical love is not envious, proud, self-centered, rude, or provoking (1 Corinthians 13:4, 5). Without love, the gifts of the Spirit are deemed worthless, and the fruit of the Spirit incomplete (verse 8). Christian love is eternal. While all else fails, love never fails. It is a permanent, unconditional concern for others that results from the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, rather than from human effort or desire. Joy A number of Hebrew and Greek words are used in the Bible to convey the concept of joy. In fact, the word “joy” is found more than 150 times in the Bible. Joy comes from God as a result of faith and obedience (John 15:10, 11; Romans 15:13). The abundance of joy is in direct proportion to the intimacy and steadfastness of a believer’s walk with the Lord. Sin in a believer’s life can rob joy (Psalm 51:8, 12). True joy is evident regardless of circumstances. The Spirit-filled believer continues to rejoice even amidst troubles (James 1:2, 3). Biblical joy is clearly different from earthly, temporal pleasures that are bound to circumstances. The purpose of joy is to provide blessing for the believer. Joy enables you to enjoy all that God has given — health, family, friends, opportunities, and salvation. As you experience true joy, your joy can then be shared with others (Romans 12:15). Abundant joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit for those who walk in faith. Peace In both the Old and New Testaments, peace is described as the result of having a right relationship with God and with others (see Romans 5:1, 2). The Greek word eirene has a meaning similar to the Hebrew word shalom. Spiritual peace describes a sense of well-being and fulfillment that comes from God and is dependent on His presence alone (Galatians 5:22). Inner spiritual peace is experienced by any believer who walks in the Spirit despite surrounding turmoil. The true “peace of God” protects the hearts and minds of believers from worry, fear, and anxiety. It transcends all logic or rationale (Philippians 4:7). The God of Peace who offers salvation also promises His presence and power in the lives of His children. His presence creates in us a quiet confidence, regardless of circumstances, people, or things. Though impossible to comprehend fully, true peace is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22) and a part of the “whole armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11, 13). According to the apostle Paul, our understanding and experiencing of the gospel produces peace that allows us to walk boldly into spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:11, 13) and to survive all manner of difficulty and danger. The believer receives peace from God as a virtue of holy living and a protection from evil forces. Where the peace of God is present, there is no room for worry. Reflecting the Character of God The fruit of the Holy Spirit affects the believer’s relationship with God, others, and self. As Christians grow in their relationship with the Lord, they develop unselfish love, true joy, and lasting peace. While the fruit of the Holy Spirit is not necessary for salvation, these godly virtues are evidence of salvation and the genuine work of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 7:17). Followers of Christ not only receive the blessings of God but also reflect His character to all whom they encounter. Article drawn from study features in the NIV Woman’s Study Bible.

Did you know that of the 27 books in the New Testament, 21 of them are letters written to communities of Jesus’ followers, and they were spread throughout the Roman Empire. Most of the letters, (also known as epistles), are attributed to Paul – Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. The remaining letters are Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2 and 3 John and Jude. Letters can be thought of as a conversation you might have with a friend. And like a conversation with a friend, a lot of background information is assumed but not stated directly in the letters. As you read the New Testament letters, it’s helpful to keep in mind – The Cultural Context • The churches receiving the letters were under strict Roman rule. Because Roman society was hierarchical, Paul’s message might have sounded different to people of varied social status. Men who were Roman citizens had some ability to raise their social status, while women, enslaved people and the poor were considered inferior and had little hope of doing the same. Jesus’ message that God cares for everyone might threaten and convict those in high places but be liberating for those looked down upon in their societies. • Jesus’ followers were viewed as radical because they threatened the dominant social order. Jesus’ love was for all, and his death and resurrection meant the creation of a new humanity—one without divisions based on race, gender or social class. As you read, look for these countercultural moments. • In the beginning, the author often provides us with context about the letter. For example, it’s easy to read a letter like Romans as one long essay on theology, but Paul is actually addressing division between Jewish and non-Jewish followers in Rome. Some higher-status Christians were treating Jewish Christians with disrespect, but Paul wants the church to realize they’re all members of God’s family now. As you read, think about how the message might apply to the specific issues in the church receiving the letter. While our context today looks different than these early church communities, we can see in these letters our own tendencies to create division and fail to love one another as beloved siblings in God’s family. But the gospel of Jesus Christ can transform our communities just like it did theirs. How They Were Created and Communicated Have you ever found yourself imagining the writers of the New Testament while reading them? If so, what were they like? Did you picture them alone or with others? The authors of the New Testament were probably rarely alone. Paul was a missionary traveling throughout the Mediterranean, preaching the gospel and starting new churches. He had companions and cowriters who helped him craft his letters, probably drawing from speeches, prayers and poems, all pieced together and written down by a scribe. Whoever delivered the finished letter to the church community would read it out loud like a speech. Since the community would have heard the letter read from beginning to end, it’s helpful for us to read it that way as well. The Literary Context Ancient letters have a specific format. They begin with an opening that gives the name of the author, followed by thanksgiving for the community receiving the letter. The body of the letter addresses particular issues in the church, and the conclusion includes additional greetings, travel plans, final requests and prayers. Although most New Testament letters follow this format, they are sometimes adjusted to suit a purpose. For example, you might notice Galatians skips over thanksgiving as Paul jumps into a heated critique of the Galatians turning away from his teaching to a different gospel. Also note that the big idea of the letter is usually stated right after the greeting. Each paragraph generally has its own main idea, and sections are joined together with transition phrases such as “therefore,” “so then,” and “because of this.” Keep the big idea in mind and watch for these transitions to see how the author builds the argument. As you think about the situations the New Testament letter writers sought to address, consider how their words relate to us today. Drawn from study features in the NIV, The Telos Bible.

If you feel hopeless, helpless, or powerless—unable to deal with people or problems and on the verge of exhaustion—take heart in the prophet Habakkuk’s stirring conclusion to his short book. Knowing that a savage army of Babylonians would soon plunder his homeland, Habakkuk was discouraged. Surely, the coming destruction would be absolutely unbearable. Yet despite the disheartening scenario, Habakkuk penned an amazing response: “I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights” (Habakkuk 3:18–19). Even if the crops all failed, the livestock died and everything he had learned to depend on was ruined, Habakkuk would still trust the Lord (Habakkuk 3:17). Where did the prophet find such hope in the face of such terrible calamity? For one thing, clearly, he had been strengthened by God’s Word. His expression of faith closely echoes the words of David, uttered centuries before: “The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies” (Psalm 18:2 – 3). Habakkuk had also spent a great deal of time alone with the Lord. In fact, the book that bears his name is a record of his extended conversation with God concerning his ways and plans. While Habakkuk did not understand—or particularly like—what he heard from God, he acknowledged the fact that his ways are best. He trusted the Lord for the future of Israel and for his own life. Regardless of the circumstances, the prophet knew that the Lord was at work and would bring good out of what seemed to be horrendous circumstances. That is God’s promise to us. He is always at work in our lives to bring good out of the darkest of situations (Romans 8:28). When the outlook looks grim, Christ is your strength. When the circumstances seem volatile, Christ is your stability. When the future appears foreboding, Christ remains your hope. The strength of Christ is both inexhaustible and immeasurable—and it is yours to receive. God delights in upholding the weary and reviving the fainthearted (Isaiah 40:29–31). Your reservoir of emotional and physical energy may feel nearly drained, but God’s supply of spiritual stamina never runs out. Come to him and His Word for the strength to carry on, and he will supply the power you need to traverse the rough terrain ahead. That’s his promise, and God always keeps his promises. From the NIV Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible.

​ Hello, and welcome to Cki's Inspirations where we receive insights from the word of God to enhance and brighten our day! So, grab a cup of coffee or tea and relax awhile with me. I pray that each and every encounter will be a blessing to you. ~ Peace & Love~ Cki. ​ THE NEXT CELEBRATION: PENTECOST WITH A PROMISE!!! On the heels of Mother's Day comes one of the most exhilarating days of celebration on the Christian calendar: Pentecost! ​ As we round the curve from Christmas, where we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ; to Easter celebrations, chronicling the death and resurrection of our Lord, there seems to be non-stop excitement, as the spotlight is focused firmly on the Son of God and the promise of Pentecost! ​ Pentecost takes place 50 days after Easter or Resurrection Sunday; or 7 weeks after. This day commemorates the Holy Spirit descending on the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem while they were celebrating the "Feast of Weeks." ​ Remember the Upper Room experience? The Holy Spirit first appeared to believers as a flame of fire over their heads, enabling them to speak in tongues. And, as an absolutely amazing phenomenon, everyone heard the Gospel preached to them in their own native language. ​ On that day, God's church was equipped with the power of the Holy Spirit, to go out and be witnesses in all the nations, making disciples to God's glory. ​ Pentecost marks the day when the Church became the Church; believers were brought into the life of the Trinity. ​ It serves us well to remember the depth of power now available to us as God's instruments as a result of the powerful advent of Pentecost! By way of reiteration: On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit officially descended upon believers to dwell in their hearts! ​ Jesus charged the disciples with a promise: that the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace, I leave with you, My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14: 26-27). ​ Today, we are still rejoicing because of the Day of Pentecost! Although the Holy Spirit was active throughout the Old Testament, He did not permanently indwell believers. So, how blessed are we? ​ We are never left alone to struggle through the trials and tribulations of life. We can avail ourselves of comfort, peace and joy that extend beyond any worldly attempts to find them, anytime day or night. ​ The Holy Spirit will even intercede for us in prayer in accordance with the will of God for us (Rom. 8:26-27). There is no need to suffer depression because you don't know what to say or do. The Holy Spirit knows the heart of God, He brings the wisdom of God, the light of God into every situation. ​ So, Pentecost, which is on the church calendar, should not be overlooked, because it can pound the rock on the importance of the fire of God that turns lives from fear and dread, into dedicated purveyors of the Gospel message, and into men and women who are enabled to live righteous lives before God. ​ I love Matthew 3:11, where John the Baptist's message told them that he would baptize them with water for repentance, but One would come who will baptize them with the Holy Spirit and with fire! ​ Don't miss out on this life-altering experience. I pray that the church as a whole will catch fire, and that every child of God will open up to the prospect of "fire in your belly." ​ In the world this idiom means that one has a strong desire to succeed, or to be energetic, enthusiastic and that person has strong feelings towards something or someone. ​ My prayer is that we all will possess a strong desire to glorify God through spreading the Gospel message wherever we go; and we'll have a strong desire to walk out the "Great Commission," as those who believe every word Jesus spoke. Jesus said: ​ "And these things shall follow them that believe; in My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them, they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." ​ That, beloved, is our inheritance in the Lord which is why I look forward to the celebration this Sunday of Pentecost; and even more-so, I look forward to watching the Body of Christ walk out the promises therein. ​ Happy Pentecost Everyone!!! ​ Love always, Evan. Cki. Am I Boring? Good morning family! On this beautiful Friday morning that the Lord has made, I'm asking a profound question: "Am I boring?" ​ Has that accusation ever been tossed your way? How did you respond? No one asked me per se, but there are times when the life I've chosen to live seems to pale in comparison to those outside God's Kingdom. ​ And, no matter how much, or how often you tell yourself that life in the Kingdom is far superior, you know that using the scale for measuring fun and success that the world is using, causes your life to seem like it's standing still, while their lives are on steroids! ​ I especially think about the children, falling prey to the idea that more money is the the panacea, the remedy to everything that ails them. ​ Today, with social media so prevalent in their lives, how can you present Kingdom principles to them in a way that resonates? ​ Many Christians are not rich or famous. They don't have "football player" money, or rapper money, or even drug dealer sized wallets. But, somehow, Christians are charged with presenting Jesus as that panacea: the solution to everything, including money. ​ How can we convince today's young people who treasure Jordan sneakers and gold chains, that those things will not sustain them? We can't; but the Holy Spirit can! ​ This is not a fleeting, random thought for me; my heart is heavy watching the news where every day precious young souls are sacrificed to the perils of dark suggestion. ​ Dear Lord, I pray that somehow, Your peace will be revealed to this generation as priceless; a peace that surpasses understanding, for real. ​ I pray that Your provision will be enough for this thirsty generation; that Your bread will nourish and replenish them as their minds are renewed. ​ So, Father, I ask that You will send persons across the path of every young person who is searching for an identity. ​ That Grace, Your unmerited, unearned favor, will, in an "aha" moment, open eyes that are unable in this present moment to see. ​ Father, send persons across the path of the one seeking direction, someone who can articulate the Gospel message clearly (led by Your Spirit) and with compassion and agape love. ​ Father, I pray that in this nation, and dare I say, around the world, young people will come in droves asking: "What must I do to be saved." That they will see that these things they seek will not satisfy (perhaps for a moment), but they bring sorrow soon enough. ​ Father, help the church to see that souls are of paramount importance. Bring home those who left the church because of disappointment, to seek their fortunes elsewhere. ​ Father, let Your power and glory be seen upon Your people, Your ministers, and all who profess the name of Your son, Jesus. ​ It is in His name, the name above all names, Jesus the Christ, that I offer this prayer, and expect to see results manifest speedily. Amen. ​ So, am I boring? Some would answer a profound yes to that statement concerning most Christians. But, there is a little known secret: ​ Christians swing from chandeliers when they pray fervent prayers, and those prayers are answered! ​ Christians dance and sing to the top of our lungs when we get caught up in outrageous worship of the Father. We have a joy that is truly unspeakable and full of glory! ​ We also have successful businesses, fire-fueled ministries, and fulfilled lives. Proverbs 10:22: "The blessing of the LORD, it makes rich, and He adds no sorrow with it." ​ God blesses us in ways that are supernatural and incredible; and they come without hangovers, and without overdoses. You can eat and drink to the full and it simply increases or enhances your joy quotient! ​ So, no-one has asked me that question out loud yet, but, when they do, I will be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks me about this hope that I have. ​ You see, people are watching you, even as they are chasing what the world offers. They see your peace, your joy, the absence of hangovers and suicidal murmurings; they seek lasting marriages like yours, and they long secretly for the saving Grace that you possess. ​ Grace is not boring; rather, it is exhilarating, it is life-giving; spontaneously life-generating, and affirming! How can that lack excitement? ​ And, at the end of it all is heaven, and eternity with the Lord. Heaven on earth, and heaven forever! Thank You Jesus for the cross. ​ So, this is your never-boring friend, Cki., signing off. See you again real soon! ​ *Love is the whole basis of the Gospel message: Love God, and love your neighbor as yourself. Love him/her enough to share this priceless Salvation!!! ​ Now go out and have an exhilarating day in the LORD. Love you, Cki. There’s Light at the end of Your Tunnel! Have you ever felt like your life is an underground passage, and you’re doing everything in your power to tunnel through? Well, guess what? There is an end to your situation. When we barrel through tunnels in life, they are usually dark and a bit scary because they are covered passageways, subterranean galleries that eventually bring us back into the light of day or night. ​ But, you have to go through the experience to come out on the other side! There’s a Christian song that says, “I’m so glad, yea, trouble don’t last always.” The songwriter had terrific insights as to how God works in our lives. He may not come when you expect or desire, but He’s always on time; sometimes there are lessons to learn. ​ The Bible tells us not to dismay when trials and tribulations come (for they will come), because Jesus already took care of it; He overcame the world! The men on the boat with Jesus found a new friend called patience. They were undone, because Jesus, the Master of the Sea was sleeping in the boat as the storm raged. ​ But Jesus demonstrated a powerful key before their eyes; He spoke to the storm! ​ Yes, Jesus spoke to the wind and the rain, and they obeyed. What did He say? He spoke: “Peace, be still.” ​ A woman of God who suffered unimaginable horrors, Corrie Ten Boom wrote: “When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.” ​ So, who is the engineer of your life? Who is at the controls? ​ There will be times in your life when you feel like this is the end for me; that you have arrived at the end of the darkest tunnel ever, but guess what, at the end of that darkness is light! ​ When Jesus is at the controls, He is the light of life, so how can we drown ourselves in worry, when we believe? ​ When we “let go, and let God,” someone put it this way: “There will be the moment when a dazzling new day dawns on your horizon.” ​ Yolanda Adams sings a song that quiets my nerves each time I hear it called, guess what, “Riding through the Storm.” She sings, “The storms of life will blow, they’re sure to come and go, they meet me at a time when I’m calm and doing fine; but the Captain of my soul {Jesus}, He’s always on board; He rocks me in His arms, while I’m riding through the storm.” ​ So many other beautiful lyrics in that song, but the gist of it is that fear and anxiety can be foreign to the believer who rides with Jesus. We; like Him; can speak to the circumstances in our lives and command them to obey us! ​ So, today, allow Jesus to command your boat, or to lead you through your tunnel, knowing that there is guaranteed success on the horizon. ​ This Grace we have through Christ Jesus is awesome! ​ God wants us to know that we are His children, and He is the Great Provider. He promised to help us in our times of need; to never leave, nor forsake us. ​ Grab hold to that line any time you feel like you’re sinking; examine where you are and see if you somehow departed from the will of God for your life. Another songwriter wrote: “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” That’s a good motto or mantra for today. ​ Believe what another songwriter wrote: “There is no pain that Jesus can’t feel; no hurt He cannot heal. For all things work according to His perfect will. No matter what you’re going through, remember God is using you, for the battle is not yours, it’s the Lord’s." ​ I guess I’m in a Yolanda Adam’s mood this morning, because I can almost hear the beautiful strains of that song, and her lovely voice belting it out! Trust God today, beloved, there really is no other way to the light but through Jesus Christ! ​ ~ May God bless you always, Cki. ~ "Hold Your Position!" Warfare for the Spirit-filled believer is a serious matter. We must hold our position in the thick of the battle; don't give up any ground to the enemy! ​ Christians often posture and fight a fake warfare where we act as if opposition is not real. ​ We are in a day when appearance is the ideal, rather than the truth at the base of appearance. ​ We're in a war whether we signed up for it or not. There is an active enemy coming against us and he is relentless. Sometimes when we think we are strong, the enemy is shooting arrows all around us, most of them missing, when we are alert. ​ Friday is a positive day; the end of the work week. So, why is Cynthia sounding a pessimistic note this morning? Well, because the times are rough; there is trouble on every side; the wars are raging, not only in other countries, but here in the US of A, and even in our homes. ​ Ignorance is not bliss! So, this morning I am sounding a warning cry to be alert at all times. Get dressed for battle every day; put on the complete armor of God that you may be able to stand, and having done all to stand, the word of God tells us to "stand therefore." ​ We are indeed soldiers in the army of the Lord. The adversary hated Jesus and he hates us. Our fight is not against flesh and blood, but there are principalities and powers; rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness in the high places to contend with. ​ We, in this dispensation, need to learn to navigate beyond our five senses. The sense realm is just the beginning. God has given us weapons of warfare that rise above carnality; weapons that are mighty through Him to the pulling down of every stronghold. ​ I believe its time to get serious about spiritual warfare. It's time to take back everything the enemy, Satan, is trying to steal or has stolen from us and from our families. ​ As a grand-ma, I sense even stronger the need for intense prayer; for leaving "milk" and moving on to the "meat" of the Word. We do this through the pursuit of a "Holy Ghost" filled; fire-baptized ministry. He will teach us how to war a good warfare. ​ He will teach us how to use our one offensive weapon and the other defensive ones. The word of God is our offensive weapon. Study, get in there and learn how to wield this weapon. The Bible tells us that death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they that love it will eat the fruit thereof. So, learn to speak the Word. There is power, life-altering power in the word of God! ​ Then allow the Holy Spirit to instruct you as to how to wear the rest of the armor. As an ex-military soldier, I know the value of using our armor properly. I never saw combat, in that sense of the word, but we prepared for it intensively. ​ I was assigned at one point to Bomb Damage Repair (BDR). The idea was that an enemy could blow a hole in the run-way to impede the progress of our air response or attacks. We were to run out and repair the damage so that planes could land and take-off. ​ I had a helmet on to protect my head, much like the armor laid out in Ephesians, chapter 6. ​ Well, in this spiritual battle, the devil loves to wage war on the battlefield of the mind: the seat of control for the soul that controls our decision making. ​ Satan's primary MO is to get us to hear his thoughts, ideas and suggestions that are enervating (a gradual or physical moral weakness); that sow seeds of divisiveness, discord, and disaffection. ​ God has given us a girdle to under-gird and bind us up. We have a breastplate of righteousness (our original is as filthy rags, it cannot protect us; what we have through Jesus Christ is righteous). ​ We walk with shoes of peace; we have a shield of faith that moves to combat the fiery darts of the enemy. And , we have the sword of the Spirit that I mentioned earlier, which is the word of God! ​ Better than any GI issue, God has properly dressed us for guaranteed success against any and all advances. Allow the Holy Spirit to be your instructor in the proper use of this incredible armor. Just remember, the devil does not take a day off; he is always on the job seeking whom he may devour. ​ God has equipped us to fight and win every-time. And, remember, this really is a fixed-fight; the enemy doesn't stand a chance against you or your family because you are diligent, vigilant, and on the job 24/7! ​ Study how Jesus dealt with Satan in the wilderness. He was victorious as He wielded the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God! Jesus said, "It is written." Now, it's our turn to say, "It is written." ​ But, we must first know what is written. Declare the Word over your life and your families' life. Place the blood of Jesus over the door-post of your life through prayer. Plead the blood; declare the promises of God as a decree and always receive them as amen. ​ I could go on and on about the weapons God has given us and the secret to using those weapons, who is the Holy Spirit. But let me just say: Praise God for loving us so thoroughly; for sending Jesus to die for us, to put the enemy under our feet. ​ Jesus won the victory, now it is our turn to maintain it. The word of God tells us that we overcome (are victorious), by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of our testimony. And what else does that verse say? "And not loving our lives unto death." ​ Well, that's a lot for one talk, but we need to declare and decree that all offerings from the enemy are refused! I have authority given to me by Jesus, and I can dismantle the schemes of the devil by my words. I choose to stand my ground through the power of the anointing! ​ Thank You Jesus for Your great sacrifice; in my life, it will never be in vain. ​ See you next time when we'll continue to explore "Active Warfare," through the 3 R's of Active Warfare." Until then, blessings for a powerful week in the Lord!. Love you, Cki. ​ "Fight the good fight of faith; lay hold to eternal life!" 1 Tim. 6:12 ​ ​ Chasing darkness, or the Light? (The Eclipse) The "great chase" continues on this Monday morning! Especially today, because thousands are chasing a total solar eclipse. There will not be another for the next 20 years, they say! ​ There is a strong "so what" factor here. To those who do not chase such phenomenons, there is wonder that persons will gas up and drive for hours to see darkness. ​ But here's an existential question: "Why chase darkness, when darkness is all around us?" Yes, the Bible speaks of darkness, and gross darkness concerning the people. ​ I am intrigued by scripture in Isaiah 60 that speaks of a dichotomy between darkness and light that should be our focus. Let's take a look: ​ Isaiah 60: 1-2: "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee (2) For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee." ​ Down through the years, that darkness has manifested, from the darkness that shrouded Zion in that day, to the darkness that brings poverty, wars, racism, and political unrest to nations of the world today. ​ So, it seems strange to chase darkness, unless you look into it to reject its gifts as you see the beauty of light which brings order to chaos. To those who are citizens of the Kingdom of God, you know what I mean. God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). He is the light of the world; and He is our light and our salvation which takes away all fear (Psalm 27:). ​ The power of God's light expels darkness and all the powers of evil, so why wouldn't we prefer light over darkness? The answers to life are in the light! ​ There is one scripture that blows the mind of God's children, because the possibilities within it speak to the limitless power of God to transcend anything, especially darkness: "Light shines in darkness, and the darkness cannot understand nor overpower, nor extinguish it!" ​ Light in scripture symbolizes God's all-encompassing knowledge, wisdom and creative power. It symbolizes God's holiness (in Him is no darkness at all). It symbolizes God's intrinsic goodness; His gracious nature; and His revelations to His people. ​ We, as His children are to be light in this world. Matthew 5: 14-16 tells us that we are the light of the world - like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. We are to shine into dark places (like putting a light on a stand rather than under a bushel basket). ​ So that I don't make this long and drawn out, let me just say that the first words God uttered in creation were: "Let there be light." The first thing in that moment of creation was light. ​ What I'm trying to put forth here is that darkness is the opposite of that light, and it represents chaos. When God uttered those words, the earth was void and in a chaotic state. Darkness covered the face of the deep. God was restoring order; and bless God, light illuminated that gross darkness. ​ Praise God, we get to live in this day when the light of God is so available through the Holy Spirit, our wisdom guide. We don't have to chase after it. When you're in Christ, the Holy Spirit takes up residence within You; He walks alongside You; He sticks to you closer than a brother; and He always brings light! ​ So, today, I pray that all those who are hitting the highways chasing darkness, (especially those seeking some deep spiritual experience), will instead look up: not into the sun's eclipse, but to the SON, sent by God to bring new life! Every bit of knowledge one seeks, can be found through relationship with the resurrected Christ. It's ironic that this eclipse is occurring so close to the celebration of the death of Christ, where at the site of the crucifixion, about noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. ​ Someone said it was an "oppressive gloom." I believe that gloom still hovers over the earth today, not as a scientific phenomenon, but because of sin and despair. ​ But, the resurrection happened! New life, new opportunities, deliverance and hope! This hope is a confident expectation of good that is available to everyone who will receive it. This hope is in JESUS! ​ So, I pray this will save someone money, time and heartbreak chasing darkness. But, rather attention will shift to the Author of Life and light who can bless your life and make it count! ​ God bless you as you walk through April 8th, 2024, a day of decision! ​ Love you, Cki. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The Afterglow: Carpe Diem ​ Carpe Diem, often translated as "Seize the Day," has been debated as to its original meaning. But, this morning I submit to you that "seize the day" is just fine with me. ​ It's the same, to those who love Jesus, as saying, "Command your morning," or your day. " We want to take charge of our days from morning to night. ​ Time is of the essence! Time, though some live to be 90, 100 years today, even that is a vapor. I saw one translation of carpe diem which said, enjoy yourself, savor the uniqueness and value of every moment. ​ For those in Christ Jesus, living in the Kingdom of God, that is truth! We live a unique existence which emanates from the Throne-room of Grace. Those are not just fancy words without meaning, the Kingdom of God is amazing! ​ There is a power that we have access to as Christians that the world cannot know or understand. We have been plucked up out of darkness, into the marvelous light of God through Jesus Christ. ​ Yesterday on the Christian calendar was Resurrection Sunday or Easter as it is often called. There was a bit of euphoria attached to the day, some people came into the church house for a once a year visit because of a seed sown probably when they were children. ​ I pray that every one of those seeds was watered on yesterday, and those precious souls yearn for that special touch of the Holy Spirit to be a permanent part of their lives. I simply cannot imagine the number of souls saved on yesterday! ​ That is the true meaning of carpe diem to me, seize the day to win souls, souls, and more souls; to bring them into the Kingdom!!! ​ So, as we bask in the afterglow of Easter celebrations, let those of us in Christ Jesus always remember that we are on a mission for the One who shed His precious blood and died for our salvation, to expand the Kingdom of God. ​ We are happy only when His purposes are manifesting rapidly throughout the whole earth. ​ So, whatever your particular talent; give it over to Jesus, and allow the blessed Holy Spirit to lead and guide you in the proper use of that gift. ​ May the Lord add a blessing to this inspiration. And I look forward to Resurrection Day or Easter Sunday, 2025!!! Amen . ​ Scriptures: Ephesians 5:15-17: "So be very careful how you live, not being like those with no understanding, but live honorably with true wisdom, for we are living in evil times. ​ Take full advantage of every day as you spend your life for His purposes. And don't live foolishly for then you will have discernment to fully understand God's will. And, don't get drunk with with wine, which is rebellion, instead be filled continually with the Holy Spirit." (TPT). ​ Finally, Psalm 90:12 reminds us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom. Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom." ​ Life here on earth is finite, we want to be good stewards of this precious gift of minutes and hours. Our greatest desire should be to please God, and to bless our fellow sojourners. Jesus commanded us to "Love one another as He has loved us." (John 13:34). ​ That's one commandment we can all embrace by the power of the Holy Spirit: setting aside differences and seeing the face of God in every man and woman created by Him as precious and worthy of agape love. ​ So, on the Monday after; we can continue to bask in the afterglow; but we must keep stoking the fire through time spent building a strong, firm relationship with the Father, and through doing His will, not ours. ​ Have a wonderful day in the Lord. God bless you, Cki. ​ "May the fire on my altar never burn out; make me a house of prayer!" ​ From Poverty to Power, in our Souls! ​ Glory to God! Today's a new day; a thrilling opportunity to learn and grow through revelation knowledge! It is such an awesome pleasure to lift up the name of Jesus on this Friday morning; one more time in the earth realm. ​ The God we serve is beyond what we call awesome in this world. He loved us beyond measure, sending His Son to die for our sins and to return us to Him. ​ Many years ago, I wrote a book called: "From Poverty to Power; Enriching the Soul." As I look back on it, there is a profound yearning to carry out the "Great Commission;" to tell everyone about Jesus, the One who was crucified, died and was buried. ​ There was a great stone rolled against the tomb to assure He could not escape death, but when the women arrived at the tomb, Jesus was not in it! He was very much alive! ​ So, the bottom line is that we serve a risen King; King of Kings; Lord of Lords. One who enabled us to live a different kind of life, free of every entanglement that would threaten to devour us. ​ My heart was poured out in that book in child-like fashion. I was somewhat new to expressing my feelings about Jesus and the Christian faith in writing for all to see, and my passion was palpable. ​ Here's an excerpt: "God's Spirit placed upon my heart, a burden for men, women, boys and girls who have come to Christ Jesus through salvation, but who continue to reach for all the wrong things in life: searching for love in all the wrong places, and living like the devil daily while professing Christ Jesus on Sunday morning! God taught me the dangerous power of a soul that is not renewed by the word of God according to Romans 12:2. ​ Another verse continues the plea to allow righteousness and holiness to become themes in our lives rather than "back-burner" issues: "The errant soul can carry the believer into dark and dank places where he does not belong! Although salvation has taken place in the spirit, and that one is saved to eternal life, he or she has not tapped into the power of God that makes it possible to live a Kingdom of God lifestyle right here on earth. God gave us a powerful key to this style of life in Romans 14:17: "For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but it is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost . ​ So, all of our worldly preoccupations are designed to deter us from what is real and vastly important, which is, living a Christ-like life before God and man. The Holy Scriptures clearly tell us that only what we do for Christ will remain." A writer wrote that we have "One life, two little lines." What will you put between those lines? At first, we did not know any better; but now, we do know. ​ Life is not about graft and greed; life is not about petty jealousies. Life is not about differences separating us, like color of skin; ethnicity; or creative thought; things that were meant by God to enhance our lives, not to divide us! God created a beautiful tapestry for us to enjoy, that when perverted in our thoughts, causes us to look upon our brother or sister with a jaundiced eye. ​ God has so much more than that laid up for His children. Jesus said in John 10:10: "The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." ​ So, if you're a Christian who is living underneath your privileged and authorized inheritance as outlined in the precious Last Will and Testament of Jesus Christ to you (the Bible); If you're broke and ashamed of your lifestyle. If you are interested in grabbing hold of the principles of "Soul Prosperity" (prosperity of the mind, the will and the emotions) that will catapult you from the cellar of blessings - to eating from the Master's table, then stay tuned this week as we explore further the Gift of Life God has already given you. It's yours for the receiving! ​ I invite you to join me at www.cynthia52.com to enjoy this article and many others. I look forward to an amazing weekend and week to follow, in Christ Jesus. ​ Blessings, Cki. ​ Resurrection Sunday is Here!!! (Holy Week 2024) ​ Hallelujah! Our anthem for today is the song: "Up From the Grave He Arose!!! The song-writer captured the essence of the resurrection beautifully with these lyrics: ​ "Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o'er His foes. He arose a victor from the dark domain, and He lives forever with His saints to reign. He arose; He arose; Hallelujah, Christ arose!" ​ Today, we celebrate the message of Holy Week; the culmination of an 8-day journey with Jesus. ​ The excitement is palpable as families prepare for what is widely known as Easter Sunday. Churches all over the globe are filled with worshipers; tables are prepared for family dinners. ​ But the most important part of Resurrection Sunday is coming face to face with the reality that we serve a risen Savior! ​ Scriptures come to life in our hearts once again. Matthew 28:6: "He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay." Glory to God! That was indeed a hallelujah moment. So, how does the resurrection bring you hope and joy? Let's remember a scripture from 1st Corinthians, chapter 6, verse 14: "And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by His power." ​ So, as we celebrate the triumph of our Lord, and His resurrection; how He was raised from the dead; don't forget to celebrate your own translation from death to life. ​ Jesus completed His work which remitted our sin, and brought us back into relationship with God the Father and eternal life. ​ Another delicious scripture, this time from Romans 6:4-5 brings us into Jesus' triumph: "We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His; we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His." ​ 1st Peter 1:3: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." ​ We could go on and on with glorious scriptures that link our fortunes to Christ's. We have new life in Him, our sins are forgiven, and now we are positionally seated together with Christ Jesus in the heavenly places. Scripture tells us that we are joint heirs with Christ! We are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. ​ So, not only did we go from death to life, we are now heirs and heiresses according to the scriptures. We are ambassadors carrying the gospel message to the poor and spiritually disenfranchised. ​ We are part now of a new nation called the Kingdom of God; a holy nation! So, let us arise to our new station in life. ​ I pray now that the Holy Spirit will help us to see the golden status we now have in this new life: That all who profess Jesus will live as He lived, warriors for the truth; warriors who spread the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth. ​ I pray that all who receive Jesus will also receive the call on your life to labor in the vineyard; to tell a dying world that Jesus Christ lives; to be a vessel God can use to bring souls into the Kingdom, and to disciple them as led by the Holy Spirit. ​ One last scripture from Mark 16:15-17: "He (Jesus) said to them: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. ​ And these signs will accompany those who believe. In My name they will drive out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will place their hands on sick people and they will get well." ​ So, you see, the same as Jesus walked in power, so shall we who believe on Him. The Bible emphatically states that the same power that raised up Jesus from the dead now dwells in us (Rom. 8-11). Praise His Holy name. ​ We have the Holy Spirit of the living God within us to lead and guide us into all truth. He is the power of God resident within us. Therefore, we are a blessed people empowered to prosper and to do good works for God. ​ And this is a great time to remember that only what we do for Christ will remain. Glory to God! Let's pray: ​ Father, we thank You for opening our eyes to the glory of the 8-day journey of Jesus from His triumphal entry into Jerusalem where the people cried out "Hosanna in the highest", to the crucifixion and resurrection. ​ We thank You, Father, for clarity of purpose. We thank You Jesus, for Your great sacrifice on the cross. We are so grateful for the resurrection where our triumph comes from. ​ Father, I pray that these truths become rhema in the lives of all who read these words and agree that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God! It is in the name above every name that I pray, the precious name of Jesus, the Christ, Son of the living God, amen and amen. ​ Jesus overcame death, hell and the grave. Now, death no longer has any victory, neither the grave any sting. May the glory of Jesus' resurrection remind us that in Christ, nothing is impossible to us; hope springs eternal! ​ Please enjoy Resurrection Sunday celebrations with family and friends in remembrance of Jesus and His substitutionary atonement and propitiation for our sin. ​ "Death, where is thy sting? Grave, where is thy victory?" ​ God loves you, and so do I. ​ Forever, Cki. ​ ​ Maundy Thursday and Good Friday (Holy Week 2024) ​ Praise God! This 2024 Holy Week Celebration marches on! We are privileged to be able to experience each day of Jesus' journey, from Palm Sunday, to Resurrection Sunday. ​ Within those days there is triumphant celebration of Jesus by the people of that day; and then just as suddenly, they called for the release of Barrabas over Jesus, calling for the crucifixion of our Lord. ​ Maundy Thursday gives us the institution of the "Last Supper." What a gift to the body of Christ this would become. Jesus institutes Communion which we observe to this day! ​ Jesus also washed the feet of His disciples on Maundy Thursday, demonstrating servant-hood; how we all are to love one another from the seeming "high place of titles and position, to the place of the person in need." ​ Jesus said, "You call Me teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I Am. If I then, your Lord and teacher have washed your feet; you ought to wash one another's feet. I have given you an example that you also should do as I have done to you." (John 13: 12-15). ​ Maundy means commandment in Latin. That is why English speaking countries call Thursday of Holy Week, Maundy Thursday where Jesus gives the great command to love one another as He has loved us. ​ The following day is Good Friday, which is to me as important and significant as Sunday. On Sunday we celebrate the risen Savior, but how can one arise from the dead, if He has not died? ​ On "Good Friday" there was crucifixion, and death. Jesus is condemned to die. This Jesus is the same Jesus who on day one, Palm Sunday, was heralded with palm branches and cries of hosanna; now, he is crucified and dies. ​ Many believe this day is called "Good Friday" because it is the dramatic culmination of God's plan to forgive our sins. Without the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus, without the excruciatingly painful death, without the stripes He took to secure our healing, Sunday would not be possible. ​ In our session on Zoom yesterday, so many nuggets were uncovered. Someone said, if they had chosen Jesus over Barabbas, where would we be? God had a plan, and Judas Iscariot set the plan in motion. The rest followed the prophecies that foretold Jesus' death and resurrection, and we are the recipients of the golden nuggets of Salvation! ​ Just remember; Thursday and Friday were necessary for Jesus to complete His work. But, there is light, an inexpressible bright light at the end of this tunnel. ​ Saturday is coming; a day of waiting, followed by Sunday's power-full resurrection! ​ Spoiler alert: "He got up, with all power in His hands; glory to God!" ​ Scripture readings: John 13: 1-17; and Matthew 27: 1-66. ​ Song: "We Remember You, by Morris Chapman ​ Enjoy Holy Week, delving deeply into the journey of our Lord. This is the most important week of the Christian experience. You will be blessed. ​ Love you, Cki. "We're Approaching the Season!" (Palm Sunday 2024) ​ The songwriter wrote: "Hallelujah! Jesus is alive; death lost it's victory, and the grave has been denied. The Lamb of God is risen, He's alive! Hallelujah, Jesus is alive!" ​ We begin today what is referred to as "Holy Week." What an awesome time of remembrance. We will remember the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Jesus was hailed as king by the crowds. ​ Well, just a few days later, it was the crowd that screamed: Give us Barrabas!" They screamed: "Crucify Him! ​ We will never know the depth of what led the crowd to change so dramatically; or even the depth of Jesus' agony as He was scourged, and crucified. Why would He endure such condemnation and pain when He was the Son of God who could call legions of angels to rescue Him? ​ The crux of the matter is that Jesus was on a mission to do the work and the will of the Father. Jesus was on a mission to set us free! ​ The mission was not one of pleasure for Jesus, or desire. We remember Gethsemane: the garden where Jesus prayed and asked that the cup pass from Him. But, Jesus ultimately prayed: "Nevertheless, not my will, but Thine be done." ​ Those words spoke volumes; and they continue to speak to us today, challenging us to give up our feelings and fears, and our desires, to take up our cross and follow Him. ​ He is worthy of all the praise, the honor and the glory; for without His shed blood, we would be forever in sin and separated from God! ​ But, praise the Lord, we are no longer separated; but, we who were once afar off have been brought nigh by the blood of the Lamb! We, who were bankrupt, lost for all eternity, have been translated from darkness to light; from death to life! ​ So, this week, put the Cross of Calvary in remembrance; not the physical cross, but the holy, power filled day of surrender, where the whole destiny of creation was divinely shifted! ​ Think about His great love shown to us on that fateful day; of His goodness. Think about the blood shed when they pierced His side; and the water. Think about how drastically your life, and my life has changed because Jesus surrendered His life. ​ Now, during this holy week, think about your part in the story. What does God require of you? Will you be faithful to your charge? Let's ponder these things together, and when we arrive at Resurrection Sunday, next week, we will be stronger; our minds refreshed; our gratitude even greater than today. ​ May God bless and keep each of you; may He make His face to shine upon you, and may He continue to grant you peace. ​ Love you always, Cki. "Holy Wednesday: Sunday is Coming!" (Holy Week 2024) ​ Sometimes Holy Wednesday is called "Spy Wednesday." What? Is there some kind of cloak and dagger going on? ​ Yes, the Bible is filled with intrigue. And nothing is more undercover than the work of Judas behind the scenes, a clandestine spy who orchestrated the "ambush" of Jesus. ​ Judas was to collect information like an informant, give it to the Sanhedrin, and lead them to Jesus, even to point him out with a kiss. ​ Matthew 26: 14-16: "Then one of the twelve - the one called Judas Iscariot - went to the chief priests and asked, "What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?" The answer was 30 pieces of silver. ​ We're never sure why a person goes from patriot to spy, but some speculate that Judas was frustrated. He thought Jesus would topple Rome. Some think he wanted to give Jesus a push that would invoke insurrection. ​ Whatever the reason, Judas betrayed Jesus for personal reasons. My prayer today is that not one of us will ever follow in Judas' footsteps, That we will hold fast to our profession of faith; that we will forever confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God! ​ Denial is normally the product of process. Persons don't just wake up one day, stop assembling with other saints, stop professing the promises of God, or even stop praying, there is a stealthy process that begins (usually stemming from a hurtful event). ​ In the case of Judas, he was called a thief, stealing from the money box. In the gospel of John, we get a little insight into a flaw in Judas' character. Remember when Mary took a costly oil of spikenard, opened it and poured it out upon Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair? What an awesome display of her love for Him. ​ Judas asked, why didn't we sell that oil and give the money to the poor? It could have garnered three hundred denari! John gives us the hidden motivation here: more money! ​ He was disgruntled, and he had personal desires that led him down a path all the way to betrayal! Ultimately, he led a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and pharisees to the Garden where Jesus would go after their meal. ​ And, how did Judas betray him? He betrayed him with a kiss. The kiss seemed to highlight the fact that he had a personal relationship with Jesus that he used for ill-gotten gains. ​ Guess what came later? As Judas listened to the Jewish religious leaders and their unjust deliberations that would lead to Jesus' conviction and death, Judas seemed to become remorseful. He "threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself." ​ 2 Cor. 7:10: "For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death." ​ So, today, on this Wednesday morning of Holy Week, let's examine ourselves, asking the Holy Spirit to help us see our motivations; making sure that we will never receive outside information that turns us away from God's pronouncements. ​ No matter our sin, Jesus died to remit it; we can repent and turn back to God at any moment. We can confess our sins, and God has promised to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness! ​ Holy Wednesday always leads to resurrection Sunday! Repentance brings transformation; joy; revival; forgiveness; and an eternal refreshing! ​ God bless you all! ​ Maundy Thursday is coming! Love you, Cki. "I Will Always Love You" (The Struggle to Forgive) ​ Well, Praise the Lord once again saints. What a privilege to open our eyes to another bright new day full of possibilities. ​ How many of you remember Whitney Houston's rendition of the song: "I Will Always Love You?" Her voice was enigmatic, and soulful. But, the song pledges something that is rare in this world. ​ Will you always love the person you're gaga about in this moment? Can you promise never to leave or forsake them? ​ Well, today I want to talk about someone who really will keep that promise; Jehovah God! This is the all-powerful One who has promised never to leave us, nor forsake us. He has promised never to abandon us. ​ I believe I'm speaking to someone right now; someone who is suffering abandonment: through a break-up of a relationship; a rift between family members; separation from your church through a misunderstanding; or even suffering abandonment because of a divorce. ​ No matter the reason for that person to leave your life; that special someone you loved with all your heart who is now on the verge of walking out; the pain is palpable. ​ God never told us we would not suffer loss; that trials would not come to us; but He did promise that Jesus overcame the world, so we can be of good cheer. ​ What kind of advice is that in the midst of my storm? How can you tell me to smile and move on when my whole world is shattered? ​ The answer is, I can't tell you that in good conscience. There have been too many times in my life when I've had to swallow deep disappointment and hear the word of the Lord. Times when people hurt me, or left me, pledging friendship forever. ​ It's so hard to understand how a bond can be so easily broken. Sometimes I don't even know what I've done to have the relationship come to such an abrupt and sad end. But, no matter what I feel; no matter how deep the wound; God says that I must forgive the one who broke his/her promise. I must forgive them for my sake! ​ At first, I thought this impossible; but now, because the Holy Spirit has taught me that forgiveness is as necessary as breathing, that God forgave us through Jesus Christ and changed our lives forever; I can now more quickly forgive. ​ Heavenly Father, I pray now for my sister, my brother who is struggling to forgive the one who wounded them; the one who abandoned them; the one who broke trust. ​ Father, Your word which governs the life of your children teaches us to forgive as we have so graciously been forgiven. ​ Father, please forgive me for harboring unforgiveness when you have shown us the benefit of forgiving all who trespass against us. Anger and bitterness become my portion when I hold onto offense. Teach me how to give up my "right" to be angry, and to live as You have demonstrated to us. ​ Father, I vow right now, to forgive anyone who has wronged me in any way. I give it to You Father, and I leave it with You. Today, is my freedom moment. The enemy of our souls will have no part in me. Father, I forgive everyone who hurt me; I will not harbor the poison of unforgiveness any longer. Thank You Lord for the power to forgive. In Jesus' name I pray, amen and amen. ​ Before today, you thought it impossible to let go and let God handle the pain deep inside. But, bless God, now you are ready to close your hand like a fist; then open it slowly, and visualize letting go. This works by faith, and faith works by love. ​ Now that you have forgiven all; give God a praise for this unexpected shift in your whole way of seeing things, and arise to your new life of peace and tranquility in Christ Jesus. ​ I love you so much, and Jesus loves you even more; and, more perfectly. ​ Blessings always, Cki. Cruising Through Life With Grace! ​ Praise the Lord! It's Monday morning again, and God is still in His holy temple! ​ And what are we doing? We are still cruising through life with grace, I hope. ​ In the book, "Cruising Through LIfe With Grace," I wrote: "Father, I awake to Your glory; I lay me down to sleep in Your presence, and then morning comes again, and I see the glory of the Lord shining bright all over again." ​ God's glory is evident everywhere if we'll see with the eyes of the Spirit. When you think about God's goodness to you over the years, gratitude will flood your soul and things will become more than tolerable, all the way to something good is on the way through Christ Jesus. ​ Our prayer this morning is: Father, I thank You for life, health, strength, cognizance, memory, and balance. For You are the lifter of my head. You are the buoyancy that keeps me afloat, high above principalities and powers, rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness in the high places. ​ With You, O Lord, I am never, ever alone. Your promises are steadfast and forever settled in heaven. With You Jesus, I am forever cruising down the highways of life; blessed to be a blessing. In the Name of Jesus I pray this prayer of thanksgiving, amen . ​ Smokey Robinson of Motown had a song called Cruising, which said release and you will find, you're going to fly away. I don't normally quote secular songs, but I believe that if we release everything in our lives to Jesus, we will fly! ​ Life as we know it will cease to exist, and victory wiill show up in our lives. But, we must do it His way, not my way or our way. It has to be according to scripture. ​ It's called "K ingdom life," and it is marvelous in the sight of God! So, today I submit to you that living this life changes your station in life immediately. Bills will still be bills, but now you have an advocate with you; you have the God who has supernatural power on Your side. ​ Open the door to real life; open your heart fully to Jesus!!! ​ * The book, Cruising Through Life With Grace is available through this website and through all the online bookstores. Just look for C. K. Inniss books. Still Cruising with Grace! ​ Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name!!! For He has done great things. ​ I have come today to stimulate our desire for more: more of Jesus and His great love and power. I believe visualization is one of the keys to manifestation. ​ Cruising through life with grace requires that we see things through our spirit eyes. oh yes, we have eyes of flesh that tell us lies, and then we have the ability through Jesus Christ to see things the way God intended. ​ We can see ourselves in a whole new light, far from the dusty old lamp used by this world to categorize us and minimize us. We are so different than man's assessment of us. ​ Let's take a look: God calls us His children; children of the Most High God who created everything! We come from the ultimate DNA, that of Jesus Christ. All the sickle cells; the abnormal heart beats, the kidneys that refuse to flush properly, eyes that refuse to see clearly blocked by cataracts and other malfunctions must bow to our new DNA. ​ We belong to Christ Jesus and are inheritors of everything He bequeathed. And beloved, our inheritance is great and powerful. We can bind and loose; we can call those things that be not as though they were! ​ Let's do it! Let's take Him at His word. Bless His holy name. Our God is truly awesome, He provides; He comforts; He restores; He is the repairer of the breach; restorer of paths to dwell in. ​ So, today, resolve to forget about yesterday and come on over into today. Let's live in the "faith zone" and let God be God in our lives. The result will be that you will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living; and multitudes will see and believe! ​ At the end of the day, our names are written down in the Lamb's book of Life, we can rejoice; but there are still too many outside the Covenant who are unaware of Salvation and eternal life. ​ When God showers down His goodness and His favor upon you and me, the world will take notice, because we will not receive it by the sweat of our brow as they are striving, but we have the favor of Almighty God working on our behalf all day, every day! ​ Would you agree with me that we are a "Most Blessed" people, who serve the ultimate "Blessor?" God Almighty; Jehovah God; Adonai; Our Father, is the One true and living God! His power is unsurpassed; His wisdom is unparalleled; and His grace is sufficient for us all! Glory to God. ​ So, I pray you have been excited to visualization: see this new Kingdom in operation right here on earth. Walk in it: see your path as ambassador of the Most High God; see your place as the head of it, and not the tail end as you might have been previously; and don't forget to see yourself as the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus as you comport yourself accordingly in the workplace, the home, and in the church-house. ​ I know, this is so exciting, new life, new ideals, new direction, a brand new love who has promised never to leave nor forsake you. Receive it all today, in Jesus' name, amen . ​ Go, be great because your Father is God, Your Savior is Jesus, and Your constant companion is the Holy Spirit of the Living God! My soul cries out, "Hallelujah, thank God for saving me!" ​ See you again soon. Love you, Cki. ​ Like the Dew in the Morning! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The songwriter sang: "Like the dew in the morning, Lord I hunger for Your touch. ​ And so do I! Not sure why the word dew is so prevalent in my brain this morning, but for several days now the idea of the power in the dew has captured me. ​ One article shed light on the subject. Dew is a symbol of resurrection (Isaiah 26:19). "Just as the earth brings forth its dew, so also it shall bring forth the dead to new life. Dew is a symbol of the redeemed and resurrected people of God." ​ Moses taught that God's word shall distill as the dew, found in Deuteronomy 32:2. The manna that fed the children of Israel in the wilderness came with the dew (Numbers 11:19). ​ Our souls are sometimes flooded with revelation all at once; but for the most part we receive ongoing revelation, like the mist of falling dew. ​ When we receive the refreshing dew, our souls thrive and revitalize around the word of God. And with all the chatter around us, we need to stop and acknowledge the presence of God which transcends every other thing. ​ Psalm 133: 3 : "It is like the dew of Hermon falling on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord has appointed the blessing - life forevermore." ​ I pray that the word of God is your "go to," now and for always, so that God, by His Spirit can bring a refreshing mist into your life daily. ​ Love you, Cki. ​ ​ Whose Report will You Believe? ~~~~~~~~ Praise the Lord this morning saints of God! What an awesome day to come before His presence with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise! ​ Think about your day. What mountains do you have before you? What is there that might cause you to pause and reflect? ​ Remember today, that the past is the past and it belongs in the past. Moments that hurt, that caused pain, moments that brought shame; all of that can be put under the blood of Jesus and left there. ​ Jesus gave His life on Calvary so that you and I might live. Such pain and torment He suffered; therefore, we must not let His suffering be in vain in our lives. ​ I am so grateful for what Jesus did that I will walk in healing and health, in wholeness because I want to see Him glorified in the earth. I will walk in peace with my neighbor because I want to see Jesus glorified in the earth. ​ I will walk upright because I respect so profoundly the power of the cross: the shed blood of Jesus that gave us renewed access to God. ​ We are no longer lost in sin and trespasses, but glory to God, we are children of the Most High God, able to approach the throne of grace boldly. ​ Never forget the price He paid. ​ We hear it said that if you had been the only lost soul, Jesus would have died on the cross. The Bible tells us that Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the Sheep will leave the 99, to go after the one lost sheep. ​ See yourself as that beloved sheep, once lost, but now found; once dead in sin and trespasses, but now plucked up out of that dark, dismal, deadly kingdom, and brought over into the marvelous light; God truly loves you! ​ So, whose report will you believe? "We shall believe the report of the LORD." ​ We are a most blessed people. So, go out today with your head held high (let your soul make her boast in the Lord). Walk like the ambassador of the Most High God that you are. Walk like a member of a royal priesthood, a holy nation. ​ And, don't forget to embrace different. The saint who used to be a sinner (all of us) walks in humility and strength at the same time. How is that possible? We are forever humbled by the knowledge of our predicament before Jesus' death and resurrection. yet we are well aware of the power that now dwells inside us, the power of the Holy Ghost! ​ The Bible calls this power: "that same power that raised Jesus from the dead;" that now dwells in you and me." This is a hallelujah moment! Embrace it as you go through your day! Love you, Cki. ​ Hallelujah to our God who set in motion a plan revealed way back in Genesis 3:15 to redeem mankind after the fall! ​ We are privileged to live in this day, after the death of Jesus, where our sins were remitted, and the Salvation plan is in full effect. ​ I pray for you today, that the love of God, the knowledge of the freedom of Grace, and the power of attorney Jesus left us both, will permeate your mind, your entire soul, and that your life will shift in the direction of fulfillment of the precious promises of God. ​ So, go, and be a blessing in every place, and every situation; as you make it a good day! ​ Love you; Cki. ​ ​ You Still Have a Future! Good morning everyone and welcome to this Inspiration Page, a place where Jesus is LORD. As always, I pray that this moment finds you prosperous, happy, and exceedingly blessed. On my heart this morning is our continuous and everlasting place in the Kingdom of God! The knowledge that as long as we're on earth, we can be useful to God. We were listening to a song yesterday called, "I Still Have a Future," by Becky Fender. This song ministers to all of us who are of a certain age, and to some of whom are doubting that you can still make a difference in the Kingdom of God. She writes that God spoke to her spirit, not to quit, not to give up to those negative whisperings. She said, "I still have a future, just you wait and see. I still have tomorrow, God's not through with me. I pray that those words will bless someone who might be wavering, who might be overcome by the world trying to discard you. God blessed and used many in their latter years, and He is still blessing us today. Never let a day go by that you fail to thank Him for His goodness and His mighty favor in your life. Keep listening for the still small voice of the Holy Spirit as He leads you in the truth of God's plan for your life. "He is faithful who has promised." Bless His holy name! May God bless and keep you safe until we meet again in Cynthia's Inspirations. Much love, Cki. ​ ​ ~ Calming The Mind!~ Blessed be the name of the LORD, for He is worthy to be praised! Good morning everyone and welcome again to Cki's Inspirations, a place where Jesus is LORD. As always, I pray that this moment finds you prosperous, happy, and exceedingly blessed. On my heart this morning is the mind of man and how powerful it truly is. The mind of man is housed in the soul which makes our souls: our minds, our wills, and our emotions pretty special. Many times sickness of the body originate in the mind of man. That's where the germ of sickness is embedded. If the soul is sick, the body will usually follow. It is a medical fact that our thoughts have a heavy bearing on our physical health, therefore we must take the reins of our thought life and control it like the rider controls a horse. We have been given dominion by God to decide what thoughts to allow and which ones we block. Proverbs 23:7 tells us clearly, that as a man thinks, in his heart, so is he. That's a high=powered statement! Thoughts become crystalized in our brains creating impulses. So, we must make sure that our thoughts are never random, never wandering, never susceptible to the suggestions of the enemy, Satan! When we change our way of thinking, allowing our mind to be transformed by the word of God, we make deposits into our "heart" which commands our brain and determines what we speak. The Bible informs us that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. So, whatever thoughts we're feasting on will inevitably come out of our mouths. At the very least, if our thinking is negative continually, our bodies will suffer sickness and disease, when Jesus took stripes for our healing and wholeness. So, let's resolve to feast on the word of God and allow it to fill us up to the brim so that nothing else can enter in. Remember, death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love {either death or life}, will eat the fruit thereof. What a life-altering message for us to ponder and adjust to! We are children of God, able to become like Jesus, to think like Jesus, and act like Jesus the Christ as we walk the earth. When we devote ourselves to living this Kingdom lifestyle where we think and act like Jesus (like the child who imitates and emulates his/her parent), we are most blessed! I pray God's blessings will overflow in your life as you leave behind the customs of this fallen world and adapt your mind and actions to speak and do according to the revealed wisdom of God. Have a wonderful week and we'll meet again here at Cki's Inspirations! Be sure to check out the other features of the website here at www.cynthia52.com . Blessings always, Cki. A Prayer For Peace Glory to God! As I sit down to write, it is about 3:00 AM on Saturday morning! This past week has presented with a host of trials, some sickness, some weather issues in many areas, and the awful news of war in Israel. These issues can bring on bouts of fear and uncertainty, especially since those aren't the only issues we have to deal with. So, today, my desire is to speak a word of peace and encouragement to all of us, to assure us of God's great love and His providential care. God is faithful no matter what man does. Man starts wars; man commits atrocities against man, then looks to God to clean it up. The truth is that what we fight about usually has no eternal value; they are not "Kingdom issues." So, let's pray and ask God to heal the fissures between two nations as well as between two people. Someone is thinking, it's not that easy. The divisions are too great for simple forgiveness. But when you're truly Kingdom minded, when you believe the Bible and what God says about forgiveness and love, we have to accept that everything can be forgiven. Father, our hearts are full this morning for war-torn areas around the globe. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem as Your word instructs us to do. We pray for the cessation of war and for reconciliation. Father, we lift up every man, woman and child who survived the atrocities of the past week and pray that Your peace will permeate their hearts, and that all their needs will be met. Father, help us, Your ambassadors to spread the word effectively so that Your Kingdom reigns on earth as it is in heaven. We pray and ask all blessings in the name of Your precious Son Jesus the Christ who bled and died to set us free. Amen. Father, I pray that someone reads this prayer intended for them and it ministers comfort to their heart. Let me be an instrument of Your peace. In Jesus' name I pray, amen. Have a wonderful week-end everyone and I'll talk with you again soon. Blessings always, Cki. ________________________ ​ God loves us so much. He sent Jesus to die for us to bring us back to Him. If you don't know Him as Savior, please receive Him now, pray with me: ​ Lord Jesus, come into my heart, be my Lord and Savior. I give You my life. I confess that Jesus is Lord, and I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead. ​ I believe I am now saved. Father, fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Father, I will serve You for the rest of my days. In Jesus' name I pray, amen. _________________________ Praying that small prayer, small in size, but mighty in its meaning, brings you into the family of God, the family of faith. Your life has now changed forever! ​ Ask God to direct you to a bible believing church where the entire bible is preached and taught, and where disciples are made. ​ Someday, I hope to meet you in heaven where I believe spirit to spirit we shall know as we are known. Heaven is real and eternity awaits! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​​​​​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ What's Going ON? Today is Wednesday, we are almost over the hump of another precious week! ​ I, for one, will not rush these weeks. My birthday falls within the month of August and I truly cannot believe its almost here! ​ Listening to the news yesterday was an unsettling experience at best, frightening at worse. Man's inhumanity to man is everywhere evident, from politics, where political bashing is the new normal, to watching a brawl over a managerial issue become a full-blown brouhaha! Is that really who we are, America? And then, as if grown men and women fighting in public over nothing is not enough, skin color rears its ugly head again! ​ As a Christian woman I wondered what God Almighty, our Creator, thinks of us as we live life without compassion, love or self-control? Who are we, barbarians? ​ This is a great country founded upon great principles, but sometimes it looks a bit primitive emotionally. ​ The good news is that it does not have to be this way. You and I can change things by the way we conduct ourselves no matter who we encounter in our day. ​ We can make a difference! God has given us power to change things around us. But we must use it! Let's wake up each day determined to lift up our Savior Jesus to the world by how we live and what we say. ​ When things get hot in conversations, remember who you belong to, and what the Spirit of God has taught you about how we should speak. Proverbs 15:1 tells us: "A gentle (or soft) word turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." ​ We're only fighting against the devil and the powers of darkness, not against flesh and blood (your sisters and brothers). To those who don't believe in Jesus these are just idle words; but to the one who professes Him, we must also profess His word regardless of the heat of the moment! ​ So, today, let love abound; spread love; sow love (whatever you sow, you will also reap). That's good news for us today, because we desire to win souls for the Kingdom of God, and that will never happen if we succumb to the world's way of thinking, or God forbid, the world's way of solving disputes. ​ Have a marvelous day, and remember, if You are in Christ, you belong to a different Kingdom. You are an ambassador to this world, on assignment from the King of kings, Lord of lords. And you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus! ​ God loves You, and so do I! See you next time, Cki. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ~Woman of God; You are God's Expensive Purchase!~ Glory to God!!! Praise God for another day in the Kingdom! ​ It is always a pleasure to come to you in "Cynthia's Inspirations" to share life-altering messages from the throne-room of God. ​ I pray your day has been glorious thus far. Since we have the breath of God within us, there is no doubt you've already found a lot to be thankful for. ​ God is so good to us, and I believe He has equipped us with everything we need for life and godliness, because He said so in His word! ​ Everyone has a talent, a gifting from God that allows us to make a Kingdom contribution. My gift happens to be writing. To date, God has allowed me to write ten books to His glory available to the public. ​ My latest book is entitled, "Woman, Where is Your Crown?" This turned out to be an awesome expression of love to the Father for all that He has crowned His children with; giving thanks for His agape love; His loving-kindness towards us; His tender mercies, and His favor. ​ Within the book we pray a lot, we examine ourselves to determine if we're missing out on finding out just how much Grace changes us; and whether or not we're allowing this amazing information to lift us out of the doldrums of life and set us up high where we belong. ​ Some deep questions arose out of this book (the questions are included in the workbook now available through the on-line bookstores) such as: ​ 1) How does knowing (yada; ginosko) that God's word transcends this fleeting world where everything is subject to change, and that God is the same yesterday, today and forever, enhance your willingness to trust Him completely? ​ 2) How has the realization that God crowned you with so many incredible blessings that define you, enhanced your view of your destiny and purpose? ​ 3). When you hear that God crowned you , do you desire to run out and buy yourself a tiara, or has the purity of this God-designed crown permeated your consciousness? ​ 4) Have you accepted your "Royal Heritage" in Christ Jesus? ​ These questions and so many more are outlined within the "Woman Where is Your Crown" Study Guide." ​ I pray that every woman on this site will purchase a copy of the book (and the exciting new workbook) to join our revolution! ​ God wants you to know, beyond doubt who you are in Christ Jesus and what that means to the rest of your life. I believe the book will bless you and catapult you to new levels of confidence and a deeper desire to know the Creator in all His glory. ​ May God bless your days, and may the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit bring you comfort and peace in all that you do and say. ​ God bless you, amen. Love you always, Cki. ​ ​ ​ ~My Heart Thinks Like Jesus!~ Good morning everyone! We are now entering the month of August in a couple days. Can you believe it? ​ One minute we were wishing everyone a merry Christmas and Happy new Year, then we looked forward to the Superbowl. Before we knew it, summer vacations were upon us! ​ I was thinking this morning about how dynamic our thought lives really are, and how they can be influenced by thoughts, ideas and suggestions from the enemy. ​ The enemy of course, is not flesh and blood; not the boy next door or the girl; but the devil himself. I know; some don't even believe there is a devil, and he likes it just that way! ​ You see, when you don't recognize his presence in your life, he has carte blanche to do whatever he desires: and his primary desire is to steal from you, to kill you, and to destroy everything good in your life! ​ There is one thing we who profess Christ Jesus absolutely must do, and that is, we have the power and authority from God to control our thought life. ​ We are the only ones who can determine whether to think the thoughts of Jesus, outlined in the "Promise Book" called the Bible; or whether we will sit idly by while the devil rocks our world with ugly thoughts that bring fear and anxiety into our daily lives. ​ Thoughts are powerful! They originate out of our heart which is the seat of our emotions, and the origin of what we say and do. The Bible tells us that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks! ​ We're talking about the seat of consciousness, or our inner man: the place where you store up treasure. ​ Whatever words you speak will emanate from your storehouse of either the wisdom of God, or the lies of the devil. ​ Our brains follow our hearts; it signals the production of hormones and biochemistry in the body to support what the heart is telling it. Make no mistake about it, the heart runs the show! ​ So, in a nutshell, harmonious living comes from what we store in our heart every day. It is like money in the bank when we send signals of joy, of love, of forgiveness from our hearts to our brains! ​ Get wrapped up in the "fruit of the Spirit" outlined in Galatians 5:22-23. Allow the Holy Spirit to work these things out in you. Let Jesus the Christ live through you. ​ Remember, no-one ever said, "Love with all your brain;" instead, we say, "Love with all your heart." When we do, the mind will follow suit! ​ I'm making a case for a divine shift in our lives: that we will allow the wisdom of God to overlay our old thoughts, and all thoughts generated by worldly irritations. ​ Today just might be the beginning of everything good in our lives; a transformation that changes us into spiritual powerhouses as we let go and let God!!! ​ ~Blessings always and forever~ ​ Cki. ​​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL! Today is a wonderful day in the Lord! Each day is full of hope because hope is a confident expectation of good that comes only through Jesus Christ! ​ Some seem to believe that hope comes in a bottle; from that long=dreamed of job, or money falling from the sky. We look for help from all the wrong places when God has promised to supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. ​ So, today I'm advocating for "Letting go and letting God!" To throw open the doors of our hearts and declare that Jesus is Lord of our lives. ​ I'm advocating for sinking into the garment of praise like you would an expensive silk shirt or earthly designer robe. God has promised and His Word is true. He cannot lie (that should be a breath of fresh air to us). Your faith is the one thing you have that cannot be shaken by the works of men, unless you make a decision to relinquish it; and faith pleases God. ​ So, go through your day today with "titanium steel" faith, knowing that He who has begun a good work in you will continue it until the day of Jesus Christ! ​ He won't leave you; nor will He ever forsake you. Blessings always; ​ Cki. ​ WHOLE AND GRATEFUL SOMETIMES WE THINK GRATITUDE COMES ONLY FROM STRUGGLE. MANY TIMES IT DOES; STRUGGLE IS THE CONDUIT THROUGH WHICH AWARENESS OF GOD’S PROTECTION FLOWS. ​ BUT, WE CAN BW WHOLE AND GRATEFUL; BLESSED AND GRATEFUL; HEALED AND GRATEFUL; FINANCIALLY STABLE AND GRATEFUL. WE CAN BE FULL TO OVERFLOWING AND GRATEFUL! ​ WHEN WE ARE IN CHRIST AND OUR MIND IS BEING RENEWED, WE COME TO REALIZE JUST HOW AMAZING OUR GOD IS TO US. THE TENDENCY TO FORGET HIM IN THE GOOD TIMES BECOMES LESS AND LESS A THING, AND WE FIND OURSELVES LIFTING UP THE GOOD AND THE BAD TO HIM. WE FIND OURSELVES THANKING HIM FOR EVERY BLESSING, LARGE OR SMALL. ​ WE BEGIN TO HAVE EXCEEDING GRATITUDE FOR THE PLAN OF GOD IN OUR LIVES. Love you, Cki MLK Day Today is Martin Luther King Jr's birthday. Having a day set aside to remember his sacrifice and the sacrifices of so many others fills us with awareness and gratitude. So many lost their lives on a mission to make life better for others. Living in slavery for them was not an option. Today, we get to live out our days in a free society known to them only in their dreams! But, as a black woman who is first and foremost a follower of Jesus Chris t, I must say that I believe the Civil Rights movement was as much a spiritual movement as a civil one. The movement, I believe, was God-ordained or it would have failed! Many preachers and men and women of faith followed Dr. King as He followed the move of the Spirit of G od to freedom. I thank and praise G od always for His hand moving inside that movement, and for every soul, regardless of skin color, who committed to freedom. I pray that our children will never forget the sacrifice of those who gave so much and received so little while here on earth. I pray that this nation and every nation will answer the clarion call of freedom for every man, woman and child, committing to never judging souls by the color of their skin, but as Dr. King so eloquently stated, by the content of their character. "Darkness will never drive out darkness, only light can do that ." The light that dispels darkness is Jesus Christ. My prayer is that the Light that is Jesus will permeate the hearts of men and women around the world; then peace shall reign. Love,Cki. Praise God For a New Day! Praise God forevermore! Today is Friday, 17 march 2023. A significant day simply because it is the day in which we are currently breathing air! I often think about the past or the future, only to realize that both are unobtainable in this moment, and although the past can teach us lessons; it is still the past. The future, though, will always be a consideration because it’s a product of our past as well as our todays; but it cannot be touched until at least tomorrow. Therefore, we have narrowed down our day. We need only think about the things of today, because as the Bible says: Tomorrow has enough worries of its own. So, the wisdom that I’m passing on today is that we must let the past be the past and not stress over future days to come. The best we can do is to maximize our now, this moment in time, making good decisions that will guarantee that what is to come will be to our liking. Another way to say all this; is to say: “Let go and let God!” Real surrender brings peace. When we allow the Holy Spirit of God to lead and guide us, we cannot lose! As I stretched out this morning early, looking out my window at the lake and the sky through the transom; all I could do was praise God Elohim, our creator God. Early morning quietness allows us to focus in on Him, and to see with clear eyes His providential care. All I could think was, “Thank You, Lord God for years of peace and prosperity of thought that has translated into a great life!” God wants that for all of us, for every man, woman and child He created. So, take a break during this day, focus in on Father God, and give thanks for what you have already. And remember, in Christ, I truly believe, “The best is yet to come!” Love you, Cki. GIVE GLORY TO GOD IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. GLORY TO GOD! LET’S GIVE PRAISE AND HONOR TO THE “MOST- HIGH GOD”! WELCOME BACK TO CYNTHIA’S INSPIRATIONS.” IT HAS BEEN A MINUTE SINCE I WROTE MY LAST INSPIRATION BECAUSE LIFE SOMETIMES GETS IN THE WAY. MY MOST RECENT BOOK, “WOMAN, WHERE IS YOUR CROWN” HIT THE STORES AND THERE HAS BEEN A WHIRLWIND OF ACCEPTANCE THAT FOLLOWED. BLESS GOD; I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING INTERVIEWED BY 97.7, THE BEAT; FOLLOWED BY A “GIVE-AWAY” OF THE BOOK TO A BEAUTIFUL WINNER! ALSO, ONE LOVELY WOMAN OF GOD WAS TOUCHED BY THE BOOK, AND DURING HER TIME OF STUDY WAS LED TO START A MINISTRY FOR WOMEN. I WAS ASKED TO PRESENT THE BOOK TO THE NEW MINISTRY FOR THE FIRST 4 WEEKS, WHICH WAS A GREAT HONOR FOR ME. I ALSO STARTED A “FACEBOOK SPOTLIGHT” FOR MY READERS AND RECEIVED MANY PICTURES OF MY READERS HOLDING THE BOOK. SO, SUFFICE IT TO SAY WHEN YOU COUPLE ALL THIS WITH OUR WEEKLY RTM PROTECTOR’S OF THE WAY THURSDAY MORNING MEETINGS; OUR RTM HEALING SCHOOL MEETINGS, AND WE HAD AN RTM BROADCAST (AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE UNDER REVEALING TRUTH MINISTRIES, VALUABLE WEDNESDAYS), OUR DAYS HAVE BEEN FULL ALSO, OUR WEBSITE HAS A WHOLE NEW LOOK BECAUSE OUR WEB HOST SOLD THEIR BUSINESS AND WE IN ESSENCE LOST OUR SITE AND HAD TO START OVER. THANKS TO MY HUSBAND, WHO IS MUCH MORE SAVVY THAN I IN THESE MATTERS, WE’RE UP AND RUNNING AGAIN! TODAY’S INSPIRATION CAME OUT OF ALL THAT I MENTIONED ABOVE: IN THIS LIFE THERE WILL BE TRIALS, THINGS WILL HAPPEN THAT ARE GLORIOUS, AND THINGS WILL HAPPEN THAT TRY OUR FAITH. BUT IN ALL THINGS COUNT IT ALL JOY! COUNT IT JOY THAT YOU’RE ALIVE; THAT YOU HAVE THE BREATH OF GOD WITHIN YOU; THAT YOU SERVE A GOD WHO IS ABLE TO DO EXCEEDING, ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ANYTHING YOU CAN ASK, THINK OR IMAGINE. IN ALL THINGS GIVE THANKS FOR THAT IS INDEED THE WILL OF GOD FOR US! HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY AND I’LL SEE YOU SOON!!! LOVE YOU, CKI. ​

HELLO Passion Makes Perfect We started our Site to offer readers a glimpse into our thoughts, experiences, and the sharing of God's word as it was revealed to us. What started as weekly posts has evolved into a dynamic site packed with information about biblical topics near and dear to our hearts. Take some time to explore the blog and the various elements of the site. Read on and enjoy! This is Cynthia I am a member of the baby boomer Generation and was born in Rome, Georgia. After graduating from Main High, I attended nursing school at Berry College for about a year and a half. I later entered the U.S. Air Force. Where I served for 8 years. After leaving the Air Force in 1980, I remained a military wife and lived in Panama for three years. During this period, I completed a degree, earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Troy University, Troy, Alabama. My husband of 49 years and I serve as discipleship instructors for seniors and teachers of the gospel. As an ordained minister and evangelist since May 2001, I am the author of several published Christian-themed books. Writing, traveling, and learning new languages are my passions. This is Marco Born in the city of Colon in the Republic of Panama, he immigrated to the United States in 1960, at the age of 12 years old, to reunite with his mother who had immigrated to the United States two years before. He attended middle school in Brooklyn New York at John Marshall JHS 210 and later attended High School at Boy’s High School. Graduating from high school in 1966, he attended Howard University in Washington, D.C. where he graduated in 1970 with a BA in History and also was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. He later attended Ball State University, where he earned a master’s degree in Public Administration, with a course study in Executive Development for Public Service. He served in the United States Air Force as a commissioned officer in the intelligence career field, where he retired after 20 years of uniformed service. He later entered the civil service, serving at the Defense Intelligence Agency and the United States Special Operations Command in various capacities as an intelligence officer for an additional 19 years. After 39 years of federal service, he retired in Florida. An ordained minister and evangelist since May 2001, he now travels, studies, and teaches, works as a website manager, and publishes Christian books written by his wife, and himself. i284289739530789357._szw1280h1280_ 252252_472410379452033_2061293065_n marco and cynthia 1976_edited_edited_edited_edited_edited i284289739530789357._szw1280h1280_ 1/14 Book signing IMG_20240121_110252_624_edited 4972207507506883545 Book signing 1/25 Cynthia's interview 97.7 the Beat Natchez Ms. 00:00 / 19:12 Understanding the Letters in the New Testament Did you know that of the 27 books in the New Testament, 21 of them are letters written to communities of Jesus’ followers, and they were... How Habakkuk Found Hope Through Calamity If you feel hopeless, helpless, or powerless—unable to deal with people or problems and on the verge of exhaustion—take heart in the... Looking Heavenward Transforms Our Sorrow The Ever-Inspiring, Heavenward Life When my oldest child died, I knew that my life would never be the same. In the initial months that... Subscribe Form Join Thanks for subscribing! LET’S CONNECT Name Email Subject Message Submit Thanks for submitting!

101 Healing Scriptures These scriptures in the Bible are promises for the healing of our soul and body. They provide great benefits when we speak them forth daily. It's like taking your medicine (Gos-pills) every day, even three times a day! Try beginning each promise with, “God said.” I pray they bless you, mightily! Old Testament God said… 1) I am the Lord that healeth thee (Ex. 15:26). 2) Your days shall be one hundred and twenty years (Gen. 6:3). 3) You shall be buried in a good old age (Gen. 15:15). 4) You shall come to your grave in a full age like as a shock of corn cometh in his season (Job 5:26). 5) When I see the blood, I will pass over you and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you (Ex. 12:13). 6) I will take sickness away from the midst of you and the number of your days I will fulfill (Ex. 23: 25, 26). 7) I will not put any of the diseases you are afraid of on you, but I will take all sickness away from you (Deut. 7:15). 8) It will be well with you and your days shall be multiplied and prolonged as the days of heaven upon the earth (Deut. 11:9,21). 9) I turned the curse into a blessing unto you, because I loved you (Deut. 23:5 and Neh. 13:2). 10) I have redeemed you from every sickness and every plague (Deut. 28:61 and Gal. 3:13). 11) As your days, so shall your strength be (Deut. 33:25). 12) I have found a ransom for you, your flesh shall be fresher than a child’s and you shall return to the days of your youth (Job 33:24, 25). 13) I have healed you and brought up your soul from the grave; I have kept you alive from going down into the pit (Ps. 30:1, 2). 14) I will give you strength and bless you with peace (Ps. 29:11). 15) I will preserve you and keep you alive (Ps. 41:2). 16) I will strengthen you upon the bed of languishing; I will turn all your bed in your sickness (Ps. 41:3). 17) I am the health of your countenance and your God (Ps.43: 5). 18) No plague shall come near your dwelling (Ps. 91:10). 19) I will satisfy you with long life (Ps. 91:16). 20) I heal all your diseases (Ps. 103:3). 21) I sent My word and healed you and delivered you from your destructions (Ps. 107:20). 22) You shall not die, but live, and declare My works (Ps. 118:17). 23) I heal your broken heart and bind up your wounds (Ps. 147:3). 24) The years of your life shall be many (Pr. 4:10). 25) Trusting Me brings health to your navel and marrow to your bones (Pr. 3:8). 26) My words are life to you, and health/medicine to all your flesh (Pr. 4:22). 27) (My) good report makes your bones fat (Pr. 15:30). 28) (My) pleasant words are sweet to your soul and health to your bones (Pr. 16:24). 29) My joy is your strength. A merry heart does good like a medicine (Neh. 8:10; Pr. 17:22). 30) The eyes of the blind shall be opened. The eyes of them that see shall not be dim (Isa. 32:3; 35:5). 31) The ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. The ears of them that hear shall hearken (Isa. 32:3; 35:5). 32) The tongue of the dumb shall sing. The tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly (Isa. 35:6; 32:4). 33) The lame man shall leap as a hart (Isa. 35:6). 34) I will recover you and make you to live. I am ready to save you (Isa. 38:16, 20). 35) I give power to the faint. I increase strength to them that have no might (Isa. 40:29). 36) I will renew your strength. I will strengthen and help you (Isa. 40:31; 41:10). 37) To your old age and gray hairs I will carry you and I will deliver you (Isa. 46:4). 38) I bore your sickness (Isa. 53:4). 39) I carried your pains (Isa. 53:4). 40) I took sickness for you (Isa. 53:10). 41) With My stripes you are healed (Isa. 53:5). 42) I will heal you (Isa. 57:19). 43) Your light shall break forth as the morning and your health shall spring forth speedily (Isa. 58:8). 44) I will restore health unto you, and I will heal you of your wounds saith the Lord (Jer. 30:17). 45) Behold I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure you, and will reveal unto you the abundance of peace and truth (Jer. 33:6). 46) I will bind up that which was broken and will strengthen that which was sick (Eze.34:16). 47) Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you and you shall live. And I shall put My Spirit in you and you shall live (Eze. 37:5,14). 48) Whithersoever the rivers shall come shall live. They shall be healed and every thing shall live where the river comes (Eze. 47:9). 49) Seek Me and you shall live (Amos 5:4, 6). 50) I have arisen with healing in My wings (beams) (Mal. 4:2). New Testament 51) I will, be thou clean (Mt. 8:3). 52) I took your infirmities (Mt. 8:17). 53) I bore your sicknesses (Mt. 8:17). 54) If you’re sick you need a physician. (I am the Lord your physician) (Mt. 9:12 & Ex.15:26). 55) I am moved with compassion toward the sick and I heal them (Mt. 14:14). 56) I heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease (Mt. 4:23). 57) According to your faith, be it unto you (Mt. 9:29). 58) I give you power and authority over all unclean spirits to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease (Mt. 10:1 & Lk. 9:1). 59) I heal them all (Mt. 12:15 & Heb. 13:8). 60) As many as touch Me are made perfectly whole (Mt. 14:36). 61) Healing is the children’s bread (Mt. 15:26). 62) I do all things well. I make the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak (Mk. 7:37). 63) If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believeth (Mk. 9:23; 11:23, 24). 64) When hands are laid on you, you shall recover (Mk. 16:18). 65) My anointing heals the brokenhearted, and delivers the captives, recovers sight to the blind, and sets at liberty those that are bruised (Lk. 4:18; Isa. 10:27; 61:1). 66) I heal all those who have need of healing (Lk. 9:11). 67) I am not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them (Lk. 9:56). 68) Behold, I give you authority over all the enemy’s power and nothing shall by any means hurt you (Lk. 10:19). 69) Sickness is satanic bondage and you ought to be loosed today (Lk. 13:16 & II Cor. 6:2). 70) In Me is life (Jn. 1:4). 71) I am the bread of life. I give you life (Jn. 6:33, 35). 72) The words I speak unto you are spirit and life (Jn. 6:63). 73) I am come that you might have life, and that you might have it more abundantly (Jn. 10:10). 74) I am the resurrection and the life (Jn. 11:25). 75) If you ask anything in My name, I will do it (Jn. 14:14). 76) Faith in My name makes you strong and gives you perfect soundness (Acts 3:16). 77) I stretch forth My hand to heal (Acts 4:30). 78) I, Jesus Christ, make you whole (Acts 9:34). 79) I do good and heal all that are oppressed of the devil (Acts 10:38). 80) My power causes diseases to depart from you (Acts 19:12). 81) The law of the Spirit of life in Me has made you free from the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2). 82) The same Spirit that raised Me from the dead now lives in you and that Spirit will quicken your mortal body (Rom. 8:11). 83) Your body is a member of Me (I Cor. 6:15). 84) Your body is the temple of My Spirit and you’re to glorify Me in your body (I Cor. 6:19, 20). 85) If you’ll rightly discern My body which was broken for you, and judge yourself, you’ll not be judged and you’ll not be weak, sickly or die prematurely (I Cor. 11:29-31). 86) I have set gifts of healing in My body (I Cor. 12:9). 87) My life may be made manifest in your mortal flesh (II Cor. 4:10, 11). 88) I have delivered you from death, I do deliver you, and if you trust Me I will yet deliver you (II Cor. 1:10). 89) I have given you My name and have put all things under your feet (Eph. 1:21, 22). 90) I want it to be well with you and I want you to live long on the earth. (Eph. 6:3). 91) I have delivered you from the authority of darkness (Col. 1:13). 92) I will deliver you from every evil work (II Tim. 4:18). 93) I tasted death for you. I destroyed the devil who had the power of death. I’ve delivered you from the fear of death and bondage (Heb. 2:9, 14, 15). 94) I wash your body with pure water (Heb. 10:22; Eph. 5:26). 95) Lift up the weak hands and the feeble knees. Don’t let that which is lame be turned aside but rather let Me heal it (Heb. 12:12, 13). 96) Let the elders anoint you and pray for you in My name and I will raise you up (Jas. 5:14, 15). 97) Pray for one another and I will heal you (Jas. 5:16). 98) By My stripes you were healed (I Pet. 2:24). 99) My Divine power has given unto you all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of Me (II Pet. 1:3). 100) Whosoever will let him come and take of the water of life freely (Rev. 22:17). 101) Beloved, I wish above all things that you may…be in health (III Jn. 2). READ & RE-READ UNTIL YOU BELIEVE THAT IT IS GOD'S WILL TO HEAL