Monday, September 9, 2013

USE THOSE MEMORIES FOR YOUR STRENGTH

Good morning, Mighty Woman of God!  I pray that you are all blessed and highly favored of our Lord Jesus Christ.  I pray that today's message will be of comforting and encouraging to you.
 
(Matt: 26:34-35), Jesus said unto him, Verily, I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.  Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee.  Likewise also said all the disciples.
 
I am assuming that at least most of you know the end of that story, (read Matt. 69-75).  Peter did deny Jesus three times.  Peter even wen on to say, "I do not know that man".  Imagine how Peter must have felt when he heard Jesus' words come back to him, when the cock crowed.  I know at that very moment Peter wished that he had an eraser to erase the times he denied Jesus.
 
A lot of us will disown our friends if they denied even knowing us in a time of crises.  And when come out of whatever trouble we were experiencing, we definitely don't want to see our backstabbing so-called friend.  Peter denied even knowing Jesus, when asked three times and Jesus knew that Peter was going to deny Him, he told Peter that.  Peter's response to Jesus was, "Oh no, I will die for you".  All of the disciples made that pledge to Jesus.
 
Here's my testimony:
 
I think that my late 20's and early 30's were the worst times of my life.  In drug rehab, out of drug rehab.  Ten steps up, three steps back.  Beat down, beat up.  In a shelter, out of shelter, back on drugs, back off drugs, over and over again.  Quite a circle I created for myself.  I sometimes think about having an eraser and just erase those years, just wipe them out of my memories.  To be perfectly honest with you I have prayed to God to just erase them, you know, just give me a miracle.  But God doesn't work that way.  We wonder why He just won't block out those memories, and then we can move forward in our lives. 
 
As I progress in my relationship with God and allowing Him to have His way in my life; I realize that all my life's trials and tribulations are my strength.  My testimonies are not for me to hold my head down and wish I hadn't done this or that; they are to be a witness about God's love and mercy towards all of us.  I want you to say to yourself, "Wow, if she could go through all of that and God still loves her and is using her as a vessel; then I have a chance.  Yes, you have a chance because Jesus shed His blood so that you can have chance after chance after chance.  So if you mess up along the way, pray for forgiveness and kept on moving.  Satan would like nothing more than to whisper in your ear and lying to you about your shortcomings.  Never forget that as long as your are going through some tough and rough times your are going through them.  Meaning you are not staying where you are and allowing the enemy to do whatever he wants in your life.  Going through trials that you may be facing right now, simply means that you are moving forward.  Moving forward is always a great thing.
 
You much allow God to strengthen you through those memories that you want to be erased.  If you wonder why I talk about my past so much; it's because God is using my testimonies to help break curses that keeps us in spiritual bondage.  God has your best interest in mind and even when it seems as if God is not listening or that God is not moving fast enough you must hold on to His promises.  If you are a Christian (if you have pledged to follow after Christ), then remember, Peter denied Jesus' and yet Jesus' never brought it back to Peter upon His resurrection.  How much more do you think that Jesus would forget all about your transgression, when you have pleaded for mercy and ask Him to forgive you.
 
All this just to say that I am so happy and will continue to be humble because Jesus shed His blood so that little ole me can be forgive. Jesus will always forgive those that are humble.  Those that know that everyday they need Jesus' love and forgiveness.  It is the ones that sitting around, turning their nose up at you because you may be going through some things that Jesus will not use.  The ones that think they got it all together and don't need to be humble and nice to people.  PRAISE GOD!