CELEBRATING THE SPIRIT WITHIN
WOMEN'S FRONTLINE
MAGAZINE
Signs of spiritual maturity I*M PRETTY SURE!
october
2017
DISCOVER
a better you!
THE SECRET PLACE
5
CHALLENGES OF LIFE
MECHELLE STEPHENS
''The next morning, I decided to follow His clue .''
welcome OCTOBER
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HELLO READERS! Welcome to the month of October, a season of autumn and a transition from summer to winter.
We are in a season where we should be spending time seeking God earnestly.
This month, we are honored to feature Mechelle Stephens on the front cover as she introduces us to her new book, ''The Secret Place.''
We also welcome our new and seasoned writers. Thank you for being a part of our team. Hope you get inspired as you read the stories inside!
on the cover
22
IN THIS ISSUE
10 Discover a new you
14 En route by Shelly Wilson
Mechelle Stephens
6 Meet the writers
20 Our secret place by Joy Jallah
34 8 Signs of spiritual maturity by Alice mills
IN THIS ISSUE
40
50
My secret place by Monique Ray
5 Challenges of life by Eric Otchere
44
58
The God of the secret place by Juanita Wooldridge
Her name is worship by Michelle Flagg
SAM'S PLACE
E H T T MEE
S R E T I R W
JUNE 10 • 4:00PM
Eric Otchere: He is a passionate Christian who writes to help people build their mental and spiritual capacity.
Monique L. Ray is a single mother of two awesome boys Rashawn and Jalen. She stands on the belief of “I am an imperfect woman, that is love by a perfect God; she didn’t always do it right. She hasn’t always cross every “T” and dotted every “I” Monique L. Ray is a woman of God, who has a keen sense of who she is and her purpose in life. Monique has proven that with God’s help, you can overcome anything and become stronger, wiser, and better. She is a woman who finally realize you can’t make it in this world without Christ in your life. She has been following the call that God has placed within her to follow her dream of helping other women find their Value and worth that God has place in them. As a servant of God, Monique loves encouraging people as well as helping wherever is needed.
My name is Juanita Wooldridge. I gave my life to the LORD during my teens but then began to follow the ways of the world. Then I was blessed to get pregnant and met a wonderful woman at a pregnancy counseling center at a church where I started attending. An amazing God delivered me instantly from alcohol, marijuana and cigarettes when I became pregnant. I recommitted my life to Christ and I have tried to allow Him to be in control since then. That was 35 years ago. It hasn’t always been easy but He has never failed me even though I have failed Him many times.
Hi. My name is Alice Mills. I think the hardest thing for me to write is anything autobiographical. I think this is due to my resistance to categorizing anything, particularly me. What a terrible biologist I would make, blurring the lines between species, disordering the carefully thought out classifications . I can say definitively that I love Christ, I love people, and I love to write.
Michelle Flagg, known as The Genesis Woman, lives to embody God’s original intention for women. Michelle is a minister “who happens to speak, write and coach”. Operating in the gifts of encouragement and teaching, she is clear about one thing - “If I never speak on another platform, write another book or coach another client, I am and will always be a minister committed to serve women to their best successes.” To connect and collaborate toward your success, Michelle can be reached via: Facebook: Michelle.Flagg.75 and The Genesis Woman Facebook pages Twitter: @MichelleFlagg1 E-mail: thegenesiswoman@gmail. com
I am originally from West Africa in Monrovia, Liberia. I came to the United States of America in 1990 because of a war in my country. I came to America as a Refugee and now I am a United States Citizen. I love to encourage others and bring their dreams and vision out of them. I am a visionary, Author of 15 published in books and 58 Magazines. I am very friendly and humble person that love to laugh and smile. I enjoy singing and dancing. I love to give back to the community. I am the founder of Joyfully Orphans Project. Vision: Meeting the needs of impacting the world.
discover  a better you!
What if we woke up every morning knowing that with a new day comes a new opportunity to become a better version of ourselves. Every new day gives us new hope, and a chance to do better than we did yesterday. You have a new day to make things happen and challenge yourself in taking steps towards becoming a better you. Here are 6 steps that I would like to share with you. They have really impacted my life and hope that you embrace them and let them work for you too... From the Publisher
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H G N S
A O I L
V O G E
E A D H T S E P
6-7 hours
P L A N Y O U R D A Y manage your time be productive
pray, read, listen
Q U I E T T I M E
walk, exercise, breath
GET SOME FRESH AIR
stay in touch with whats going on around the world
BE INFORMED
give a helping hand invest in people
REACH OUT
EN ROUTE by Shelly Wilson Shelly has a unique way with Christ that gives hope to the hopeless and encourages those she is ministering to to cling to Christ with all they have and run with Him. Run the race with endurance, possess the land He has given them, and walk a set apart life with Christ. Her authentic relationship shared of a daily love life with Jesus is evident on stage and off. She is often sharing stories of beautiful ways He speaks to make evident that He is a personal God who desires us to hear His
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EN ROUTE... -on or along the way-
something quite different.
If I resorted to an image of God that only saw the pain of following Him, I would become as a child touching a hot plate. The moment any You never know what lies ahead very resemblance of similar pain comes close… I would certainly withdraw. I often. Yet you are “en route” to a know this because of a season that destination. sent me into such a place. (Perhaps I surely never thought my route would you can relate?) have so many twists and turns and The school of suffering Christ leads quite so many heart wrenching detours. Yet, I have seen the goodness you to is in order to train your hands of the Lord at every turn and in every for war. I can’t say my wrestling has been very beautiful … it has been very place. messy. I never considered a life with Christ would lead to loss, although He Often I have felt my foot would slip and sometimes quite honestly it has does tells us openly often in His Word. lost complete grip of anything humanly secure. Somehow when I have fallen into various wells and pits the Lord has met me there. I often thought He was doing one thing when in all actuality, He was doing
became very apparent. The fresh wind “A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ ” of knowledge that apart from Him I really can do nothing is so much more Matthew 10: 37-39 evident to me these days. “And he saith unto them, Ye shall I was unable to conquer anxiety or drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I depression apart from Jesus. I can’t undo the damage of PTSD and trauma am baptized with… Matthew apart from Jesus. I can’t even breathe 20:23 apart from Him…the mere strength at …Enter into the fellowship of His times during spiritual warfare can be overwhelming and apart from the sufferings- Philippians 3:10 power of the Holy Spirit…I would certainly buckle under it. “They hated me…therefore they will hate you also…a servant is There have been times my route was not greater than his master ..” lined with flourishing wild flowers John 15:18-25 where it seemed all pain had fled. Then the very next stop on my journey I did not realize how this would look in the natural daily life in our world of would drop me low into a deep valley normalcy. While I’ve been en route to where I would learn of the loveliness all Christ has for me and through me, of the lilies and why they were His name sake. There is priceless beauty my route has included training that in such places. would prepare me to battle anxiety, depression, loss, fear, rejection, I have had to learn how to lift His humiliation, and the intensive battle of fighting and healing from PTSD. My armor to shield my heart from the training has not been in a school but a poisoned arrows of the enemy, while also learning how to become Christ’s wilderness most often….not in a polished arrow sent straight to a heart seminary…. but in a closet. in need …aimed ever so perfectly by Him. It is not always easy to be an Yet, each battle has victory in Jesus… arrow in His quiver. but not always by Him removing my trials …but by Him walking through Yet, I cannot explain the inner delight them with me. There was “seed” He and joy of allowing Him to use your was sowing in each place of the wilderness that led to weariness. The life to help others. I am in continuous training on the “art of yielding.” But revelation of need that this weak the fruit of His work is so beautiful I human being has for her Savior
EN ROUTE..... That while social media can help further the message it must not keep His ability to use me has been little in our attention from meeting the needs times of prosperity…yet, much in my of people personally. That we would times of weakness and suffering. It bury the methods of the world and took many years, and I’m still enter into His presence for direction learning, why He says…”when you are and assignments refraining from weak, I am strong.” making ministry what Christ never intended it to be. My route has Today I feel an inner sorrow for included roads of loneliness those who have settled for a harkening Matthew 7… many on that mere religiosity that is merely day will say Lord Lord….yet I will say, I man made instead of the never knew you!” captivating life with Jesus… and I long to bear witness to the vast No one could prepare me for the multitudes of His kindness and persecution that would arise against gentleness. me and the deepest places of my heart while being en route to my To let them know how His plans for destiny with Jesus. His training would you will not be void of pain …but include places of persecution one purpose will rise from that place of would perhaps never know how pain. I long to pour my heart out to devastating… yet His glory would one confused by the gods of this manifest in a grandeur beyond natural world and deceived by the enemy of comparison and tend my wounds the cross that Jesus is your answer…” until it really could be “well with my there is no other by which you can be soul.” saved..” Please stop running…and allow Him to catch you… While en route I have laughed and loved deeply, sorrowed and wailed I desire to blow the whistle to my loudly, lost and gained immeasurably, fellow ministers that we must cease yet here I stand ….still…with My King. to waste time with personal promotion and trust God in our showing forth.
EN ROUTE..... It’s
the beautiful Cinderella story of my life unfolding in His nail scarred hands. The very process of His engraving my name on His palms and blowing away the dross….leaving only His sweet fragrance behind.
closet of hanging linen. You must draw each layer back piece by piece to go further into His heart.
This is my Cinderella story…..my “from rags to riches”…. the purpose in all the pain. “That I may be united with him in a death like his, that I may also be resurrected like Him.” (Romans 6:5)
And those who endure will receive a crown…..(James1:12)
So friends know He is also writing your Cinderella story…your simply en route to go further into His It is the route of my horse drawn heart…He’s already been where you carriage as the rider whisks me away are….all the suffering poured upon to the palace. The shelter of the Him as He hung on the cross….He Almighty where I must dwell. knows what each leg of your journey holds….and there are no detours that Its where I’ve been en route to all cause Him to lose sight of you….so along. Into the arms of my Prince keep walking….don’t quit now…. Charming. Deeper and deeper. To be anchored in His hope and to learn Your Prince Charming is waiting how to trust in great despair. …your palace is being prepared….
I’ve been en route not just to a place, but to a person … to Christ Himself in His fullness. He’s been pressing me into His heart layer by layer like walking through a deep
Love Much, Shelly Wilson
The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." Let anyone who hears this say, "Come."
Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.
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our secret place by Joy Jallah
W
hen I am alone with God in the secret place, it refreshes everyday life. The secret place is having an appointment with God. The secret place is a place where God reveals himself.
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A place of safety is the secret place. A hiding place to abide in God. A place of relief, comfort and security is the secret place. A place to hear the quiet voice of God and to follow the leading by the spirit of the living and breathing God. The secret place calms the storms of life. The secret place is a place to dwell with God. The secret place pours joy, peace, laughter into lives. As a deer thirsts for living water, so my soul longs for you God. Psalm 42 The longing for God brings exceeding joy and peace. The secret place is a place of relaxation and comfort. What a safe place. What a place to stay calm and to completely trust
I
find time to make it a priority to meet God in this secret place. The secret place is a place of protection. Psalm 42:1-2 42 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? There is always peace in the secret place. I find all possible ways to be in the secret place. It is in the secret place that God shows himself and makes himself known. Seek God while he may be found. Everything changes in the secret place with God. It is very beautiful to dwell and wait upon the Lord in the secret place. Being in the secret place has given me my life's purpose. We are nothing without God. There is humility that comes from being in the secret place.
WOMEN'S FRONTLINEÂ MAGAZINE
THE SECRET PLACE
MECHELLE STEPHENS
"An honest and intriguing story of how one can be drawn into the secret place, where all mysteries are revealed....womensftontlinemagazine
THE SECRET PLACE
At times, it was eerie, and the shadow of death seemed to hang over it,
BY MECHELLE STEPHENS www.womenfrontlinemagazine.com
WOMEN'S FRONTLINE MAGAZINE
MECHELLE STEPHENS ON THE COVER Mechelle Stephens is the Founder and CEO of WGW (Watch God Work) Ministries, Incorporated, a non-profit organization that provides Christian outreach services along with a plethora of tools and resources that spread the Good News of Christ. Mechelle is a Certified Life Coach with a passion to help facilitate growth and change through effective coaching— “Transforming lives by helping you discover your innerstrength.” With an unwavering commitment to God and a determination to partner with God in the ministry, Mechelle has dedicated her life and gifts to the spiritual and social emancipation of all God’s people. A preacher, teacher, and prophetess to this generation, she continues to center her ministry with the call of Matthew 4:19, “Follow me and I will make you Fishers of men.”
ABOUT THE BOOK The purpose of this book is to invite you to have an intimate relationship with Christ so much that I (or anyone) would be comfortable not only with the phrase “I am in Love with Jesus,” but that “Jesus is my LOVER.” The LOVER of my soul. Theme: The betrothal period of Christ for His Bride, the church the saved. His desire to be our all and all. The Story: A young lady meets Christ each day on “their date,” at their special place, their secret place, a fictional place — her daily devotional. The story is told in a mysterious (allegorical), poetic, romantic, style using both modern and ancient literature. Almost as in Sherlock Holmes’ investigative style, the young lady’s quest is to find out more about Christ, who is her “date.” He gives her clues and then she has to go home and find out more about him, by research. She meets Him daily, at their “Secret Place,” and though she never sees him, she knows each day that he kept “their date.”
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T
he next morning, I decided to follow His clue — “follow the trail of my flock.” The restaurant was positioned in a valley, positioned beneath several high mountains. One mountain resembled a man’s skull. At times, it was eerie, and the shadow of death seemed to hang over it, depending on how the moon shined at times. I’d never traveled through the valley to get to the restaurant
before, but had heard tell of flocks, herds, and shepherds there all the time. Maybe I’d get a glance of Him that day. There were few occupations in the town and shepherding had been one of the earliest, though it was a vigorous way of life. A shepherd had to be both brave and gentle. Brave enough to defend against any kind of danger, but gentle enough to comfort his flocks. He had talked about being a prince early on, so maybe this would give me more insight as to who he really was.
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Finally, making my way between the high mountains, there in the open field, were cattle feeding, along with sheep, goats, cows, horses, camels, and asses. There had to be over two-thousand.
I realized, as I walked down through the valley, how He’d gotten to the restaurant so many times before me.
He must have slept in the valley with the sheep.
A family’s wealth was measured by the size of the flock it owned. Shepherds most often were not the owners of the field and flocks, as they Even with all of the cattle there in the were usually hired help to watch over fields before me, my attention was flocks that had increased to over a fixated on the sheep. Each shepherd hundred or more animals. had his own flock, and from the distance where I stood, I couldn’t see The Shepherd’s main job was to the faces of several of the shepherds, provide constant care and protect the because their backs were toward me. lives of his sheep by forfeiting his own life, if necessary. The Shepherd Several shepherds could be seen must be the guy I’d heard people talk constantly bringing the sheep back, about whose father owned all the the ones that had wandered off and cattle upon a thousand hills. gone astray.
I saw one man leave what appeared to be all of ninety-nine sheep and go after just one sheep. The sheep had broken free from the flock and headed for the river pond full of running water. I was no shepherd, but I knew that if the sheep’s wool got soaked and heavy, it could easily drown.
I chuckled because I could see myself in the personality of that sheep, as a wanderer, that is. Often times, I’d gone astray in so many areas of my life. One could say I was directionally challenged at times, and off-course in my journey of life. Like the sheep in the valley, I have felt a watchful eye upon me no matter how far I was pulled off the path, and so many times I’d broken free, running towards what I thought was good, yet not knowing that I was in eminent danger.
I could hear some of the shepherd’s first names being called throughout the valley, as they beckoned for each other to reclaim the sheep that had gotten mixed in with their own. I overheard a shepherd call out “Good! G-o- o-d!” One of the shepherds turned toward me slightly and I could see that in His right hand, there was a rod and in His left hand, He held a staff. Why had he turned when the word “good” had been called out? His reply had been, “Here! Here I am, The Good Shepherd.” But
why were they calling him? “The Good” were known around town and their name meant one “who performed good deeds and acts of kindness.” They were a noble, wholesome family known for their upright character, a royal and righteous family. It didn’t appear that any of His sheep were missing, because from what I could see, they were all lying down in the shaded part of the valley, in a green pasture, beside the quiet water, the quiet part of the stream, which had apparently been sectioned off just for them.
Where was He? He had told me to follow his flock. OH! That’s Him, the one who spoke the words “I am!” That’s Him!
Excited that I may get to finally see Him, I headed towards Him at full sprint, pen, pad, and tape recorder in hand. Finally, I’ll see Him face to face.
face had eluded me yet again. Yet, I knew He would be faithful, to meet me at our special place. Not sure which way the coyote was, I chose a different route. With my head hung low, I headed for the restaurant, as I kicked the pebbles along the path that’d fallen from the mountaintops.
In that part of the valley, that pathway was nothing but dusty Suddenly, there was a howling trails. At a distance, I could see a sound, like that of a coyote, then dust storm, strong winds blowing came the mayhem. Shepherds were intensely over the soil, and in its on high alert, flocks mingling path, it picked up all kind of debris. together, all the flocks except…, The Good Shepherd’s. The only thing I heard Him say was “Listen to my voice.” His sheep moved in a docile line, ready to accept control, in a very submissive manner, and they didn’t seem to perceive the danger they were in. And with that, He disappeared into the mirage of herds and herdsmen.
My visibility was drastically reduced, as the dust and dirt swirled around me, to the point that I could hardly see my hands in front of me.
I was fearful, not of being in the storm, not even about anything evil, but of missing my meeting. I kept walking, unsure of what was ahead, yet Although I didn’t have my watch, I certain that I needed to keep going. could tell our meeting time was From nowhere came the feeling that nearing by the dew that was lifting I was being watched, that feeling of off the water, by the bright morning a watchful star, and the sun as it crested the eye. top of the mountain. I hurried to the restaurant, a bit disappointed because the opportunity to meet Him face to
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8 Signs of spiritual maturity by Alice Mills
Spiritual maturity is impossible to measure. I know. I have tried. When I worked for a small Christian liberal arts university, we wanted to test whether our student gained anything from all the spiritual formation groups, Bible courses, and chapels.
that one might need to possess some in order to recognize it, but I hate to even nail that down. After all, Balaam’s ass seemed to possess more spiritual maturity than did his rider. The topic is worth discussing because given the number of Christian bloggers, churches, preachers, Christian books, and even worship music, maturity is sought after. And let me get the cliché out of the way first.
We hear that the people who are mature in any aspect do not think they are mature. I don’t think that is true. I think people who are spiritually mature probably have some idea that they have achieved some growth. It is just that they are I heard that other Christian schools aware that there is no end point to were trying to develop similar the journey. rubrics, but I never heard of a particularly successful measure. In fact, I think spiritual maturity is not defined often enough. We need Measuring spiritual maturity is not to know what to look for in our like measuring knowledge. You pastors and our mentors. We need can’t simply pass a test or write a to be able to look at our own live paper. In fact, a fair amount of with an honest measuring stick. disagreement exists about what spiritual maturity even is. I think
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No agenda, just love. I do not mean that spiritually mature people should not want to share their faith. I mean merely that they don’t have to win. An emotionally immature person waits for the other to stop talking so they can chime in again. I check to see if someone is more dedicated to changing others than loving them. I never noticed Jesus trying to change anyone. He spoke the truth, loved the people, and gave them the freedom to choose without recrimination. In order to love without an agenda, one must set the ego aside. One must accept the insults and misunderstandings. It doesn’t mean being a pushover. Having love as an agenda merely means keeping other’s well-being in the forefront.
Seeks wisdom and knowledge. When I lived in Kentucky, many of the churches there had a distrust of knowledge. In fact, I went to one church that I heard neighbors deem a ‘snot-slinger’ church. This is when the preacher is sweating, crying, and slinging mucous around in a screaming rant. He said to the verbally abused congregation, “I am an ignorant man, but I wish I was ignoranter because then I would know that it was only the Holy Spirit speaking through me. ’
I was pretty sure that he got the first part of his wish. He was ignoranter. I Sometimes that means walking away think that the spiritually mature are for a season. Sometimes it means seekers and life-long learners. They taking a few hits. acquire knowledge and seek out wisdom their whole lives. They know One thing I do know is that the that when it comes to understanding, person comes before the issue. we never actually arrive. There is People are more important than always more to learn. things. This is the heart of honor.
A real conscience as opposed to a fake one. Willing to sacrifice in order to do the right thing. We encourage our children to withstand peer pressure, but honestly, peer pressure only gets worse. Add to that the constant temptation to skate by, we can live our whole lives far more concerned with whether people think we are good people than if we actually are. I still remember the day I had that particular epiphany. I was in my late twenties before I questioned whether I was actually a moral person so dedicated to appearing moral had I been up to that point. Doing the right thing means facing the pain, not avoiding conflict if it needs to happen, and telling the truth about who you are to yourself and others. Not high on my list of fun things to do this fall.
A fake conscious only fears getting caught. The limit on impulsive behavior is the shaming from others. While this can be a protection, a true conscience does not act wickedly or willfully because other people get hurt. A real conscience cares about what happens to others. To restrain your tongue or consider your actions because you value the other person in the exchange shows self-awareness. Remember, selfawareness isn’t being introspective; self-awareness is understanding the effect one has on others. Do you know how you affect people? Find out if you aren’t sure. This could revolutionize your relationships. A real conscious also knows that each of us is held accountable before the God of the universe. We are accountable for the things we have done and for those which we have left undone. If this does not fill you with solemnity and an awe of the holiness of God, you need to examine your conscience
are probably insecure in what you believe.
Unafraid or unoffended by Doesn’t love differing evil. beliefs. Tolerance is not about accepting all others beliefs as valid. I do not think all other beliefs are valid. In fact, Jesus’ own words about Himself completely exclude all other belief systems. It is either Jesus or the highway… according to Jesus Himself.
This seems obvious, but it is not. You cannot be in the light and a lover of darkness. I read recently that a famous magician has a collection of mementos from serial killers. We humans are fascinated by evil.
If you are drawn to the occult, pornography, violence etc… you are However, at no time was Jesus playing with the darkness. If you feel defensive or angry about other’s convicted by something, confess it. I rejection of Him. He got angry exclusively at people who were either have never been in a place of sin where when I asked God to free me, hypocrites or exploiting the weak. that He did not over time lead me away and free me. Many times I see people online attacking others’ theological positions from a defensive position. However, getting to the place where The moment they get angry and we hate evil seems to take getting insulting is the very moment I stop burned over and over. If you want to taking them seriously. Why? be in the light, start allowing it in the dark places in you. Not convinced evil Firstly, because they value the doctrine over the person. Secondly, is that bad? Then you are not paying because Jesus was crucified and did attention. not get angry or defensive. He didn’t have to prove anything. His life spoke loudly enough. If you are easily offended or put on the defensive, you Women's Frontline Magazine
Humble. Of course, I had to say this one. Here is what humility looks like to me. It looks like being able to sit in a circle with five-year-olds and be silly. I read recently a tweet that said God wants us to be noble and dignified. I disagree. That sounds like pride. I think being humble means laughing at yourself. It means copping to your mistakes. It means no masks. The Lord asked me if I was willing to appear foolish for Him. Took me a moment to answer. But yes. I think I am. At least today. After all I just wrote an extremely presumptuous post on the nature of spiritual maturity. And I am playing mind games with myself already. Am I coming off as though I think I am an expert of spirituality? Who am I to write this? So I’m pretty sure this is my list. It seems a bit unattainable. And I have more to add. Like being able to discern God’s voice or growing in your spiritual gifts. But I will say that it has taken me a long time to compile this list. And I am not a hundred percent sure I am completely right. I think I am more right than I would have been in my twenties and thirties, so that’s something.
By Monique Ray
my secret place www.womensfrontlinemagazine.com
Women's Frontline Magazine It took me a very long time to find my “Secret Place”, but once I did it became my life’s support system. My prayer life means everything to me I realize that I can’t make it in this world without it.
One
day a close friend of mines encouraged me to get a prayer life. God had allowed so much to happen to me in my life, he obviously didn’t love me. I took that advice and begun to pray and to my own self I realized that I was so wrong. It was through prayer that I found God’s voice and the voice that He gave to me. It was in that secret place where I could see the inner me and then begin to pray and ask God to fix me. Psalm 91:1He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most, High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
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My secret place is where I received my strength from God; I received my deliverance from God; I received my healing from God. This is when I realized that My “Secret lace” (Prayer Room) became my lifestyle of choice. This process of my life allowed me to shut out the world including myself (the inner me) and begin to tap into God. Gaining a relationship with God for myself and learning who I am in Him wasn’t easy, I had to get through the abuse, the rape, the domestic violence, the rejections, and the church hurt. I had to realize that all those things played a major part in God’s master plan for my life. I understand that nothing in life can happen to us, unless God gives His permission. The word of God lets us know that” all things work together for the good for those who love Him”.
It wasn’t until I found my secret place that I realize it was all working for my good. It brought me closer in my relationship with God. Regardless of all the tactics the enemy used to destroy me, God still had his hand over my life. I encourage you, no matter what you’re face with, whatever life throws at you find your secret place in God. Begin to work on your relationship with God. Let God show you who He is and who you are in him. Get a prayer life and if you already have a prayer life increase it. I am a living witness that prayer not only changes things and situations. Prayer can change you. Your communication with God can open doors that no man can shut. It was through prayer I realize that the things I had accomplish was only through God grace and mercy. Prayer
by Monique Ray It wasn’t until I found my secret place that I realize it was all working for my good....
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my secret place
use every gift that God has given me Once I began trusting God’s plans for to help others find their secret place. my life, I change my mindset and my heart enable me to begin to walk on the path that God created just for To help others realize despite me. Prayer helped me to understand what has or is happening to you; you my purpose and what God was can and will survive. I will forever be requiring of me. God has so much for grateful to God for all he has done his people to do and achieve, but to and is doing in my life. I’m truly truly understand and receive it honor and humble that God chose requires a constant communication me to do his will. Not because I’m with God. perfect, because I’m an imperfect person love by a perfect God. I’m just Every day God allows us to wake up, a woman who said yes to the Call …… that’s his way of saying I still have To God be all the need of you. Utilize the life that God Glory has given you, walk out your purpose and destiny. My desire is to
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THE GOD OF THE SECRET PLACE
by Juanita Wooldridge
The Apostle Paul stated in Philippians that he learned the secret of being content.
A
lthough in a different context from Paul, we, as the children of the Most High, the LORD God Almighty, must spend time in the Secret Place, in His presence so that we will be able to say with Paul that we have learned the secret of being content. Being content to slow down and take the time to just sit at His feet, to bask in His presence, to meditate or just think about Him. These are ways that we can commit out time and ourselves to focus on Him. As we do, we will go deeper into that Secret Place that is reserved
just for Him and each one of us individually. There’s no one else there, no distractions unless you allow them in. We have to make the determination as to what is important in our lives. We rush after things of this world which are temporal but give little regard to the things that are of the utmost importance. The things that are lasting and that produce true contentment in our lives are those that are produced from an abiding relationship with Jesus Christ, the God of the Secret Place.
The God of the secret place by Juanita Wooldridge
In the Gospel of John, Jesus talks about abiding “in Me”.
The emphasis of the “in Me’ is on a deep, abiding fellowship, to being one with Christ and one with the Father, but the word abide also means to dwell, to stay, to settle in, to sink deeper. As we apply these words to the Secret Place we can get a sense of how we can develop a deep abiding fellowship with God as we seek Him because He is there waiting for us. You cannot develop that oneness outside of the Secret Place, outside of that place of intimacy. The emphasis of the “in Me’ is on a deep, abiding fellowship, to being one with Christ and one with the Father, but the word abide also means to dwell, to stay, to settle in, to sink deeper. As we apply these words to the Secret Place we can get a sense of how we can develop a deep abiding fellowship with God as we seek Him because He is there waiting for us. You cannot develop that oneness outside of the Secret Place, outside of that place of intimacy. NOMADIC
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Abiding in Him requires commitment, dedication, determination, and sacrifice (on our part)
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laying things down, giving things up that we don’t want to in order to spend time alone with Him. And we have a very real part to play and this is no game. This is real life, actually life and death, we either draw close to God or we draw close to satan. I wrote this paragraph in the first person singular because it applies to me personally. I need that Secret Place where I can get away to be with the Lover of my Soul, my Best Friend. The thing that amazes me is that He desires that more than I do. In that Secret Place that is only for Him and me I find peace and security.
I find a sweetness and a tenderness that I can find in no other place and there is no better place to be. The cares of this world melt away as, in His presence I sense only the purest of love and peace come over me. In His presence there is fullness of joy, I am happier than I have ever been, nothing on earth has ever given me the serenity that I feel. Even as I am writing this message I find myself slipping into a place of perfect peace. I can feel as Holy Spirit begins to settle in this room. GOD desperately desires to draw near to us, that is why we were created, to have fellowship with Him. There is a place within our hearts that craves that fellowship and that can be filled with nothing less than God Himself. Even as a believer you may ask “how can I experience a relationship like this?” Praise and worship draws you into a deeper intimacy with God. Praise is celebrating God for all He has done. Worship is adoring God for Who He is. He wants you to get to know Him. If you don’t know Him, how can intimacy develop? NOMADIC
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THE GOD OF THE SECRET PLACE by Juanita Wooldridge
The focus here is on Him, not on ourselves but just on Him. We are seeking after Him, longing for Him, desiring Him. We are asking nothing for ourselves but to have a deeper understand of who our God is. We need to know Him intimately as the Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit.
It is the responsibility of every bornagain child of God to make sure that YOU have the opportunity to know this Jesus and have this intimate relationship with God. If you are reading this and don’t know Jesus as your personal LORD and Savior please take the time to get to know Him. John 3:16-17 (NKJV) “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
We cannot know God completely without knowing all of Him because we will meet all Three in the Secret Place as we go deeper and deeper in our love relationship with God. Don’t allow yourself to think that God is unobtainable because He is as near as For God did not send His Son into your shadow and wants very much for the world to condemn the world, but you to just reach out to Him. that the world through Him might be saved”. Romans 4:8a (NKJV) “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you”, God loves you so much that He this is God speaking directly to you willing sent Jesus from the realms of from His Living Word. Heaven to sacrifice Himself for you. Jesus died that you might live with The Bible is not just any old story Him in Heaven for all Eternity. This is book with made up stories, it is the the True Secret Place where you will Living Word of God and it is the be with Him forever and know God greatest love story ever written by a intimately. God who loves you so very much.
HE SHALL COVER THEE WITH HIS FEATHERS, AND UNDER HIS WINGS SHALT THOU TRUST: HIS TRUTH SHALL BE THY SHIELD AND BUCKLER.IF YOU HAVEN'T FOUND IT YET
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5 CHALLENGES Â OF LIFE by Eric Otchere
Women's Frontline Magazine
You experience no opposition if you do nothing I have been to seminars where during questions and answers session people raise concerns about the antagonistic environment they operate in and how it stifles their working life. While many have lost hope in ever making it, few have braced through odds to succeed.
hardships are part of the journey to a glorious future. Anyone who moves towards destiny comes against a tide. You can’t avoid what happens to you but you can control how you react towards them.
In this write up, we will look at five challenges Jesus Christ, the son of I am young in my working God, faced which I believe life, but one thing is can help anyone to abundantly clear: condition his or her mind Challenges, difficulties, for the task ahead. and
HATRED
1 The
size of the dream you carry determines your haters. King Herod and the teachers of the Law hated Jesus because of His claims of being the King of kings, the Son of God and the savior of the world. Just like Jesus, everyone with a dream will experience two major forms of opposition: firstly, hatred from men with authority and power (Herod) and secondly, hatred from the prevailing system (the teachers of the Law. Our hatred could emanate from increasing unemployment for job seekers and inaccessibility of financial support to push an idea through. All these, amongst others, can kill our dreams. Hatred is any person or system that obstructs achieving dreams. Where haters abound, hailers abound even more. In Matthew 2, when King Herod was busily scheming to kill Him, wise men were worshipping and supporting Him financially. Don’t focus on your haters, identify where you are celebrated.
TEMPTATION
2 Nobody is immune from temptations. What temptation does to us is to make us lose focus of the big picture of life and fall for petty things. Matthew 4:1 says that, “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.� Temptation is a test. Once you pass it, you move on to the next stage of your calling or ministry. Great people have fallen because they could not stand temptations. It is no respecter of anybody whether big or small. The cure for temptation is to watch and pray as Jesus stated in Matthew 26:41. Prayer awakens your spirit and watching makes you aware of the devises of your tempters. You must be sensitive to temptations in order to pass the test.
REJECTION
3 The third challenge Jesus faced in His earthly work was rejection. When He went to his own, they rejected Him. Matthew 13:58 says that, “Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.” Never allow rejection to enter into your heart. Don’t be emotional about it. I understand rejection because it’s been part of my work as sales and marketing person for a couple of years now. Rejection toughens you. Every successful sales person has mastered his emotions. Jesus taught His disciples how to deal with rejections. In Matthew 10:14, He said, “Whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.” In other words, any individual who rejects your product must be forgotten about instantly. For any group of people who reject you, there are
BETRAYAL
4 Another challenge close to rejection is betrayal. The painful thing about betrayal is the people involved. Betrayal is when someone close to you disappoints you after you repose confidence in him or her. They give you their word but act otherwise.
Judas betrayed Jesus for just pittance. The Bible says in Matthew 26:14-16 that, “Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?’ And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.” At each level of life you are going to meet such people. For any person who betrays you, there are eleven other disciples who will forever be loyal to your cause or dream.
CRUCIFICTION
5 The last onslaught to Jesus’ life was a painful death on the cross. This landed Him in the grave but resurrected in three days. Most profitable companies have experienced hard times which nearly brought them to filing for bankruptcy. Nelson Mandela went to prison for good 27 years. The Bible says in Matthew 27:35 that, “Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet.” You will go down but there is always a third day of resurrection. What’s the cure for deadly hard hit? In Matthew 28:6, an angel of the Lord said to the women who visited the tomb after Jesus was buried that “HE IS RISEN.” No condition or hardship is permanent. What does not kill you, makes them strong. One powerful lesson I learnt about Jesus’ attitude towards challenges is what He often said: “to fulfill Scripture”. That means challenges are part of the pathway to a desirable future. God allows us to go through all these to build our character. It also signifies that we are walking in the right path. No one experiences
Psalm 27:5 says, “ For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; / In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; / He will lift me up on a rock” (NAS).
Women's Frontline Magazine HER NAME IS
In Luke 7:36-50 we find the story of an unnamed woman and her encounter with Jesus.
worship
by Michelle Flagg
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woman’s story recorded? Why f we are not mindful, we can did God ensure we would know easily just glance at her from of her down through the the surface. Her reputation was generations? of ill report. People did not want her in their midst. One I believe this woman’s story went so far as to deem her stands as an archetype. Hers is unworthy to even be in Jesus’ an example of an essential way presence. of victorious living. If I were to call her by name, I would call When we stop and ask God to her name “Worship”. give us His view of her through His eyes, we are given such a blessing of understanding. Why was this particular
e m a n r e h p i h s r o w is Secular dictionaries describe worship as adoration, homage, reverence, and honor. All can be said to be applicable words. But worship noted by Jesus in John 4:23 requires much more than mere words and ceremonial traditions. Worship of spirit and truth comes out of our inner being, heart and spirit. It is an inside-out attitude that permeates our mind, motives and actions. It is obedience to God, with holiness unto God, rooted in love for God. As one songwriter asserts, we worship God because of Who He Is. From the very beginning of this woman’s story, worship can be seen. We do not know when she first heard of Jesus. We do not know what it was that she heard. Maybe she was one of those who heard of Jesus through John The Baptist’s foretelling of Jesus and his message of repentance.
Maybe she had been made privy of the reports spread throughout the land about The One who healed, raised the dead and opened blinded eyes. We do not know how much time elapsed between her hearing and receiving the word. We do know this – whatever she heard, she came to believe it! In Luke 7:37 we see two corresponding actions of her belief. First, she purposed to go where Jesus was. She had to have known that disdain would be there to greet her. But any notions concerning contempt and condemnation from others had been replaced by another thought – what she needed from God could come through Jesus.
e m a n r e h p i h s r o w is by Michelle Flagg Secondly, she brought something of symbolic value with her. We know from the accounts about Mary of Bethany, another woman who anointed Jesus, (Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, John 12:1-8) that an alabaster box and its contents of oil or perfume was rare, precious and expensive.
Jesus acknowledged the presence of “Worship” in Luke 7:44-47. Although Simon invited Jesus to his house for lunch (verse 36) he had not opened his mind and heart to receive Jesus for who He was. Simon doubted Jesus’ authenticity and identity. He inwardly questioned Jesus’ knowledge of the woman who served Our unnamed woman chose to offer Him (verse 39). Jesus what was perhaps the single thing that represented her most Using a lesson derived from a prized possession at that time.. parable, coupled with a descriptive comparison between the woman’s Moving to Luke 7:38 of the text, the and Simon’s actions, Jesus clearly unidentified woman arrives at established a truth. Simon’s house. Immediately she went to Jesus and knelt behind Him. “Therefore her sins-and they are many-are forgiven, for she loved me With tears streaming from her eyes, much” (verse 47a, The Living Bible she wiped her fallen tears from © 1971). Jesus’ feet with her hair. As a further demonstration of honor, she kissed His feet and anointed them with the contents of her alabaster box.
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e m a n r e h p i h s r o w is Worship emanates from within. It creates an infusion of heart, mind and spirit to believe God is who He is. We see the infallible truth of His worthiness and His word. Worship prospers our soul, opening us to embrace obedience, covenant, and holiness as blessing, not burden. Without worship, genuine Godcentered praise is not possible.
unnamed woman had any foreknowledge of you and I. Glory to God for allowing us the opportunity to see her! My prayer for us:
Father God, thank You for who You are - holy, righteous and just. Thank You for giving us insight through the story of the unnamed woman. Thank You for opening our understanding Worship fortifies the potency of our to what it means to truly love and faith. We see this in Luke 7 worship You. We know that the verses 47, 48, and 50. Despite her sins, time is now to worship You in the woman believed she could be spirit and truth. Help us by forgiven. Your Spirit to turn over all that we are and all that we have to She did not allow guilt or shame to You. Grow us up and strengthen rob her from getting into the us to live by faith, dwell in the presence of the Lord and repent. She beauty of holiness, stand looked to He who could provide what unwavering in Your covenant she truly longed for. and to choose life. Give us the desire to serve you with our She was willing to go against the whole heart. May we be among status-quo assigned to an individual those who You find to be the true of her reputation and stature. And worshippers You seek. In Jesus’ she turned over all she was and all name, Amen. she had to The One who fully knew the cost of the oil in her alabaster box. There is nothing indicated in scripture to suggest that the
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