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Gone Fishin'

~ …“Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men!”

Gone Fishin'

Tag Archives: faith

Midterm Elections 2018

01 Thursday Nov 2018

Posted by Rev. Nadine Drayton-Keen in Faith and Wisdom, Spiritual

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2018 November 6, believe, choose, Christ believers, civic duty, decide, Early Voting, Election Day, faith, God rules, God's Throne, know, midterm elections, politicians' thrones, registered voters, right to vote, select, Sovereign God, Supreme Authority, Supreme Power, vote, voting polls

VOTE2

 

Choose wise and discerning and experienced men from your tribes, and I will appoint them as your heads. – Deuteronomy 1:13, NASB

Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. – Revelation 4:2-3, NASB

 

If you are a believer in Christ, then you know that it truly doesn’t matter who is in the White House, who is in Congress (either the House of Representatives or the Senate), or who is on the Supreme Court. What matters is that Father God and Christ Jesus still sit on Their Thrones in Heaven. Without a doubt, the Ones who sit on Their Heavenly Thrones are the Ones Who rule over the White House, the Congress, and the Supreme Court. The Father and the Son are King of kings, Lord of lords, and the only true Savior of this world.

After apostle John was in the Spirit; that is, after he was raptured up into Heaven, he immediately saw a multicolored throne that was surrounded by an emerald rainbow. Sitting on that Throne was Father God, who was equally as colorful. The most important point here is that John’s recorded image is a reminder to the world that, whether it is Caesar’s throne (in John’s day) or American politicians’ thrones (in our day), the eternal and absolute truth will always be that the One who has Supreme Authority over the entire universe forever sits on His Heavenly Throne.

Even though our (Christ believers’) God is Sovereign (He rules), which means His Will—not the will of men—will be done because His Will is the Supreme and Ultimate Authority and Power in the whole universe, this truth is why all citizens of America (especially Christ believers) who are registered voters should vote in November’s midterm elections. Now, midterm elections have a history of having a much lower voter turnout than presidential elections. However, if concerned Americans want to guarantee that the party of the sitting president loses—which also tends to be midterm elections’ history—registered voters shouldn’t rely on past midterm elections’ results. For sure, it is every citizen’s right to vote, so anyone who hasn’t already voted via Early Voting should get to the polls on November 6, 2018—Election Day—and exercise his or her right to vote.

Vote for the party or candidate of your choice, knowing and believing that it is your civic duty to do so. Vote for the party or candidate of your choice, knowing and believing that—if you are a believer in Christ—your God is the One Who is in control.

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Functional Family

21 Tuesday Jun 2016

Posted by Rev. Nadine Drayton-Keen in Devotional

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Baptism of the Holy Spirit, better Baptism, cooperative, divinely healthy, dysfunctional family, edifying, faith, friends, Functional Family, God's Children, God's holiness, God's Righteous Instructions, God’s righteousness, Holy Spirit's Filling, honorable, modern day churchgoers, nurturing, powerful, spiritual discernment, trust

Dysfuntional Family

 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. ~ Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV

 

Without a doubt, many Christian churches have dysfunctional believers in them. Unfortunately, these dysfunctional brothers and sisters in Christ tend to rely on their own wisdom, understanding and knowledge—those pit lovers that end up pushing dysfunctional believers into their pits of their own making. In fact, most of the time these dysfunctional believers never will see their own imminent fall from Grace coming. Yet there they are—way off the path that leads to righteousness and holiness.

That a fall from Grace is possible for people who have been in a local church for years is why it is unwise to put our trust in our own or in churchgoers’ wisdom, understanding and knowledge. That a fall from Grace is possible also is a major reason why it is unwise to put our trust in the world’s wisdom, understanding and knowledge. Only God can provide us with His Perfected Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge that will point our feet in the right direction so that we can escape life’s dreadful pitfalls.

God wants dysfunctional believers to know that He has a divinely healthy and functional Family that He wants them to fellowship with on a daily basis. God’s Family members are the cooperative, powerful, edifying, nurturing, and honorable friends of righteousness and holiness. These functional spiritual Family members are eager to help their fellow brothers and sisters improve every area in their lives where godly Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge need to be applied.

Since Godly Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge are closely related and well acquainted with each other’s characteristics, this truth is why God wants all believers in Christ not only to be intimately familiar with them but also to use them. God wants all dysfunctional believers to begin to function properly so that His Household of Faith only will have effective witnesses for Christ.

In order for all dysfunctional family members to become familiar with God’s divinely healthy and functional Family—the Bride of Christ—they first need to surrender to the Lord and to the Holy Spirit. Then they absolutely have to allow the Holy Spirit to baptize them. They need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, because it helps all believers keep their spiritual eyes on the Omnipresent God; seek and apply His Holy Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge; trust in His Righteous Instructions; and discern where they can fellowship with others who are doing the same. Shalom. 

Keep it real…Live it out…Watch it work!

 

~ from my one-year devotional published in 2015—Keeping It Real: Daily Renewing the Mind

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On Time by Design

05 Sunday Jun 2016

Posted by Rev. Nadine Drayton-Keen in Short Story

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1971, answered prayers, belief, by design, content, contentment, divine planning, divine timing, Fairchild AFB, faith, fictional, God's best-laid plans, intimate relationship, Japanese Garden, Manito Park, meandering path, on time God, revealed truth, Short Story, Spiritual, strolling, supernatural, together for good, trust, work all things, zigzagging river

Fairchild Air Force Base Back In The Day

I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE in an on-time God who achieves what He plans. Life has proven to me that the chief ways God works all things together for my good are through His best-laid plans and divine timing. This revealed truth has made all the difference. Intimately knowing and trusting in the One who works all things together for my good has helped me to become physically, emotionally, and spiritually content with everything.

My contentment’s development began as far back as 1971, when God’s divine timing and planning supernaturally revealed themselves to me while I was stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base.

My second day on the base, right after Damon Anderson and I entered the Base’s mess hall, we casually approached the closest table to our right. One of the six men sitting around that table leisurely looked up at me. Seconds later my co-worker, Damon, made introductions.

     “My brothers. Meet our newest sister, Chellette—uh” 

He paused then apologetically whispered, “What’s your last name, again?”

     “Wood.”

     “That’s right.”

     “Fellows, this is Chellette Wood.”

     “What’s happening?” They chimed in. 

     “Just checking out the Base before going back to my crib to chill?” In the same breath, I quickly added a cordial inquiry:

     “What’s poppin’?”

They all agreed that there wasn’t much happening. Because Damon was rushing me, I was forced to end the conversation.

     “Well, it was nice to meet you. Check you later,” I said as I gave the fellows a friendly smile.

     “Right on, sister.”

Damon’s hand was in the small of my back, nudging me, so I waved goodbye and moved without delay toward the next table.      

My initial visit to the mess hall happened in mid-April. A few weeks later, I had my first dated with Titus Lansing—a high yellow, well-mannered, good-natured, handsome young man of medium build, with alluring brown eyes and tightly curled black hair. This delicious eye candy, as it turns out, was one of the six Airmen Damon first introduced me to—the guy who leisurely looked up at me from their table.

Though so good looking, what actually pleased me most about Titus was his persistent pursuit of me and the fact that—unlike other men, who only cared about my outer beauty—Titus was drawn to my humble confidence and gentle spirit, as he frequently mentioned. As it turns out, his brown sugar was me—a reddish brown, well-mannered, warm-hearted, attractive young woman of slender build, with drowning brown eyes and a shapely black afro.

Once we started dating steadily, for the next three months and twenty days Titus drove his white 1959 convertible Thunderbird to my barracks every morning, afternoon, and evening. No exceptions!

Our Base was twelve miles west of Dawson and adjacent to a two-lane highway that stretched across acres of farmland. Since Titus and I enjoyed life’s simpler side, on weekends we amused ourselves by taking scenic drives on the faded, white-lined Route 2 into Dawson, where we cruised Division Street, Riverside Avenue, or North River Drive. 

A few times we ate a picnic in the rustic Riverside State Park—located northwest of Dawson. Zigzagging along this park, which also included a portion of a 37-mile-long all-natural trail, was the Dawson River.

When we had the money, we frequented Zip’s on Division Street in Dawson and pigged-out on a Papa Joe meal—a shake, some French fries or fried onions, and a Papa Joe hamburger with lettuce, tomato, American cheese, grilled sliced ham, bacon, and special sauce. Sometimes, we went to Longhorn Barbecue, which was near the Base, and feasted on this restaurant’s very pricy but tasty beef or pork rib platters. However, after one meal from Longhorn, we had to curb our eating out habit until our next payday.

On Sundays, we worshipped with some of our married or engaged military friends at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Dawson. When the service was over, we either fellowshipped with our friends or we treated ourselves to a Coeur d’Alene day trip.

On the fiftieth consecutive day of our whirlwind courtship, Titus changed his weekday routine. When we were in our mess hall eating lunch, he softly whispered into my ear:

     “We are eating at a fine-dining restaurant tonight. Our reservation is for 7:30, so be ready by 5:45. Dress for the occasion.”     

My curiosity piqued. I must have asked a hundred questions, but he dodged every one. He refused to give me any details. 

For the rest of that afternoon, I was bouncing off the walls. I sprinted to my job’s pick-up/drop-off parking area and fidgetily waited. Spotting Titus’ Thunderbird from a distance, my heart raced faster. That was my body’s way of confirming my life would change drastically this very night.

By the time Titus pulled into my barracks’ parking lot, I was pacing back and forth in our favorite curbside spot. He stopped his car in front of me, left the engine running, chivalrously walked me to the passenger door, opened it and helped me into his car, then returned to his seat. Apprehensive, excessive energy was bouncing everywhere inside that Thunderbird.

The sun was setting. There was a warm, faint breeze. Though it was early evening, the masses had not begun to run helter-skelter.

The atmosphere was perfect for an intimate conversation, but there was dead silence in the car. We only exchanged smiles, as we watched the farmland’s spring green, wheat gold, cattle black, and foliage pastels gradually turn to Dawson’s leafy green west end of South Hill with its Gothic and English Baroque architectural styles.  

Our brief chats during our meal were a bit strained at times, primarily because nervous energy plagued us—him, because he wanted everything to be perfect; me, because I sensed Titus was going to propose. The question was in his flirtatious brown eyes, in his enticing smiles, in his kind hand gestures, and in his rapid breathing. The question was in the Sunday come-to-meeting navy blue three-piece suit he was wearing the heck out of, as well as hidden in between every one of his politely articulated remarks.

Much to my chagrin, I received no proposal during dinner. As soon as I thought that I read him wrong, I became even more disappointed. Then, as I wondered why he let so many wonderful moments go to waste, I became annoyed.

As we walked to the car, my displeasure and irritation suddenly dissipated the moment I sensed he was taking me to some other romantic spot to pop the question. Titus confirmed my intuition seconds later when he whispered,  

     “There’s a special place I want you to see.”

     “For real?  Where is it?”

    “In Manito Park. I found it a month before you came to Fairchild. I am certain that the reason why I’m just now taking you there is because of timing.”

     “What do you mean?”  

  “In my life, God’s divine timing and planning have been responsible for every wonderful and good thing that has happened to me, so I believe He had me save my special place for tonight.”

We sat in silence, once again. By the time I asked if he would play some music, we were nearing Manito Park’s entrance.

We must have walked for fifteen minutes before we reached the heart of the park—the Japanese Garden. From the moment I saw this place, I not only knew this was Titus’ special place but also I knew it was Manito Park’s showpiece.

There was something spiritual about our stroll on the Japanese Garden’s meandering gravel path, which actually looped around the garden. The path was lit by granite lanterns, and it was surrounded by exotic, aromatic, breathtakingly manicured plants, shrubs, and trees.

Inside the Japanese Garden were an oriental gazebo, a teahouse, and assorted statues. Framed by colorful foliage that hid a small waterfall was an arched Asian stone bridge. This Japanese footbridge was situated over a stunningly serene Koi pond.

After we stopped in the middle of the bridge and watched the koi below us, Titus finally proposed to me. There was more silence, while my wet with tears eyes danced a love waltz. After about ten seconds, I finally mustered my audible loving acceptance.  

Titus wept through a gleeful grin. I swooned with teary-eyed joy. After he held me in a minute-or-so embrace, he stepped back, reached into his right pant pocket, and pulled out a royal purple ring box. Flipping it open, he showed me the symbol of his love—a solitaire engagement ring in white gold—which Titus tenderly slipped on my ring finger.     

Suddenly we were transfigured. Stock-still, as if paralyzed by a supernatural spell, we lingered in this state of consciousness, while all about us onlookers passed by in slow motion. 

When the spell broke, we were still oblivious to others, even though we resumed our stroll. Before long we were back in our car heading home.

From that second on, time flew. My last rousing memory of this night’s activities was our passionate goodnight kiss. 

Before drifting off to sleep that night, I took one last peep at my ring and then thank God for His best-laid plans and His divine timing. I had prayed many times to God, asking Him to show me the man He wanted me to marry, and He finally answered my prayers that night. After thanking God, I slept briefly but peacefully.

The next few days, in almost every waking hour, my thoughts were held captive by wedding visions. Before the year was out, my visions came true.

~ from my Contemplation manuscript, which I composed in 2004. This entire manuscript is based loosely on my life, and that is why the names of some places, people, and events in this opening chapter are fictitious. This is the first time I have edited or revised any portion of my manuscript since 2004, and I have done so this week just so I could turn the opening chapter into a very short story.

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May God Richly Bless You in 2016!

31 Thursday Dec 2015

Posted by Rev. Nadine Drayton-Keen in Praises and Thanks

≈ 2 Comments

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2016, be fruitful, be honest, be kind, be loving, be richly blessed, be sincere, be thankful, believe, faith, new dreams, new experiences, new hopes, new joys, New Year, renewed strength, trust

Happy New Year 2016

 

 

‘Y’varekh’kha Adonai v’yishmerekha.
[May Adonai bless you and keep you.]
Ya’er Adonai panav eleikha vichunekka.
[May Adonai make his face shine on you and show you his favor.]
Yissa Adonai panav eleikha v’yasem l’kha shalom.
[May Adonai lift up his face toward you and give you peace.]’ ~ Numbers 6:24-26, CJB

 

I pray that our 2016 will be filled with new dreams, new hopes, new joys—all the new experiences life, love, and liberty may bring to our doors. In this New Year, with the Holy Spirit’s help, may we also learn how to be truly understanding of our differences, learn how to be truly thankful for our own existence, and learn how to be truly loving and kind to all human beings, especially our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. In other words, with the help of the Holy Spirit, let each one of us no longer practice hatred, greed, envy, jealousy, or partiality. Lastly, with our Holy Spirit given renewed strength and power let us endeavor to let go of our past and hold fast to Father God’s Promises and Divine Truths so that we might outlast the inevitable hard times that are ahead, by trusting (having faith that is) solely in the Godhead.

Shalom . . . . .

  

Trust in Adonai with all your heart;
do not rely on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him;
then he will level your paths. ~ Proverbs 3:5-6, CJB

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  

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A Collage of Some Illustrated Haikus

26 Sunday Apr 2015

Posted by Rev. Nadine Drayton-Keen in Poetry

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agape love, collage, crystal clear, discernment, faith, haiku poetry, helps, image, moment, National Poetry Month, Perfect Peace book, Rapture Ready, revival, scene, seedlings, service to mankind, spiritual growth, verbal expression, vivid, wisdom, word picture

Illustrated Haikus Collage

And the Lord said to me, ‘Write my answer on a billboard, large and clear, so that anyone can read it at a glance and rush to tell the others. But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!’ ~ Habakkuk 2:2-3, TLB

 

From top Left to bottom Right, here are the haikus in the collage’s graphics:

1
A God-incidence –
powerfully spoken Word:
moving mountain Faith.

2
Deployment Order:
to action-heavy trenches –
Faith’s best breeding grounds.

3
A helps ministry:
The Kingdom way of living –
saints being Christ-like.

4
Faithful follower:
a fruit-producing manner –
Spirit discipled.

5
Life throws a curveball:
Master imparts discernment –
deduced deception.

6
Jesus is coming
back for fervent holy saints –
the rapture ready.

7
Wisdom is defined:
erring again and again,
only less and less.

8
Unkindest Winter:
not one love seedling endured –
blossomless springtime.

9
Spiritual growth –
progressively perfected:
well-seasoned faith walk.

10
THE Agápe (love):
going to extremes to help –
hands-on affections.

11
A fueled revival –
the Holy Spirit fire
purified rebirth.

12
Out of business signs:
Rapture closes prayer houses –
scattered goats bleating.

 

Note: Haikus #3 and #9 are the only haikus in this blog entry that were not published in my book – Perfect Peace (2015).

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We Must Be Born Again

15 Thursday Jan 2009

Posted by Rev. Nadine Drayton-Keen in Faith and Wisdom

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born again, eternal life, faith, grace, Holy Spirit's mighty workings, Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven, rebirth, regenerated, regeneration, salvation, second birth, water baptism

Have you ever wondered why Jesus the Christ concentrated more on the idea of being born again than He concentrated on the idea of salvation? Here’s why!

Concerning whether or not people need to be born again, Apostle Paul writes in Titus that God:

…saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:5-7, NIV).

Translation: regeneration is a must! Being born again is a must, because if we never experience our second birth (our spiritual rebirth/renewal/regeneration), we never will be truly saved! In essence, regeneration is the definitive prerequisite to salvation. That’s right! Being born again and being redeemed are not synonymous.

For sure, Jesus the Christ knew the difference between rebirth and salvation. In fact, during His earthly ministry, He didn’t explicitly teach about salvation because His primary focus was on the Kingdom of Heaven and how people must enter into this spiritual Kingdom. He taught that they must come through the ONE and only door/gate—that they must come through Him. Christ’s teaching on how people enter into the Kingdom of God confirms that there is ONLY one way (one path) that leads to living an eternal life with God.

This veiled reference to salvation aside, without a doubt Jesus the Christ explicitly taught that before people could come through Him (before they could be saved from an eternity spent in the Lake of Fire) they first MUST be born again! Repeatedly, Jesus the Christ made it clear that unregenerate sinners neither would see nor would they enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Certainly that is why Jesus the Christ insisted that people must be born again instead of preaching and teaching that people must be saved!

It is safe to say that He understood the difference between regeneration (rebirth) and salvation. Like God, Jesus the Christ knew that it virtually was impossible for sinners to be saved from the wrath of God without God’s intervention. Consequently, God uses His saving grace and His Holy Spirit’s power for the purpose of influencing every sinner’s necessary born-again experience.

Knowing that we would be utterly hopeless as long as we lived outside of a life in Christ is why God graciously intervenes in our lives and quickens our human spirits so that we can hear the Word of God and receive our measure of faith. God knows that it takes us being born again before we can proceed to the most crucial step in His redemption plan, which is responding to the Holy Spirit’s initial conviction. By God’s Grace, His Holy Spirit first convicts us about our need to be aware of our sin-guilt, to be accountable for our own sins, and to confess our awareness. For sure, it is our confessed awareness and accountability that will activate the Holy Spirit’s successive convictions: confessing our sins, repenting our sins (turning away from our sins and turning toward Jesus the Christ), and accepting Jesus the Christ as our Savior.

After we accept Jesus the Christ as our person Savior, we are reconciled and restored. Christ gives us His righteousness (He justifies us so that we will be in right standing with God); the Holy Spirit begins His practical sanctification process (He begins transforming us unto the image of Jesus the Christ); and our eternal life begins while we are still on Earth. But again, none of the Holy Spirit’s successive convictions that lead to our salvation can happen if we first didn’t have a genuine born-again experience!

The Apostle John says that “…to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan – this rebirth comes from God” (John 1:12-13, NLT). Once again, being born again is wholly, completely, and supremely because of God’s divine power (mighty workings of His Holy Spirit) and Grace. By God’s design, we are inactive receivers of our second birth! That is to say that there is nothing that we can do, say or think about that will influence our regeneration. Furthermore, if the Holy Spirit doesn’t rejuvenate our spiritually DEAD human spirits (spirits that are dead in sins and trespasses), we just would continue to deny our sinfulness and continue to deny our need for a Savior.

Since being born again of the Holy Spirit is something that humans cannot do under their own strength, might, and predilection, people need to know and understand that they are never considered to be regenerated just because they are fortunate enough to have been born (physically born) into a Christian family. Similarly, people need to know that they are not born again just because they make a decision to be saved, or make a commitment to the Lord, or choose to rededicate their lives, or walk down the aisles of the church and give their preacher their hand. Finally, people need to know that they are not born again just because they orally repent their sins and/or boldly profess to believe in Jesus the Christ. The spiritual truth is that people repent and believe because the Grace and Holy Spirit of God already have regenerated their dead human spirits, which is that quickening that eventually leads to believers’ spirits being put back in the right standing and relationship with Father and Creator God–they are presented to God just as if they had never sinned!

Unfortunately, because too many “churchy” people tend to think that regeneration (the rebirth) and salvation are the same, that water baptism is the second birth, that water baptism saves, or that people have something to do with their own rebirth, we have too many professed Christians in our modern-day churches who really never have been born again (people who never have received a regenerated spirit). The sad truth is that not until people study the Word of God for themselves until they know God’s Word inside and out, and not until pulpit ministers and other spiritual leaders teach the truth about the second birth, which is that being born again is solely of God, the numbers of people who neither will see nor enter into the Kingdom of Heaven will continue to be staggering!

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Casting Out Unbelief

12 Monday Jan 2009

Posted by Rev. Nadine Drayton-Keen in Devotional

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

faith, greater quantity, miracles, mustard seed, possible, signs, size, supernatural, unbelief, wonders

Today, it is not unusual for believers to have unbelief. That’s right! It is possible to believe in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit and still have unbelief! Christians’ unbelief, however, has nothing to do with how much faith they have, for Christ says that they will be able to move mountains from one location to another, even if they only have faith (trust in God) that is the size of a mustard seed. What then is believers’ source of unbelief, if it isn’t their faith? On almost all of today’s spiritual matters that seem too farfetched to believe, especially as they compare with our rational, natural senses (seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and tasting), we will display unbelief because we do not agree with God that we also have Christ’s supernatural power and authority.

This same unbelief in today’s Christians will make them as ineffective as Christ’s disciples once were. Even though Christ gave His 12 disciples His power and authority to handle ALL manner of sicknesses and diseases, and gave them the command to  “…cast out devils…” (Matthew 10:1 and 8, KJV), they still couldn’t deal with the epileptic demon (that “him” the disciples refer to in the below Scriptures). They didn’t believe that the supernatural power and authority Christ had given them would cast out this kind of demon!

Thus, their unbelief, which was caused by their reliance on their natural senses, kept them from healing the boy. Likewise, when today’s Christians are confronted with unseen or unheard of before supernatural miracles, gifts, signs and wonders taking place, their first reaction is unbelief, even when they know that the WORD says believers can possess the power and authority of Christ to do great works—even greater works (a larger quantity of great works) than Christ did (cf. John 14:12). Christ, thus, confirms that fasting and praying are not for casting out demons; fasting and praying are the ways we cast out our unbelief about our supernatural abilities!  AMEN.

“Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth out but by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:19-21, KJV).

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Doubt NOT…Fear NOT…Don’t Look Back

11 Sunday Jan 2009

Posted by Rev. Nadine Drayton-Keen in Devotional

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authority, doubt, faith, fear, fiasco, possible, power, sink, supernatural, swim, unbelief, walk

For those of you who may not know, it is possible to have faith in Jesus the Christ and still have unbelief. No one demonstrates this truth better than the very strong willed and vociferous Simon Peter. Like this Peter, who believes in God and Christ, yet shows unbelief during his walking on water fiasco, too many of us who confidently profess our belief in God and Christ will speak or show unbelief when we are in situations that stretch our minds beyond our intellectual capacities.

Therefore, it is never enough for us to say that we believe, if we cannot display that belief by stepping out of our boats (comfort zones), without looking back at the blustering wind and roaring waves, and acting afraid. Simon Peter steps out of his boat, but then with fear, he looks back at his natural world instead of looking ahead with faith in his supernatural Creator. Even though Christ who just fed thousands of people with a few loaves of bread and fish is the One walking on the water toward His disciples’ boat, Peter still demonstrates unbelief.

Although Peter begins to walk on the water toward his Lord and Savior, he still lets his natural senses override the supernatural occurrence taking place–he begins to fear the wind and the waves more than he reveres the Creator of them. Thus, because of his unbelief, Peter loses his spiritual insight about Christ, and then he sinks! When we are convicted in our spirits that the Lord will see us through our storms, and are certain, without ever fearing that we surely will drown, then we really believe. Although Christ will reach out his hand to us and save us, as He does for Peter, He wants us to believe that, if we never doubt the supernatural that is working through Him, He will keep us safe from ever having to sink!

Sink, swim, or walk on water. It’s our choice, true, but the point of this walking on water fiasco is that it didn’t have to be a fiasco. If Peter had an unreserved trust that was void of any doubt (unbelief), he could have continued doing the supernatural! We, too, can do the supernatural, as long as we do not doubt the power and authority that we have in us, nor doubt the omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence of the Sovereign One who gives us His power and authority! AMEN.

“And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?“ (Matthew 14:31, KJV).

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Rev. Nadine Drayton-Keen

Sanctified Child

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