THE MAGNIFYING GLASS

I was honored with the love and support of so many of you that attended the "Dinner For Life & Song For Your Heart” the Annual Benefit Dinner for HFS on Thursday night.

10-11-12.  Great team work done by the volunteers and board.

 I'm always amazed at what God does,  let alone that He let’s us witness it.

 We witnessed the Spirit move powerfully.  He pricked hearts.   

 He brought new friends as well as those that continue to be faithful to this ministry. I am excited to get to know everyone better.

 I believe God was honored and thus we are blessed.  

Thank you again for making the commitment with us as we look to God and His Spirit to enable us to Isaiah 61:3-4 through Heartfelt Family Services.   It's exciting to move forward!

I pray you experience the power of the Holy Spirit in your life today.

We love you Lord and praise you today for who You are....amen.....deborah

I would like to share this with you:

FASTING & THE MAGNIFYING GLASS:

When I held the magnifying glass up to an object, I could see details that I couldn’t possibly see with the normal vision. For me, one of the benefits of fasting is it allows you to see God in a much closer way. It doesn’t make Him any bigger than He already is, but it enlarges your view, allowing you to see things about Him that you might not normally see.

After participating in a multiple of fasts, I believe these are the most compelling reasons for fasting:

1.    Fasting enables the Holy Spirit to reveal your true spiritual condition.

2.    Fasting helps form a separation between what you want and what you need.

3.    Fasting stirs a hunger in your spirit that goes deeper than temporary hunger for food.

4.    Assignments are revealed through fasting.

5.    Fasting prepares you for what is ahead.

6.    Fasting requires faith.

7.    There is usually a spiritual objective to be accomplished.

8.    Fasting can restore the loss of the “first love” and result in a more intimate relationship with Christ.

9.    Fasting is a biblical way to truly humble yourself in the sight of God.

10.  Fasting can result in a dynamic personal revival in your life.

In Matthew 6, Jesus says, “When you fast, don’t put on a sad face like the hypocrites. They make their faces look sad to show people they are fasting. I tell you the truth, those hypocrites already have their full reward. So when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then people will not know that you are fasting, but your Father, whom you cannot see, will see you. Your Father sees what is done in secret, and he will reward you.”

Fasting possesses great power. If practiced with the right intention, it creates an intimacy with God and definitely allows you to see Him in a closer way.

I would love to hear your thoughts on fasting.

RIGHTEOUS HATRED

I want to share this with you today: Righteous Hatred   “The righteous hate what is false, but the wicked bring shame and disgrace” (Proverbs 13:5). There is a righteous hatred that rejects what is false. It might be false words, bogus behavior, a counterfeit countenance, a phony friendship, or deceptive dealings. The discernment of the spirit-filled believer rises up to defend integrity. You can’t sit still to shenanigans when you know an agreed-upon code of ethics has been violated. So, how are we to respond to lies and liars? We first look in the mirror, making sure we are honest in our dealings and accurate with our words. Jesus said, “How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:4). I am required to remove all self-deception before I can clearly see sin in my brother. Self-evaluation precedes confronting false conduct. Furthermore, our heavenly Father expresses holy hatred over what is false. “There are six things the LORD hates…haughty eyes, a lying tongue…a heart that devises wicked schemes” (Proverbs 6:16-18). Because the Almighty abhors artificial acts, we must ask ourselves:  “Do I take sin seriously, or do I casually flirt with it?” Loose lips and sometimes closed lips lead to lies and deceit that bring shame and embarrassment. Avoid lies and liars, and you will live in peaceful content. “But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people” (1 Corinthians 5:11). Lastly, in your business, ministry, and testimony remove all appearance of fraud and falsehood. Free yourself from image management with full disclosure and transparency. Create a culture that exposes any hint of conflict of interest. Lies examined under light melt away. Hate dishonesty; reward honesty. Honesty is the only policy for the people of God. “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body” (Ephesians 4:25). Prayer:  Dear Lord, what areas of my life, work & ministry need to grow in honesty and forthrightness?    I love you....... Deborah Related Readings: Judges 16:11; Psalm 119:163; Colossians 3:9; Revelation 21:8