The Dark Knights' Dark Hour

We recently saw the film Dark Knight starring Christian Bale and the late Heath Ledger. We enjoyed the 1st installment of Batman Begins and were excited about the next film. But our excitement turned into grief as we realized that we were watching the demise of a man.
Heath is a method actor, as is Christain Bale. Method acting is an acting technique in which actors try to replicate real life emotional conditions under which the character operates, in an effort to create a life-like, realistic performance. This is contrasted with a more abstracted, less involved style of acting in which the actor himself or herself remains an outside observer of the character he or she is portraying (wikipedia). Although it is termed method acting, there is more than "one" method used to channel these "realistic" performances. Channeling is a common method used by "method" actors. Channeling is performed by someone opening themselves up to other forces, supposedly of those who have long been dead, and are supposedly benevolent, helpful and kind "spirits." Channeling is done for the purpose of obtaining "helpful" information to "guide" humans along the road of life, or to contact a dead relative or friend. Some actors that use channeling are:

Oprah Winfrey: On the movie Beloved: "Every morning, before my scenes, I lit candles and said the names of these slaves. I prayed every day to the ancestors." "Sometimes the epiphanies carry the voices of Negro slaves-Joe and Emily and Dara; Sue and Bess and Sara. Winfrey says that she has come to know each of them personally and calls them in at will to guide her in her work.
Denzel Washington: On playing Malcolm X "I just tried to make a spiritual connection," he says. (Another section of the article reads, Given the scope of his research, that he would feel close to Malcolm is understandable. But what about that spiritual link he so fervently hoped for? Did he ever feel the connection? Washington picks up his cup and takes a long pull of coffee. When he sets it down, his voice is barely above a whisper. "I really don't like to talk about it," he says turning away and staring out at the New York skyline. read more)

We believe that Heath was so troubled by the character he played that it caused his death. Heath described the Joker as a,“psychopathic, mass-murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy.” It is said that Heath locked himself in a room for hours trying to channel the spirit and characteristics of a deranged killer.

After reading an article from the Good Fight website( read the entire article here) about Heath, we realize that we had to repent for seeing the film. We totally joined in with the world to watch a man die, who was deceived by the devil be lifted up. We also aided in the funding of those who are profiting from his death. It's a sad world we are living in but we have to remember we are not of this world. And we should not engage in the world's rituals, norms or lifestyles. We should stand for righteousness and holiness. I just wished we would have decided to do that before we went to the movie. Please take the time to pray before you decide to do something that might glorify anything else but God.

Avoid relationships that will pull you away from God

Yesterday I received a phone call from my ex-boyfriend. To give you a little back-story, we haven’t talked in 6 months. We had a very bad argument and I decided to cut him off. We had been dating on and off for 7 years. I went through a lot in that relationship. I was 19 when we started dating. I was also going into my second year of college and was very optimistic about school, my career and whatever the future had in store. He was my childhood crush and I never thought we would be in a relationship together. Well be careful what you wish for because trust me, someone is always listening. I guess what I mean is that the devil will find a way to postpone, what the Lord’s purpose is for your life or try to defile you and pull you out of our Creator's arms. I am not saying that my ex was the devil. The enemy can use people in our lives to distract us from what’s important, our relationship with Christ.
When I was in my relationship, I did things that I never thought I would do. I totally gave myself to a person that was not worthy to be in my company. We had different up bringings and our faith was not on the same level. I will not go into the details of my relationship but let's just say it did not coincide with the Word of God.
I started to worship my ex and our relationship was the only important thing in the world. Boy was I in for a shock. I was so consumed with my relationship that I forgot what was important. As our relationship started to fall apart, I would ask God why is he treating me this way? Why doesn't he love me like I love him? I did everything for him and he still used me and abused me. Finally the Holy Spirit revealed to me, the same way my boyfriend was treating me was the same way I was treating my Heavenly Father.
It was such a revelation that I started to cry and repent for what I had done. I totally neglected my God. When this was revealed to me, I started to think about a sermon from my pastor. It was about how the Lord revealed himself through his prophets. One of them was Hosea. So in order for me to prepare for this blog, I decided to read a couple of chapters in Hosea. Just to give you a quick synopsis of the passage, the Lord told Hosea to marry a woman from a heathen nation that departed away from Him, Hosea 2:2-3. God told Hosea that his wife will stray away from him and go after other gods and become a harlot, Ch 2:2-7. Even though she turned her back on her husband and family, Hosea still loved her. Does that sound familiar? When Hosea’s wife was sold into slavery, The Lord told Hosea to go and purchase her, Ch.3. Hosea told his wife that she will stay with him and no longer be a harlot and she shall no longer belong to another man.
Hosea's life represents, how much the Lord wants us to Himself and how we allow distractions or own interest to separate ourselves from Him. Even though Hosea’s wife went whoring after other men, gods, money, and material things and self-worshiping, Hosea still loved her. She totally violated their marriage and found herself alone and sold into slavery. Little did she know her redeemer was coming to deliver her. You see Gomer, Hosea’s wife, did not need to go through all those things. If she just humbled herself, turned her back on ungodliness and trusted in her husband she would have been just fine.
Well that’s how I felt. God never left me and even though I gave myself to someone that He did not have for me, he still loved me. I praise the Lord everyday for His mercy and grace. Friendships, boyfriend and girlfriend relationships that take up too much of your time are not healthy. When ever you feel like you are being pulled into something that goes against the word of God, stop and pray for strength. My advice is to even run because we are made of flesh and flesh is weak but the Spirit is willing. If you are single, focus your time on building your relationship with Christ and doing His will. Do not let anything postpone your destiny.
Ok so back to my phone conversation with the ex. I was still angry about what happened but I had to forgive him and move on from the situation. We made amends and he apologized. I know not to get to close because their are still feelings there. I don't want to go back from where I came. I like where I am now, which is giving myself to Christ. Denying myself and giving everything to God. He is my Master and Creator. And who knows you or wants the best for you but your Father.
Let us pray. Our Father in Heaven give us understanding of what You want from us. Please do not allow the enemy to stray us away from You. We need You and we love You. We desire You and only You. We worship You and praise You alone. Please let the Holy Spirit guide us and give us wisdom, so that we may live a holy and righteous lifestyle. We want to be able to dwell with You all our days and be in the Heavenly Realm. Thank You so much for loving, saving and redeeming us. We give the entire honor and glory in Jesus’ name Amen.
God Bless and remember to keep Him first!

Reaching Your Full Potential can only be Postponed but never Stopped!

Do you often wonder if you are on the right path; if you are reaching your goals? There are so many times I sit and think about where I “should” be in my life, or if I’m anywhere close to reaching my goals. I often see the roadblocks in my life and wonder how I am going to break them down. Sometimes I get distracted and lose my way. So often the enemy distracts us from reaching our goals and our full potential in Christ Jesus. As always, there is good news. You see, the devil can only postpone you reaching your goals and potential, but he can’t stop it. The enemy has no power over your destiny! He will try long and hard to delay your destiny, because if you reach your goals and full potential in Christ you will be “bad for business”. God has the final say and God has already proclaimed your blessings and orchestrated you reaching your goals! It is done and inevitable that you reach your goals! You see before we are born, God proclaims our purpose and destiny in heaven. Now, once the enemy catches wind of it, he starts plotting and scheming anyway he can to prevent you or delay you from reaching what the Lord has proclaimed. If you fail to reach your goal then that is by your own doing. You see it has already been declared and promised, you just have to make sure you seek God and all your blessing will be added to you.

So how does the enemy try to postpone us reaching our goals and our full potential in Christ? There are several ways and they can come in various forms. Here are just a few;

Unhealthy Relationships: These can be romantic or even just friendships. Do you have a friend that is constantly putting you down or holding you back? Is your significant other demanding or abusive. It is no coincidence that certain people exit and enter out lives. Ask the Lord for the gift of discernment and ask God why that person has come into your life. Make sure to evaluate all your relationships and make sure that they are healthy and contribute to your growth both spiritually and mentally.

Finances: This is a big one for many people. Sometimes we feel like we can get ahead if we just had a little more money. Sometimes the enemy orchestrated certain things in our lives that effect our finances. A cruel boss that is setting to get you fired, a too good to be true scheme that a “friend” is pitching to you. God has asked his people to be the Lender not the Borrower! Remember that! Learn how to manage your finances and pay your bills! Don’t let something so small as finances stop you from reaching your goals.

Complacency: This one is rather deceiving! Sometimes we find ourselves in nice comfortable lives. We do the same thing everyday and it feels good right? I mean the bills are paid, there’s food on the table, we’re around our friends…everything is swell! Or so you think. Often when we find ourselves in complacent situations, we begin living mediocre lives. God says that we are far from mediocre! Don’t stop reaching for more! We are so fooled by images of average American life. Well you are not average!!! Sit down and think about all the things you wanted for your life, all your plans and start working towards them! You will find that life is more fulfilling when you aren’t wondering “what if”.

The Media: There are so many distractions around us that we don’t even consider. The media plays a huge part. I have a cousin that says she doesn’t watch much tv because it ruins her creativity. So often the media dumbs down the viewer. How many times have you made productive plans and then you find yourself sitting in front of the TV, computer (Internet), video games etc. The enemy wants you to sit down and be unproductive! Get up and do something! You may find that you discovery talents that you never knew you had. Or, you will find that you are spending more time with God! Remember spending time with God is a sure way to ruin the enemy’s plans.

Sleep: Oh yeah! This is going to upset some people. I know it upset me the first time I found out. Sleeping is a good thing, a great thing, but too much sleep is not good for anyone. My brother says that “ Sleep is the cousin of death”. I love this statement! God does speak to us during dreams and gives us visions while we sleep. Too much sleep however, makes one unproductive and too little sleep makes one angry, cranky and anxious. Plan your days so that you give yourself enough time to get things accomplished and sufficient sleep.

Remember that you have been given the power to choose! Always consult God and remember that your destiny can never be stopped by the enemy only postponed! By spending more time with God you can avoid distractions and begin to uncover the ways to achieve you goals and potential in Christ!

Below are some other tools the enemy uses. Please feel free to add to the list by leaving a comment.

Self-Involvement
Low Self-Esteem
Health
Generational Curses (will be discussed in another blog)
Death (family or friends)
Divorce
Family Situations
Addictions
Guilt
Popular & Traditional Culture
Poverty/Wealth (deeper than just finances, will be discussed in another blog)

Having a Spiritual Experience

On my way to my internship last week, I had an amazing spiritual experience. I was listening to "Breathe Into Me" by Fred Hammond on my sister's mp3 player. I've always like this song but that day it hit me so hard that I wanted to weep. It was like my spirit wanted to leap out of my body and start praising the Lord. It is such a powerful song and one can really relate. Whenever things get hard or when the enemy tries to put doubt, fear, or a spirit of heaviness to prevent you from being in that Heavenly Realm; just call upon the Lord. Ask him to make you strong and to lean on Him. "The flesh is weak but the Spirit is willing." That experience just set the tone for an amazing day and the Lord blessed me with many things that I needed without even asking. I think, well I know, that everyone should be filled with the Holy Spirit and to praise, worship and pray in the Spirit. It is so very important in your walk with Christ. Here are the lyrics to the song. I hope it brings you peace and motivates you to keep up the good fight.

Breathe Into Me By Fred Hammond

When the battle makes me weary

It seems that I lost ground

It’s so hard to hear your voice Lord

With distractions all around

I try to lift my hands to give you praise

But then a spirit of heaviness

Tries to shield your face

Chorus:Breathe into me, oh Lord

The breath of Life

So that my spirit would be whole

And my soul may rise

Breathe into me, oh Lord

Day by day

So that my heart is pure before you

Always, always

Onto thee, oh Lord, do I lift up my soul

It’s only by your hand

That I can be made whole

So Lord, breathe on me

And revive my spirit within

And I’ll never be the same-

Chorus -

Condemnation tries to hold me like a prisoner in chains

And the weight of my burdens, is calling out my name

That’s when I lift up my voice to worship you because

I know, You promised you would wash me white as snow

Onto thee, oh Lord, do I lift up my soul

It’s only by your hand

That I can be made whole

So Lord, let your breath revive me again

And I’ll never be the same

x3- Chorus -

Prayer Opens Heaven

You always hear that prayer is powerful, but you never truly understand the power of prayer until you experience it. To truly unlock the power of prayer, you must learn how to pray. Having an open heart, understanding the Word and having faith all help to better your prayer life.

An open heart: God honors an honest and open heart. Remember you can not fool God. He knows your every thought and the intention behind it. Before you pray, you should ask yourself these questions:

1. What am I praying for?

2. Why am I asking God for this?

3. What is the intention of this prayer?

If you can answer these questions honestly and have deduced that your prayer is not for selfish gain or for something trivial then you are on the right track.

Understanding the Word: You must understand what the Word says in regards to praying and requests. God has already made many promises to his children in the Bible and some of these promises involve things that most people pray for. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus says "Come to me, all of you who are weary and loaded down with burdens, and I will give you rest". This tells us that Jesus is ready and willing to take your burdens but you must do your part and "come to him" which is usually done through prayer. We must remember that God needs us to do our part and that includes asking and most of all believing. But asking w/o believing will not yield results. In Ephesians 6:18 Paul writes, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints". When we have been redeemed, the Lord said that he would send us a Helper (The Holy Spirit). Ask the Holy Spirit for the words to speak in prayer. Before you open your mouth ask the Holy Spirit for the utterance, so that you may pray by the Spirit and pray effectively.

Have Faith: You must learn to trust God for what he is doing and will do in your life. One of the many ways that you can have faith is by thanking God before you even see the outcome of your prayer. Trusting God for an open and honest prayer is a golden key for a strong prayer. In Matthew 17:20 Jesus said, "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. This is a very powerful statement. Faith is power! It is by faith that we have been redeemed and it is by faith that we go to our heavenly Father in prayer.

We would like to share a recent example of prayer in our lives. Earlier this week, our Uncle was admitted into the hospital. According to what we understand, a doctor used unclean tools on him during a check-up. He was running a high fever, and had to stay in the hospital for a couple of days. About 2 days later, we learned that the hospital had quarantined him. The only thing we could do was pray. My sister and I prayed in the Spirit and with authority that God would heal him. We knew that if we believed God for a miracle that he would grant our request. We prayed a very specific prayer asking for him to be released from the hospital and for a total healing. The day after we prayed, we received a call from our mother telling us that he had been released from the hospital and was resting at home. All we could do was to praise Him for His works!

*Just a thought: If you have received the gift of tongues, we suggest praying in tongues to the Lord. You may not understand what you are saying but the Spirit understands and it is one of the most powerful prayers you can pray.