Hollow traditions and rituals have left a salty taste in the mouth of true
worshipers. This could be due to the institutional church’s landscape drastically changing in the last fifteen years. Believers are confused, dazed and even more fearful than ever. There are various reasons this climate of uncertainty exists. Everything from misappropriated church funds to improperly trained clergy leaders are a few of the components that leave the faithful feeling more vulnerable than empowered. Our question now becomes, how are we to love God, demonstrate the compassion of Christ while at the same time meet one anothers needs? If there are so many in the body still hurting and despondent how do we set their feet on the path to total healing if we’re still struggling with the “rules” of Christianity? Continue reading “Tradition, Ritual, Relationship – Can they Co-Exist?”
Category: Prophetic
Doomsday Predictions & YOU!
Recently, it has been in the news that December 21st 2012 is the END OF THE ENTIRE WORLD! Now, as foreboding as this my seem, I think we need to take a deeper look into how we’re responding to this news more than worry about whether that date is the END. Walk with me on this thought for a second. What if that was the date the world was ending. What would you do? Continue reading “Doomsday Predictions & YOU!”
Are you the Bullseye of a Spiritual Attack?
The spiritual climate among believers is pretty much at an all time high. Every 
prophetic person, ministry or book is pointing out that a tremendous move of God is about to take place. The book of revelation is more alive in our lifetime than ever before and even Hollywood is citing biblical references in movies. Our society is unraveling to the point that even the most faithful are backsliding as leaders are falling into sin.
One message that is clear is that Christ followers must keep their ear to the ground to hear what the spirit of God is speaking in terms of direction. We are all aware spiritual attacks occur, but how do we know we when we’re the bulls eye? Is there a way to know? Continue reading “Are you the Bullseye of a Spiritual Attack?”
Reflections of an Exiled Believer
I have for the last five years felt distanced from “the church” and many who propose to be a part of the conventional church. For years my journey has led me to houses of worship and to church leaders who seemed to have an aversion to either living holy or embracing me (a female) with any level of respect. This lack for love and nurturing is a trend that has infiltrated many congregations. The faithful are being shunned, ostracized and called witches to make room for worship styles that do not always exalt the Father. We know that in the last days we’ll face perilous times (2 Tim 3:1) but also we’ll encounter a falling away (2 Thess 2:3). While “the church” would like to believe this excludes them, this event is not isolated to the unbelieving sinner we’re often so quick to condemn. Sadly, it’s already commenced. The house church movement has grown not because people are not willing to submit to leadership, but because they have submitted to them and were wounded. They’ve found perverse leadership who routinely operate in unGodly fashion and evict themselves from accountability. They operate the church as if it were a corporation and under the guise of preaching the gospel, souls are lost. More emphasis has been given to protocol, traditions, sexism, racism, personal agendas and money which seems to be the ultimate god. Many of the exiled have been either invited to vacate fellowships or felt compelled to do so due to alienation or other form of intimidation. Regularly, the exiled are accused of “operating in witchcraft”.
Where is the compassion? Continue reading “Reflections of an Exiled Believer”
Let God Pull It Out of You
We all have it…baggage. We all have some broken dream, disappointing loss, rejection via unrequited love or abandonment by a loved one to contend with in our lifetime. Our lives may hold some personal triumphs but the thing that holds us back most are the failures. They seem to privately abound within us even more than our public victories. In spite of the pain we endure, the bottom line is this…We need to put away the baggage of our past! Our history, good or not so good seems to follow us around, year after year keeping us bound to an action or a memory. Its only purpose is to constantly remind us of an error we’d rather forget. The hold can become so foreboding that we struggle to face our future with optimism because the demons in our past torment us so. Our talents are smoldering beneath the veil of fear as our past whispers negativity to our hearts. Just having the desire to escape the indiscretions of yesteryear is not enough. We need to recognize our deficit of faith while discovering the warrior hidden deep within. Action on our part must be implemented to prevail over this malignant spirit whose sole mission is to destroy our hope, our destiny and more importantly our relationship with God. In order to find our place in the body, we have to change our thinking by allowing God to transform our minds.
The confession of our mistakes gives us strength to confront the condemnation we carry concerning former our deeds. When we hide it, we open the door for it to dominate our lives. Under the influence of fear, desperation emerges compelling us to cover up or hide our “sins”. This new taskmaster forces us into submitting to acts that are not pleasing to the Lord. Fear’s partner is pride. Pride coupled with the terror of being found out is the catalyst or reasoning used to justify unGodly actions once we’re driven to compromise. The past now reaches into our present by becoming a tremendous burden that threatens the future. If we truly want to be free from the past or any bondage, we must acknowledge our imperfections to tame the beasts which plague us. If not, it will dictate to us that we’re miserable failures who are incapable of success. We’re then robbed of our self esteem, our peace and ultimately our destiny.
The good news is the past never reveals that failure is the best teacher!
The lessons we learn from not succeeding in every attempted effort are invaluable. It keeps us humble before God and molds us into better human beings. We learn compassion, wisdom and empathy to share with others who need encouragement. It also compels us to re-examine who we are while challenging us to seek a deeper spiritual intimacy with God. Through a relationship with Him, we can determine why we failed in the first place in order to develop a winning agenda for our next endeavor. We also discover where our weaknesses lie so that we can cultivate a confidence bolstering strategy. I love the hope it births!
Through failure, God reminds us that every failed effort is not some shameful exploit.
It’s an opportunity to allow Him to show us the splendor of what we really were designed to be. Failing illustrates how trivial our accomplishments are when displaced from His will. Our goals have to be mirror images of His directives otherwise every pursuit of success on our part will indeed fail. The realization we need to embrace is that any accolade we attain in this earthly vessel is His victory, not ours. Without His constant unction operating in us, we’d never have a divinely purposeful thought or idea. We’d simply evolve into selfish, mindless automatons without vision or direction. Failure challenges us to seek God for the tenacity to try again. We’re also reminded that the grandeur of anything we aspire to will never be the result of our own ability. It’s merely a manifestation of His illustrious anointing working through each of us.
He pulls the awesome, creative, anointed, illustrious part
of HIMSELF OUT OF US!
We were all fabricated for greatness but only when we discover that our ultimate triumphs reside in Him. Failure is the vehicle that perfects us to our celebrated end. The real blessing is that we are purified for service through the heartbreak of our pain. I encourage you to make the decision to exchange the baggage of the past for a love relationship with the Father. You just might be surprised by what He pulls out of YOU!
Walk in your liberty child of the MOST HIGH GOD…
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Denise Joyce Williams lives in Florida with her husband who is a career soldier. Her first book entitled, “The Healing Of A Broken Vessel” was released by Publish America in 2009. Her much anticipated second book entitled “Chambers Of The Believing Heart” is expected to be released in the spring of 2012.
Blessing for Sale! – Sponsored by Prophets for Profit!
It’s that time of year. Spring is in the air, a season to embrace spiritual renewal. Hoards of God’s people are excited to walk in their season, declare the struggle is over or receive their divine appointment while sharing the message hope. Those who’ve been wounded and the un-churched altogether are desperately seeking answers. They are searching for truth that can address their spiritual dysfunction while simultaneously providing the deliverance needed to move forward. They want peace, love and serenity within the arms of loving saints. The desire to connect with intercessors who will pray for their needs prevails in the back of their minds. A longing for the ability to confide in leadership when their burdens are heavy exist for many.
However instead of finding solace in the body of Christ, many are finding out that blessings are merely for sale. Recently I attended an event in which a renowned prophet was the keynote speaker. He was impeccably dressed, well spoken and full of the word. The church was overflowing with many who needed Godly direction; the atmosphere charged with expectancy. They came by way of bus, car pool and a few arrived on foot to have an audience with the prophet. They came to hear a Rhema word from him and he was endorsed not only by the leadership of the host church, but also by the local clergy. As the evening progressed he gave his message that discussed the current dispensation that we are facing as a body. He talked about wealth being laid up for the just and the long awaited “wealth transfer” for those who are in a financial struggle. The buzz word seemed to have been “wealth transfer” which he assured everyone was on the horizon. He then stopped in mid sentence to redirect his thoughts and began to prophesy over the top successes for only the clergy in attendance. The ushers were instructed to seat any pastor, bishop, apostle or anyone who was so spiritual they could levitate at will on the front row. The faith level of those in the sanctuary was now at an all 
time high. Everyone silently prayed that the man of God would call them out for a personal word. The tension was so thick a knife would have been dulled, and then it happened. In the middle of this seemingly spiritual moment, he made an appeal for funds. He grimaced as if his brain hurt to hear God’s instruction. He’s now heard God, then announces to the people God said everyone should give seventy seven dollars! He also adds if anyone didn’t have that amount give as close to that amount as possible. If God called for everyone to give seventy seven, seems to me He’d make sure everyone had that amount. No ministry or word was given to the masses that gave the seventy seven dollars and many came forward with funds in hand. According to his actions, God only sent a word to the leaders.
This old tactic to manipulate people into giving is deplorable and making those of us who are truly hearing God’s heart sick to the stomach.
God’s desire is for the entire body to be blessed and He doesn’t charge for them. This applies to the most holy right reverend as well as new converts. Love offerings should be bestowed among those that labor in the Kingdom with the heart of God. Believers must become better financial stewards while fine tuning their discernment. We shouldn’t sow into con artist prophets who make blessings something to be bought at offering time. The prophet simply confirms the word God has already spoken in our hearts.
When will we stop allowing charlatans who regularly exploit the name of Jesus from ripping us off?
The for profit prophet is in business because we allow ourselves to be exploited. Their gloom and doom “you won’t be blessed unless you sow into me” threats coerce many into handing over money that was delegated for other life sustaining needs. If we are to confront and shut down the “blessings for sale ministry”, swift action must commence.
1. Make the decision to grow up spiritually. Spiritual maturity doesn’t just happen. As with any relationship, time must be invested to hear God’s heart. Once this commitment is made to pursue meat instead of milk, real spiritual development can begin (1 Peter 2:2).
2. Develop a rock solid prayer life. Prophets for profit take advantage of weak believers who have a poor or non-existent prayer life. These are people that salivate for a word from anyone because they’ve become too lazy to get on their knees for themselves. The itching ears syndrome will lead to spiritual death (2 Tim 4:3). Stop being hood winked! Let’s seek the face of God for ourselves and stop encouraging the work of familiar spirits that operate for profit. Realize this: the called of God can’t eat from every prophet’s table.
3. Study, study, then study some more! The work of a true prophet is to edify, exhort and comfort (I Cor 14:3). If we fail to study the word of God, we will never be able to identify the lecherous thief from the righteous minister who comes to bless us (2 Tim 2:15). Study gives us the rod by which we can inspect the fruit of a minister.
4. Stop supporting unsavory renegades! We must be better overseers over our money. If we continue to pay the circus, they’ll keep coming to town! No payment. No performance. Period!
5. Prepare for warfare! When we alert others to the tactics of manipulative prophets for profit don’t be naive, EXPECT opposition. You will be identified as a rebellious, selfish outcast who is slandering the “man or woman of God”. Choose to demand holiness from leaders or don’t sit under them. If you have to live holy, shouldn’t they?
The body needs true prophets that have eyes fixed on what God deems important, not another Lexus. Prophets are assets only when they are fully yielded vessels. There are far too many wounded souls who’ve suffered at the hands of phony leaders that entertain them for a dollar. The sacrilegious act of scaring up offerings must be halted so real ministry can begin. Our worship must exude a purity that hasn’t been infected with even a hint of worldly pursuits. This is essential in this season where seducers exist among us looking for opportunities to deceive. In order to differentiate the authentic pearls from the costume jewelry we must strengthen our relationship with the Father. The tools of study, fasting and intercessory prayer must dominate our time if we are to prevail. Ministry will begin when members in the body get sick and tired of feeling nauseous at the announcement of a prophet in the city. The cry for a true move of the Holy Ghost will guide us into truth; even in a climate where deception seems to be the norm.
Let us take down the sign that reads, “Blessings For Sale”……
Be encouraged and blessed child of the most high God.
September-My 9/11 Offering
There’s a warm steady breeze that used to blow
in September. That made us ponder the ending of the year and remember.
An era that was unblemished, jovial and carefree. A pleasant cycle of days, weeks & months that fashioned the matrix of our lives, indeed.
A breath of transformation identifying the passage of youth, innocence and time. An occurrence which altered our direction and
made us open our naive eyes..
And point us to a moment that will forever live in infamy; That forced us to see that our security, was a mere fallacy.
Two planes hit! The two Towers fell!
The wind swept face of pure evil had
resurrected itself from the pit of hell. Our lives, no longer secure became eternally surreal.
And our sorrow from that day may NEVER EVER heal……
Be encouraged and blessed child of the MOST HIGH GOD!
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Dr. Denise Joyce Williams resides in Florida with her husband who is a career soldier. She’s currently penning her second book entitled “The Chambers Of The Heart”.
Where Are You Eating?
The climate for believers in this dispensation is quite frenzied. Parishioners have no idea whom they can trust in the body and leaders are distracted while indulging in sins of the flesh. Greed, manipulation and deception are ruling the day in our modern, post resurrection churches. Even the faithful are becoming confused concerning doctrine and truth. How can anyone remain focused or steady in the faith?
One thing to consider in responding to this question would be to ask ourselves, “Where are we eating?” Unbeknownst to many Christians they are on a path that deviates from the word. One practice that seems to be on the rise is believers attempting to pastor themselves. Now we understand there are times when being without a pastor will occur at sometime or another in our walk; however this shouldn’t actually become the norm. Our God is a God of covenants and relationship. Continue reading “Where Are You Eating?”
Eternity
At the moment of conception to breathing without care
Death’s voice beckons to entangle our soul in his snare
He summons us in unyielding and ominous ways
Filling us with the menacing dread that our existence yet decays
Though we try to dismiss that dance that we’ll have one day with death;
Like a comedy of errors, or a tragedy in Macbeth
We’ve dismissed the essence of what life really means
Just hiding behind the immaterial to mask our terrified screams
Of our desperate fear and terror, the cry of our discontent
It’s then we question right or wrong and our feelings of malcontent
How can one answer the mystery “How long their life will be?”
How do we NOT obsess about our future yet;
Resolve our personal question of “Where will we spend eternity?”
Envisioning Today
Why does tomorrow seem so far away?
For today it seems so elusive, like yesterday
Our existence but a matrix of thoughts, events and emotions. Like lab rats in a wheel, we’re going through life’s motions.
Of everyday attempts to arrest the emptiness inside and protect ourselves from heartache that offers us no pride.
To accept how vulnerable we really are in the grand scheme of things. Yet reflect on our own behavior and how life brings;
New decisions to make each day and new thoughts to ponder. New memories for us to cherish or those we can squander.
Why does tomorrow seem so far away?
It’s not if we embrace it — tomorrow is a mere reflection.
A vision of today.
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