Real Deal REInvestor Network

Have you ever wondered to yourself, “Self, why is it that every time I step out to do good for others, I meet with a barrage of critical people who want to keep me tied to my past that may have been filled with mistakes; or persons rather find one negative in what I am doing rather than praise the 100 positives? Have you ever asked yourself those questions?

 

Well, I want to encourage you not to be discouraged, and do not be weary in well doing for in due season you will reap your reward if you faint not. Yes, it is challenging, yes it becomes tiring and disheartening when you step out in faith to love others and be obedient to the call of God on your life and others are constantly pulling you down. Yet remember, you are striving for the greater thing which is the love of God exercised through your obedience to His word.

 

Your aim is not to please people, or to let them manipulate you into doing what they want or settling for mediocrity, but your mandate is to love God and love others by making your body a living sacrifice unto him. So if God has spoken to you to preach, by all means, preach. If you are not given that opportunity within a Church, then go into the highways and by-ways and compel others to come to the saving love of God. If he has called you to sing, and others believe that you are singing too much, continue being obedient to his will. If he has called you to start your own business, do just that.

 

This is the hour; this is the time that God is calling each of us into consecration, dedication and total submission to his will. No longer will He tolerate excuses. No longer will He allow us to say well Lord, “What will so and so say if I do this or that?” He is not concerned about so and so, he has called you. And obedience is better than sacrifice.

 

Remember if we are obedient to Him and His word we will eat the good of the land. So though the journey may be long, though persecutions come, though you feel as if it is not worth it, be obedient to whatever God has told you, because he is faithful and just and rewards those who diligently seek him. Remember, love for God is demonstrated via our obedience to what he has spoken to us.

 

I John 3: stresses on the importance of love which is the essence of who God is. Yes, God is love, that is His nature and he wants to disburse his love to all of us. He wants the very core of our beings to radiate love. So if you have discovered lately that in your thoughts you have been preoccupied with hateful thoughts towards someone, or have been overly critical and judgmental, check your love barometer. See if there are any of the deadly sins or devices of Satan festering within you.

 

Are you bitter about something that someone did to you? Are you harbouring unforgiveness toward someone? Are you jealous of someone because you have not received your promise from God as yet? Do you feel inadequate and insecure? Daily we must check our love barometer, to see how much we have submitted ourselves to God so that the devil flees from us. If we determine that our love bank is being depleted too quickly or is empty, it is time to reconnect with our Love doctor Jesus Christ and allow him to purify us, cleanse us, purge us and fill us with his love.

 

My dear one, I started out by saying that think it not strange that you are facing persecutions even though you are working in love for the good of others. For in your obedience to God’s word we know that we have passed from death to life because we love one another. So though you are persecuted, though you are rejected, though you are condemned, pursue the higher road by loving those who persecute you and doing good to those who use you. No, you are not to be a door mat, and you should not be afraid to confront persons in love. But choose to love them any way that they may come to know the greater one that lives on the inside of you.

John tells us in I John 3:15-22 (NKJV):

 

“Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the bretheren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.”

 

Yes, let’s exercise the love of Christ daily in our lives through our actions, not just by our words only, because talk is cheap. I preach a more effective sermon to you if I show you that I love you by giving you food to eat, clothes to wear, and help you practically, than if I see you hungry and say to you that I love you, while you remain without food and shelter.

 

Choose the more excellent way in Christ. Though you are persecuted, choose to love; though you are ridiculed, choose to love; if your brother or sister is in need, choose to demonstrate your love through your giving, through your service which really is unto God.

 

Today, make a decision that you will be God in the earth. Every time you think that “I am God in the earth,” I’d like you to remind yourself that God is love. So you rephrase I am God in the earth with “I am love in the earth.” As we each seek to make love our essence, love our very being, the hatred, the enmity, the strife and the back biting will be minimized and eliminated among us. So let us choose the excellent way. Do not faint in your well doing, be encouraged, and be motivated to service through the love of God that abides within you.

-Excerpt from my book How to Thrive in Trying Times, 
-Dr. Nicole Erna Mae Francis
http://www.victoriouslivingsxm.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=98:how-to-thrive-in-trying-times&catid=8:news&Itemid=4

Just got back from a weekend conference, and wanted to share with you what I heard from someone who was in Haiti providing relief to some of the earthquake victims.  Dr. Mark Ottenweller spoke to us about his efforts recently in Haiti to bring food,water and medical supplies in to Haiti, and described things that he heard and saw.  He and one other person arrived in Port au Prince 3 days after the quake, driving under the cover of night with nearby gunfire to take some supplies to those in great need.  He provided the supplies to a group of people just as they were running out, and began assisting in urgent medical care to people with severely crushed limbs on site.  He made a trip to a nearby hospital, which was filled to capacity with victims- overflowing to the surrounding area and out into the streets.  He said the smell of death is everywhere, with bodies in piles, and trapped in rubble.  At night there is gun fire tha can be heard, and the sounds of screams and wailing.  In the midst of this, there was a group of people camped out where their church building used to stand.  There voices rise up in song every night as they sing to God.  Dr. Ottenweller said it is the most unbelievable devastation he has ever seen, and he has seen a lot.  He is well known for his work in South Africa fighting HIV-Aids, and moved his family years ago from Atlanta, and a very successful medical practice, to live in Johannesburg for that purpose.  His account of the situation in Haiti was very moving, and he has been there several times in past month- and will continue to go back often on behalf of HOPE worldwide, a non-profit organization.  Since we will be actively pursuing relief efforts for Haiti in this community, I wanted to share this first-person account.  Hope it provides some inspiration for us that there are people with very serious needs out there, and together we can really make a difference in their lives.
Jo