“Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭4:13-14‬ ‭NASB‬‬

In our world today, many are eating healthier, drinking healthy drinks, and getting plenty exercise. In addition, we are receiving good reports from our physicians. These are all great things!

However, this is only the physical health that is making great strides.

Have you checked your spiritual health status? Has the Father given you
a good report?

Our spiritual health is often neglected. But…..

The Bible says the following:

“present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice" (Romans 12:1)

"be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2)

These scriptures are referring to our spiritual health. There are many
more like these found in God's Word.

Scripture goes on to describe individuals as spiritually dead. What a powerful description! Dead! So in essence, many of us may be walking around physically the picture of health, but spiritually dead.

I believe that this is a deception from the enemy. Now, please don't misunderstand me. Being physically healthy is something that we must maintain. I have to watch my weight and what I eat due to Type II Diabetes.

But, to ignore our spiritual state is futile. It makes no sense!

The Word of God tells us that we are soul, spirit, and body. So why only care for our flesh?

We need spiritual healing. Our spiritual healing is only found in Jesus Christ. He is the only one who can heal and set us free.

In the scripture above, Jesus was offering spiritual healing to the woman at the well in Samaria. He helped her to understand that he was not talking to her about natural water but spiritual cleansing.

He stated, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

I love this scripture because it shows that Jesus fulfills us. All that we need is found in Him. Also, Jesus, being God in the flesh, cared so much about this young woman's spiritual health that He wasn't concerned with the people and their customary ways. He loved her and wanted to make her whole in Him.

Like the Samaritan woman, Jesus loves us more than we will ever be able to comprehend. In another scripture, Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me." (Rev. 3:20)

This scripture indicates that Jesus is seeking us and offering the invitation
of complete healing and soul restoration, but we have to accept the invitation.

All we have to do is accept, surrender and He will do the rest. His love is unsearchable. His love is everlasting. It won't fail you as people may have. As He has done for me, He will do for you!

Let Him in! Open your heart! Don't be deceived by the enemy. The enemy wants you to stay where you are. He may have you believing that you have no sin, but why would we need Jesus if that was the case.

Once you have encountered Jesus nothing else is needed. He is our resting place. He is our healer! Allow Him to heal you today and walk in newness of life.

Be Blessed,
Hope-in-Christ

Ephesians 6:10-11 - Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

Are you equipped for war? This is a very profound question because we are definitely in a war. We are not in a natural war, but a spiritual war. This spiritual war is very serious. For it is a war for our souls!

In the book of Ephesians, Apostle Paul instructed the believers to put on the full armor of God.

So what then is armor? First and foremost, the dictionary defines armor as any covering worn as a defense against weapons.

Ephesians chapter 6 declares the following as the armor of God:

• Girding your loins with truth
• Putting on the breastplate of righteousness
• Your feet being fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace
• Taking up the shield of faith
• Putting on the helmet of salvation
• Take up the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God

To sum this up, the full armor is found only in relationship with Christ. We only have to stay covered in Him. His power does the work.

Also, when I looked more closely at the cross references to this scripture, I was blessed to find scriptures of how putting on the armor of God really looks:

• We must first cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light (Romans 13:12)
• We must put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness (Eph. 4:24)

        
Therefore, we can only be strong in the power of the Lord Jesus. We can't defeat the enemy on our own. Christ name alone causes demons to tremble. So a true relationship with Christ is a must! Walking with Christ is not to be taken lightly! He sees and knows far more than we could ever know. He is the one that causes us to see and overcome! We can only stand in Him!

So I ask you again, are you equipped for war? If not, the enemy will overtake you! Put on God's armor and no devil in Hell or on earth can defeat you! Take refuge in Him. Allow Him to do the work! He's mighty!

Be Blessed,
Hope-in-Christ


www.hope-in-christ.com
Copyright © 2016 by Denise Walker/Hope-in-Christ Ministries, Inc.
Bible Verses from New King James Version were found on Bible Gateway.

2 Cor. 12:9 - And He said, “My grace (unearned, unmerited favor, a favor done without expectation of return; the absolutely free expression of the loving kindness of God to men, The application of Christ's righteousness to the sinner, pardon) is sufficient (enough) for you, for My strength (power, ability) is made perfect (made complete, accomplished, finished) in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities (feebleness of mind or body, disease, sickness, weakness), that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Have you ever prayed for God to remove sickness from your life? Ever wondered about your past? abuse? Mistreatment? Rejection?

In 2 Corinthians Apostle Paul describes a struggle that he continued to pray for God to remove but it remained with him. He goes on to explain how God helped him to understand that His grace was enough for Him. When he was weak, then he could depend and rely on God's power to see him through.  

Like Apostle Paul, most of my life I have experienced many struggles, disappointments, and pain. I was told that the enemy has tried to attack my life from the time I was 3 days old.

At 3 days old, I was rushed into emergency surgery on my stomach. I couldn't keep anything down. I was told that I almost died.

As I got older, I experienced so many other attacks on my life!

Then one day I was introduced to the “Alpha and Omega” the “King of Kings” and Lord of Lords.“

I was downtrodden, depressed, and disappointed and He changed my life!

He drew me by His great power!

After that great encounter, I still experienced struggles but I was now walking with the one who could fix it all. He could mend my brokenness. He could make it all work together for good. He could make it all make sense and He did! Some of it was Him working in me. Some of it was indeed spiritual attacks.

The Lord rewarded me with His grace and He has continued to walk with me, to hold me in is arms, and break the chains of bondage.

Just recently I wondered if I was still walking with Him. I felt so far away. I was even in church and feeling so disconnected and alone.

He begin to draw me near and call me deeper. Deeper into prayer, deeper into His Word. A deeper walk.

He called me to start Hope-in-Christ Ministries. He encouraged me through every blog post, through every book we read in the book club, and every time I would go out to mentor the youth. 

As soon as I was moving forward and He was opening so many doors, I was told that I had to have surgery. I had already experienced adult onset of asthma, diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, and now a surgery that was directly related to that major surgery when I was 3 days old.

I was struggling with fear and questions of why, but He was showing me that His grace was enough for me.  He was showing me that all I need is found in Him. He was showing me that before I could minister hope to others I had to know and understand that hope for myself.

And so by His grace, I have! I drew closer. I begin to cry out and He is healing, delivering, and transforming my life day by day. Even after more than 12 years of walking with Him, He is still growing, shaping, and molding me into His image.

I now feel like I'm living a newness of life in Him.  

The ministry that He has given is growing and He is showing me who He has designed me to be.

Much was birthed out of my pain!

What is He showing you through your struggles? Know that His plan for your life is very good and He will be with you through it all!

Enjoy this worship song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN2Y99GBYDE

Be Blessed,
Hope-in-Christ


Copyright © 2016 by Denise Walker/Hope-in-Christ Ministries, Inc.
Bible Verses from New King James Version were found on Bible Gateway.

Scripture: “Then Moses answered (The LORD) and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you.’ ” So the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.” -Exodus‬ ‭4:1-2‬ ‭NKJV‬

Have you ever wondered, "How is God going to use me? Do I really have a purpose?”

Well, just like Moses in Exodus, God wants to use us for His glory!!

My book club, Hope-in-Christ, is currently reading a phenomenal book, “I Reign: A Survivor's Guide to Thrive” by Minister Annie Bell. In her book, she provides practical application for surviving childhood abuse. One of the scriptures that she quotes is Exodus 4:1-2.

‭‭‬
After reading this section of her book, God has continued to cause the words, “What's in your hand?” to reverberate in my mind !

I have read the book of Exodus many times, but never has those words stood out to me until now.

You see, God is currently birthing His ministry through me. For many years, I walked in fear and self-doubt. I listened to the voice of the enemy telling me that I wasn't good enough. But for the past few months God has begun to speak to me, “I have called you to do my will! I have loved you with an everlasting love. All that is needed is already in you! I have already equipped you to walk out my purpose for your life!”

He then begin to show me the ministries and what is already in my hand in order to perform those duties.

For example, he led me to start writing devotionals, and proofreading and editing, all of which fall under my training from years of teaching English Language Arts.

I never would have thought that God would have chosen me for those tasks, but He did and and they are things that I absolutely LOVE!!

So the next time you are weary and questioning if you are really called and equipped to walk out God's purpose, remember how he used Moses.

Moses, like us, made many excuses, but God used him mightily! He wants to do the same with us!

You are already equipped! What's in your hand?
#hope-in-Christ

About two weeks ago, the Holy Spirit led me to begin to study the book of Hebrews. While studying, I have been amazed by the great detail of the speaker in trying to get the audience (the converted Jewish believers) to understand that they didn't have to do what they used to do. They didn't have to walk in the old covenant. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for their sins once and for all.

As I continue to deeply study this great book of the Bible, I have asked God many questions. If Jesus was the perfect sacrifice, then why are people not walking in true freedom in Him? Why are people still bound by sin? Why is the enemy deceiving so many individuals?

God then took me to a few more scriptures to help me better understand. I begin to analyze the word "redemption." Redemption means to rescue, recovery, rebirth, or deliverance from bondage. I then begin to asked even more questions. In order to be redeemed, don't we have to first acknowledge that we need redemption from something?  Don't we have to acknowledge that what You recognize as sin is sin to us as well?  How can I remain bound if I say that I have Christ and shed His blood to set me free?   

There is a disconnect here!

I came to a better understanding that we can be our own hindrance. We can be so comfortable in sin, bound by sin, bound by our past hurts and struggles or simply walking in fear that we don't allow Christ to do the work in us, to make us whole. You see in the book of John, chapter 5, Jesus asked a man a very thought provoking question. Jesus was coming from a Jewish feast and went up to Jerusalem to a place called Bethesda. This place had 5 porches and a pool. He found many sick people there waiting for an angel of God to come down and stir the water in order to be healed of all their many diseases.

There was a certain man there that had been sick for over 38 years. On this day Jesus asked him a simply, "Do you want to be made whole? (John 5:6-11).


The man began to give Jesus excuses and blame others, but Jesus was trying to get him to take a look at himself, and understand that he had to have the will and the desire to truly be made well. This was not temporary what Jesus wanted to do in his life. It was permanent. He had to participate. He couldn't wait for anyone else to do it for him. Did he trust God or not? Did he really want complete wholeness?

Jesus then said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." The scriptures go on to tell us that the man was made whole immediately and he didn't step one foot in the pool. He had faith in the only one that could truly heal him. Christ did it, because he believed and wanted a changed life.

Jesus saw him again and gave him a final instruction, Go and sin no more, or a worse thing will come upon you (John 5:14).  

So today, just like the main at Bethesda, Jesus is asking us, "Do you want to be made whole?" I believe that God has asked me that same question more than once in my life.

God is not powerless! He has all power, but do we believe Him? Do we believe that He loves us and desires to bring us out of darkness? Do we believe that His plans for us are good or are we going to keep trying to figure it out on our own? Do truly understand what it means to be made in His image and likeness?  Are we walking in fear or condemnation? What is it?

What ever it is surrender it ALL to Him! Be made whole in Him today! Only He can truly set us free. I am a living witness of it!! Trust Him! Allow Him to make you complete in Him!!

Be blessed!
#hope-in-Christ


Copyright © 2016 by Denise Walker/Project H.O.P.E. Ministries, Inc.
Bible Verses from New King James Version were found on Bible Gateway.

Truth Defined:
Truth, what does that actually mean? To begin, the Webster's Dictionary defines truth in the following ways: the body of real things, events, and facts: a transcendent fundamental or spiritual reality, dependability, reliability.

Strong's Bible Dictionary simply defines truth as: in reality, in fact, certainly, verity or true.

With that being said, truth is a very important subject today. We must know and understand truth or we will believe the lies of the enemy. The Bible uses truth many times to describe God and Christ deity. The Bible also uses the word truth to explain how we as believers should worship and live our lives. Here are a few of those verses that use the same Greek definition for truth:

• God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)

• For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; (Romans 1:18)

• Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. (Romans 1:25)

• Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)

• that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thess. 2:12)
  

When I look at the above scriptures, I have to point out the fact that truth is never compared to anything else. It is to be understood beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is only ONE TRUTH! The article "the" distinguishes that fact.

Why then is there Deception:

If God is Truth, the only Truth, and nothing but the Truth, then why do people believe a lie? The Bible answers this question. Scripture helps us understand that the root of deception is Satan. It states that Satan is the Father of lies (John 8:44).

If God is truth, the Creator of truth, then truth has to have an opposite. Therefore, truth can't come from all the many different sources of which the world declares are truth. Truth must start and end with GOD! Everything else is deception!

If we walk with Christ, then we have to believe that He is who He says He is. We have to believe that the Word, the Bible is ALL truth. If there is any skepticism, then the enemy can cause us to walk in the spirit of deception.

I believe that deception comes when we begin to believe the lies of mankind rather than what God's Word states is Truth. If there is a God (and there is), then there can only be ONE. If God is who He says He is (And HE is), then TRUTH comes from Him and Him alone.

The enemy, Satan, comes to steal, kill, and destroy. He wants us to believe that Sin is not the way God defined it. He wants us to believe that there are many ways to get to God. He wants us to believe that Hell does not exist, but Christ said these words, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10). The life that Christ is referencing is not just the here and now but eternity.


So today, begin to pray and ask God to deliver you from the deception of man and turn to Christ, the Word of God and walk in HIS TRUTH because only HIS truth can make you free! And whom the Son sets free is truly free, indeed (John 8:36).


Truth, ONE Truth=God's Truth!
#hope-in-Christ

The blood of Jesus! This is one of the many phrases that we declare and speak as believers in Jesus Christ, but do we truly understand the power of His blood? In prayer this morning, I begin to feel despair. I had gone through some testing at the doctor's office and the enemy was trying to make me reflect on my mistakes and choices from my youth. You see, I did make some poor choices as a result of my troubled childhood. There were even many trespasses against me. I begin to believe that God was now punishing me for those things that I may not have even understood fully as a youth. At that very moment, the Lord began to remind me of the blood of Jesus! He began to help me understand by giving me these words, "Yes you did that and yes it did happen, but when you came to Christ, He redeemed you! He set your feet on a solid foundation. You are renewed in Him! You are healed, not just physically but mentally. So today the enemy would have to reach back through the blood and that is not possible. What the blood of Jesus has covered is finished! You are free! You are not being punished. You have a testimony! Go minister my truth and be free."

I was then reminded of what the song writer wrote, "The blood that gives me strength, will never lose its power!" We have to trust and obey Him and know that He is Mighty to save! There is no one outside of Him that can heal us! There is no one outside of Him that can set us free! He is the great I Am! Oh, If we would only trust Him!!!  Let's Look at a few of God's promises regarding the blood of Jesus:

• 1 John 1:7, "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin."
• Romans 5:9, "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him."
• 1 Peter 1:18-19 - "knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,  but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."
• Ephesians 1:7 - "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace"

Today, let us meditate on His truth and know that God has a plan for our lives. As we surrender to Christ, we can stand on the promises of God's Word. His blood cleanses us from all sin. We are justified by His blood. We are redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus, and His grace covers us!! Let us go in the freedom of Christ Jesus our Lord!! Be blessed by this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FQCWMOmfio

#Hope-In-Christ 


Copyright © 2016 by Denise Walker/Project H.O.P.E. Ministries, Inc.
Bible Verses from New King James Version were found on Bible Gateway.

My quiet time with God has become the most important part of my day. I have been saved for many years now, but I got away from spending time in prayer and reading God's Word. I didn't realize that I had gotten so distracted with the things around me. Work was one of the main things that got me off track. As a teacher, my job can become overwhelming at times. I had to be reminded that nothing can come before my Savior. I must continue to walk with Him and seek Him day by day.

With that being said, God had to become my priority. With the advice of my pastor, I started to get up earlier in the morning. I find that as I get up earlier for prayer and study that my day goes smoother. Quiet time with God is not an option for a believer. It is what we need because He is what we need to continue this walk of faith. Today, find a quiet spot and begin to seek God. Tell Him what is on your heart, read what ever scripture that comes to mind, and listen for His instructions.

Be Blessed!
#hope-in-Christ  

This is a very powerful scripture! Today we find ourselves in a society that is void of love. Society is void of love because society is void of the giver and producer of love, God himself. There are many religions and other practices. But love can only be found in the source, the creator of Heaven and Earth! Christ is not a religion; He is creator and Lord! So today, I urge you to seek the face of the true and living God. He is our provision. He is our source. He and only He can show us what true love is and then teach us how to love others!

Be blessed! #hope-in-Christ


Copyright © 2016 by Denise Walker/Project H.O.P.E. Ministries, Inc.
Bible Verses from New King James Version were found on Bible Gateway.