It's All Gooood...

I had the amazing opportunity to go to The Brooklyn Tabernacle today...This has been my second visit since being here in the City and let me tell you, God is so awesome in that place! Wow!!! I just cannot put into words (though I will try) how amazing it is to see so many people from so many cultural backgrounds all worshiping together in harmony. The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir sang today and my soul was moved! It was incredible! Check out these pictures that I found online!

Tonight's service was a little unique in the fact that instead of Pastor Jim Cymbala preaching, there was a guest speaker. Her name was Christine Caine. She is part of an amazing movement to stop human trafficking in our world. It is called the A21 Campaign. Please check out their website: http://www.thea21campaign.org/...also check out this CNN interview with Christine enlightening the world about the tragedy of human trafficking in our world: http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/16/abolishing-sex-slavery-by-helping-one-girl-at-a-time/

Tonight, Christine spoke on the passage II Kings 7:3-6...There are four lepers who were completely defeated during the time of a great famine. They were at the gate of the city and were confident that they would surely die. At that moment they had a choice to make...either stay defeated at the gate, remain stooped down, poor posture...or they could get up, move forward, and possibly live. They really had nothing to lose. If they stayed at the gate, they had a 99.9% chance of dying...it was practically inevitable...or they could enter into the city and have a .01% chance of living...either way they had nothing to lose!

When you stand up and move...change your posture from a defeated and overwhelmed stature...God begins to move on your behalf! When we allow God to move us, whatever our "gate of defeat" may be, we will have the victory over that "gate". We need to rise up and change our posture and ultimately know our place in Christ Jesus. God has a purpose for each and every one of us!

The very thing that Satan wants to steal, kill, and destroy-God wants to use to help others! We are His workmanship!!! Did you know that even though you may have always been told that you don't measure up, you aren't wanted, you aren't qualified - that God says differently? Did you know that we can stand on the Truth...God's Word. He says in John 8:31-32 that "...the truth shall set you free."

So, what might your "gate" be? I know for me, my "gate" has been my past. I have allowed my past to weigh me down and keep me captive and under unnecessary bondage. God has forgiven me, He has moved forward, and is ready to use me for the good. I have allowed certain moments in my past to define me...I must stop living at the gate of defeat. The blood of Jesus (when He died upon the cross for the sins of the world) doesn't give us amnesia! The blood of Jesus, however, gives us freedom from our past! I who have been rescued now has the responsibility to rescue others. Romans 8:28 says: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." It's not about what I am NOT...it is about who He is! The very thing that has kept us on the sidelines of life are the very things that God wants to use for GOOD!

So, my dear friends, stand up...look forward...and realize that God has something really great in store for you. He promises us in Philippians 1:6, "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" God has begun a good work in us...and He promises us that He will be faithful to complete it! He will never abandon us (even when we are confident that He has)...and He will use our bad and turn it into good!