gateway-of-victory

Determine to Detox

ruthceforde@gmail.com (Ruth Forde) — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 20:48:01 GMT

The water of life cleanses me!

Have you ever seen an advertisement for “DETOX WIPES - A Waterless Skin Cleanser”? As I continued to read, it claimed these wipes would remove poison ivy, oak oil, pitch, tar, and other oily substances with no water needed. Yet I always need water whenever I need to clean my house.

Water removes the ring around the bathtub, it cleans the kitchen floor, the stove and refrigerator, my clothes, sheets, blankets, and curtains and my washing machine won’t work without water. Oh yes, I almost forgot about the windows! I need sparkling clean windows to allow the sunshine into the rooms of my house.

As I removed the spots on my mirror (with water), the image looking back at me said it was time for a body detox. However, my eyes the windows to my soul, told me a Spiritual Detox was much more important, but both were necessary.

To allow the Sunshine of the Love of Abba, Father, Yahweh to flood my heart I needed to clean out my channels through which His love flows. So, I picked up my prayer journal and a pen and began to search the Bible for Living Water that flows continually from Yahweh’s throne.

I remembered as I read 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 my body is a Temple – not one belonging to me alone – but a place where Yahweh (Father), Yeshua ( my Savior) and Ruach ha Kodesh (Holy Spirit) can live in me. That is so awesome because then I can connect to the power of the Living Water to wash my body, soul, and spirit. For the Royal family of Glory to be comfortably living in me, I must walk, live, and operate as a Royal Son, representing my family well and with integrity.

Let's remember children imitate their parents as they grow into adulthood. So, I must imitate Yahweh, my Father, living a life of love helping others to see him as a loving Father. The Word of Yeshua is the water that washes all my body, soul, and spirit gates, cleansing me from the inside out. My words, actions and interactions with others will perfectly reveal the image of Yahweh with no spots on the mirror as it shows my reflection. No longer will others see just me, but the light that is Yeshua, shining out though me.

I do not need detox wipes! I have the water of Life cleansing me!

ENGAGEMENT EXERCISE

Step before the Throne of Grace and focus the intent of your heart on the Trinity.
Speak with Them, ask for one thing that needs to be cleansed and listen to what They say.
Step into the River of Life, focus on what the Trinity spoke to you about and let the Living Waters flow over and through that issue, washing it clean.
Feel yourself being refreshed.
Express your gratitude, thank Abba, Yeshua, Ruach Ha Kodesh and your Angels. Let your body, soul and spirit praise and sing to them.
Step back into your space and carry the joy with you through the day.

Love Kingdom Glue

ruthceforde@gmail.com (Ruth Forde) — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 20:37:43 GMT

Love can be trusted and will withstand any storm

Philomena had been invited to a gala and purchased a new outfit for this event. Clad in her new formal gown with matching shawl, wearing silver shoes, she felt as though she was walking on clouds. All those attending the event complimented her, telling her how beautiful she looked while the compliments caused her pride to go up a notch. With her head held high she walked out onto the terrace. The heel of her shoe became wedged in a crack in the stone flooring and her shoe heel broke. She tried to brace herself but there was nothing to hold onto, so she found herself face down on the flagstones. She had forgotten King Solomon’s advice, “The higher you lift yourself up in pride, the harder you’ll fall in disgrace.” (Proverbs 16:18 TPT)

She blamed the event coordinator for not having glue to fix her shoe. She was angry at the owner of the facility for having cracks in the flagstones on the terrace and she was enraged that no one commiserated with her about her present predicament. However, she failed to realize her puffed up pride had caused her friends to distance themselves from her. Philomena left the event never congratulating the guests of honor, wishing them well nor thanking them for their invitation.

A few days later a friend visited her and presented her with a package, beautifully wrapped with a note attached. It read, “My dearest Philomena, please accept my apology for the mishap at my party and forgive my friend for not fixing the crack in the flagstones.” As she opened the package, she gasped at the brand-new shoes in the box. An envelope containing tickets to a concert at the very facility where Philomena’s shoe had broken and a dinner invitation from friends had been carefully placed between the shoes.

Within the lid of the shoebox Philomena read:

Love is the glue of the Kingdom and accepts no substitutes.
Love can be trusted and will withstand any storm.
Love is an adhesive that has stood the test of attack and desertion.
Love will fix broken dreams, broken relationships, and even broken shoes.
Love will glue us back together.

The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

ENGAGEMENT EXERCISE

Turn the intent of your heart towards the Father and step into His Heart.
Let yourself be led into the chamber of His Choosing and see it as a luxurious room beautifully decorated and filled with sumptuous furnishings. A place for intimate conversation.
Feel Father God/Papa engaging with you, speaking to you about His Feelings for you.
Take your time. Relax. Let yourself hear His voice and experience Him sitting with you enjoying you to the fullest.
Revel in this moment and now tell Him what you love about Him.
Thank Him deeply for His Love that has carried you and glued you back together through so many seasons in your life.
Receive His Hug and His blessing and promise to return here.
Step back into your place and keep the intent of your heart tuned to His Love.

Make time to do this love engagement with each one of the Trinity.

How to Create Margin in Your Finances

Fri, 12 May 2023 09:11:52 GMT

People are often fascinated by the journey of discovering individual identity. At some point in your life, you’ve probably taken a personality test, figured out your astrological sign, or taken an online quiz to figure out what flavor of Doritos you are. All of these try to tell us who we are and where we belong in the world.

We might also try to find our identity in our work, our marital status, or our income. The only problem is that these things aren't guaranteed to stay the same. When we base the core of who we are on something that can change at a moment’s notice, we set ourselves up to feel lost and confused when they do.
Before you start to panic, there’s good news – we can discover our identity in Christ, who is always consistent and never-changing (Hebrews 13:8). But what does that even mean, and how can we do that?

What does “identity in Christ” mean?

Let’s answer this question with another question: what are some ways you can tell how someone else defines their identity? Perhaps they’ve told you about their ethnic heritage and their strong family ties. Maybe they’ve shared about a personal value or belief and how it impacts the way they live their life.
Identity in Christ works the same way. It starts with thinking of yourself as part of his family; sharing in his values and incorporating them into your life. It becomes part of who you are and informs the decisions you make each day. When people ask you about yourself, you share about the influence Jesus has in your life. Not only that, others will be able to tell where your identity is by what they observe of you (Galatians 5:22-23).

What does “identity in Christ” mean?

You are forgiven (1 John 1:9)
You are accepted (Romans 15:7)
You were made with a purpose (Jeremiah 1:5)
You are God’s masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10)
You are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27)

Look at these powerful truths! How would your life be different today if you saw yourself the way God sees you? How would your identity change if it was based on these things that God says about you?

Where you find your identity matters. You can base it on your career, but you could lose your job. You can form it around what people think of you, but their opinions can waver. You can place your identity in health, relationships, or accomplishments, but they can change at a moment’s notice.

In contrast, God’s word never will (Hebrews 13:8). Your zodiac sign, your personality type, or your Doritos flavor might say something about who you are, but none of that can override what God says about you. When you root your identity in him, you can rest assured that what he says about you is absolute, unshakeable truth. If you’re ready to dive deeper and learn more about your identity in Christ, here are some resources you might find helpful:

Read: What is Your Identity in Christ?
Watch: Identity & Action
TAGS: Black Lives Matter | Martin Luther King Jr. | Race and Ethnicity

LCBC stands for Lives Changed By Christ. We are one church in multiple locations across Pennsylvania. Find the location closest to you or join us for Church Online. We can’t wait to connect with you!

The Truth About How to Earn God’s Love

wjf2@w2graphics.com (Winton Forde) — Fri, 12 May 2023 08:59:21 GMT

What does “identity in Christ” mean?

You are forgiven (1 John 1:9)
You are accepted (Romans 15:7)
You were made with a purpose (Jeremiah 1:5)
You are God’s masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10)
You are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27)

Read: What is Your Identity in Christ?
Watch: Identity & Action
TAGS: Black Lives Matter | Martin Luther King Jr. | Race and Ethnicity

The ABCs of Christ-Centered Relationships

wjf2@w2graphics.com (Winton Forde) — Tue, 09 May 2023 09:15:56 GMT

What does “identity in Christ” mean?

You are forgiven (1 John 1:9)
You are accepted (Romans 15:7)
You were made with a purpose (Jeremiah 1:5)
You are God’s masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10)
You are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27)

Read: What is Your Identity in Christ?
Watch: Identity & Action
TAGS: Black Lives Matter | Martin Luther King Jr. | Race and Ethnicity

Color Outside the Lines

wjf2@w2graphics.com (Winton Forde) — Sun, 07 May 2023 09:17:06 GMT

Have you ever watched 3-year-old children as they color pictures? The coloring books created for them will usually have a picture of one item filling the entire page. As parents or older siblings, we really want to help their little hands hold the crayon correctly so they will learn to color within the lines. They change crayons at will and eventually their pink dog, purple cat, or crimson duck brings a smile to their face. To us it is just scribbling but they proudly place their “masterpiece” on the refrigerator for all the world to see.

At their graduation from First Grade there has been a marked improvement as the teacher proudly displays the artwork on the classroom bulletin board. The pictures are much more detailed, and the color choices are more in line with what the actual item would be in their environment. As adults we’ve taught them to color inside the lines.

For many of us, our own lives are much the same as we grow and mature within our cultural norms. We follow the rules of the road, the laws of the land and even watch our language in using correct pronunciation. Never let it be said that we wore white after Labor Day or were clad in colors that clashed. Maintaining our standing in society was a priority within our social circles and belonging to the correct sorority or fraternity was essential to our professional growth and advancement. We gave to the right charities, attended the right church and read our bible and morning devotional religiously. We stayed within the lines, within the borders of that which our community approved.

However, some of us hungered for more and began a search for greater understanding. We discovered teachings on building an intimate relationship with The Trinity and revelation on how to receive healing through Communion. (1 Corinthians 11:26-32 & Isaiah 53:4-5). In this search we began to color outside the lines. The road we embarked on was not crowded because we determined to discover what was written on our destiny scroll. As our bodies received healing, we changed our focus, learned to reset our source of entertainment, spent less time on Facebook and more time in “The Book.” Coloring outside the lines was much more appealing. Yeshua “The Word” was alive and always available to meet in the Garden of our Heart.” Mobile court engagements cleansed us, gave us freedom, and our Human Spirit became stronger and more in control of our 3-part-being.

With joy we traded our worldly paints and acrylics for the Blood of Yeshua and danced in Father's Glory as we began to “COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES”.

ENGAGEMENT EXERCISE

Breathe slowly and relax bringing your body, soul, and spirit into alignment. Step before the Throne of Grace and focus the intent of your heart on the Trinity. Let yourself see, sense, perceive, feel the presence of Yahweh, Yeshua and Ruach Ha Kodesh as they invite you to meet them in the Garden of your heart.
What does your garden look like? What have you planted? Find your favorite place in your garden and ask Yeshua to sit and talk with you there.
Share what is on your heart with Yeshua or with All Three of The Trinity. It is your choice. They want you to feel free to visit and commune with any of Them in the way you wish. They love you and are so happy to be here for you.
As Yeshua speaks to you, you can see an easel and paint brushes with luminescent paints near you. Yeshua smiles and steps to the easel. He takes a brush and begins to paint. Sit quietly and listen as He speaks, allowing yourself to feel the resonance of The Trinity's infinite Love flow through your heart. Yahweh and Ruach Ha Kodesh stand beside Yeshua and watch, taking intense pleasure in the colors He is applying to the canvas that expresses how much They treasure you. As Yeshua finishes the painting He smiles again and signs it with His Blood. Yahweh and Ruach Ha Kodesh bless it and Yeshua gives it to you to keep as Their special gift.
As you receive the painting, the colors on the canvas begin to sparkle and come alive and dance, ribboning and swirling around you with unspeakable joy. Your body, soul, and spirit overflow with gratitude as Yahweh, Yeshua and Ruach Ha Kodesh completely cherish this moment of having you all to Themselves. Let yourself remain here as long as you wish and when The Trinity releases you, receive Their Blessing, humbly honor Them and Thank Them as you step back carrying the fullness of Their Love and this engagement in your heart.

How Do I Find My Identity in Christ?

wjf2@w2graphics.com (Winton Forde) — Sat, 29 Apr 2023 13:30:10 GMT

What does “identity in Christ” mean?

You are forgiven (1 John 1:9)
You are accepted (Romans 15:7)
You were made with a purpose (Jeremiah 1:5)
You are God’s masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10)
You are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27)

Read: What is Your Identity in Christ?
Watch: Identity & Action
TAGS: Black Lives Matter | Martin Luther King Jr. | Race and Ethnicity

How Should Christians Handle Cancel Culture?

wjf2@w2graphics.com (Winton Forde) — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 08:55:32 GMT

What does “identity in Christ” mean?

You are forgiven (1 John 1:9)
You are accepted (Romans 15:7)
You were made with a purpose (Jeremiah 1:5)
You are God’s masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10)
You are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27)

Read: What is Your Identity in Christ?
Watch: Identity & Action
TAGS: Black Lives Matter | Martin Luther King Jr. | Race and Ethnicity