The blog is back in action!

If you have checked here in the past for information and found it sorely outdated, apologies!  Some bumps in the road and technical difficulties and we are back in business.  Today I want to remind all you ladies out there to be sure to get your tickets for our upcoming Christmas Banquet on December 11th.  It is worth every penny of the $28 cost.  Lots of door prizes, beautiful atmosphere, great food, live entertainment and of course who can put a price on the LAUGHTER and FUN that will be had by all?  It's a once a year thing so make your plans to attend now.  We still have a few tickets left so call the church office to secure your spot now, 956-682-2092 or show up Sunday during any of our services at The Family Church, 2322 N McColl Rd in McAllen for your tickets.  Hope to see you soon!  

All Ladies Welcome! This is for you!

He lives!

Today marks the greatest miracle in history....the cornerstone of the Christian faith...the reason for our joy ----- He has risen!  Are you aware of the weight of those simple three words?  Do you realize they breathe LIFE into your soul?  He has risen!  How many men have come and gone in this world but only only has conquered the gates of hell and death's sting?  He has risen!  We are honored to serve a LIVING God.  One that came in obedience, love and truth so that we might know Him.  One that broke the bondage and cancelled our debts.  He has risen!  Can you feel His power?  Without Him we would be doomed to destruction.  The inner turmoil we face from daily pressures and conflict would eventually overtake us.  We would be hopeless in a world full of violence and sin and sickness.  But instead....we can trust that BY HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED.  We know that WE ARE FREE.  Through His love and example we have hope for HEALING, RESTORATION AND DELIVERANCE.  He has risen!  Do you know Him?  Not just of Him but really know Him?  He is alive and craving a relationship with you.  The same power that raised Christ from the dead is available in your own life once you receive Him.  The power to overcome emotions, fear, trials, sickness.  It is ready to reside in you!  Our reason to celebrate this Easter is not some freak oversized bunny that bears some chicken eggs....IT IS HIM!  Take time to honor Him, celebrate Him, love Him....give Him your heart today.  If you have never done so, now is the time.  We are promised that if we confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts that He is the son of God then WE WILL BE SAVED! 

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  Romans 10:9

"Lord, today I give you my heart....I confess that Jesus is the son of God and was raised from the dead and lives today.  I ask you to come and live inside of me that I might know you.  I want to know your life giving power and I realize that without you, my life is not complete.  Forgive me my sins and all the times I have lived for myself instead of you and help me today to build a relationship with you.  I thank you for your sacrifice Jesus and for opening the way for me to know God.  Help me to grow in my faith and understanding of what you have done for me.  In the name of Jesus, Amen"

If you have prayed this prayer for the first time today, please drop us a line or let us know in the comments so that we can continue to pray with you and for you.  Locally we invite you to our services at TFC at the corner of LaVista and McColl in McAllen where you find a place to grow and connect with others just like you.  You can also view our services online at www.tfcmcallen.com by clicking on the media link.  However you spend your Easter today....spend time praising Him!

 

Keys to JOY!

"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.  Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."  Ephesians 5:19-20.

When was the last time you whipped out a song to encourage a friend?  Are you making music in your heart to the Lord when you are late for work and the kids are fighting in the backseat and traffic is backed up?  In the midst of a storm in which every fiber of your being wants to cry out for mercy, are you giving thanks?  These verses are jam packed with spiritual keys to a joy-filled life if we will just take a moment to dig them up and put them into practice.  

Read them again.  

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.  Seriously?  So I am to sit down at Starbucks over a coffee with my girlfriends and forget venting about the unfairness of life, the annoyances of the people around me, the quirks of life....and talk psalms?  Pretty much.  The psalms are filled with thanksgiving to God.  They show the act of praising Him and magnifying Him in the midst of real everyday life.  THAT's where our focus must be.  Not remaining in the thick of the storm but overcoming it TOGETHER by focusing on His goodness. 

Sing and make music in your heart.  Singing is something we typically do when we are joyful.  When we find out the project at work that we poured ourselves into is praised and well received a song might rise up.  When a son or daughter ASKS to go to church after months of rebellion, our heart praises.  When we finally get that breakthrough we've been waiting for, our soul rejoices.  But before that?  During the long sleepless nights....seeing our children turning away from God....in the midst of trials and opposition?  Yes, SING.  No matter what our circumstances might be, God is still God.  His worth doesn't diminish.  What He did on the cross doesn't lessen.  Sing.  Make Him bigger than your problems because reality is....He is!

Always giving thanks in everything.  Not only must we magnify Him by focusing on His goodness, faithfulness and strength but give Him thanks!  The trial may not be directly from heaven but we can still thank Him for His promises.  Know the Word and understand that He has promised not to leave...to be our refuge and strength...to pull us through.  We serve a mighty God full of nothing but love and more love for us.  Give thanks for that! 

It's time to get our minds off the life issues...the annoyances...and stressors and put our focus back where our spirit longs to be - right there with Him.  We know this new gratefulness won't always come naturally.  Like anything, it takes practice and we can all agree there are plenty of opportunities to do so in our daily lives.  I challenge you today to practice the art of a joyful spirit.  Focus on Him.  Thank Him.  Sing to Him!  I have a feeling the end result will be something that we all long for - deep rooted peace and joy that leads to a full and abundant life. 

Every Spiritual Blessing is OURS!

It is normal when we focus on our "human-ness" to feel overwhelmed and defeated by life.  Sometimes it seems we are stretched further with responsibilities and different hats to wear than we can possibly fulfill.  We try to pray for strength and ask for God's help but often our prayers are not filled with faith but instead with doubt.  Where do we go from here?  How can we get back in His presence and become energized to do the things He has called us to do?  How can we walk out our daily "to-do's" in a way that honors Him and glorifies Him?  Where can we tap into that strength to make it another day? 

The cornerstone of the Christian faith is Jesus and the fact that He defeated death and sin on the cross.  He was raised up and "sits at the right hand of God".  Have you ever really sat and pondered this before?  Jesus....died and was placed in the tomb....and was raised up to heaven.  He reappeared again to His disciples and then over 500 other people.  Whoah.  That's some powerful stuff!  Think about it!  And that same God that raised Him up is the same God that you pray to and ask for help from!  The very same God that by His spoken word created the entire earth!  Your prayers are not just floating up in the air, they are caught by a divine hand in the heavenly realm that hears you and loves you and has CHOSEN YOU.  We are taught in Ephesians that we have been "pre-destined" since the beginning of the world....and that we have already been given "every spiritual blessing in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3).  EVERY spiritual blessing.  Not some.  Not the ones we want or need.  But EVERY spiritual blessing.  Girlfriend, you already have what you need to make it in this life!  Those prayers of desperation ought to be changed to prayers of faith claiming His promises.  What's done is done.  God doesn't take back what He's given.  Every blessing is already yours.  Need patience, joy, understanding, forgiveness?  It's already yours!  Don't allow your human mind to rob you of what you already hold in your spirit....access it!  Apply your faith!  

As we read and learn the principles set throughout His Word we start to realize that God is not moved by necessity or the desperation of His people....He is moved by FAITH!  He is already on your side, now it's time to dip into His power made available to you through the Holy Spirit and take ownership of what is already yours.  Don't let Christ's death be in vain.  It was for your salvation, your redemption, your forgiveness, your freedom and that you would have LIFE IN ABUNDANCE.  Life can deal us the worst hand in the deck....and it's nothing that God can't work with and turn to good because He is all powerful.  Trust that.  Live for that.  And don't forget to thank Him in all that you do. 

Groups are almost here!

Sign ups are here for small groups starting in the McAllen (and Harlingen!) area next week.  See our schedule to choose the group that fits your schedule and interests you.  This is a great opportunity to get connected with other women like you, learn to apply what you learn as you grow your faith and have FUN.  Email gcmcallen@gmail.com with any questions or to sign up for a group.  Remember, these groups are open to ALL women regardless of church affliation.  Invite your neighbors and friends!  We are here to make a difference in YOUR life and help you walk through the transformation you have been longing as you grow closer to Jesus.

 

Click picture to enlarge.

Facing Trials....

In life we all experience rejection, betrayal and feelings of insecurity.  Sometimes we wonder how to react or what to say or do in response.  We might toy with ideas of confrontation and letting others know their responsibility in regards to how we feel.  We might sink down in despair and lose sight of our worth and value as a direct response to others' actions towards us.  Or we might take a "time out" and find ourselves humbly on our knees seeking the face of Jesus and asking Him for insight, wisdom and strength to press through.  I hope that as Christians, the latter path will be chosen, though it will include putting the desires of the flesh to death. 

Though life is never easy and the temptation to get caught up in the everyday emotions of it all can be overwhelming…we must choose to rise up and show ourselves different than those in the world.  “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

When we face trials we often feel alone and isolated and wonder if anyone really understands what we are enduring.  Celebrate the fact that we have a Savior that has already "been there, done that".  What can we face that He has not?  Betrayal?  Check.  Rejection?  Check.  Injustice?  Check.   If anyone has ever had a right to “get even” and walk in the flesh, it was Jesus.  Yet He chose the higher road.   “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth”. (Acts 8:32)

No matter what life brings our way we must not forget that we are loved by Jesus who through His Holy Spirit, grants us strength to move forward (Psalm 29:11).  We must not forget that He has promised to never forsake us or leave us.  (Deut 31:6)  We must not forget that He is the grantor of wisdom when we know not what to do.  (James 1:5)  We can trust that He will gently lead us and guide us as we choose to transform ourselves into His likeness.  (Psalm 31:3)

Will it be hard?  Yes.  Is it worth it?  Yes!!!  Anytime we say no to the flesh and choose the path of humility, the eternal reward is worth more than any fleeting moment of confrontation or a "pity party" might bring us.  “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12).

Today, let's continue to keep our eyes on Him, the author and PERFECTOR of our faith, and know that our heart is safely in His hands and we possess the power through Him to endure whatever circumstances of life might bring our way.  Choose to trust Him today.

“Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” (Isaiah 30:18)

.The Power of Our Spoken Words

 There’s no doubt that words have power...Words filled with love, joy, peace, and encouragement can lift a person up, while words filled with doubt, unbelief, jealousy, and hatred can destroy an individual.  But equally important are the words that come out of OUR mouths.  What we consistently say can affect us positively or negatively.

 

Some people talk about how tired they are and how broke they are.  These things may be true, but if we will say what the Word of God says, they will change.  Whenever we speak God’s Word, we release the power of God to operate in our lives.  But if we speak the opposite of what is written in Scripture, we stop God’s power from working for us.  One thing is certain: whatever we are saying today is what we will get in the future.  

Some people never obtain what god has planned for them because they aren’t speaking the right words.  Proverbs 6:2 says that we are snared by the words of our mouths.  And whether we like it or not, we are living in line with what w are saying.  If we continually say things like, “I can’t. I never do anything right. I always mess up,” that is exactly what we’ll get.  Instead of saying, “I can’t,” we need to say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13).  Instead of saying, “Everybody’s against me,” let’s say, “No weapon formed against me will prosper” (Isa 54:17).  

Our mouths should be filled with what the Word of God says.  We should be saying things like, “God always gives me the victory through my Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 15:57).  “I always triumph in Christ” (2 Cor 2:14).  “I always have more than enough money to meet all of my needs and to sow generously into the Kingdom of God” (2 Cor 9:8).  “No illness can prevail in my life because the stripes of Jesus have healed me from all sickness and disease” (1 Peter 2:24).  When we talk like this, our lives and personal situations will turn around.

We hold the power to change our lives through the words we speak.  Through our words, we are building a road over which we will travel to our destiny.  If we speak negatively and contrary to the Word of God, that road will take us away from what God has promised us.  But if we continually speak in line with the Word, our highway will; lead to an abundant life filled with peace, prosperity, health, deliverance, and every other blessing.

Taken from “Words Fitly Spoken” by Kenneth W Hagin.  To read more about the importance of words, check out the topic Confession in the online study center at www.rhema.org/studycenter.