I Shall Not Be Moved
Posted by: Minister Faith on: October 4, 2008
Like a tree planted firmly by the riverside
A bed full of twigs, stones, and rocks
An area filled with earth shattering quakes
And troubled waters that are forever flowing by.
Storms never pass over this tree
They are forever coming with such force
Trying to knock down this tree which is forever holding on.
“Come down you tree!” yells the Thunder.
“Come down and just let go!”
No – this tree is determined to hold on;
More calamities and pain hits left and right
Trying to tear away the roots from solid ground below
Eating and gnawing at strong bark and branches.
“Let go! Let go!” yells the Thunder.
“Let go I say right now!”
No – the tree continues to hold on
Until the earth is full of peace
Then says the tree with
Faith, Strength, and Serenity
“My Lord was there all the time.”
Faith Shar’ron Redwine
Fall 1996
This poem was written by Faith Shar’ron Redwine and published by Sparrowgrass Poetry Forum, Inc. in the Treasured Poems of America Fall 1996.
The Holy Name of Jesus
Posted by: Minister Faith on: October 4, 2008
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! What a mighty name that is! The name Jesus has power. Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! Jesus! Counselor! Savior! Comforter! My Lord! King Jesus!
Oh, what a name that is! Jesus! Jesus! I praise You Lord! Jesus! Jesus! Hallelujah! Sweet Jesus!
Oh, my tears are of joy! Thank you God for Your Son! Jesus! Jesus! Save me O God! Jesus! Jesus! Help me dear God! O Jesus! Jesus! I love You! I need You! I want You! Help me! Save me! O Jesus!
The sound of Your name brings comfort to my soul! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! O Jesus! The sound of the name Jesus! Yeshua! O Mighty God! Jesus!
But say the word, and my servant will be healed (Luke 7:7). There is power in Your Holy Word. Your Holy Word can make us whole. O Jesus! Jesus! Do not forget me O God! Mighty God! Father of Abraham! Forgeive me of all my sins! My trangressions! Please dear God! Help me with my double mindedness during this turbulent time in my life! Forgive me O God and help me to pass this test! I want to pass it! I need to pass it! I want to be made whole again! Make me whole! Make me whole!
O Jesus! O Jesus! King Jesus! My sweet Lord and Savior! I love You God! I love You! I love You for who You are! You are God! You are the One True God! Praise Him! Praise Him! If man does not praise You, You can cause the rocks to bow down and praise You! Every knee will sing glory to You at the mention of Your name! Thank you God! I will praise You! I will sing praises to You! I will dance in Your courts and wave my hands in holy praise! Yes, Lord I will praise You!
You are worthy of all praise my Holy God! — Amen.
Prayer for Healing
Posted by: Minister Faith on: October 4, 2008
Jehovah God Almighty. My most precious God and Master on High. I come to You with my head humbly bowed and my heart wide open asking You dear Lord to heal me through your Son Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. I am asking thee, beseeching thee, pleading to thee through the Holy Blood of Jesus Christ for You to supenaturally heal my eyes dear Father so that I can see clearly Lord without any sign of eye disorder and disease.
I believe dear God that it can be done. You healed the woman with the issue of blood. She touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and was healed instantly because of her faith. A man born blind was healed so that he could see and a man with a crippled hand received healing.
I believe that nothing is impossible for God (Luke 1:37) and I believe in the words of Jesus, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” I have faith Jehovah and I believe in Your healing. Heal me dear Lord according to Your will and my faith. Please Jehovah, heal me.
I have an increase in my vision in the left eye and I believe that it can be 100% healing without any macular degeneration. I believe my right eye can become 100% healed without any evidence of floaters. I believe Dear God I believe!
Blessed is she who has believed what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished! (Luke 1:45) Bless me dear Lord. I believe in Your Holy Word. Give me complete healing throughout my body on every level and please make me whole dear God. I know that You will use me in your ministry and for the uplifting of Your Kingdom. I believe this with all of my heart. Show me what to do dear God so that I can be used by You. I am open, ready and willing to be used. In the name of your Mighty Son Jesus — Amen.
Living A Healthy Life
Posted by: Minister Faith on: October 1, 2008
“This cannot be true!” I exclaimed as I glanced at the test results from my physical exam. The result showed that my LDL was high and my HDL was significantly low. To add insult to injury my weight was unacceptable and my blood pressure wasn’t where I wanted it to be. My husband, a nursing student, looked at me with compassion in his eyes.
“These results are good. You are not unhealthy. The scores are average just like your weight. Stop worrying about it,” my husband said as he stood by the sink eating a bowl of cereal.
“But I don’t want average health. I want optimal health!” I protested vehemently.
“Sweetheart, join the club. This is exactly why I prefer not to know my health score!”
My husband was right. After we became parents we began to neglect ourselves and the healthy foods that we once ate was quickly replaced by whatever was available, quick and easy. With the price of food skyrocketing along with everything else under the sun, making wise food choices is quickly becoming a luxury instead of a right. Yet, I still could not shake my desire for a healthy lifestyle and I began to make changes where I could.
My first step was to pray and tell God my desire to eat healthier and take better care of my body. Once I laid my desire on the altar, things began to fall into place. I began to purchase more affordable foods like frozen fruits and vegetables, old fashion oatmeal, beans, rice and Jiffy corn bread mix. I also began to wake up early in the morning to exercise in the basement on our stationary bike. Before I knew it my husband was joining in and this new healthy lifestyle was quickly becoming second nature!
Should the Intelligent Design Curriculum Become a Part of Your Child’s Education?
Posted by: Minister Faith on: September 29, 2008
On Tuesday, December 20, 2005 the Federal Court ruled against teaching the “intelligent design” curriculum in the Dover, PA school district. According to the US District Judge John E. Jones III “the Dover School Board violated the separation of Church and state when it voted to introduce Intelligent Design into science classes by requiring students to listen to a disclaimer critical of evolution.” What makes this ruling so disturbing is the reasoning behind the decision and the objections that people have against it. Those who oppose the Intelligent Design say that it is an attempt to bring creationism and religion into public schools. As stated by Reverend Barry W. Lynn, American United executive director, “It means that school board members have no right to impose their personal religious beliefs on students through the school curriculum.”
What is evolution?
It is the central idea that all life on Earth shares a common biological ancestor. In this case, we are all a part of a descent through genetic inheritance. We are distant cousins of oak trees, humming birds and whales because we have a common denominator in our genetic make-up.
Where does God fit in the equation?
According to scripture, God is revealed as a personal Being who created Adam and Eve “in his own image” (Gen 1:27). In the Bible he is an infinite, eternal, self-existent Being who is the First Cause of all that is. After God had finished creating, he observed it all and it was “very good” (Gen 1:31). God created all things in “the heavens and the earth” (Gen 1:1; cf. Isa 40:28; 42:5; 45:18; Mk 13:19; Eph 3:9; Col 1:16; Heb 1:2; Rev 10:6). God’s creation was formless, empty and covered with darkness (Gen 1:2) before he used the power of his word for creation (Gen 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26). The entire Trinity, not just the Father, had a role in creation (Jn 1:1,3).
What is the purpose and goal of God in creation?
God created the heavens and the earth as a manifestation of his glory, wisdom and power. David says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Ps 19:1; cf. Ps 8:1). God created the heavens and the earth in order to receive back the glory and honor due to him (Ps 98:7-8; 148:1-10; Isa 55:12). God created the earth in order to provide a place where his purpose and goals for humankind might be fulfilled (Isa 60:21; 61:1-3; Eph 1:11-12; 1Pe 2:9). The culmination of God’s purpose for creation is recorded in Rev. 21:3 “He will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”
Creation and Evolution.
It has been mentioned that creationism is not a scientific theory and therefore it has no relevance in the public schools. It is safe to say that creationism is not a scientific theory just like evolution is not truly scientific. Instead, evolution is a predominant worldview and a naturalistic explanation about the origin of life and the development of the universe. It begins with the assumption that there is no personal, divine Creator who made and fashioned the world. It is a hypothesis without scientific “evidence”; to accept it one must have faith in a human theory. The only evidence that is available is what can be duplicated in any laboratory.
One cannot deny that changes and development have occurred throughout mankind. Some varieties of species have become extinct and we occasionally see new strains forming within new species. There isn’t any evidence supporting the theory that one kind of living thing ever evolved from another kind. However, existing evidence supports the Bible’s declaration that God created each living creature “according to its kind” (Ge 1:21,24-25). Therefore, the belief that God started the evolution process (known as theistic evolution) is false because it contradicts the clear Biblical revelation that ascribes to God an active role in all aspects of creation.
As Christians and witnesses for Christ (Ac 1:8) it is important that we take caution in what we teach (1 Tim 6:20,21) because all false witnesses will not go unpunished (Pr 19:9).
Daddy Made A Mistake!
Posted by: Minister Faith on: September 29, 2008
Daddy normally doesn’t make mistakes, but it just so happen on this particular Saturday Daddy did just that – he made a mistake!
Early one Saturday morning my family and I decided to take a trip to the furniture store to look for a brand new mattress that my husband and I needed badly. So as I was packing the diaper bag and locking up the house, my husband was outside strapping our three-year-old and nineteen-month-old in the car seats. After getting into the car and fastening my seat belt, we were finally ready to go.
We had just exited the freeway when our oldest had said with a giggle, “Guess what?
“What is it, sweetheart,” I asked as I turned the heat down a few notches.
“Daddy forgot to fasten my seat belt!” she laughed aloud. “Daddy made a mistake!”
“He did what?” I asked as I turned around in my seat to look at her.
“He did not fasten my seat belt!” she repeated as she moved her hand away from her stomach. I looked closely at her seat and saw that her seat belt was definitely unfastened.
“Oh, sweetheart,” I began as I turned back around in my seat to face my husband. “You forgot to fasten Pumpkin’s seat belt!”
My husband looked a little embarrassed as he turned into the parking lot of the shopping mall. It wasn’t common for him to make mistakes and this error caught him completely off guard. He remained silent as he turned off the ignition and unfastened his seat belt. By this time our oldest was laughing hysterically and I was trying to contain my laughter.
“Don’t worry, Daddy, I forgive you! We have to forgive each other’s mistakes! That’s what Jesus says!”
What more can we say?
Published in Maryland Women of Worship, Heavenly Laughter, Volume 6 – Spring 2008 Edition by Faith S. Redwine.
Mama Knows Best
Posted by: Minister Faith on: September 28, 2008
“Look mom! I just received an invitation to join the honor society for those who have excelled in science!” I exclaimed proudly to my mom during one of my years as a college student.
“Oh, that’s great,” was all she said to me without any kind of jubilant expression.
At that time, all I could do was look at her with a look of hurt and disappointment, but I never said a word. I will admit that I wondered why she wasn’t happy for me when I expressed to her the little achievements I had accomplished at that time. I enjoyed science immensely then and participating in school science fairs always brought me great joy. So seeing the joyless look on mom’s face when I tried to show her the invitation made me question why she never appeared interested. One day I decided to ask her if she was proud of me because I always wondered if she was.
“Mom, are you proud of me?” I asked her quietly as we were sitting on the sofa in my home one day.
“What do you mean?” she asked quizzically.
“Are you proud of me? You never openly expressed much interest in my accomplishments when I was in school. You always appeared to be happy for Amy whenever she showed you something that she did, but not me. Why?” I asked.
Mom was quiet for a while before she looked at me intently and asked, “Are you happy where you are right now?”
“What do you mean?” I asked her with an obvious look of confusion.
“Are you happy where you are right now in life with this new path that you are embarking on?”
Her question startled me at first and I honestly had to look retrospectively for a while before giving her an answer. As an undergrad I had floated from one major to another without much success. I wandered aimlessly through college trying to find the perfect fit, but I often came up short. I changed my undergraduate major so many times that I eventually lost count and arrived at the conclusion that the college registrar had about enough of me! If I stepped foot into their office again to change another major they were going to ban me from their front doors! So, I decided to major in women’s studies and left it at that.
After graduation I got a job as a social work technician and decided to pursue a graduate degree in that field with a goal of becoming a medical social worker. Unfortunately that didn’t go too well. The major was not a comfortable fit for me and I couldn’t help but think that this was not the place where God wanted me to be. Nothing felt right and I knew that I had to make the right decision by faith and leave the program, something that I really did not want to do.
I can honestly say that I always viewed writing as a hobby and nothing more. As much as I loved to write, I didn’t think that it would be possible to make a living out of it, especially when society was painting a picture that the best careers were in math, science and medicine, not liberal arts. Don’t get me wrong, I did envision myself in Essence Magazine posing for a publicity shot surrounded by all of the books that I personally wrote with a headline that read, “America’s newest writer”, or something of that sort. I saw myself writing a few scripts for production and receiving awards for creating good work. I could picture myself in all kinds of situations where my work was publicized, but I never really thought that it could or even would come to pass. It never crossed my mind that God wanted any of that for me, so I decided to pursue a career that would create a very comfortable lifestyle instead.
Shortly after giving birth to my youngest daughter my life changed completely. I had to become a stay-at-home mom because my husband and I couldn’t afford day care. It was during this difficult time that I realized what God always intended for me to do and the person that he wanted me to become. I began to slowly wet my feet in the world of writing. I found myself writing articles for newspapers, online sites, and people in the community. Before I knew it I was working from home, but I still couldn’t help but feel that this was not where God wanted me to be. There was more to his plan and I had to find it.
After intense prayer and meditation I finally saw that I was a creative writer. Creating novels, scripts, plays and the like are the things that fit me best and it is what I enjoy doing the most. This is the place where God wanted me to be and it is where I belong.
Now I can honestly say that I enjoy my work. I am currently writing scripts and I am working on several books and plays. None of this would have been possible if I didn’t sit still and listen for God’s direction. It did not happen until I began to submerse myself in him completely and pray for his guidance and perfect will for my life. So, after thinking for a while, I finally answered mom’s question.
“Yes, I am happy,” I said to her quietly.
“You know, I was very upset with your science teacher for approaching you like he did for the school science fair,” mom shared after a while.
“Why?”
“Because I knew that wasn’t something for you. When you do something, you put your all into it. I knew you were going to take that into a direction you had no business going into. You always enjoyed writing and that was something that you should have spent a great deal of time on, not science. Do you understand?” she asked as she looked at me intently. “It wasn’t that I wasn’t proud of what you were doing. I was just frustrated because I knew so much of your talent wasn’t going where it belonged. I know my children and I knew you then.”
“Why didn’t you say something to me?” I asked.
“Your father and I tried. When you were in high school we suggested that you change your curriculum to writing. In college I was happy when you chose journalism and became disappointed when you switched it. You did what you wanted to do. What else could we do?”
I knew my mom was right. I was so fixed on excelling in science that I had missed all of the signs. I couldn’t see them then, but I can now. Ever since I’ve decided to accept God’s will I can truly say that I am thankful for this journey. I am very happy and I am looking forward to what tomorrow will bring. Reaching over I grabbed mom’s hand.
“I guess mama knows best, huh?”
She looked at me and smiled.
Wait for the Lord
Posted by: Minister Faith on: September 28, 2008
Scripture: Luke 21:19; 12:31; Proverbs 25:28; Galatians 5: 22-23; 1 Corinthians 7:5
I never truly understood what wait for the Lord (see Psalm 27:14) meant until I got older and grew more mature in the Lord’s Word. I always studied the Bible, prayed and paid my tithes and offerings when I was younger, however, during that time while I was doing all of those positive things, impatience still crept in every so often and I began to actively pursue things that were out of God’s perfect timing for my life. As a result I began to feel “stuck” in some areas and things that had no business being in my life from the beginning began to take up space. Instead of experiencing complete joy, peace, and happiness in my life I felt as if I was out of balance.
If we run ahead of God and ignore the unction from the Holy Spirit we will run into problems that could have been avoided if we would have waited for God. Often times we feel that God is so slow and if we do not go after what we want right now we may never experience it or have the opportunity again, but the devil is a liar! God has His own perfect plan for our lives and if He isn’t allowing you to have whatever it is that you may want NOW, there is a reason. He may feel that you are not yet ready and you will be ready in the allotted time that He has set aside for you!
Prayer: Thank you Jehovah God for blessing me with the desire to learn more about you. I bless you every day of every moment from this day on. I pray that you will continue to mold me into the being that you have always intended for me to become. I only want your perfect will in my life. I bless you, Father. Amen.
Putting It All Together: Form a habit of waking up every morning to have devotion with God. Learn how to communicate with Him at all times of everyday. He is our Father and our friend.
Published in Maryland Women of Worship, A Long Way From Home, Volume 5 – Winter 2007 Edition by Faith S. Redwine.
A Woman Always Knows
Posted by: Minister Faith on: September 28, 2008
I was listening to the “Steve Harvey Show” one day on 92.3 FM Detroit and he was reading one of his Strawberry Letters of the day. The letter was about a highly successful middle class woman in her thirties who was dating an ex-con who just so happened to have been incarcerated for seven years. Apparently he was jailed for selling drugs. She stated that he was a sweet man who prayed with her at night before they went to bed and that meant a lot to her. She also stated that he was working on his GED because he wanted to attend a tech school to further his skills. So, what is the problem?
Well, she was asking Steve Harvey for some advice on whether or not she should leave the relationship. She had mentioned that out of all the men she has dated in the past, this ex-drug dealer was the only man who has been good to her. Now, after dating him for some time, she is starting to experience some doubts about his character. She has a deep nagging feeling that he is hanging around his old friends again and that he may be selling drugs once more. He seems to have money but no “job”.
What was Steve Harvey’s response? He stated that women do not follow their God given intuition. If the boy isn’t currently working legally and if he didn’t take advantage of the program for incarcerated inmates to pursue a GED while he was in prison, then the likelihood of him actually pursuing it now is rather slim. He also stated that some men do change their ways after leaving prison, but some do not. He wasn’t knocking the man down or anything, but he did mention that the boy was probably dealing if her GUT has expressed an uneasiness about the whole situation.
A Woman’s Intuition?
I personally have to agree with Steve Harvey on the issue of a woman’s intuition. Personally, I have been in situations where I had a feeling that something wasn’t right. It may have been about the guy that I was dating, a situation that I was presently entering or something of that nature. God is always faithful in giving his children a heads up about a situation before we enter into it. He always lets us know if it is for our good or not. Now, although I have had a gut feeling about something that did not feel right in the past, I have to admit that there were a few instances where I ignored my gut and followed my head. If I could, I would go back and rewrite those chapters of my life. Although I cannot go back in time, I can at least learn from the experience and know next time to follow my gut!Give Yourself Some Credit!
Ladies, it is imperative that we give ourselves some credit in this department! We are phenomenal creatures and God did bless us with a wonderful gift — our intuition. Use it and never doubt that small voice. This is one of the many things that separate women from men. Having the ability to sense something in advance before it happens can save us from a lot of heartache and pain down the road.
God’s Grace is Sufficient
Posted by: Minister Faith on: September 25, 2008
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:9; Romans 3:24; Psalms 84:11; Luke 2:40; Ephesians 2:8; James 4:6
Earlier this year I was physically attacked by my husband. Although I had reached out for help from his relatives and my own, no one came to my aid. To add insult to injury, my sister-in-law telephoned the house only to request that I “act like a Christian” and drop the charges. Another sent an email questioning my faith instead of offering consolation. The other one decided to remain silent and lost all contact with me. My brother-in-law questioned if I had done anything to provoke the incident. My parents advised that we try to work it out for financial reasons. Everyone believed that we needed each other for the sake of the children. No one wanted to acknowledge the incident or the bruises on my body and soul. My husband’s well-being appeared to be more important than my safety and sanity. To say it plainly, I was out there on my own.
Everything after that happended so quickly. Everyday I found myself caught in the middle of trying to heal and looking for the strength to move forward. Many days, afternoons and nights I found myself at God’s feet crying without words to say. I tried to remain uplifted and full of praise, but my heart was so heavy and burdened that I couldn’t say anything at all.I don’t know how it happened, but one day I woke up and realized that I was better today than I was yesterday. God was carrying me through the storm. This experience taught me that there is nothing too hard for the Lord. Even through our darkest nights when it seems like the impossible is too hard to comprehend, God is working it out. All we have to do is trust HIm and believe. Dear Jehovah God, I pray that you will hide me under your wing from the storm in my time of need. Please grant me the strength, grace and mercy to walk through the wilderness. Help me to take each day one faith at a time knowing that you will see me through. This I ask in the name of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Prayer: Dear Jehovah God, I pray that you will hide me under your wing from the storm in my time of need. Please grant me the strength, grace and mercy to walk through the wilderness. Help me to take each day one faith at a time knowing that you will see me through. This I ask in the name of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Putting It All Together: Learn how to go to God even when you do not have any words to say. Sometimes we believe that our words need to be eloquent in order for God to hear us, but He encourages us to go to Him as we are. He knows our secret thoughts and deepest pain. He is our Father and friend.
Say it with Kindness
Posted by: Minister Faith on: September 25, 2008
In this day and age being kind and compassionate is sometimes difficult. It appears as if everyone somehow forgot how to hold open a door, say “please” and “thank you”, say “excuse me” when they are accidentally in the way, or even a “God bless you” after someone sneezes! This kind of behavior can become annoying at times and can cause some people to experience a form of rage that ends up being costly.
Is it possible to ignore behavior that may become cumbersome to you? If someone says something out of the way, ride very close to the bumper on your car, or if they snatch something out of your hand, how do you handle it? Do you give some kind of disrespectful remark in order to grab their attention? Or do you simply act like the bigger person and ignore the incident? How do you handle it?
The high road is often the easiest.
What would happen if you took the high road and ignored the actions of the offender? You will be blessed from God! Walking away from animosity shows a profound maturity in your Christian walk. This action causes others to take notice and yearn for what you have. If other people see just how mature you are in your Christian walk and are witnesses to the fruit of the Spirit that is over your life, this will draw people to Christ. It is difficult to win others to Christ if all you do is cause strife or even respond to strife. The only reaction to this is a black eye to the Christian faith and a bad name for you. It is safe to say that saying a kind word will actually bring more positive results than saying a harsh word.
Being kind benefits you.
In the Bible we are reminded how kindness benefits us whereas cruelty only brings trouble (see Proverbs 11:17). It is easy to follow the path of being rude and short tempered with people in today’s time. Sometimes we form a belief that society is different and the necessity for kindness is short lived and irrelevant. It is easy to believe this, but we must remember that God is love and it is his greatest desire to see his children live up to his image. In Joshua 2 we find the story of a prostitute named Rahab who was a sinful woman with a pagan background. She recognized the God of Israel as being the one and only true God of heaven. She showed her kindness by housing the two spies who were sent to spy out the land. As a result of Rahab’s faith in God and her kindness towards the spies, her life was spared and she became an ancestor of the Messiah (see Matthew 1:5-6).
Patience is virtue.
We are to love our neighbor and not seek revenge or bear a grudge against them (see Leviticus 19:18). Our neighbors are people that we come into contact with on a daily basis. If the cashier is taking a long time at the checkout counter, show patience and love by not snapping their head off with an unkind word. If someone mispronounces your name, show love and kindness by not rebuking them with an insult. It is crucial that we learn how to love our neighbor as ourselves (see Matthew 22:39). Showing love to our enemies and others demonstrates how much we love God. We are displaying our maturity in Christ and our loving affection for and devotion to God.
Walk in love.
Persevering toward God-given goals while accepting the path that God provides is much better than pursuing your own fleshly desires regardless of how rough or smooth God’s path may appear (see Ecclesiastes 7: 8-14). This shows how mature your Christian walk is and just how much God is working in you. We need to acknowledge God in everything that we do, and that includes adversity. Believe it or not, doing this opens the door to prosperity in many areas of our life because God wants nothing but the best for his children (see Deuteronomy 28:63).
