Power of Prayer

Sunshine’s Reflections

Happy Friday! I pray you all have a safe and blessed Memorial Day weekend!

TFTD: Power of Prayer

Matthew 21:22 (NKJV)

²² And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Last night, my four year-old son hurt his foot at his grandma’s house. This morning he said, “Mommy, my foot still hurts and it’s really big.” I said, “I will say a prayer for your foot.” Now typically my husband and I pray every morning and there are times when our son will join us; however, this morning I was running a little late and we couldn’t do our group prayer, but my son remembered that I said I would pray for him. So there is this walkie-talkie app called Voxer that my husband and I use to communicate quick voice messages with one another.

 Shortly after my husband and son departed the house my vox chirped. My first response was, “Lord, why is he voxing me when I am running late for work?” God slowed me down long enough to check the Vox and whose voice would I hear? It wasn’t my husband it was my son.

A little voice declared, “Mommy, you forgot to pray for my foot. Dear God, we hope my feet feel better really fast and don’t let it be big make it small.” Then I heard, “Oh, mommy, next time you have to say a prayer to me when something else hurts.”

 WOW!!! What a Vox. So I Voxed him back and I declared and decreed healing over my son’s foot and prayed that God would cover Him. My Vox chirped and I heard, “Amen, thank you mommy.” I chirped back and said “You are welcome and I love you.” He replied, “I love you too.”

God showed me several things in this encounter with a 4 year-old:

1. You have to share your issues with others. Don’t just share what you are going through with anybody, but share them with someone who God sends you too and who sits under His power and authority. My son came to me and told me what was wrong.
2. Wait for a response. My son waited to hear my response and I told him I was going to pray for him. Don’t become so anxious that you tell people what is wrong, but you don’t wait to hear what comes next.
3. Believe in the promises of God. My son, at four years-old believes in the power of prayer and he believed that when I prayed for him, he would be okay. Don’t ask God for something if you don’t believe in Him. Matthew 21:22 says, whatever you ask in prayer, BELIEVING… you have to believe before you receive.
4. Pray over yourself. My son, knowing that there is power in prayer didn’t wait for me to hold up my end of the promise, he stood on his belief system and promises from God and began praying over himself. It’s great to have others pray for you; however, you have to tap into the power and authority God has given you and pray over yourself. The same God who lives in me lives in you. Tap into the power and pray.
5. Remind people of their response and your expectation of them. My son didn’t just pray for himself, he reminded me of my promise to him and shared his expectation of me. He said, “Mommy, one more thing, NEXT TIME YOU have to PRAY over me when something is hurt!” When two or three are gathered together in Jesus name, He is in the midst. My son knew there was power not only in his mommy’s tongue, but that when we link up together there is a Wonder working power coming together.

I’m a living witness that whatever you ask in prayer, believing you shall receive. You have to know that God is a promise keeping God. You have to link up with the right people and even when you connect with the right people, be sure to trust in God for yourself. Touch your mind, your body, your children, your situation and begin praying over it for yourself. There is power in prayer. Have you prayed lately?

Have a blessed day in Jesus name!

 

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis, MBA

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

Don’t confuse reality for truth

Sunshine’s Reflections

 

Good morning! It’s a glorious day to be alive!

TFTD: Don’t confuse your reality for truth

Romans 4:17 (NKJV)

¹⁷ (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”^[a]) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;

This weekend I attended a women’s conference in Harrisonburg, VA. The theme was #Identified.  The speakers spoke about being identified by God, identified by strength. One of the speakers said, “Don’t mistake your current reality for truth.” I must admit I had to allow that statement to marinate. This woman commented on how our reality could be filled with lies that other people have told us about ourselves and we begin believing those things because it’s what we see in the natural. What appears real in the natural is not the truth in the spiritual. You have to see things from a spiritual perspective.

This morning God made that message become practical for me. I had to take a look at my current reality as it relates to my fitness life. My current reality is,  it took me 25 minutes to complete a  2 mile run/walk. However, my TRUTH is I’m a half fanatic #5847 (I ran 3 half marathons -13.1 miles within 64 days), my TRUTH is I ran an average pace of 9 minute 37 second mile, my TRUTH is I’m a runner. My truth is I’m on my way to total health and wellness. I could allow my current reality to deter me or frustrate me, but I won’t. My present situation doesn’t control my future or the truth about who I am!

This also applies to other areas in your life. Your current reality may be that you are an employee, but your truth is that you are an entrepreneur. If God has planted the seed for you to start that business and you have begun doing that, then the truth trumps the reality! You have to pursue the truth and don’t settle for the reality. Your current reality may be that you are single and maybe someone told you that no one will ever love you. Somewhere along the lines, you have allowed the lies of others to become your reality and you confused it for truth. It’s their truth of you, but it’s not GOD’s truth for your life. If you desire to become married and you have prayed and God has shown you that you will be married one day, well that is YOUR TRUTH. The truth comes from God and seeing what others can’t see. It’s not focusing on what is going on in the natural, but trusting in the promises of God. No matter where you are in life or what lies you have chosen to believe, don’t allow your present reality to dictate your future. Seek to understand God’s truth for your life.

My TRUTH is: I am a powerful woman of God. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am strong. I am determined. I am confident. I am FREEDOM!!!

What is your truth?

Remember you have to call those things that are not as if they were. You have to speak to your reality and tell it what God’s truth is for your life. Stop confusing your reality for what is true. Most of what appears real is filled with the opinions and lies of others. It’s time to dismiss the myths that have been spoken over your life and declare the things of God over your situation!

I pray you have a blessed day and remember you are fearfully and wonderfully made. THAT IS TRUE!

 

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis, MBA

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

He loves our drops

Sunshine’s Reflections

Good morning! Thank God I’m free. I am able to enjoy my personal rights, I am released from bondage, I am liberated! It is good to be free in Jesus! When you accept the Lord as your personal Savior, you are able to experience freedom that can’t be described.

TFTD: He loves our drops

Luke 7:36-38(NKJV)

³⁶ Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. ³⁷ And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, ³⁸ and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.

I have been listening to Alabaster Box by Shana Wilson and Julie Meyer for the past month and I love the introduction of the song. Julie Meyer describes how she was invited to share her gift of singing with others at an event and how she was a little intimated by the other psalmist because they could really sing. She proceeds to share how she thought her “offering” wasn’t good enough and that she only had a drop compared to the greatness of others. What was so powerful was how she said God loves our drops. Even if we only have one drop, He celebrates what we have to give.

This really touched me and I wanted to remind someone today that God loves your drops. Do not and I repeat do not compare yourself with others. God has given you at least one gift and you are supposed to share it with others. When you use your gift(s) for God’s glory, He is pleased with you. Your praise doesn’t have to look like anyone elses. All that matters is that you pour out your worship to God. Don’t undermine your offering unto the Lord. Don’t even entertain if someone questions your offering. They don’t know the cost of your oil. Your sacrifice and your praise is between you and God. When you pour out your praise from the sincerity of your heart, God loves your drops.

Today is a new day and I encourage you to stop sitting on your gift. Maybe you have been called to sing, preach, lead, teach, etc., and you have been holding back because you don’t think your gift is as good as the next person. I want you to STOP COMPARING yourself and give God your drop! 2 Corinthians 2:15 (NLV) says, ¹⁵ We are a sweet smell of Christ that reaches up to God. It reaches out to those who are being saved from the punishment of sin and to those who are still lost in sin.

Will you give God your one drop?

Have a blessed day!

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis, MBA

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

Remember your assignment!

Sunshine’s Reflections

Good afternoon! Happy Tuesday. Sorry I have been missing in action. I’m alive and well. Preparing for Greater! I decree and declare that no weapon formed against you will prosper and that you will continue to receive the blessings of God. May they continue to overflow in and through your life. Make up in your mind that you will no longer settle for less.

TFTD: Remember your assignment

Esther 4:14 (NKJV)

¹⁴ For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Have you ever wondered why you are where you are at in this season? Have you ever said, “Lord, why am I in this relationship, why am I at this job, why do I live in this neighborhood, why do I attend this church, why am I still in this ministry?” I know I have. There have been times when I’ve questioned my position in life and then God reminds me of my assignment. As believers, we don’t just have jobs, lead ministries or serve in them, live in neighborhoods that we do or join organizations for the fun of it. We have a divine assignment to carry out and when we get discouraged we need to remember that. Remember your assignment!

God has a way of appointing us for “such a time as this.” Somethings would have never changed on your job if you weren’t working there. Some policies would have never been in place if you weren’t there. That ministry would not thrive if you weren’t in it sharing your gift. That organization would not have the valuable resources it now has, if it weren’t for your knowledge. Maybe you are there to promote change. Maybe God strategically placed you where you are in order to minister to the heart of a person or people. I don’t know the reason, but I am confident that you were appointed for such a time as this. If you weren’t there, things wouldn’t flow right. I know sometimes you feel like giving up, but remember your assignment.

If you don’t know your assignment, spend time in prayer and ask God to reveal to you why you are there. What are you supposed to do. If you focus on why God has called you to that place then you will be able to stand the test of times. When folks get on your last nerve or try to attack your character, you will remember that God sent you to fix what’s broken. God may have called you to reveal what’s broken and then He will allow you to move on to the next assignment. Whatever you assignment may be, I encourage you to stay strong and stay the course. When your assignment is complete, God will open a new door for you. Don’t take up permanent residence in a place that was designed to be temporary. Don’t get too comfortable because you want to be ready when God tells you to move!

God called you for such a time as this and I pray that you will stay focused, remain humble, remember you are needed (even if people don’t seem to appreciate you), and to trust in the process.

Have a blessed day!

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis, MBA

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

Complain Less

Sunshine’s Reflections

Good afternoon! Happy Friday to you all!

TFTD: Complain less

James 5:9-12 (The Message)

⁹ Friends, don’t complain about each other. A far greater complaint could be lodged against you, you know. The Judge is standing just around the corner.

^10-11 Take the old prophets as your mentors. They put up with anything, went through everything, and never once quit, all the time honoring God. What a gift life is to those who stay the course! You’ve heard, of course, of Job’s staying power, and you know how God brought it all together for him at the end. That’s because God cares, cares right down to the last detail.

¹² And since you know that he cares, let your language show it. Don’t add words like “I swear to God” to your own words. Don’t show your impatience by concocting oaths to hurry up God. Just say yes or no. Just say what is true. That way, your language can’t be used against you.

This week I have been reading and studying the book of James. Today I came across the above passage and the Message translation really stood out to me. We have to complain less. I know it’s impossible to stop complaining all together; however, we have to do better. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be judged for complaining about things or people. I want to demonstrate to God that I have a grateful heart.

Did you know when you complain about the people in your life and the things you possess, it’s like you are telling God, “This isn’t good enough, you could have done better!” Harsh, right? Think about it,  since Jesus is our great provider, if we complain about our job, our spouse, our kids, our home, our health, our friends, etc., it’s like us looking Him in the face saying, “YO JESUS, I could have done better.” OUCH!!! This really hit me. If we look at the people who have gone before us, like grand parents, great grand parents, and others, they went through far more than we did and had much less than we have today and they rarely complained. They never gave up or gave in. On the contrary, they gave God praise and did it with a smile.

What is our problem?

We are considered privileged compared to other countries and our ancestors, yet we murmur and complain. The audacity! I don’t know about you, but I’m sick of myself right now. I don’t complain often, but I complain too much for my liking and I’m sure too much for God’s liking. I encourage you to complain less and stay the course. God cares about us. He loves us so much that He showers us with grace and mercy each day. Show God you are grateful by praising Him. Embrace where you are and celebrate the blessings you have, it could be worst.

Take time to really examine your life and even journal every time you complain. What are you complaining about? Is it even valid? Is it worth the energy to complain when God has been so good to you? I don’t know about you, but I am making a vow to God that I will complain less. I am too blessed to question what He gives me and how He gives it to me.

Have a grateful heart.

Have a blessed day!

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis, MBA

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.