Posted on Wednesday, November 30, 2005                                            by Crystal F.

Breaking a Sinful Heritage

How many times have you heard someone blame their current sin, struggle or bondage on the fact that they come from a long line of particular sinners?

I have heard alcoholism, deceitfulness, and abuse attributed to generational sin time and time again. I am not denying that generational sin does not exist, but I am denying that it should be used as a crutch or an excuse to blame our current sinful state.

Ezekiel 18:14, 17:  "But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things:.? He will not die for his father's sin; he will surely live. 

This verse describes an individual who was raised in a sinful home yet made the conscious decision not to repeat them. He didn't use the fact his father did x, y or z to justify his own sin, but retreated from such things.  

Ezekiel 18:19b-20:  Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live. The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him. 

Brothers and sisters, be encouraged. Whatever families or backgrounds you have come from, all things are made new in Christ. Time and time again in the Word, He speaks of giving His children a Godly heritage; to those who turn from sin and walk towards the SON. Trust that whatever has occurred in your families, once you give your heart and life over to Christ, He becomes your Father and you inherit His blessings and the curse and the charges you came with are dropped. All because of the Precious Blood of Christ. Live in that truth today!

   Posted on Wednesday, November 9, 2005                                              by Crystal F.

Check Mate!

Isaiah 26:3 NLT: 

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you,
whose thoughts are fixed on you! 

As I played chess with one of my students yesterday I began to realize just how difficult the game really is! I had played my first game of chess just the week before and almost slaughtered my student in my first game, so as I sat at a table of multiple games going on, I couldn't understand why these chess players that sat along side me looked so methodological in their moves and appeared to be in such deep thought when they played. As a result of my victory the week before, I went into this game challenging my student and talking a lot of trash. WELL, within the first minute of this game, I realized that my first teacher must have made up all the rules as he went along, which is probably why I won the first time, because this time around I had no clue how to play. 

So as I sat contemplating my moves, I realized just how hard this game was, became frustrated and took forever to make one move. I had not know the REAL rules which made my moves even harder since I needed to learn each piece, their capabilities then go ahead and strategize..... 

.....Should not that also be the case with our Christianity?  

Isaiah 26:3 NLT

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you,
whose thoughts are fixed on you! 

As I talked to a dear sister in Christ on the phone last night and we shared some similar trials in our lives, I realized some of our mutual issues were a result of not keeping our thoughts stayed on Him. Not keeping our focus' clear and our thoughts on the most important thing, Christ.  

In the game of chess, you will frequently see some of the best players take the longest time to make one move. This is no game for the impatient! But the players must know the roles of each individual pieces and also must know the power the opposite side will have in defeating them, if they do not carefully think through their move. I made one wrong move in my game-one move too quick and was surprised to hear "Checkmate." Now for non chess players, checkmate means that the King is attacked and there are no moves to get out of check. The game is over and the player whose King is checkmated has lost.  

Brothers and sisters, don't worry about the world passing you by, but sit as long as you need to at the feet of Jesus before you make your moves. Know that God Himself will keep in perfect peace, the one whose thoughts are fixed on Him. And not only will He give you peace but will tell you what move to make.   Take heed in knowing that if you make any sudden or irrational moves, you may be surprised to hear "Checkmate."

   Posted on Wednesday, October 19, 2005                                                by Crystal F.

Did Daniel go to University?

Daniel 1:3-5

Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility-young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king's palace.

He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians.  The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king's table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king's service.

As I sat in Sunday school and read this verse I wondered if Daniel went to University. Having spent my first few months at Columbia, I've seen so many individuals that match this same description above... Handsome, noble, showing an aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand and qualified. So I began to wonder.. Did Daniel go to Columbia? 

In Daniel we see a man after Gods own heart. He was being trained by this institution for the main purposes of entering the kings service in the end. And after his training was over he was expected to bow before the King.  

Our institutions of higher education are set up in essence so that when we are finished with our training, we will bow down to the "king." The king takes shape in the form of finances, materialism and self. Yet God's ultimate plan is that you stand against that godless system but utilize the training to bow only to the ONE true God Jehovah. In doing this and going against this system you may find yourself in the lions den, but stand strong and assured knowing.....that......Daniel 10:12:

Then he continued, "Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.

   Posted on Wednesday, September 28, 2005                                          by Crystal F.

Carrying our Sword Wherever we go

Nehemiah 5:17

Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked.

As we all go back to either school or work, we begin new chapters in our lives, new beginnings and new challenges. As I was reading and re-reading the book of Nehemiah, a verse struck me. In the book of Nehemiah we see a man who was deeply distraught at what had occurred in his homeland of Jerusalem. The walls had been destroyed and its gates burned down. Nehemiah wept and grieved over this, but then he wiped his tears and made himself available. He came before the Lord his ultimate authority God (1:5) then came before his worldly authority, the King (2:4) and said send me.

He said send me, if I have found favor in your sight-He made himself available to be used by God to rebuild knowing that since he had repented on behalf of the sins of his people and committed the rebuilding of the walls to give God glory, the Lord would be with him. SO as he went and gathered many from near and far to help in the cause he was ridiculed and mocked by those who had caused the destruction of Jerusalem. Yet as the humble man he was, he knew that he had been sent to this place by God himself and that his God could not be mocked. Yet the verse that was so striking is in chapter 5:17 when it says that each man did their work with one hand and held their weapon in the other, their sword.

As we embark on new journeys this semester with new classes, new relationships, new internships, new roommates, are we carrying our materials with one hand and our sword in the other? Are you walking to class with our books in one hand and our sword in the other? Are we going to work with our lunch in one hand and our sword in the other? The sword is the Word of God-brethren meditate on it day and night that you may carry it with you in your spirit and in your soul everywhere you go.

Joshua 1:8-9

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

   Posted on Wednesday, July 6, 2005                                                            by Crystal F.

He Calls Me Friend

……… He calls me friend? As I laid flat on the floor in my room listening to my new Israel CD, the words of the song “Friend of God” brought me to tears. Who am I? Who am I that the maker of this world should be mindful of me? I began to think back to the words that led me to salvation in Christ, “The maker of this world loves you.” That sentence alone brought me to my knees almost six years ago and to this day brings me to tears when I think of His love for me.

To know that if everyone in this world up and left me, the maker of this Universe calls me friend and is madly in love with me! Yes me! Brethren, He loves you and calls you His friend:  

“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his masters business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” Jo 15:15 

What does it mean that He calls you friend? Well I think to my best friend Iris. She is the closest friend I have ever had. She is the one that I share my joys with as well as my tears. We laugh together, pray together and cry together. If I don’t see her or speak to her for a while, I miss her. I want to hear her voice and know she is well. The same is with us and our friendship with the Lord. The Lord longs to hear your voice, to laugh with you, cry with you and to hold you.

He longs to not just listen to you but to have you listen to Him and most of all, He desires your friendship…As my friendship with Iris evolved, I decided she was my best friend and she also decided I was hers. It was never one-sided or unimportant to the other, but our friendship is strong because of our mutual investment in it. Brothers and sisters, The Lord has already extended His hand to you today and said, “I call you friend.” Will you accept the invitation and call Him your friend today? 

   Posted on Wednesday, June 15, 2005                                                       by Crystal F.

The Lord's Peace

Hey Guys!!!  I hope you are blessed.  I was reading Psalm 29 today and in verses 9-11 it says:

The voice of the LORD twists the oaks
and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
The LORD is enthroned as King forever.
The LORD gives strength to his people;
 The LORD blesses his people with peace.  

Lately my prayer to the Lord has been, "Lord I need your peace," over various decisions in my life.  I was recently accepted to a very well known and very expensive graduate school and I have been praying, "Lord give me peace about where to go."  I have been contemplating going abroad, and I have been praying, "Lord give me peace about where to go."  I have been wondering what I am going to do after graduate school and I have been praying, "Lord give me peace about what to do with my life."  This has been my heart’s cry, "Lord give me peace."  

I mean can we really decide what to major in or what to do after college is through--really really?  Can a canvas decide what will be painted onto it?  Can a mirror decide the image it will reflect?  No of course not!!!  Well, the same with us!!!  God created us for a specific purpose at specific times in our lives.  He knows what your exact purpose is, for He made it for you, for such a time as this!  If we don’t wait for His peace and rush into decisions or plans for our lives, we will live in those decisions devoid of His wonderful peace.  I trust that you all desire the Peace of the Lord, which is why I want to encourage each one of you to wait on Him.  There is nothing better than making a decision knowing that you have made it based on the guidance and instruction of the Holy Spirit, and it is in those decisions that you are most confident because you know that you know you have His peace.  

Don't you guys know that we are at the most strategic timeframes of our lives?  The old admire the fire for God we bring and the young desire to be like us...  Well we need to bank on this time!!  When will we ever have such a captive audience as we do on our college campuses right now?  Well, with that said, we can only turn to the Lord for His peace and ask Him, “Lord what will I do after college, what will I major in or where will I go…”  And because His word is true, He will answer and unto you He will give His peace!  

Walk in His peace today hermanos y hermanas and believe that if you are confused today, or just waiting on His peace, it will come because His word is true. 

God Bless! 

Crystal

   Posted on Wednesday, May 11, 2005                                                       by Crystal F.

Blessed is the Man who fears the Lord

Psalm 112:1-3
Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
who finds great delight in his commands. 
His children will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.  

As I sat in a reception for students graduating with honors, I was taken back to a prayer I had prayed to the Lord many times over years ago.  

I can remember praying that all I wanted was to graduate with honors.  I would pray to God for His help.  And here I sat a mere 3 weeks before graduation with an answer to prayer.

I then began to think back to when I was a little girl and how I would sit by our apartment window in Washington Heights and look across the Hudson River at the sparkling lights of New Jersey.  I would wonder what those people were doing.  I remembered riding with my dad in a van delivering flowers at Columbia University one day while we were on a "run" or delivery.  I was about 6 or 7.  This was when he worked for a flower shop. 

Well, as I sat in this auditorium at a reception for anticipated graduation with honors, I realized all that the Lord has done for me.  He took a girl in Washington Heights and brought her to the sparkling lights across the Hudson, but He didn't stop there.  

My father worked at a flower shop since he was 13 years old delivering flowers to make a decent living.  He never went to college and did all he could—even working 3 jobs at times to give us a better life.  Who would have thought that we were delivering flowers to a school I would one day attend.  It seemed so ironic, yet so God-like to do such a thing.  

Brothers and Sisters... I want to encourage you guys.  I know school is rough and distraction constantly knocks on our doors, but be steadfast.  Know that our parents worked hard—mega hard to give us more than what they had.  They work 2-3 jobs to make sure we weren't ever lacking.  As I watched my Mom cry at the honors ceremony, I realized what we do is more than just making the grade.  It is a way of saying thank you to the parents that gave so much to make a better life for us, a way of honoring them.  It is a way of saying, “your hard work, pain and tears were not in vain”. 

Guys, be encouraged...  You are the history makers, the torch has been passed to us and it is our responsibility to make it a little easier for our next generations (related to us or not) and also as a way to say thank you to our parents/guardians. 

   Posted on Wednesday, April 6, 2005                                                       by Crystal F.

God is Good

This morning my devotional was from Romans 8:14 and it read, "Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God."

Well, today it snowed hard so I was let out of work early.  As some of you know I am going through an extremely hard time with my family and the enemy's attack on our household. Additionally, I am dealing with the common stresses of graduating and setting up grad school arrangements.  Well, as I am driving home in the snow storm, I get stuck on a patch of ice smack dab in the middle of a huge hill on the ramp of a major highway.  Well!  Right then I committed to myself that after graduation I am definitely moving to a place with warmer weather…no more talking about it…I’m outta here!   

So there I am stuck…  I tried to slide the car back and accelerate again...  Nothing.  Stuck.  So I got out of my car and tried to kick the ice.  It was solid.  So there I am on a 2 lane ramp, in the middle of a hill, on a patch of ice.  There are cars driving past me, and trying to get around me.  They too were also sliding.  I was very worried they were going to hit me or that my car would slide back and hit other cars.   

Well, I called AAA and they didn't service the highway I was on, so called 911 and they couldn't come to help because they were busy with more important accidents; so instead they called a tow truck.  Twenty minutes later, I’m still stuck on the middle of this hill, so I called 911 again.  But same response, they couldn't help me because there were accidents everywhere but they would send a tow truck...  So I sat there and prayed and praised God instead...  As I waited I just started to tell the Lord how much I trusted Him in everything—from the snow—to my family—to grad school—for just about everything.   

Somehow, as I sat stuck on this hill, I felt an overwhelming sense of trust in Him.  Thirty-five minutes have now gone by.  So I call 911 again, and the same response...  Fifty minutes go by and I call again and expressing the fact cars around me are skidding out of control and that I may slide back any moment now and hit other cars.  But again I get the same reply: they can’t help me because the cops are all with other accidents—but “they will call a tow truck”.  Yes, I know.   

So I sat there and began to sing worship songs to the Lord.  Being my car was broken into some months back, I don't have a radio, so I just sang and sang to Him.  Cars drove past me looking at me like I was crazy being that I was singing at the top of my lungs…stuck with my hazard lights on.  As I sing praises to Him, an unmarked police car pulls up in front of me.  Dressed in his plain clothes, he stops the other lane of traffic and pushes me out of the ice... 

I was sooo blessed how my God led me out!  I knew it was the Lord because the police officer on the phone had just told me they had no one to help and I had to just sit there for an hour.  So, as I drove home I began to yell out to the Lord and praise Him and sing to him again.  As I drove, I realized that just how the Lord pulled me out of the ice—He would pull my family out of the trouble they are in.  I also realized that I or they may have to sit for a while and wait, but if I trust in the Lord and praise Him in any story, He will never leave me stranded.  

I began to see how it is my responsibility to wage war through intercessory prayer for my family and Satan’s attempt to destroy it.  It is my responsibility to stand fully equipped in the armor of God to stand firm in the seasons of trial and tribulation.  As I thought on all of this, I began to rebuke (like never before) the enemy.  I began to let the enemy know that he has no (zero) authority over my family, church, friends or anything because I have the Lord on my side.  I have the Blood that was shed on Calvary for me that gives me all authority through Christ to stand at hells gates and snatch out all that are being led in...  I have the power of my testimony and the power of Christ Himself, to pray with that authority to take back that for which I was taken back for...  I committed to the Lord to fight for my family, fight for my church and fight because I have the Lord Almighty behind me.  It was a tremendous moment of spiritual warfare as I declared my trust in the Lord and His word for my family.  It was soo overwhelming all I could do was drive and cry.  

Brothers and Sisters, are you stuck on a hill right now?  Are you stuck on a hill waiting for help?  Are you calling others and they are giving the same response...  “We can’t help?”  Oh, how I want you to know that our Lord is faithful, He will never leave you stranded, but you must praise Him through it all and surrender your burden and pick up His trust.  In turn, He may show up unmarked or He may show up as the banner of the Lord.  Either way, He will stand behind you and push you out of the ice.  He loves you too much to leave you stranded, but He also wants you to know that you are to trust Him and love Him despite your circumstance.  Brothers and Sisters, believe that no matter what you go through this week, you will always have a reason to praise Him because the work on Calvary…the cross He chose for you is complete.  As you turn your eyes upon Him, your help will come. 

   Posted on Wednesday, March 9, 2005                                                     by Crystal F.

To Sink or Swim?  That is the Question!

Hi Everyone.  I am SOOO blessed and excited to join this wonderful family.  Well a little about me: I am 22 and a senior at Kean University in New Jersey.  I am majoring in social work and sociology…trying to imitate the father of social work—Jesus.  I invited Jesus to take up shop in my heart almost 5 years ago, and my life has been an exciting journey ever since.  

Everyday with Him is a journey into the unknown, usually a journey into the unknown of my own heart. Daily, He shows me how amazing His grace is.  Well, this is me and nothing explains who I am and who He is in me other than this verse, my life verse:

I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of His power.  Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.   

Joel 3:14 reads, “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.” 

I recently saw the movie, Motorcycle Diaries, and in the movie there was a scene that almost paralyzed me by its direct parallel to the Christian life.  Well, during the time of his motorcycle journey across South America, Ernesto “Che” Guevara had been going to school to be a doctor specializing in working with Lepers.  Now Che went to the San Pablo leper colony off the coast of Peruvian waters to work with in the colony.  Now although the lepers were not contagious once being treated, all personnel wore gloves when working with them, yet Che refused and would touch, hug and kiss each patient.   

Okay, so you’re wondering, “Crystal, what is your point?”  Well, I'm not giving you a movie review that’s for sure; I’m no Siskel and Ebert!  But as I watched that scene, my heart sank.  I began to see this scene in a totally different way.  When we look in Joel, it says multitudes <stand> in the valley of decision, not some, not a few…but Multitudes!!!  As Che swam, I began to think…. Man, do I understand this verse well enough that I too would swim in the coldest of waters, with all against me to reach a leper?  A sinner?  He was willing to risk it all, just to show them how much they meant to him, how significant they were to him. And when he did arrive, he went a step further.  He wanted to touch them, with no barriers separating them, so they would feel a sense of self worth.   

His Words:  Exodus 4:12 - Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.

His Sanctification:  1 Thessalonians 5:23 - May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.

His Grace and Mercy:  Hebrews 4:16 - Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

His Wisdom:  James 1:5 - If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.