Encouragement

Thought for the week...

Promise‍

Have you ever told someone that you were going to do something and then unforeseen
circumstances prevented you from fulfilling your commitment? You had the best of
intentions, but life happened. Not only was the person disappointed, but you were as
well. Nobody likes to go back on their word. There was a time when a man’s word was
as good as a contract; but, times have changed and some people find nothing wrong in
not keeping their word. In fact, when they made the commitment, they knew they had no
intentions of keeping it.

I’m so glad that there is one person who will never go back on His Word. People may go
back on their word, but God never will. God made a covenant with man and sealed it
with the blood of His Son Jesus, and tells us that all who comes in covenant agreement
with Him can be assured that He will keep His Word. God loves to bless His people and
answer their prayers. If we adhere to and follow the principles and precepts stipulated in
the Word of God, we will be successful in reaping its rewards. The more we read and
study God’s Word, the more we’ll understand Him and that which He says. Therefore, it
behooves us to know His will and let the mind that is in Christ Jesus be also in us; it is
then and only then that we will have full assurance and a blood stained guarantee that
that which God committed to will come to fruition.

Listen and take heed…

The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to
some people’s conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient)
toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.

(2 Peter 3:9 — AMPC)

Rev. Donna M. Humphries

Heaven Gates Ministries, Inc.

Thought for the week...

Reality Check

To say that God is good is an understatement. Those who have been a recipient of God’s forgiveness understand the depth of mercy and grace and have firsthand knowledge of the magnitude of His love. God is a friend to the friendless, a father to the fatherless and is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. When despondency, desperation and discouragement rears its ugly head and attempts to sink its teeth in the depth of our spirit, God will send a ray of expectation that has the ability to reawaken our belief in the power of His love and bring us up and out of the pit of apparent darkness and its clutches so that we can receive and experience His promises of grace.

 One of the greatest weapons that the adversary uses against the believer is the insinuation that they can lose God’s love. He wants nothing more than for them to give up with the intent of reverting back to the person they were before their conversion. However, it is imperative that we understand that we have been given/endowed with a spirit of anticipation so that we can walk in the fullness of God’s glory and live victorious in spite of the adversities and disappointments of this world. It is during the times of adversities that we calm and quiet our soul being as a weaned child and rest in the bosom of God. With that being said, we must adopt the attitude of an infant, depending on the Lord for His protection and nurturing so that we are able to bask in His Presence and live holy and upright.

 Listen and take heed…

For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:29-31 — NIV)

So, we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me? (Hebrews 13:6 — AMPC)

Rev. Donna M. Humphries

Heaven Gates Ministries, Inc.

Thought for the week...

‍Opposition

No matter what we do, we will always be faced with some type of adversity, challenge and/or circumstance. And, at times, it seems as though those adversities find ways to circumvent and derail, not only our plans but that which God has called us to do.

It is imperative that we have an ongoing relationship with God. It is in this ongoing relationship that God will provide us the detailed instructions and direction in which we are to go in order to fulfill the plans He has for us. While we may experience resistance, hostility, conflict, struggles, disapproval from others, be antagonized, encounter setbacks, be contradicted, and even be spiritually fatigued, we must not give in but be encouraged in the Lord knowing that these light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So, with that being said, we can be assured that the Holy Spirit will help us, encourage us, strengthen us, counsel us, intercede for us, and advocate on our behalf so that we are fortified to forge ahead in accomplishing our God given assignments.

Listen and take heed…

For a wide door of opportunity for effectual [service] has opened to me [there, a great and promising one], and [there are] many adversaries. (1Corinthians 16:9 — AMPC)

Rev. Donna M. Humphries

Heaven Gates Ministries, Inc.

Thought for the week...

Persistent

We all have hopes and dreams, things that we desire to do and assignments we’ve been given to accomplish. In anything that we do, we must be mindful of the course of action to take so that we are aware of the pitfalls and mishaps that may happen. While we may not know the full ramifications of a situation, we can be one step ahead of them when we take the necessary time to research the pros and cons of the matter.

When we seek God and understand that which we are to do, we are better able to move forth because we have been given godly insight and wisdom regarding the undertaking. Nothing truly comes easy! The only way that we will reach the desired end results are by being steadfast and firm in spite of circumstances, obstacles and situations that will arise. Of course, there will always be something that we have no control over but we need not be fearful of what lies ahead but be resolute in our convictions knowing that greater is God in us than the adversary of this world. With that being said, our assignment if we choose to accept it is to be uncompromisingly righteous and unyielding in the face of any adversarial stratagems knowing that if God has given us to do something then the end result has already been accomplished.

Listen and take heed…

For everyone born of God is victorious and overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has conquered and overcome the world—our [continuing, persistent] faith [in Jesus the Son of God]. (1 John 5:4— AMP)

Rev. Donna M. Humphries

Heaven Gates Ministries, Inc.

Thought for the week...

Favor

When we were children in the classroom, there was always a student who others talked about, bullied and were even mad at because they felt that they were the teacher’s pet. As a child of God, we need never be jealous of another person because we serve a God who is no respecter of persons. When we surrender our life to Jesus Christ, we become entitled to privileges that the non-believers will never experience.

The Word of God tells of His blessings and promises and as we live holy and upright we’ll begin to see those blessings and promises poured out and manifested in our life. Does God show exceptional kindness to individuals? Yes, He does! His love is amazing and that in itself is exceptional. Instead of looking at God’s exceptional kindness as getting more than others, we can see His exceptional kindness in keeping us when going through adverse circumstances, giving us strength for special assignments/ministries, seeing the birth of a child/grandchild; being a caregiver, schoolteacher, pastor, evangelist, etc. God know what each person needs, the assignments He has for them and provides them exactly what they need when they need it. Therefore, let’s make it our lifelong goal to please God by living holy and upright and when He deems it the appropriate time to bestow upon us exceptional kindness that we’ll be in the position to receive it. Remember, God is not a respecter of person; what He did for others, He’ll do for you.

Listen and take heed…

By this I know that You favor and delight in me, because my enemy does not triumph over me. (Psalm 41:11 — AMPC)

‍

Rev. Donna M. Humphries

Heaven Gates Ministries, Inc.

Thought for the week...

Presence

Some people, when agroup they like comes to town they clear their schedule and purchase theirtickets in advance to make sure that they are in attendance. Let a well-knownpreacher come to town and Christians will do all they can to be in the place.Well, how many of us show up at God’s door on a daily basis wanting to be inHis Company? If we’re truthful, we’ll admit that we need to spend more timewith God in prayer as well as listening to what He has to say to us. We allshould want to be in the immediate vicinity and in close proximity to God.Shouldn’t we?

No matter what we facein this life, God is with us. There will be adversarial challenges andoppositions that we’ll face because we are a child of God and the last thingthe adversary wants us to do is increase our prayer life—making it our mainpriority—because he knows that that is what shuts him out. At times thechallenges and oppositions will seems as though they are sucking the very lifefrom our bodies, but as we spend time in God’s company, He lets us know that Heis greater than any adversity that will come upon us. As we spend time with God,we’ll be able to feel the pressures of life fade and be replaced with His peaceand tranquility. And we’ll also be able to truly comprehend what it means to bemade ready for anything and equal to anything through Christ who infuses innerstrength in us and be self-sufficient in His sufficiency. So, with that beingsaid, let’s make sure that we spend time in God’s company so that He not onlyhears our petitions and answers them but saturate us with His love; encourageus, fortify us, strengthen us, heal us, restore us, rebuke us, cleanse us, andrenew a steadfast spirit in us. The more time we spend time with God the moreadept we’ll become in knowing His voice, understanding His instructions andfollowing them, knowing that He will manifest His promises.

Listen and take heed…

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling or falling into sin, and to present you unblemished [blameless and faultless]in the presence of His glory with triumphant joy and unspeakable delight, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and power, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24-25 — AMP)

Rev. Donna M. Humphries

Heaven Gates Ministries, Inc.

Thought for the week...

Wisdom

We all know individuals who are impulsive and don’t take time to weigh matters before they act and if we’re truthful, we’ll admit that we ourselves have been guilty of this more often than not. When we don’t use sound judgment, we find ourselves going through the same set of circumstances over and over again. The adversary of this world and his cohorts don’t want us to make wise decisions because that is their way of keeping us in bondage; they want to be the puppeteer, the one pulling the strings and manipulating our every move.

It is imperative and to our best interest that we make the right decisions at the right time so that we don’t fall prey to the dictates of the adversary. The Word of God tells us that there is a way that seems right to man but the wages paid are death; spiritual death that is. We should be seeking God not only when we have major decisions to make but in every decision. God has given us the ability to make decisions but it is important that we do not lean to our own understanding but in all our ways acknowledge Him so that our path will be directed by Him. The Word also tells us that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. So, if we want to be led by the Lord than we need to seek Him and then follow His instructions. And, when we do, He’ll give us knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment an insight. God promises are true and He promised that He would withhold no good thing from us. Therefore, with that being said, let’s make sure that we are prudent, practical, understanding, astute, discriminate, knowledgeable, and remain cautious at all times for the adversary is always roaming around looking for someone to deceive.

Listen and take heed…

If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. But he must ask [for wisdom] in faith, without doubting [God’s willingness to help], for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is blown about and tossed by the wind. (James 1:5-6 — AMP)

Rev. Donna M. Humphries

Heaven Gates Ministries, Inc.

Thought for the week...

Truth

Have you ever bent the facts or been dishonest regarding a matter? Now before you say no, admit yes because we all have. Oh, we may not have actually come out and downright lied but we bordered on the edge of one and, to know that a lie is being told and look the other way is just as bad as being the one who told the lie. As a born again believer, we must always be in conformity with the facts; the true or actual state of a matter. We must not allow our character to be held in question or give the adversary an opening to initiate his plan of action to deceive us. When we fail to be honest we allow our integrity to be questioned and character assassination to be initiated by our own hands. We may as well play Russian Roulette because sooner or later the target will be hit and the consequences of our actions will become evident.

The comedian Flip Wilson was well known for his saying, the devil made me do it. Let’s be real, we all know that the devil, Satan, Beelzebub, adversary, whatever you call him can’t make us do anything; he can only plant the thought and then when we follow through on those thoughts we’ve fallen prey to his strategy/tactics and now we, not he, will be the one having to deal with the outcome while he’s somewhere else slithering around looking for his next target. Therefore, as a born again believer, it is of the utmost importance that we daily put on the helmet of salvation so that we are prepared for the battle that the adversary wages against us to deceive and trap us in his wicked schemes. To know better is to do better.

Listen and take heed…

So Jesus said to those who believed in him, “If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples; you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:31-32 — GNT)

Rev. Donna M. Humphries

Heaven Gates Ministries, Inc.

Thought for the week...

Loathe

As a people, we certainly do have a way of getting things twisted. The things that we should dislike seem to be the very things that we have a keen desire for. Why is that? Well, it’s because those things appeal to the gate of man’s fleshy appetite, our body nature. That which God provided as instruments for our well-being, the adversary perverts twisting them in a worldly connotative manner whispering all manner of unseemly activities that appeal to the eye, are tasteful to the mouth, are stimulating to the touch, are aromatic to the nose, and are pleasing to the ear. As the old people used to say, he likes to tickle our fancy.

It is of the utmost importance that we understand the ways of the world and adversarial manipulation so that we don’t fall prey to their tactics. God, in His Word, has provided us with everything we need to differentiate between good and bad and light and darkness. And it’s up to each person to make the decision as to which road they choose to journey on in this life: the road of salvation or the road of good intentions; the way that seems right to men but leads to death. We must learn to use that which God provided for our well-being, our eyes, mouth, feelings, nose, and ears, and have an intense aversion for the worldly things. The Word tells us that God would have all men to come unto repentance. He draws men to Himself, giving each the opportunity, but knows in advance those who will and those who won’t, but because He would have none to perish He extends the opportunity nevertheless. Take heed, if we want to be rescued from a life of eternal damnation then it behooves each of us to accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and follow Him, leaving the ways of the world to the adversary and his cohorts of misfits. Make no mistake about it, God will draw us but it’s up to each of us as to what we do when He reaches out to us.

Listen…

The eye is the lamp of the body; so if your eye is clear [spiritually perceptive], your whole body will be full of light [benefiting from God’s precepts]. But if your eye is bad [spiritually blind], your whole body will be full of darkness [devoid of God’s precepts]. So if the [very] light inside you [your inner self, your heart, your conscience] is darkness, how great and terrible is that darkness!  “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord]. (Matthew 6:22-24 — AMP)

Rev. Donna M. Humphries

Heaven Gates Ministries, Inc.

Thought for the week...

LOVE

You’d be surprised at the number of people who don’t feel the affection of others. They have been abused by those that they have trusted and as a result have decided that it’s better to not trust than to trust and be hurt in the process. When you think about it, to go without the feeling of a personal attachment or tender affection is detrimental to our livelihood. We were created to be loved and to love.

When we truly care for others, we’re not just giving lip service but we show our concern and care for them in action; we check on them, we pray for them, we help them, we cry with them, we laugh with them, we feed them, we clothe them, and we push them to be all that they can be. It’s a fact, that we may have been hurt, wounded, rejected, lied on, cheated on, stolen from, manipulated, etc., but when we truly care for someone, we forgive them. Or, we may have even been the culprit, the one causing the offense and if so, we must repent, be godly sorrowful, receive God’s forgiveness and forgive ourselves. If we are truly a child of God, we don’t stop caring for a person because they hurt us or we hurt them; we learn to separate the offense. And, it’s quite possible that because of the hurt/wound/offense, we may never be close to the person again but we care for them nonetheless. With that being said, we must follow Christ’s example; in spite of the hurt/wound/offense He received, He yet had a profound, tender and compassionate affection for people, so much so that He laid down His life for them.

Listen and take heed…

Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. It does not rejoice at injustice but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. Love bears all things [regardless of what

comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening]. Love never fails [it never fades nor ends]. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a — AMP)

Rev. Donna M. Humphries

Heaven Gates Ministries, Inc.