Pastors Ralph and Pamela Hale (Fathers Heart Ministries)

Praise and Thanksgiving, how often we talk of it! However, how often do we do it? It is commanded and admonished and it comes with power and promises! It will change us and change our circumstances! Let us offer a spiritual sacrifice, the fruit of our lips giving praise unto the Lord.

What makes you glad? Scripture says joy and gladness come from Christ Jesus. I became glad when: I was born again, I was filled with the Holy Ghost, It is time for church, I hear testimony of God's working! So, what makes you glad?

Jeremiah said the heart is desperately wicked, who can know it? Jesus said, out of the heart proceeds all manner of evil things. Ezekiel said God wants to take out the wicked heart and put in a godly one. How wonderful it is to have a heart established in and on God's grace.

This is a question that needs to be answered by everybody. Who did what? Is God real?Is the devil real? Who is responsible for what? Have you not known that God is the creator, the savior, the healer the giver of every good and perfect gift?

No doubt we as Christians need to grow up. We need to come in all points like Christ. However, growing is a process. It takes time and commitment. As we look into God's Word. we find ourselves growing deeper in Faith- Higher in Spirit-Going Forward by Love.

Jesus Often spoke of the Kingdom, Kingdom of God, of Heaven and the coming eternal Kingdom. However, He also taught of the reality of God's Kingdom being in us who believe. It is the Father's will and purpose that we live in the kingdom and the kingdom live in us!

We are admonished to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. This call and command is not without purpose. It is so we can stand against our spiritual and natural enemies. However, when we get strong, we must stay strong.

All we believers have an experience with God. Being Born Again is the same with everyone. However, everyone didn't come the exact same way. It is the same Jesus, same truth, same Holy Spirit. However, the experiences vary, and that is called your testimony. Everyone of us have a unique testimony that should be shared.

We have all had many experiences in our Christian faith walk. Some wonderful, some good and some not so good. As we read the Bible we glean from the heroes of faith and pray for experiences like they had. Yet, in our heart we know we have had an experience they did not have but can some they did.

We are commanded and called to walk as Jesus walked? So many struggle with this. To live in the spirit is the power to walk in the spirit. We are not trying to earn our salvation. We are, however, to please God with our lives. If we can see and understand this is the highest call, honor and privilege and it becomes simply living the life.