What Color Is Your Coat?

 

Genesis 37:3 Says, “Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other children, because he was the son of his old age and made him a coat of many colors.”

Awhile back,I bought myself a jacket. I liked the taupe color because it is neutral. I was leaving the house to go have lunch with a friend. I noticed that in the sunlight my coat looked more green than taupe. This made me think of a young man in the Bible by the name of Joseph. His father made him a coat of many colors. He did this because he loved his son very much. It is easy today to run to the mall and purchase a jacket for ourselves. We realize that wasn’t the case in Joseph’s time. I can picture the father working lovingly on the coat for his son. He must have worked for days, even weeks on it. I believe he took great thought into picking each color of fabric.

In my mind I  can see him choosing purple. Joseph would someday be a part of royalty. Maybe he chose a blue. He prayed his son would always walk in revelation knowledge. White could stand for a reminder to Joseph to remain pure until marriage. This story reminds me of how many times my Heavenly Father has covered me. I have walked in some hard places. I know I could not have made it without Gods love for me.

Later on in the story, Joseph’s brothers stripped him of his beloved coat. It didn’t matter. He still felt His Fathers love and presence in his life. Have there been times in your life when struggles have made you feel stripped of who you know  you are in Christ? The enemy has tried many times to convince me God wasn’t there for me in trials. Maybe at times it has seemed like God is far away. Those are the times we must remember how He has always prepared for us whatever we needed. Whatever we may face, He has us covered. There is nothing that gives us strength more than spending time with Him. The world may try to strip us. Nothing can take away the love our Father has for us. What color is your coat today? I can tell you. It is whatever you need from Him. All you have to do is ask of your Father. Remember, he has you covered.

~Connie Robinson

Image Credit @ Tammy Sanders

Watch out For The Birds

You can’t stop a bird from flying over your head, but you can keep it from building a nest.Temptations come at us everyday. We make choices whether to give into them or not. It’s not a sin to be tempted. Sin comes into the equation when we choose to yield or give into it. When God created man He wanted us to have a choice whether to serve Him or not. A few years ago Flip Wilson said,

“T he Devil made me do it .” Well, that sounds good and a lot of people love that excuse. It may sound good, but as a Christian satan has no power over our choices.Man from the beginning has always tried to pass the responsibility for his choices over on someone else. Adam blamed Eve. Eve blamed the devil for their disobedience to God. When it comes down to the truth, everyone is responsible for their actions and choices.God gave us a free will to love Him and keep His commandments. The definition of will is, The power of conscious,deliberate action. The faculty by which the mind makes choices and acts to carry them out. As one pleases or purposes to do, strong determination. Our choices are our own.

No one can make you go against your own will.We live in a generation that has been taught, You are not responsible for your own actions. It’s the environment  lack of education, social standing, upbringing, government, and the list goes on. NO, you are responsible. No matter what society says, God’s Word is true forever. It’s our standard that never changes. The Lord wants us to be blessed and make the right choices when we face temptations.If they obey and serve Him. They shall spend their days in prosperity and their years in pleasures. Job 36:11

It’s your choice, choose wisely.

~ Ricky Robinson

 

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The Prodigal Parent

Most of us have heard the story of the prodigal son. He decided to leave his father’s house and take off on his own. It is good to know that the story ends with the son returning home. That gives hope to other families. My story is the opposite. My father left when I was a baby. I grew up with a lot of questions. I dreamed of what it would be like to be “Daddy’s little girl.” My father came to visit about once every four years.I never knew what town he was living in, or how to find him. His short visits were exciting to me. I loved my dad very much.

I will never forget the last phone call I received from him. I had not heard from him in a long time. He was usually cheerful when he phoned or visited. This time was different. He told me he had some bad news. He had cancer. The doctors said he had three months to live. Even as I write this, I can still feel the pain of that conversation.He told me where he was living. It was only an hour away. I began driving to his house every day. I held his hand. I kissed his forehead. I knew he was in pain. He tried to keep a smile on his face. Some days, he could talk more than others.

He told me about his childhood. I asked about his first love. He told me about his first car. I never asked why he left those many years ago. It didn’t matter. What mattered was that I had another day to be with him. I wish my childhood had been different. I always wanted to be “Daddy’s girl.” I was his girl for three months. The most precious visits were the ones when we talked about Heaven. We both found comfort in knowing that someday we will be together forever. I would tell adults who have been abandoned by a parent to keep an open heart. People make mistakes. Time is precious. If a prodigal parent comes home, please don’t reject them.

Maybe you are a parent who wasn’t there for your child. I urge you to contact them. Go to them. There is never an age that your child doesn’t need you. I have memories of my dad now. I know the touch of his hand. I am “Daddy’s girl.”

~Connie Robinson

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The God Kind of Love

It’s been almost sixteen years since the day I had been beaten. Everything I had known for many years was suddenly jerked out from under me. Put yourself in my shoes. How would you have felt? I wanted revenge.

As I think back to that day I was sitting on the stand looking my accuser in the face, Hoping and praying the justice system would punish him for what he did to me. I remember the judge reading the charges and in my mind I could just see my accuser behind bars. The judge says, “The verdict is not guilty.”

All I can remember was this big smile coming across my face as I stepped down off the platform. Walking out of the courtroom, and as I sat down in my car, the gravity of the situation finally registered in my mind. How could they say he was not guilty I wondered? What about all the bruising, not to mention the mental anguish I had been through?

I just broke down sobbing uncontrollably. I let it all out, and I believe that day was a turning point in my life. God was working on my love walk even then. Some people have asked me about the smile when  everything was done.  Of all times to smile! I probably looked crazy to the other people in the courtroom.  All I can say is it had to be God because in my own strength I could never have done that.

That seemingly insignificant act let me know that God was in control even if I didn’t see how any good could come from that situation. I was not even filled with Holy Ghost yet, just full of God and starting to let Him rule and reign in my life as much as I knew how. It says in God’s word He will give us what to say, and that day He also gave me the action to go with it.

Choosing not to walk in love toward my ex-husband put a ceiling on my life, and I didn’t even know it. I came to realize love is not based on a feeling. The God kind of love is unconditional. Even though I was still hurting on the inside, one day God let me see my ex-husband how he saw him. God didn’t see him as my abuser. God sees us all broken in need of a savior. As I was able to comprehend what He was showing me, it was easier for me to walk in love towards him because I remember what a mess I was before someone reached out to me. God has healed me emotionally and that has helped my ex-husband to see how much God really loved him, even if he doesn’t understand it.  God gives us chances everyday to walk in love.  We need to be willing to do the same for others.

Yes, this means we have to be willing to be hurt again. It’s also a chance to grow. The Bible says, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”

~Tammy Sanders

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God makes amazing Lemonade!

I happen to be one of those odd people who actually enjoy eating a lemon. However, most people do not. But how many of those people when they’re sitting on their porch with a warm summer breeze flowing through their hair, crave a refreshing ice-cold glass of lemonade! I personally enjoy a tall glass of lemonade just like the rest, but remind me, what is the main ingredient in lemonade (besides sugar)? Bingo! Lemons!

These past few weeks, I feel like I have been assaulted with lemon, after lemon, after lemon! At work, experiment after experiment seemed to fail or go disastrously wrong. I’ve been sick for two weeks with the flu followed by a lovely sinus infection. My family is now going to court against each other and I may have to testify for both the plaintiff and the defense. Talk about leaving a sour taste in your mouth! But…when I sit down at my piano and pour my heart out to God, or come together with my brothers and sisters in Christ on Sunday, or listen to our church’s live praise and worship or sermons online, I am overwhelmed with a supernatural peace and love. Overwhelmed by the sweet, sweet presence of God Almighty.So I finally got tired of going from sweet to sour to sour to sweet. I made the decision to allow God to mix the two. I told God about my lemons and said, “Take them! I can’t deal with them on my own. I am going to trust You with my lemons.” Well, apparently that was exactly what God had been waiting for me to do! Once I released the worries and despairs in my life to Him, some amazing things have begun to happen. My health is greatly improved and continuing to with each day. I talked with my mentor about my “failed” results and we have come up with a new angle to present the data which is both pertinent and important to our field of research. My family situation is coming up next week, but after seeing how God has turned my lemons into some invigorating lemonade, I have no worries!

The Apostle Paul put it this way, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose” (Rom. 8:28). I see it as God is the master maker of amazing lemonade! He is faithful to take your lemons of life and turn them into a refreshing, life-giving beverage for you to enjoy. So stop with your puckered lips! Give those lemons to God and see what amazing lemonade He has waiting for you!

~Dr. Matt

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Comfort and Joy

What does it mean to walk in comfort and joy anyway? I have been asking myself this same question.

 

For starters, what is comfort? Comfort means to “soothe, console, or reassure; bring cheer to, to make physically comfortable, to aid; support or encourage”. So looking at the meaning, and hooking it up with scripture, then when we say “Jesus is our comforter,”we are saying that He provides relief in our afflictions (healing), and He gives us peace.

 

I don’t know about you but I have not been walking in a lot of comfort and joy. At least not until recently when I got a breakthrough. You know when you take your eyes off of the one who gives you the comfort and joy and start to focus on all of the circumstances surrounding you that comfort and joy leaves you. You may be able to put on the façade of joy but it does not last long. I should know since I had been doing that for a while.

 

It is important that when thoughts that do not line up with God’s Word are flooding your mind, that you take those thoughts captive. I went to leadership for advice for assistance and was provided a good swift kick in the rear that I needed to help me get back on track. Don’t get me wrong, God had already been dealing with me about the price and the swift kick in the rear was done in love. It was the truth and the truth will set you free if you will listen. I chose to listen, and I have felt more joy and comfort than I have felt in months!

 

My focus has shifted to where it needs to be and not on the circumstances that have tried to infiltrate my mind. Will I have to battle thoughts in the future? I  know I will.

 

Gateway leaders are here to help you overcome all circumstances that has tried to present itself in your life. You just have to be willing to take correction and to change and grow. Showing up for services and ministry opportunities is a vital role in your spiritual growth. At one time it was said that 80% of our victory is just showing up. Spending personal time in the Word for yourself, worshiping and praying are also necessary in order to overcome obstacles and circumstances in your life. Trust in Him and His Word for His Word is His Will. He sent His son to die on the cross for our salvation, healing, comfort, and joy. Embrace the comfort and joy that comes from the love of our Father.

 

Ronda Sullivan

 

Image Credit © Tammy Sanders

Friends for Life

I have a friend on death row in the state of Florida. We met in 1968 in Charlotte N.C. at a military induction center. We had both enlisted in the Marine Corps. Tom and I went through boot camp and Vietnam together. After we got out we stayed in touch, we became life long friends.

One night I was watching the 11 pm. news. The reporter was telling about a man who was arrested for three counts of murder. When I heard Tom’s name it floored me. We have all listened to news reports about tragedys without it affecting us.

When I heard this one I was shocked. They had arrained Tom from N.C. to Florida to stand trial.While he was in jail we were able to communicate by phone. He was convicted of three counts of murder and given the death sentence. Tom was placed on death row in 1981. It took me until 1984 to get on his visitor list because I wasn’t a relative. He has been on death row for 31 years.

Since his incarceration, both of his parents have died and all of relatives have forsaken him. My wife and I are his only contacts on the outside. He was pretty much railroaded through his trial and conviction.  Basically, he was at the wrong place at the wrong time. For 31 years he has maintained his innocence and has been in the appellet system trying to get a new trial. I believe in the power of prayer and the faithfullness of God. My wife and I have been there for Tom and have shown him God’s unconditional love.

As I was meditating on what to write about, the Lord reminded me of his faithfullness. I just want to give God praise and thanksgiving. We take his faithfullness for granted at times. No matter where we are in life his faithfullness abounds. He uses people, things, and circumstances to work his goodness toward us. We need to be greatful every day for his blessings, not just one day each year.

I would ask that you remember Tom in your prayers and never take your freedom for granted.

~Ricky Robinson

Image Credit © MEN’S HANDS
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You Are Part of the Change!

For years you go to church, worship, listen to the speaker in the pulpit, and you read the Word. You ask yourself, “How in tarnation can God use me to change the world?” Here I am trying my best to walk out one thing and then I am bombarded with something else. I get that under control and here comes something else. How can I help change the world when I am busy just trying to keep my head above water while walking out what God says about my me and my situations?

This past Sunday night we had Apostle Bobbie Jean Merck speaking in our service. Here I am, minding my own business and just worshipping God. You know, God does inhabit the praises of His people. I am in a place of worship that night that I hadn’t been able to get to for a while. In my spirit the words rose up in me saying, “You are part of the change.” I realize it wasn’t my imagination and that God was speaking to me.  At that point, I had no clue how that was going to happen.

Listening to Apostle Merck, I heard something that, as far as I know, I have never heard before, at least not in this manner.  It struck a chord in me, and I BELIEVE that it has changed my life. It has set something in motion which has caused some things to break off.

Apostle Merck talked about walking in faith. God’s Word tells us to walk by faith and not by sight. What I never caught in the past was that it was okay that my faith doesn’t have to be like someone else’s faith and that it is okay to have a little faith. We are just to take that faith and help it to grow.

In the past I have felt that the level of faith I had wasn’t good enough for God or for the people at my church. You know the ones, they have it altogether and they are so spiritual that they make you feel lower than a snakes belly in a wagon rut when your faith isn’t up to par. Now I am not talking about those who are mentoring me and helping me walk things out. They are holding me accountable, which I need. I don’t have that at home.

I am not sure if it is a revelation from just last night or a culmination of all the things I read, pray, and even what I teach the toddlers. All I know, as Apostle David would say, I got my fight back! It doesn’t matter what others think about my faith. As long as I have faith and hope, because hope is the container that faith pulls from, God has something to work with and I can grow my faith!

The physicians of the world tell me all of these things are wrong with me. I do not think it is a coincidence that all of them could end my life in the natural if I did not believe and have some amount of faith. God’s Word tells me that He is the HEAD physician. So that means what He says over rules the physicians of the world. Does that mean that I do not heed the warnings from my physicians? Of course not! God has given them the ability and wisdom to deal with sicknesses until we have the faith to walk out of it. What that does mean is that I listen and do what I need to do as well as confess the scriptures about healing and then I will know that I know and then I will see the manifestation of God’s Word in my life.

As I break through, and I WILL break through, I am breaking through for others as well as myself. I am the change that will help others breakthrough in the areas that I am breaking through.

So many times I have just wanted to throw in the towel and call it quits. Many of you might be feeling the same way, DON’T! Just hang in there, even if it is just by a thread. Once you break through and get YOUR revelation, there is nothing that can come and take that away! You will be glad that you hung in there. God will NEVER let you down so don’t give up! Be the change in the lives of those around you.

~Ronda Sullivan

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The Birthday Present

On April 19, 2012, I turned sixty-two. Time really flies by as you get older. I really don’t like a lot of attention, especially birthday parties. My daughter had been building me up about her getting me the greatest birthday present of all time. Over the weeks leading up to the big day she would ask me what I wanted. I have more clothes than I can wear. I didn’t need anymore toys or tools. I couldn’t think of anything that I wanted or needed. The 19th came. To me, it was just another day. Amy called and wanted us to come over at six. I was beginning  to wonder what she had for me. You know how it goes, people get so excited about giving you something. Everybody has gotten that gift that you have to put on the fake smile for.

When we arrived, she wanted us to go upstairs to the playroom. Nobody except family was there so I was relieved, no surprise party. She asked me to sit down and close my eyes. I was handed a package. When I opened my eyes, I had two large manila envelopes containing many letters. I had letters from friends, coworkers, family, and neighbors I had known over my life. She had gotten in contact with each one asking them to write something about me.

As I began to read the letters, tears began to flow. It was so touching to read each one and relive the memories. Some were funny, like my friend who wrote about an episode that happened at Parris Island when we were in boot camp. One was from my nephew with whom I had worked with doing construction. It’s amazing some of the things we’ve forgotten over the years that others remembered.

I had almost sixty two letters, which was my daughter’s goal. Amy told me my legacy was that I was known as a man of prayer, and I loved God’s word. You will never know how humbling that was. I was truly blessed beyond any material gift that I could have recieved.

As I have read and reread each letter I give thanks to the Lord for every person He has allowed me to know over my life. It makes me want to be a better example and represent Jesus every day to the best of my ability. I have heard it said, “Our life may be the only Bible that some people ever read.”  As followers of Jesus I would like to exhort everyone to live your life like an open book that everyone is going to read. Let’s make it a best seller for His Glory.

~Ricky Robinson

 

Image credit:  Ricky

Tomatoes and the Anointing

It’s funny what we take for granted. For instance, if you live in Northeast Georgia like we do, you take for granted that you will be able to eat tomato sandwiches every day from June to August if you want to. Homegrown tomatoes are everywhere this time of year. They’re at roadside stands, farmers’ markets, grocery stores, and in friends’ gardens. I can’t grow tomatoes, myself, so I get blessed by the overflow from those friends who can. It’s so easy to get used to having fresh, juicy tomatoes any time you want… until you go somewhere that doesn’t have tomatoes.

I just got back from Seattle where food is in abundance. There are organic, farm fresh fruits and veggies everywhere. I ate fingerling potatoes dug fresh from the dirt and ate salads from lettuce growing right out in the garden. We ate an amazing and delicious variety of the freshest food you could imagine… but no tomatoes. I was so surprised by the number of fruitless tomato plants I saw everywhere. Why? Because tomatoes need lots of sun, and the sunny season in Seattle doesn’t really get started until July. I was shocked by that, and I realized how fortunate I am to live where tomatoes grow easily (except in my yard) and in abundance.

Okay, so you’re probably thinking I got the wrong blog site and what in the world do tomatoes have to do with church or spiritual issues? Well, I’ll tell you… not everyone has what we have. You can grow so accustomed to having something in abundance that you forget how valuable it really is. Maybe you stop being impressed by how much spiritual fruit is popping up in the lives of all the people around you. Healing and deliverence might become commonplace. A powerful sermon and an anointed prayer line could become yawners for you if you get so used to them that you stop celebrating them. Sometimes, one of the best things you can do is go away to a place where what you have does not exist. When you see that other people don’t have what you have, then… THEN…you realize just how priceless and precious what you have really is and you stop taking what you have for granted.

When I walked back into the sanctuary at Gateway on the Sunday morning after my trip, I realized how much I had missed the corporate anointing and the apostolic ministry we have here. I missed worshipping my God with my church family. I felt, in my spirit, revivied and refreshed in a powerful way just by walking through the doors. There isn’t a place like Gateway anywhere close to where my family lives in Seattle. Nothing. I forget sometimes that not everyone has the opportunity to sit under a powerful ministry like ours…. and I’m thankful. I’m very thankful for Gateway and the anointing that is unique to this house.

After my vacation, I’m determined more than ever NOT to take what I have for granted… not in the spirit and not  in the natural. Now for a tomato sandwich!!

~Linda

Image credit: TOMATOES
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