Seasons of hard times in our lives have come and gone many times. There have surely been seasons where our lives have been shaken with challenges to our health, finances, family structure, and perhaps our overall sense of identity. The way we respond to challenges has a lot to do with the way they get resolved. Can you recall times in your life when you responded to your challenges with all of the gusto you could muster to problem solve and work your way out of whatever mess you were in? I can't be the only one...LOL. Think about the times where you stopped and thought about who you knew that was in a position to help you out of your predicament. Think about the times when you simplified your problem down to how much money it would take to make this go away. Just stop and consider the times when you decided that the only way to get it straight would be just to show up and go to battle with whomever was on the other side of the challenge. Oh and let's not forget the times when self-medication was the go to solution; when the subconscious thinking was, "How about I just not feel this at all...until it works itself out." I have no doubt that all of those strategies and many others have gotten us this far, beyond setback after setback, and we are still here.

In this season of corporate struggle that our world is in right now due to all the adjustments being made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, my encouragement is that we adopt faith as our solution this time. Nahhh, not your parents’ or grandparents' faith. Your personal relationship with God is the solution for the challenges of this time. We are facing challenges that we've never faced before. It's time that we adopt a true faith in God, the only solution that is sure not to fail. Let's take some time today and read about and be inspired by the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11, which begins with a clear definition of what faith is as we begin to read their testimonies:
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. (Hebrews 11:1-2)

Focus on your faith in God.

Be Blessed!
~Nina

I am so thankful that ​no good thing will God withhold from those who walk with Him (Psalm 84:11)!!! There is a joy that rings out in the soul of those who know that God is in control (Psalm 35:9). Loving God with all our hearts, all our souls, and all our minds leaves us room to rejoice in our daily lives (Deuteronomy 6:4-6). No matter what is going on in the world around us, our hearts abound with joy when we walk confidently with God (1 John 4:4). 

If you find that you are disconnected from the joy in your soul, I invite you to immerse yourself in the word of God and reclaim your joy. Remind yourself of God's promises over your life, and that no word from God will ever fail (Luke 1:37). Get into the presence of God to overcome the distractions of this world that are competing with the joy you already have, given by God. I encourage you to precipitate the presence of God in your life with gratitude and praise. The word in Psalm 100:4 says enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise. Let your gratitude for God and your praising His name provoke His presence in your life. When you are in the presence of God your joy is complete and there is no struggle that can compete with that (Nehemiah 8:10). I encourage you to meditate on Luke 6:21 today and be reminded of the joyful blessedness of walking with God. 
Luke 6:21 AMP
Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are you who hunger now [for righteousness, actively seeking right standing with God], for you will be [completely] satisfied. Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are you who weep now [over your sins and repent], for you will laugh [when the burden of sin is lifted].

Be Blessed!
​~Nina

I thank God for the privilege of prayer. In times of trouble, comfort, or despair, I am thankful that God is always available for us to commune with Him through prayer. While there is much activity in the earth right now prompting us to pray for solutions to the COVID-19 related problems we are facing, my encouragement is for believers to remember to pray responsibly rather than just responsively. Of course we want to address through prayer any concerns that humanity is facing. Sure, we want to pray life and healing for those personally experiencing the virus on any level. Indeed we want to pray that God will cover our households with health and satisfy us with long life, protecting us from exposure to the virus or its impact. But, as we approach God with these responsive prayer concerns, let us do so in the manner that God prefers so that our prayers will be received with affection, and they will be effective.

My heart today is set on sharing the power of confession for effective prayer. God is so awesome. He is so merciful, loving, and kind. His word in John 4:23-24 says that we must worship Him in spirit and in truth. In our one on one intimacy with God, we must know Him and commune with Him in spirit and in truth. As born again Christians, we have access to the Holy Spirit who helps us to receive, understand, and live in the truth of God's word. 
John 14:16 AMP
14 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive [and take to its heart] because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in you. 18 “I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, bereaved, and helpless]; I will come [back] to you.
I believe that reciprocity is essential to intimacy in any relationship. What God so lovingly and liberally avails to us, we should feel compelled and honored to avail to Him. When we approach God in prayer, let us do so in the character of His Spirit, and on the premise of truth. 

When we humbly confess our sins to God in prayer we are coming to Him in truth. God already knows the truth of our lives (1 John3:18-19). But, by us coming to Him in a humble posture of prayer acknowledging where we are falling short of His glory we offer our hearts for healing (Romans 3:23). When we allow ourselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit, and we confess our wrongs to each other we make room for forgiveness and God heals our wounds.
Matthew 6:14-15 AMP
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others [nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that it interferes with your relationship with God], then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.

​When we come to God with hearts that are broken for Him, it draws us closer to Him.
Psalm 34:18 AMP 
The Lord is near to the heartbroken and He saves those who are crushed in spirit (contrite in heart, truly sorry for their sin).

I encourage you today to love God with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul, and all your strength (Deuteronomy 6:5). Pour into your personal relationship with God by worshiping Him in spirit and in truth through your confession of sin.  While the world may condemn you, God's character and earnest desire is to love and heal you (John 3:17, Psalm 37:33, Proverbs 17:15, Isaiah 50:9). I am praying for us all to cry out to God today confessing our sins to Him in prayer (Luke 15:21).

Be Blessed!
​~Nina
​

The human condition right now is being challenged on every level. We have a global threat to our public health that is impacting our lives in every way, out of an abundance of caution. Schools are shifting to online learning or closed down completely for weeks to come. Whole industries are forced to be at a standstill or at a significantly reduced operating capacity, which impacts individual employment and household income. Restrictions are being enacted on travel and public gatherings to prevent the spread of COVID-19. On a daily basis, the number of people diagnosed with the virus is growing, while there is not a satisfactory infrastructure for testing and treatment in the United States. There is a great deal of pressure being felt at the individual and household level to make decisions and preparations that will protect the health and well being of our families, from a position of diminished capacity due to all the shut downs and restrictions.
​
During this time, I simply want to remind Christian believers that God is in control, and His grace is sufficient for us. In fact, the power of God is made perfect when we are weakened. It is difficult to rely on the grace of God in our lives when our resources, options, and our allies are plentiful. But when we find ourselves without many options, and with little access to allies in the natural who can help us with the condition we are faced with, we are left to surrender to God and rely on his grace for the solutions we need. The good news is that God has promised that his grace is sufficient for us, and that His power is made perfect in our weakened condition. I encourage you today to remember who God is, and to truly trust Him for every need that you have. 

1 Chronicles 29:11-13 (ESV)
11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours.
Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. 
12 Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. 
13 And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.

God is the true source of any solution that you can trust for your life. Remember this.

Be Blessed!
~Nina
​

As I thank God for His mercies made new this morning, I have a clear and compelling clarity about what's real for me in this life. While that's between me and God, I'm led to let you know today that you also should be clear about what is real in your life according to God. When you know God for yourself, you have the mind of Christ to receive the things of God by the Spirit of God. The systems of this world are established on the premise of lies. Every day we are confronted with pathological norms that attempt to negate the word and the work of God in the earth. Sure, they may be rational and seem to make perfect sense to our human nature (John 8:43-45). But being a born again, blood bought, disciple of Jesus Christ gives you a new life by the Spirit to operate with the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 6:20, John 3:1-21, 1 Corinthians 2:16).

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 AMP:
4 The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 
5 We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ...

Having the mind of Christ means that you are at war with the world, daily (1 peter 5:7-9). Knowing this...my encouragement for you is a reminder that a life lived by the Spirit, yielded to the One who has all power in His hands, makes you a no limit soldier--He that is in you is GREATER than he who is in the world. Do not be dismayed by the weapons of this world. Instead, be reminded of the mighty power of God on the inside of you, according to Psalm 147:4-6
​4 He determines the number of the stars
    and calls them each by name.
5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
    his understanding has no limit.
6 The Lord sustains the humble
    but casts the wicked to the ground.
​Periodt.

Know this, and Be Blessed!
~Nina

Updated 3/12/2020 at 9:36am

Do you trust God to do a new thing in your life? Do you have a level of faith that ​can accommodate a major move of God coming forth through you? Are you paying attention to what God is speaking to your heart concerning His vision for your life? My encouragement today is for you to BEHOLD God's vision for this season. Yield your heart to God in prayer and allow Him to speak to you about his plans (Luke 1:26-38, Matthew 1:18-24). Give thanks to God, and honor Him for the former things that have come to pass; but set the eyes of your spirit on the new thing that He is declaring for your life right now (Isaiah 43:18-19). Don't get caught up on the former glory of God in your life. Let's be mindful that if He did it before, He can do that again and so much more! I praise God in advance for His works that are coming forth in the earth at this time (Habakkuk 2:3 NIV). Let us be sober and vigilant so that we may behold and receive God's declaration of vision (1 Peter 5:8 NIV). 

Habakkuk 2:1-2 AMP
1 I will stand at my guard post
And station myself on the tower;
And I will keep watch to see what He will say to me,
And what answer I will give [as His spokesman] when I am reproved.
2 Then the Lord answered me and said,
“Write the vision
And engrave it plainly on [clay] tablets
So that the one who reads it will run.

Be Blessed!
​~Nina

With God, ALL THINGS are possible, according to His will. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). God's grace is in all things (2 Corinthians 9:8). I greet you this morning with peace and resounding joy about the power of God to do all things. I am praying today for the Holy Spirit to inhabit your heart and your head space so that the things of God will take precedence over the worries of this world. Nothing is too hard for God. Jeremiah 32:27 declares and inquires, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?"
What you are facing may be too difficult for you, in the capacity of your flesh. But I encourage you today to put no confidence in your flesh. Let us be reminded of God's word in Philippians 3:3:
For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh--
Trust in the power of the Holy Spirit to see the impossible be made possible in your life today. I implore you to pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to inhabit you and your circumstances to accomplish God's will in your life today. Yielding to the help of the Holy Spirit dwelling on the inside of us, we are one with God. I encourage you live by the Spirit as you face anything that you find yourself up against. Hold this in your heart today:
​Romans 8:35-37
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 
36 As it is written:
“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Be Blessed!
​~Nina