Prayer warriors needed tonight!!!!

Dedicated Christian Foster Mother needs prayers for healing

PRAYER WARRIORS CALLING ALL  PRAYER WARRIORS: asking for prayer concerning a Foster mother to whom is a very very young lady and foster mother. She went into the ER and is now seizing very hard. They do not know what is going on so please be praying for Danny. She has devoted her life to Christ and to these many foster children and they need her to continue the walk in Christ. Thank you so much! God bless

Prayers for Danny a very young Christian Foster mother

Strengthen thy foundation only through God’s will.

Follow God and He will carry you through your trials

Recently I have been put in a very difficult situation. My flesh attempted to take over. But the sermon that I last heard stated:” Do not fret!” I realized that is was going to be another lesson from my Heavenly Father .

God lead me to the scripture:

Mathew 10:27-28

What I tell you in darkness(in prayer), that speak you in light(openly): and what you hear in the ear(what the Spirit reveals) that preach you upon the housetops.(publicly)

28)And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul(don’t fear man) but rather fear Him(God) which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

He was allowing me to know that He was in control and all I had to do was stand firm in Him and they may give me a difficult time but God is going to carry me through all my trials and tribulations. He then lead me to:

 Mathew 10: 34-36

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth.(the entrance of Christ into the world brings shows the evil of the heart) I came not to send peace, but a sword.(the sword against the Righteous will be the response of religious reprobate[shameless person])

35) For I am came to set a man at variance(odds)against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

36) And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.(speaks not only of immediate family, but at times, of one’s Church family)

So do not be surprised if you run into trials and tribulations that concern you and your Church family. It comes about and again if you are in the Lord you will listen to Him and not fret. What I am going to do is walk you through how the Lord carried me through this issue to get ready for a meeting where I was being removed as a recovery leader. Yes, I was hurt but again God strengthened me because I chose to follow Him and His word.Here is a verse that I live by daily and I wanted to share with you.:

Mathew 18:18

18) Verily I say unto you, whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven.

So if a believer conducts himself Scriptureally, the decision reached will be honored and ratified in Heaven.

Recently I went and asked someone to pray for one of the person’s in my recovery group. I was devastated because the person remark was not what I had expected. the person’s remark was: “You lie with dogs you get fleas.” So yes there was not a prayer for this young man who was coming up on his one year anniversary of being clean from his issues. I felt a type of hatred or anger coming from this person and instead of confronting the situation I choose to pray for this person daily. but God had lead me to some verses that really strengthened my prays for this person. 

1John 4:20

20) If a man say, I love God and hates his Brother, he is a liar(as James states in James 3:11 “does a fountain send forth at the same place sweet and bitter?)For he who loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

So if a professed Christian cannot love a Christian brother who is sees daily. How can he love God? Whose image he bears, yet has not seen?

1 John 3:15

Whosoever hates his brother is a murder(absence of love proclaims the presence of hatred; where hatred is, there is murder) and you know that no murderer has Eternal life abiding in him.(comes back to absence of love)

 Proverbs 10:12

Hatred stirreth up strife’s(strife/debate Greek eridos, from “eris”, rivalry, strife, exertion or contention for superiority, either by intellectual or physical efforts)

So in the end we need to follow 1 Corinthians 13:4-7:

⁴ Charity(love) suffereth long,(refers to patience) and is kind;(represents the second side of the Divine attitude toward human kind) charity(God’s kind of love) envieth not;(does not want what other’s have) charity vaunteth not itself,(never brags) is not puffed up,(is not prideful)

⁵ Doth not behave itself unseemly,(is forgetful of self and thoughtful of others) seeketh not her own,(is unselfish) is not easily provoked,(is not bitter from antagonizing people. or insult to injury)) thinketh no evil;(takes no act of evil)

⁶ Rejoiceth not in iniquity,(never gossips of misdeeds of others) but rejoiceth in the truth;(proclaims that which the Word of God identifies as truth)

⁷ Beareth all things,(never complains) believeth all things,(takes the kindest view of all man) hopeth all things,(keeps believing for the best) endureth all things.

Recently I have been battling with this issue of with a church where an unmarried couple, living together and working as the head of a Children’s class. I know it does not follow God’s word. But God took me to these verses:

1 Timothy 3:12

Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children on their own.

1 Timothy 4:1

Now the Spirit(Holy Spirit) speaks expressly (pointedly) that in the latter times(times in which we are in, the last of days, which begins the fulfillment of end time prophecies) some shall depart from the Faith(Paul is referring to the Cross; we are told here that some will depart from the Cross as the means of Salvation and Victory)giving heed to seducing spirits(evil spirits, i.e. “religious spirits” making something seem like what isn’t) and doctrines of devils(should have been translated “doctrines of demons”; the “seducing spirits ” entice believers away from Faith, causing them to believe and follow “doctrines inspired by demon spirits.”)

1 Timothy 4:7

⁷ But reject profane and old wives’ fables,(that which does not have the true character of the Word of God) and exercise yourself toward godliness.(Paul’s thought moves on immediately to a contrast between the discipline of the body and the discipline of the Soul.)

So as I read these verses I realized the ill feelings I was feeling about this issue where the correct feeling coming from God’s word. He then led me to this verse that He wants me to cherish and follow all the days of my life.

1 Timothy 6:11

¹¹ But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.

This is the fruit of the Spirit or at least which the Spirit alone can bring about in our lives, which He does by the Cross ever being the object of Faith.

Now some people may think I am judging. But I am not I found these verses that pretty much can explain what is happening.

John 7:24

²⁴ Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

What it is stating Judgement must be rendered according to the whole Word of God, and not only by taking part and perverting it to one’s own satisfaction)

There are actually two kinds of judgements.

Discernment: Kind of judgement God directs believers to use. As in the verse below Paul told the Christians in Thessalonica.

1 Thessalonians 5:21

²¹ Test all things;(when Prophecies are given or anything claims to be of the Lord, it should be put to the test; the test is, “is it spiritual?”) hold fast what is good.(This refers to the sifting process of accepting that which is definitely of the Lord, and rejecting that which is not.)

²² Abstain from every form of evil.(ask the question “Does it please God?”)

Here is something that A.W. Tozer stated:

“Among the gifts of the Spirit scarcely one is of greater practical usefulness than the gift of discernment. This gift should be highly valued and frankly sought as being almost indispensable in these critical times. This gift will enable us to distinguish the chaff from the wheat and to divide the manifestations of the flesh from the operations of the Spirit.”

1 Corinthians 2:15-16

¹⁵ But he who is spiritual judges all things,( portrays only the Spiritual person as capable of the proper discernment) yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.(refers to judgement which God accepts)

¹⁶ For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?”(answer no one: Isiah 40:14) But we have the mind of Christ.(they who have the mind of Christ sees all things as God sees them.)

So as reading these scriptures I have come to the conclusion that all Christians should exercise discernment at all times.

Judgement God condemns

Pride-filled criticism/ is the judgement God declares inappropriate.

Luke 18:9-14

⁹ Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves(self righteous) that they were righteous, and despised others:(the twin curse of self righteousness)

¹⁰ “Two men went up to the temple to pray, (only one would be heard by God)  one a Pharisee( a man who claimed to believe the Bible) and the other a tax collector.(Publican, in Israel referred to as a traitor, thereby beyond salvation)

¹¹ The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself,9His prayer went no further than he. It may have been directed to God, but not heard by God) ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.(placed himself higher than the publican. He asked for the Lord for nothing, and that is what he received)

¹² I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’(VS. 11 is relative righteousness  and this verse is work righteousness, both rejected by God)

¹³ And the tax collector, standing afar off,(did not feel free to come close too the temple) would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven,(he realized and admitted just how unclean he really was) but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’(brought instant results because the plea was based upon the Atonement and not self righteousness)

¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified(declared a righteous man; there is no degrees in justification; one is either justified totally or not at all) ratherthan the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

Those who criticize others to make themselves look good , to justify their own sin, to slander someone they dislike or to attract attention to themselves are engaging in unrighteous judgement which God condemns.

So to finish God brought me to:

1 Peter 5:10

¹⁰ But the God of all grace,(God is the source of all grace) who hath called us(divine summons) unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus,(Jesus dying for my sins on the Cross) after that ye have suffered a while,(transition from “flesh” to “Spirit” which is not easy, fast or simple) make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.(on a firm foundation which cannot be moved, as the Grace of God comes to us in an uninterrupted flow)

So all in all God is making me stronger and firmly rooted by all my trials and tribulations of life. I will not falter when satan attempts to attack. 

 But I am comforted, believeing by my rough discipline God is Fullfilling my foundation to a very firm foundation and my roots are planted very deep. 

We are not judging people when we discern behavior or beliefs that are clearly unbiblical. For an excellent passage on having a judgmental spirit versus a discerning spirit, read Paul’s teaching on the problem of doubtful or questionable things in Romans 14. Having an opinion is not judging.
Making an observation is not judging.We are commanded to exercise righteous judgment. We are forbidden to judge when we are not qualified to do so. We may not judge according to appearance (John 7:24). This means that we may not judge on the basis of insufficient, superficial information.John 7:24 “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” 

Praise God He has carried me through this trial and tribulation with mighty learning. God gets all the glory and only Him. Amen.

Author: Janine Palma VanDenBerg

 

Thomas Dickens July 1, 2012 Sunday

Sandra and Mari our family may be in Kansas but we will never forget them. God bless

Sandra and Mari came to us as a true blessing and now it is time to say farewell. They are always family and we love them with all our hearts. Our prayers are always with them. God bless dear children and keep your eyes focused on God! We are always here for you both. God bless.

United Christian Inner-City Ministry.

Jesus prayed for unity and being united as one on earth.

John 17:20-21

New King James Version (NKJV)

Jesus Prays for All Believers

²⁰ “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; ²¹ that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

John 17:11

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹¹ Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.

It is very sad when people of one congregation attempt to fight their own family. Jesus or God never intended it to be this way. Personally I do not believe in denominations because they always cause issues in the long run. Some how man has chosen to hide behind denominations and God wants us all to unite. “United in one” is the phrase today and we need to follow this. Not because I am saying so but because Jesus said so in one of His longest prays said here on earth. Jesus was still here on earth and actually prayed this with the disciples. So if you are wondering were this prayer is it is John 17. But I am going to focus on a few verses and then leave the rest for you to study and cherish in your hearts.

John 17:14

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁴ I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

The world’s spirit is ruled by satan. so yes as Christians we are continuously in “Spiritual Warfare” But as Christians we should not be bowing down to satan by bring warfare into our own congregations.We are to support each other through the word. Not by what we MAY think is the right way. Use the word as your “Owner’s manual” and what you believe and what is true will soon be the same. But as we grow our true word is the Bible.

John 17:15

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁵ I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.

This is a part that Jesus is praying from His heart as all the rest. But if we want to be “United as One” we really need to understand this verse. Yes, we are not of this world so in our living and actions we should show God’s love through ALL our actions not just a few or the only ones that fit OUR beliefs. It is not what “we want”; to live in us, it is what God wants. We are to Die to ourselves and live for God.To be able to truly show God’s love through all our actions we must firmly believe in the death of Christ and His resurrection and we must build daily by study of His word. Daily means everyday. Not as we see fit or as others take us to Bible studies. God wants us to be responsible and study His word on our own and learn the way He wants us to live and that is NOT of this world. 

John 17:16

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁶ They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

Mind you Jesus states “just as I am not of this world.” All true believers of God should all live like Jesus did while he was here with us on earth.

John 17:18

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁸ As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

Jesus is speaking or His death before it even happened. He has sent us as Christians out to preach and live the cross daily. Every minute of the day , every second. Praise God. So let’s get the Bibles out and start studying to be His true followers and warriors.

John 17:20

New King James Version (NKJV)

Jesus Prays for All Believers

²⁰ “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;

Jesus was not only praying for the twelve disciples, but for the many and I mean many who come in the years to come. Who would believe their testimony.It is totally up to us as Christians to bring God’s word to others. That does not include going to Church every Sunday and listening to the sermons. But it is going out into the communities and spreading His word to people that we meet each and every day.  Let’s take advantage of the prayers from Jesus. Think about it, way back before He died He was already praying for us.

John 17:21

New King James Version (NKJV)

²¹ that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

Jesus is praying for unity among all believers of the word of God. Which can only be done in the love of Jesus. So if there are issues in the church and in your fellow worshipers. Let’s work them out by the word and only the word.If we follow the word down to the last word there should not be the issues that arise in the church. So let us pick up the Bible today and everyday to learn more of God’s will than our will doing something else we have chosen to do. When the word “US” is referred to in this passage, Jesus is referring to the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.

John 17:22

New King James Version (NKJV)

²² And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:

Jesus has GIVEN us unity and glory through His death on the cross and His resurrection. Mind you I stated “Given.” We as a church should remain as “United in one” as The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit have done. One in Fellow shipping, One in God’s purpose and one in God’s glory. Ask yourselves are we doing this or are we doing the exact opposite?

John 17:23

New King James Version (NKJV)

²³ I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

Jesus is the mediating link of the relationship between Father and believers. It explains by the death and resurrection of Jesus He has brought “Unity in One.” Because of God’s love. We as True Christians are responsible to show God’s love through all our actions.If the Christian chose to live by His word, Because of that God will be able to reach more unsaved, but only if we promise to do HIS will.

All in all Jesus is praying that we as Christians decide to do God’s will and not our. We need to love all thy neighbors and not just a few and hate a few. I am going to leave you with these verses and then maybe you will understand “United In One.” God bless.

1 John 4:20-21

New King James Version (NKJV)

Obedience by Faith

²⁰ If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?²¹ And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

Happy Mother’s day… Is it hurt, pain or all in all Praise and celebration?

I am happy and I am sad today on Mother’s day. I am happy because I know my mother is in Heaven and she is praising God for bringing me to Him and I am now His Child. I am happy because I know my son Cory Donovan Cliborne is in Heaven and he is looking down on mommy as the mother he always wanted and God finally brought her to him. These are blessed things to be praise God for today on Mother’s day 2012. I also am so happy because I have been reunited with two of the four children to whom are still here on earth. I was reunited with my son Nick Huncherick in 2010 and reunited with my daughter Samantha Mays in 2012. I also know I would never have had a chance to be reunited with my children; had it not been for God and His patience in me and not giving up on me as His child. My name is Janine Palma VanDenBerg. If you are new to the site I will give you a small update on why I say this. I was a prostitute, crack addict, alcoholic and drug dealer for 18 years. Now I am God’s child and warrior. My whole testimony is found at this link.(https://unitedchristianinnercityministry.wordpress.com/2012/02/29/hello-world/) But praise God I can now firmly and honestly say I am God’s child and I am His servant for the rest of my days here on earth and I will be His warrior forever.

I am sad and really if you think about it , it is a silly reason. I hurt because I miss my mother and son Cory. But as God has promised they are in heaven. My mother was a devote Christian and she died still an elder in the church. She suffered for so many years with terminal cancer. The doctors gave her six months to live but she lived thirteen years longer. I do believe she tried to hang on so she could see me finally turn my life over to God. But my stubbornness and hard head allowed her to die before I was saved. Plain selfishness on my part. But I can praise God because all that is behind me and I do not have to worry about the past. God has forgiven me and I am His child and warrior till death. My son Cory died of sudden infant death syndrome. He was three months old. I know God has him up in heaven to this day. Cory was born on December 24, 1995.

Deuteronomy 1:39

New King James Version (NKJV)

³⁹ ‘Moreover your little ones and your children, who you say will be victims, who today have no knowledge of good and evil, they shall go in there; to them I will give it, and they shall possess it.

God is talking about Heaven and eternal life.

My sadness appears to be a very selfish thing. My mother is no longer suffering from cancer and she is no longer having to go through chemotherapy. My son Cory is in Heaven also and is worshiping the Father almighty. So if I am saved I too should be praising God for my eternal life and knowing God has promised that when I die I will be with Him and my family.

2 Corinthians 5:8

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁸ We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

So if we have a deceased Mother or child  who is saved  Should we not be happy for them being with God? Not having to suffer these agonies of pretty much defeat here on earth?

Revelation 21:4

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁴ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

I think so many people are so concerned on their well being that they forget in a state of depression that God is giving them the chance to see the peace and eternal life that God has given their ones that have passed on. I know now that when my mother looks down on my life now she is happy. I know when I was saved there was a party of celebration in heaven.

Luke 15:10

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁰ Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

So instead of spending this Mother’s day feeling sorry for yourself because maybe your mother is not here anymore or that you child was taken home sooner than you thought, why not spend the time with the Lord and getting to know Him as your Savior. Eternal life is free.

Romans 6:23

New King James Version (NKJV)

²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God promises this. Would you rather spend the rest of your life being selfish, lonely,always striving to get to the top and for what? All you have to do is realize that you are a sinner. Under stand that Jesus died for our sins.

Romans 3:23

New King James Version (NKJV)

²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

John 3:16

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

This verse you must ponder on and ask the Lord to let you know the true meaning of it. Maybe this verse may help you out a bit:

Isaiah 59:2

New King James Version (NKJV)

² But your iniquities have separated you from your God;
And your sins have hidden His face from you,
So that He will not hear.

Because of our immortal life and our immorality we are not able to feel God’s love in our lives. We are feeling alone and maybe even dead in our life here on earth. That is when we need to make a decision to “die to our self” and what I mean by this is quit living the sinful life we have chosen and stop being selfish and live our life for God.We need to start by repenting of our sins and asking God for forgiveness. 

Luke 13:3

New King James Version (NKJV)

³ I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.

Acts 17:30

New King James Version (NKJV)

³⁰ Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,

Repenting is not feeling sorry:

2 Corinthians 7:10

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁰ For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Repentance is a change of heart and change of mind. As God did with my life. I knew I was not living the right life. I knew I had to trust God to help me change. SO when I turned my life over to God that meant I literally turned my life over to Him. I had to stop doing the drugs and alcohol to which led me to prostitution. All of the old me had to go. Through God he was able to take them all away from me.

Matthew 22:37

New King James Version (NKJV)

³⁷ Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

Believe me lost ones this is not a difficult decision to make. Coming from an ex-prostitute, ex-crack addict, ex-alcoholic and ex-drug dealer living my life for God is so much easier, even when satan throws trials and tribulations at me I know God will not give me anything I cannot handle.

1 Corinthians 10:13

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹³ No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

God did not take Daniel from the lions den, No; God carried him through it. Same with  Shadrach Meshach and Abednego, God did not take them from the fiery furnace; yes, He placed an Angel there for them and God carried them through it. He will do the same for you.

Romans 2:4

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁴ Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

Jesus wants us to confess Him before man:

Matthew 10:32-33

New King James Version (NKJV)

Confess Christ Before Men

³² “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. ³³ But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

Then we will want to be baptized in His name:

Acts 2:38

New King James Version (NKJV)

³⁸ Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 22:16

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁶ And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

1 Peter 3:21

New King James Version (NKJV)

²¹ There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Now I will tell you being a faithful Christian is not simple. We will have wars with satan. Because we pose a threat to him now. Before when we lived our lives for satan he was happy because “Misery loves Company.” satan is going to burn in hell as the promise from God.

Matthew 25:41

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁴¹ “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:

So little ones should we not make our lives more productive and have our mothers and children praising God for eternity by turning our lives over to God? Wouldn’t that be better than sitting a feeling sorry for ourselves today and the rest of our lives here on earth? Sit down and ask yourselves am I really getting anywhere in life MY WAY? Please take this seriously and if you do rrepent and turn your lives over to God it will not be something you will ever forget or regret. God bless and:

HAPPY 2012 MOTHER”S DAY!!

Wait on the Lord…..

Thank you© 2012 ShareFaith, Letters & Arts Inc., All Rights Reserved for use of the picture

I believe it is time to introduce myself. My name is Janine VanDenBerg. I am more or less in charge of the web site and I have written some blogs and did not put my name to them because I want all the glory to go to God. But just the other day someone asked me who’s testimony did they read. Actually it is God’s way of allowing the world to know that through Him and Him only am I able to grow in the Spirit. But pretty much enough of the rambling.

Isaiah 40:31

New King James Version (NKJV)

³¹ But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

This verse above had me thinking most of the night and going through the steps that the awesome Father has taken me. I am a very faithful follower of the L.A. Dream Center. I was blessed in my third year of serving the Lord faithfully; to be able to attend a Short Term Mission trip there.While I was there the first time all I could think of is it would be so awesome to do my internship there. I was willing to bend over backwards to learn the ropes of serving the Lord and showing His love through all our actions to those who are less fortunate. Because of my background of “eighteen years of drug addiction, drug dealing, alcoholism and prostitution” I had not quite understood that I had learned the hardest part. That was being able to trust and obey my Father. But when you finally turn your life over you realize that there is alot more freedom in this world by following the Lord. But God had carried me through four deaths and I was still here so He defiantly has me here for a reason. 

But when I got started at the Dream Center, God placed me right in the middle of downtown Los Angeles. It was only two blocks away from the Police Department. God placed me with Chris VanWinkle in the “Under the Bridges” Ministry. We had to go out to skid row everyday and hand out tickets for free food. That does not seem so bad but this place smelled of urine, you go and see blocks and blocks of old rained on refrigerator boxes where people and children actually lived. As you walk down the road you see a crack head smoking crack right out in the open, you see a heroin addict.  shooting up right in front of you, you see drug deals right there in front of you, maybe some prostitution going on in broad daylight. But these people do not seem to be phased by the life style. Most probably learned how to dissociate and ignore all things around them. But I felt very comfortable there. I felt as though I was at home because of the years on the streets I lived in Orlando, Florida. I was over whelmed with joy. I could finally serve God to the best of my ability and feel comfortable with these amazing children and lost souls of God.

 This is where we come back to last night. I stayed awake in amazement of the patience and timing God has for us. I remember coming back to Roanoke with the desire and want to serve Him immediately. But I too still was a young Christian and had to heal more with my mental illnesses. Or please allow me to word that a bit better. I had to learn to have more faith in God that as I grew in Him, my mental illnesses began to disappear. This is where this verse came in last night that got the Spirit stirred up and I stayed awake praising the Father of the blessings I have received from him since the first Short Term Mission trip in June of 2006.

Isaiah 40:31

New King James Version (NKJV)

³¹ But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

God was telling me He had all this planned and all I had to do was follow Him. I struggled with that for a long time and God waited and carried me through the messes I made. Knowing all along I was going to grow into the warrior He wanted.

I often catch myself asking God ; “Why did you not lead me to United Christian Inner-City Ministry” years ago? Why did I have to wait so long. Well the answer is: All things are done in His timing and His timing only. Had God brought me over to the church sooner, I may not have been able to follow through with doing His job as He wanted it done. I may have even gotten bored and started another project. But praise God about October of last year they finally diagnosed me with A.D.D. and I was given a medication that allows me to start and finish projects instead of starting so many things and never finishing a thing. I know God blessed me with an amazing mentor Pastor Mike English. He and his wife Billie have so many dreams to do through God and bring glory to God’s name. I too have dreams and I know now I can start and finish them praise God. All and all to wait on God and to follow His every move is the best way of doing things and I can say Janine VanDenBerg is a warrior and servant of God’s truly now because all I want to do is serve Him and sow seeds and show His love through all my actions. NOT MY LOVE but God’s love. It is just a simple thing of saying to yourself everyday; “Are you dead yet?” In other words we need to die to ourselves and live for God every second of everyday. All I can say this morning is THANK YOU FATHER for having PATIENCE with me and you will continue to have patience  as I grow in you. God bless and have a wonderful day.

Please remember these verses:

Galatians 6:3

New King James Version (NKJV)

³ For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

John 1:3

New King James Version (NKJV)

³ All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

Also a verse to pounder on is:

Luke 17:3-4

New King James Version (NKJV)

³ Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you,^[a] rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. ⁴ And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you,^[b] saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

Again God bless

Memorial Service for Edwin Eugene Sharp, May 6, 2012

BIOGRAPHY

Edwin E. Sharp, 68, of Roanoke, went Home to be with the Lord on Friday, April 27, 2012. He was a Veteran of the U. S. Navy where he served in Vietnam, and was a longtime speaker for the AA Program. Edwin is survived by his daughter, Michaeline Bossler of Delran, New Jersey; two grandchildren, Ryan and Kylie; one brother, Bob Sharp of Burlington, New Jersey; sister, Martha Hackney and her husband, David of Roanoke; two nieces, Alison Miller of Roanoke, April Floyd of New Jersey; two nephews, Paul Fogarty of Roanoke, and Bobby Sharp of New Jersey; May he rest in peace. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 AM on Sunday, May 6, 2012 at the United Christian Inner City Ministry in Roanoke with Pastor Mike English officiating.

MEMORIAL SERVICE

Sunday May 6, 2012, 10:30 AM at United Christian Inner City Ministry 

 

When you are troubled……..

 

Well I was sitting in my apartment attempting to condemn myself. Wow, what the human mind can do. Today was suppose to be our day of “Under the Bridge” ministry. I always look forward to Tuesdays ; except today. I knew I was not healthy and I knew that something was going to be told to me when I went to the Doctor. But instead of taking it to my Church family for guidance and spiritual up lifting’ I attempted to carry it on my own. 1.)  that was the first issue that I should not have done. I was trying to carry this burden by myself. I should have stopped dead in my tracks and said” Janine, you are God’s servant and Child. He does not want you to carry anything on your own. We are suppose to go to Him for everything.” It is like Daniel. He did not take Daniel from the lion’s den. No; God carried Daniel through it. Same with Shadrach Meshach and Abednego. He did not take them right out of the fiery furnace. No; He carried them through it. We must learn to lean on God in times of need and know He is right at our side.

Nahum 1:7

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁷ The Lord is good,
A stronghold in the day of trouble;
And He knows those who trust in Him.

Coming from the street life of 18 years of prostitution, crack addiction, alcoholism and drug dealing it is so difficult to under stand at times that God is my refuge now. I am realizing how I allow my human mind to over throw the Godly one and heart. God has presented me with a true blessing. People, support and a great Bible teaching Church.

2 Thessalonians 1:3

New King James Version (NKJV)

God’s Final Judgment and Glory

³ We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other,

I never in my entire life thought people could care about me and now for the past six months I have been so blessed with such a caring church.I began attending United Christian Inner-City Ministry six months ago. I had been searching not to fill the void but to have a Church with warriors to fight God’s battle for the lost souls of America.In United Christian Inner-City Ministry there are  People with the desire to follow God and His entire Bible, or as I state “Our Owner’s manual.”

Revelation 1:3

New King James Version (NKJV)

³ Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

Had I just pushed myself out of the way and did as He wanted me I would not have been in such turmoil. All God wanted me to do is “Die to self and live for Him.” I as a growing Christian find myself trying to take the drivers wheel back from God.I have died to Christ and I live for Him. But we need to stay in His word to remember this daily, every second of every day. And when I do not follow God it gets stopped immediately in a huge mess. A mess I brought on myself.All I had to do was go to God in prayer and ask Him to strengthen me through the Bible.

Proverbs 3:5-6

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

2 Timothy 3:15-16

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁶ All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

Isn’t it amazing how fast the devil can worm his silly and conning way in? And so fast? Had I read 2 Timothy 3:15-16 first thing this morning , I would have been able to rebuke the devil and went on my way with my Father. 

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21 NKJV)

Heavenly Father you are so amazing and oh so Patient. to think you sent your Son to die for us on the cross to save US from our sins. Oh Father, please forgive me when I stray. Thank you Father for being a forgiving Father and caring Father. A very humble and faithful Father. Lord, give us the strength to stand firm in your word. Allow us to see our faults and to learn from them and grow stronger each day in you. Lord. Lord, strengthen me with thy word.Lord, carry me through my convictions that I will face as a servant of Yours.Please do not allow me to fall weak at anytime lord, for you are my strength.  I know you are the almighty healer and I know you are going to heal this bacteria infection in my blood stream. It is not a part of me and you are so let it be gone. Thank you so much you gracious and wonderful Father. 

In thy name we pray,

Amen

Every one I hope you enjoy the lessons I learned today and I pray that you life is as abundant as mine. God bless.

Psalm 27:14

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁴ Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!

2 Timothy 3:10-17 NKJV

But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions… what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:10-17 NKJV)

All things are possible through God

Lately here at  United Christian Inner-City Ministry we have been hit hard with spiritual warfare. But we know if we were not we would not be doing our jobs as God’s servants.We know that satan gets very scared when he is challenged and we at United Christian Inner-City Ministry are hitting him hard, where it hurts and we know our God has won. He has already won cause satan is going to hell no matter what. But small tribulations from satan; will not stop our warriors and armies from God, to keep on marching in His light and fighting for all the lost souls. Those souls are NOT yours satan and we are here to win them back with all God’s strength and might, we are here to get each and every one of those lost souls over to God’s side and nothing will stop us. Satan you causing Pastor to hurt his back, causing pastor to be in pain, hurting someone’s leg, the breaking down of trucks, the breaking down of vans, car accidents, sicknesses,illnesses,relapses on addictions (a relapse is only a RELAPSE! NOT FAILURE. God picks us up and dusts us off and walks by our-side as we get stronger.) , weird weather, fights down “Under the Bridge”, changing the time for the men to be in at the Rescue Mission, cause we listen to God and when He says go down “Under the Bridge” at a different time then we go at GOD’S time. Satan the trials and tribulations you are putting United Christian Inner-City Ministry through is only making God’s armies and warriors stronger.

Ephesians 6:10-24

King James Version (KJV)

 ¹⁰Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

¹¹Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

¹²For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

¹³Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

¹⁴Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

¹⁵And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

¹⁶Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

¹⁷And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

¹⁸Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

¹⁹And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

²⁰For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

²¹But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things:

²²Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.

²³Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

²⁴Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

But we also have been blessed with many blessings from God. We needed a Camcorder for the “Under the Bridge” ministry and to film Pastor Mike English’s sermons and we received  a wonderful Sony Camcorder from a truck driver out of state to whom donated it to us because he saw our ad on Craigslist, we also got a nice camcorder from a beloved lady here in Roanoke to whom saw the ad before we were able to delete it because the trucker was donating his. God is really working through the people in Roanoke and opening hearts . So now we will be able to film a “specially requested service” and Sunday’s sermons at the same time if needed etc…  God is awesome.Also one of the members of the church found it upon themselves to purchase a tripod for the camcorders and that is a true blessing especially for the young lady to whom records the sermons. Now Pastor Mike English will be in one spot. LOL that was a funny ha ha I apologize.

We were also in dire need of a new Video and graphics computer for the woman who does our web site and editing of videos. Praise God after attempting to download a video four times on her old computer she had faith enough to go to Craigslist at 1 am and place an ad for a new computer that was great with videos and graphics. Praise God by 9 am in the morning she had received a reply that a couple was going to donate a computer to United Christian Inner-City Ministry of Roanoke , VA.

Now we are really stepping out in faith looking for a refrigerator truck or box truck to be donated for picking up and delivering all the food that we get donated to us for the families, low income people, homeless, less fortunate etc… We transport the food on a trailer with two box freezers and if we had a truck we could save money on gas and start saving for the house to house Trauma victims and get them into trauma classes before the addictions and alcoholism etc… sets in. God bless  (You can actually see a video of this request if you click on “About Gods work” at the top of the page.) 

Please we are in need of a Box truck or refrigerater truck for transportation of food that is donated for the less fortunate. Please call Pastor Mike English at: 540-392-6611 or Pastor Frank Broughman at:540-397-3597. Thank you and God bless.