KEEP THE FAITH Archives – RhonieSays

Who is the center of your universe?

RhonieSays — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 06:54:00 +0000

There’s a sign in our department that I’ve passed many times and I’ve never paid attention to it until the other day while waiting on a patient. I started to read the sign and at the bottom, this question was posed…who is the center of your universe?

The question brought me immediately to my answer to that question. Now it can be easy to think of family and other things as being the center but for me, Jesus is the center. Without Him, the universe wouldn’t be upheld. These scriptures make it clear:

Hebrews 1:1-3, He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Psalm 83:18
That they may know that you alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.

1 Corinthians 8:6
Yet for us, there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

John 1:1-3
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.
Although I love my family dearly when I look across the landscape of my life it’s only Jesus that has upheld me. Whenever I thought my universe was crashing every time He has let me know that His hands are wrapped around me to give me support.

As you read this blog and ponder it for yourself…who is the center of your universe?

BY: Rhonie McBerry

Rhonie, is a licensed radiation therapist providing care to those battling cancer. She learned to embrace a new normal after being diagnosed with Crohn’s. disease and uses the power of words to encourage others to see past their darkest day to a brighter horizon.

She is the author of Embracing a New Normal, God Has Drawn The Blueprints Vol I & II, Words That Surround Your Soul devotionals.

CLICK TO VIEW BLOGS BY RHONIE

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THE HOW TO’S OF FAITH

RhonieSays — Mon, 26 Jul 2021 09:20:00 +0000

FAITH PART II

Faith that gets actual results is not passively dropped into our spirit beings. We are all given a measure of faith, and the same measure of faith, when we are born again. But our faith must be developed. It is a process. Not an overnight sensation. And because God created everything to grow and work by Seed and the Word of God is Seed, our Faith is quickened and energized and made effective by the Word (Gen. 8:22, Luke 8:11a, Rom. 10:17).

Part I of this article is WHY is Faith so especially important to God? Read Here

Faith is a process. Hearing a verse we need to hear during a Sunday sermon and saying Amen is most often not faith yet. It is the start of our having to spend time with that Word and develop and grow out our faith for what we are believing for. A process. Like all things in the Kingdom, first the blade, then the ear, then the full head of corn (Mark 4:28).

These are the steps to grow and develop your faith for what you are believing for. PLEASE, this is not a “formula”. We don’t do formulas. Or rubbing Alladin’s lamp for something. But there are steps, to help us see our faith come into bloom.

Whenever you are believing for a need for yourself or someone else, we must always begin with The Word. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word. Find a promise or promises in the Bible that speak to what you desire. That Word represents your title deed and can be trusted. The Word always has the power to bring itself to pass.

That Word (title deed) you find that speaks to the need or problem is next to be meditated upon, until an image of the answer is formed in you. It will happen, because The Word works this way. It’s where the answer becomes louder than the need or problem you are facing.

What is meditation on the Word? It is not yoga or transcendental. Bible meditation is pondering the Word, chewing on it, working it. In the original languages, Bible meditation is pictured as a cow that chews its cud. They eat, it comes back up, they swallow again, and repeat. (Don’t be grossed out. God created cows and their digestion. Embrace the point of working the Word, until something begins to happen in you.)

There comes a point in meditating the Word, that the image of the answer is formed in us, a threshold is hit as it were, and it is at that point that the Word is settled in our hearts — to the point that it just wants to come out and be spoken, with faith and authority. The mouth always want to speak out what is in the heart when it’s established there (Matt. 12:34b). It is not enough that faith is established in our hearts in mediating the Word. At the right time, that Word must be brought forth by the mouth and spoken, called confession or profession. The authority of faith works and has as its operation “saying” (speaking, confessing the Word made alive or quickened in you). It’s how you got saved (see Romans 10:9). It’s how we remove mountains that stand in our way (see Mark 11:23). Words of faith (those that come out of the soil of the heart and spoken out of the heart when readied) are containers of power.

This whole process works, you will see. Faith is developed this way.

From there, at that right time, we act it out.

Faith without corresponding action is dead and useless (James 2:26). Faith is exercised just like a muscle. It is developed and it gets stronger with working it and then letting it actually do something.

The end result of Faith is RESULTS. We are all called to get RESULTS. Isn’t that what we are after?It is time to learn and be an Overcomer.

BY: Pastor John McCurdy

John McCurdy is currently a Pastor in New Jersey. His heart and assignment is to teach Believers to Believe and how to have the overcomer’s life – which John sees almost more than anything people are longing for. He teaches and has taught Bible School in the metropolitan NYC/NJ area, as well as to international students from several nations.

CLICK HERE TO READ BLOGS BY PASTOR JOHN

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GOD IS YOUR STRONGHOLD

RhonieSays — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 11:43:57 +0000

“The Lord is upright; He is my rock”. (Psalm 92:15)

In this life journey, we are bound to encounter hardships, trials, and sufferings. But when God is on our side, none of the troubles in this world can overcome us. Rather, according to His Word, He will be our rock, a very stronghold. Something very important to note in the mentioned verse is ‘The Lord is upright’. It explicitly tells us that we too, ought to lead an upright life.

As the Bible says “The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be forever” (Psalm 37:18). We can become an upright person: by not lying, by obeying our parents and elders, by doing the things which we are supposed to do at the right time. We can become upright when we invite Jesus in our heart because He is the truth and the life. Just like the metal gold, has to go through the burning furnace, to bring about its purity. We also, have to go through many trials and temptations, so that we become an upright person, in God’s sight. Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for many years, but he came out of jail because he was an upright and righteous person. He also took a resolution that he would never commit any mistake.

If we have to live uprightly we will have to go through many problems, trials, pain, sickness etc. As a result, of the whole process we will be strengthened in our spiritual life and God will lift us up to a higher position. God knows whatever pain we have gone through and we will enjoy the freedom forever. Therefore, during times of hardships, you should trust the Lord and not give up. Keep proclaiming the unfailing promises of God in your life. Stay faithful in obeying God’s words and you will see for yourself, the great reward that you will receive in the end. So, don’t lose hope in difficult times, God has promised never to leave you nor forsake you, and He is true to all His promises. As the Psalmist says “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge” (Psalm 18:2).

Prayer:
Loving God, I thank you for all Your unfailing promises. Help me, Lord, in my difficult situations, for You are my stronghold and in You I take refuge. Grant me Your grace to faithfully obey Your Words in my darkest time, for you will deliver me and grant me victory.

In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen

BY: Kene Emmanuel

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God I’m Mad at You

RhonieSays — Fri, 27 Jul 2018 00:04:56 +0000

It seems taboo to bring up this subject, but maybe I’m the only person that’s ever felt anger towards God. If that’s the case, then this blog will give you a glimpse into a time when my anger towards God was pretty severe.

As I take an aerial view of my life, I realize it hasn’t always been easy. There have been plenty of ups and downs, things of my own doing and things that have come my way by mere happenstance. The backdrop of my anger towards God occurred after I became very ill within a few months of having my daughter. It was a very painful time physically which transferred to my emotional state as well. I couldn’t fathom what I had done to deserve what I was going through. I was filled with self-pity and sadness at a time when I should have been happy as a new mother. Anger started to burn in my soul towards God, who I considered the only one that could have allowed or stopped this pain from happening.

Where was He? This was a question I constantly asked myself. My thoughts circled around countless lists of what I considered my good traits that should have outweighed my bad traits, which may have been the cause of such suffering. As far as I was concerned God miscounted, I became distraught and downright mad, but I’d put on a mask every day and act like I understood what was happening to me. Here are three things I didn’t take into consideration as I burned with anger.

1. I thought my anger was invisible to God.

Somehow I rationalized in my head that if I didn’t admit how mad I was, He wouldn’t know about it. I believed in God’s Sovereignty over everything; yet, somehow I thought He wouldn’t be able to pick up on this emotion I was carrying around. Even though Psalm 139:2 clearly states He knows our thoughts from afar, I figured He didn’t know mine.

2. Admitting where I was would bring freedom

It took some time, but I learned building a relationship with God would make me comfortable enough to tell Him how I felt or why I was feeling that way. Telling Him didn’t necessarily mean the situation would change, but it would allow a barrier to be erased and then God would be able to provide the comfort I needed. Take a look at 2 Cor 1:3, Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort…

3. God loves me

When I was in the midst of my suffering, it was hard to imagine that God loved me versus scorned me. As I learned more and more about scripture, several verses reassured me of His love. I hope they will do the same for you.

2 Cor 4:17

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

Isaiah 43:2

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.

None of this understanding and revelation took place overnight. It’s easy to be mad at someone you know little about, but once I began building a greater relationship with God it was hard to stay mad. I began to understand that going through suffering was the catalyst for a strong relationship with the Lord. I became stronger and better able to endure life’s circumstances and my story has helped me to encourage others.

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I’ve Been Given a Diagnosis

RhonieSays — Fri, 27 Jul 2018 00:00:00 +0000

I wanted to write about this topic in hopes that it will help someone survive whatever diagnosis they may have received, knowing they are not alone on the journey.

Something hasn’t felt right so you finally go to the doctor to find out what’s going on. You’ve gotten through the battery of tests and now the news hits your ears. You receive a diagnosis and time suddenly seems to stand still. Your heart begins to beat at an unrecognizable rate. Your breathing becomes sporadic and the words coming out of the doctor’s mouth now seem muffled to your ears.

How am I able to describe this moment with such detail? It’s because I’ve been there, and I know all the feelings and emotions that come along with hearing a diagnosis. In my case it was Crohn’s disease. It’s a journey that I describe in detail in my book, Embracing a New Normal. Please read it if you want to know about my journey, but for the sake of this article, we’re concentrating on that initial day of diagnosis when the world begins to shift and move in slow motion.

On that day and for many days after, you may feel out of control because you don’t know what your life will look like from this point on. Depending on what health crisis you are facing, an insurmountable sense of fear can overtake you as the doctor goes into information overload about your prognosis. Numbness of thought is present as you try to comprehend the next steps, whether it’s a battery of tests or deciding on treatment options. It is overwhelming at this point and rightfully so, given the bombshell you just received.

Since I’ve been through this myself I thought that the following suggestions might lessen the bumps in the road:

Allow yourself time to process what you’ve just been told. Be patient with yourself through the process, but don’t allow yourself to slip into denial. Denial can lead to delay, which can be detrimental when seeking treatment options that may be of critical importance to your health.
It’s okay to cry and be upset because your world has been rocked. No amount of suppressing your feelings will diminish the fact that your life journey is forever changed.
Acknowledge the pain because it will free you up to move forward and keep you from becoming stuck by trying to act normal when in reality, you’re not.
It’s your journey and it will be unlike anyone else’s. No matter how similar, it will still be unique to you and that’s okay.
Know that you are courageous. Even in these difficult moments, learn to persevere by focusing on something positive that will get you through one day at a time.

You may find that the days to come will be a mixture of joy and sadness as you look at the world through modified lenses, but I know there is an inner strength that will be brought forth in every step you take. You may have been given a diagnosis, but the diagnosis doesn’t define all of who you are. There’s still life ahead waiting on you.

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Releasing the Mindset of Fear to Unlock Our Goals

RhonieSays — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 23:46:02 +0000

Fear can paralyze our dreams, visions, and goals. Fear is an emotion that can help us avoid danger but problems arise when we let fear run rampant in our minds, because we let our guard down. There are steps we can take to make sure we are moving in our purpose without threat of immobilization.

1. Let go of doubt
The biggest obstacle we face is ourselves. We begin to question the possibility of failure before we’ve even begun. Doubts about our purpose, uncertainty concerning our dreams, and skepticism concerning meeting our goals take over. Letting go of doubt will allow us to move forward, which leads right into point two.

2. Learn to trust the process
Our dreams, visions, and goals must always include a process in order for us to achieve them. We should believe that what we want to accomplish will come to pass. It is critical that we shut out all the negative voices and chart a path or course to follow in order to make our goals a reality. Each step needs to be tackled with confidence, which leads to us right into our third point.

3. Stop procrastinating and move forward
Fear will cause us to delay or stop our pursuit of our objectives. If we stand still there’s no risk involved, so we feel safe. Being safe can also mean we stay stuck; we drag our feet, possibly never taking the critical first step forward.  The waiting game is something we began to play hoping that fear would disappear on its own while we stayed stationary. We must understand that moving forward is the only way to overcome the fear that binds us.

Fear in its proper perspective can be useful to help us avoid danger, but we must be very conscious not to let it consume our lives, causing our dreams and goals to become stagnant. Changing our mindset in order to release fear will make it easier to work towards fulfilling our goals. Now let’s get moving!

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