If You Are Looking For The Truth Look No Further

Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. John 18: 37, 38 (ESV)

Pilate asked the question that men have been asking for centuries. What is truth? Pilate gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "you wouldn't know the truth if it was staring you in the face". John 1:14 tells us “the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Pilate was conversing with Truth and yet he washed his hands of Him. Pilate wanted to please the masses. He allowed them to determine what truth was. Society makes terrible determinations of morals and truths. What may be true today may be obsolete tomorrow. The only truth that is eternal is God's truth and once we become aware of it, we have to make the choice to accept and obey it, and then the Truth will be the determining factor in our lives. If you are looking for truth, then look no further. Jesus is the perfect example of truth. It is He who said "when you see Me, you Have seen the Father". Turn to Christ; His truth will set you free.

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me. ~ Jesus

Our Prayers Can Influence God

The prayer from the heart of a man right with God has much power. James 5:16 b (NLV)

The bible gives us the assurance that when we are right with God, we can influence Him. There are many examples in the bible of people who moved the hand of God. But the one example that stands out to me is with King Hezekiah. God sent the prophet Isaiah to tell him to put his house in order because he was going to die. But something amazing happened. According to the word of the Lord, King Hezekiah ended up living 15 years after that event. Why? The book of Isaiah tells us when this death sentence was given to the king he turned his face to the wall and prayed to God and before the prophet had left the middle court the word of the Lord came to him saying return and tell King Hezekiah "I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord, and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of 
the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David's sake.” (2 Kings 20:1-6). Did you get that? King Hezekiah was as good as dead, but he was able to influence God with his fervent prayer and because of that prayer of meekness God extended years to his life. If you are right before God your prayers do matter and you too can influence Him. Although you must understand when we pray to God we are making a request that is subject to His sovereign will. God will give you only what he deems best for you. So if you are in right 
standings before God and your prayers are not answered it is not that He does not hear you, it is because Father knows best.

When a righteous man prays and leaves it up to God to answer in His own way, there will be no unanswered prayers. ~C.W. Wood

Believing Is Not Enough

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3: 1-3 (ESV)

 I have not been able to shake verse 2 from John chapter 3, that was taught in Sunday School yesterday. These religious leaders actually believed that Jesus was sent from God, yet they chose to blatantly deny Him. It is one thing to believe in something or someone but the proof of your beliefs are your actions. James tells us that the demons believe there is one God and tremble. Will that get them into heaven?  No, they do not stand a chance and neither do you.  The only way you can get to heaven is when you place your trust in Christ.  I believe that many people in my family have died early deaths because they chose not to take better care of themselves. I believe this and I chose to be health conscious. This is acting on what I believe. Do you believe that Jesus was sent from God, if so in the words of Jesus "you must be born again." What have you done about Jesus who is the Christ?

“Being educated, religious, moral, respected and upright will not get you into heaven. There are no exceptions. “You must be born again”. ~Neil Saint

Missions Trip to Clarkston Georgia

"We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20 NIV)"

I've known that I wanted to serve on the mission field since I was a teenager. While most 16 years olds were celebrating their sweet sixteen with a party and their first non chaperoned drive. I was spending my 16th birthday in Paupua New Guinea telling anyone who would listen about the love of God and how Jesus saved me. That was the best 6 weeks of my life. From that moment on I knew that was something I wanted to do but after having my daughter I realized I would no longer be able to serve on long mission trips until my daughter Darcel graduates from college and settles into her own life and career. But I never stopped thinking about it or praying about it.

Well, one day while I was talking to my mother I asked her if I ever decided to go on a short term mission trip would she babysit. She was all for it. I also spoke to my daughter and she was cool about it and wanted to know how she could get involved.

My church Hunter Street Baptist Church has a huge missions department and it's not easy to become apart of. I filled out several applications and authorizations. And, finally I had my interview and background check with the minister over the missions department and I passed everything. So last Sunday me, my daughter, and about 20 other church members were commissioned in front of the church for today's trip to Clarkston. I did decide that I would let my daughter go since this one is still in the states. And they found a place for her to help out. So what exactly are we doing in Clarkston? and Why Clarkston, GA? Well... "Medical doctors, dentist, optometrists, nurses, pharmacists, nutritionists and other health care personnel will provide basic exams and information to Clarkston refugees who often have little access to care on an ongoing basis. Many other team members have no healthcare background, but all team members will strive to show the love of Christ to those who come, and will look for opportunities to share the gospel with any who will listen."

So my B. Fit family I'm asking that you pray for us. "Pray for safety in travel, and for the health and strength of each team member. Pray for family members who remain at home while our team is gone. Pray for discernment and wisdom for team leaders and members as the team look to specific opportunities to share the gospel." I really will appreciate all your prayers while we are gone today.


Written by Cerissa from Cerissa B. Fit

A Fool For Christ

A Fool For Christ

We are fools for Christ. But you are so wise in Christ! We are weak. But you are so strong! You are honored. But we are looked down on!  Up to this very hour we are hungry and thirsty. We are dressed in rags. We are being treated badly. We have no homes. We work hard with our own hands. When others call down a curse on us, we bless them. When we are attacked, we put up with it.
 I Corinthians 4:10-12 (NIRV)

This month I took the challenge of "blog like crazy" for 30 day and I cant think of anything better to do than to boast in the Lord. Today we are to blog about our intentions for this month.  My intentions for the Month of November is to focus on the greatness of God. Sometimes I become distracted by people and I become discouraged. I forget in the darkness of the  night what the Lord has taught me in the day about His dependability. This is when I become like Peter and begin to sink, no not on water but on land. I sink into invisible quick sand, which is of my own creation. Because I start listening to the lies of the enemy.  He is a powerful foe and the enemy of our souls and  but he is no match for the Lover of our souls. God went to great lengths to redeem me and no one can snatch me from His hand.

A good friend of mine once talked about how she allowed people in her life to treat her unkindly, then she said an amazing thing happened in her life: "they made the mistake and let me find out that Jesus loved me."  Yes that is what transforms lives, it is only the  love of Jesus that can perform a true heart transplant. It changed Isaiah in the year that King Uzziah died, It changed Joseph when he was in a foreign land and it change Paul on the road to Damascus. It changed me also and that is why I get so restless and frustrated in this world. I have to remind myself that I am restless and frustrated here because I long for heaven. He will come soon but in the mean time, I must live as an ambassador for Christ. I must live in such a way that people long for the God I serve. I want the passion that I have for the Lord to cause others to want to follow me to my real home.

So for 30 day I will blog like I am crazy for Jesus.  I can and I will do this for Jesus. You see, I am ashamed to say that there was a time in my life that I was crazy for so many things and for so many people, but I am so proud to say that I am a fool for Christ.  Hallelujah What A Savior.

This Is All That I Have To Offer

I Thessalonians 4:16-18
 ¹⁶ For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Today we buried my oldest sister Margie and I am hurting. Almost two weeks ago I was with her at the hospital when her doctor told her that he was going to let her go home on Valentine's Day and five days later she was dead. I'm hurting. There was five of us and now there are four. My oldest sister is gone and I am hurting.  Over the past few years my sister and I had become very close. I could confide in her and she in me, but that will not occur any more because now she is gone.

In the funeral procession today, my oldest brother Willie told everyone now that Margie is gone, that they would have to look to me. What can I offer? Nothing other than the Greatest Gift that has been offered to mankind. That is the Person of Jesus Christ.

One day while talking to Margie. I asked her if she were to stand before God and He asked her why should He let her into His Heaven, what would she say to Him and she told me that she would tell Him "because I asked Jesus to forgive me of all of my sins and I asked Him to save me".  My sister told me that she trusted in Christ. If this is the case, I am not to sorrow like those who have no hope, as someone told me recently "I am to trust that Jesus is faithful to keep what my sister had entrusted to Him".  Hallejah what a Savior!

If any of my love ones or anyone else for that matter were to looked to me, the only thing that I have to offer them is Jesus Christ. I pray that they will take hold of this and run with it, but if they do not I will not be deterred. Because Jesus is my refuge. I am no fool. As I look around there are a lot of my  love ones who have died and I do believe that they loved me but they are no longer here, but Jesus have always been by my side and He promised me that He would never leave me nor forsake me and He is faithful to keep His promises. So love ones, Run to Him! Run to Him! Run to Him! It is Christ alone who can bear your grief, show you grace and extend to you mercy.

 Lately I have been wearing the word mercy out. When I feel the darkness trying to consume me,  I cry "Jesus have mercy on me", and He does. Jesus did not choose to raise my sister from the dead like he did Lazarus or the widow of Nain's son but He said to me in her death "Gladys my grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness." What will I do? I shall likewise be like Paul and say  "I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."  I am hurting and weak but Jesus is strengthening me daily.

In the car today I whispered "Jesus I Love You".  He loves me too. Even So, Come Quickly Lord Jesus. And this is all that I have to offer.

Inside Outside

"The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7)

I have been really silent about my weight loss. Because at first I thought it was going to be another failure. I have never been a slim girl. I was just blessed with a small waist and small chest which helped me not look as large. That all was wonderful in my younger years but as everyone knows as we age we tend to put on weight. The first time I put on weight was in 2005. I was tired of carrying the weight around so in February of 2008 I started working out about 4 hours a day 6 days a week. I ate whatever I wanted but managed to go from about a size 16 to a size 4 and from 200lbs to 145lbs in about 6 months. But working out had pretty much become my idol and I planned my days around my workout schedule. So I really didn't have much of a life. I also had plenty of time to follow this difficult regimen because at the time I was unemployed. Well August of 2008 I started a job and had a hard time keeping up with my strenuous workout schedule and by the middle of 2009 all my weight had came back plus more. And by 2011 I was weighing in at 216lbs and I was wearing sizes 18 and 20. My blood pressure was sky high, my childhood asthma was back, I was very depressed, my anxiety was out of control, I hated looking in the mirror, and food had become an idol in my life. Where in the past I use to plan my life around working out I would now plan my life around my next meal. I was very depressed and felt a void in my life. So this past Christmas 2011 I happened across the YouVersion App on my iPhone. I would read and listen to the Word of God on a daily and I begin to feel that void start to fade away. I started hungering for more so I started back attending church, listening to only gospel and praise & worship music, listening to Christian pastors, reading Christian books, and having regular daily email chats with other brothers and sisters in Christ. This all led to me recommitting my life to Christ. I begin to reevaluate unhealthy relationships and letting go of many habitual sins and strongholds in my life. I temporarily deactivated my Face Book page and I really took some time to fall in love with Jesus. When Christmas came around I ordered myself a Christian book called Thin Within: A Grace-Oriented Approach to Lasting Weight Loss. I had this book years ago but never made it through the first week because it really gets to the root of things and at that point in my life I was weak in my faith and I wasn't emotionally or spiritually ready to deal with those issues. But years later I was finally at the point where I was ready to deal with my junk and baggage. Around the same time my Mama was trying to find a way that she could lose weight and happened across this free online program called Lord's Table which is very similar to Thin Within but more in depth and it last longer. I loved them both so I decided to do both programs since they were so similar. And believe it or not I begin to drop weight not from dieting or tons of exercising. Just by building a healthy relationship with the Lord and eating only when hungry and pushing away from the table when my stomach was comfortably full. I still have my days when I relapse and eat past my comfort level but that's the good thing about God's Grace he forgives me when I stumble. I also have a wonderful Lord's Table mentor who is with me every step up the way and prays for me and my journey on a daily. My Mama and I are each other accountability partners and we are very tough on each other but we also build one another up when we mess up. When people mention my weight loss my response is always "God is allowing the changes He is making on the inside of me to show on the outside." I get many confused looks when I say this but I can't take credit for any of the weight loss all glory goes to God. ~Naturally Reecee