WORSHIP SONG SERIES: "God Has Signed My Name" by Walter Hawkins and The Hawkins Family

Praise ye the Lord and bless His holy name! Blessed be the Lord God Jesus Christ who is our rock and our salvation!

It's been a while since I posted something in this category but I pray that the worship hasn't stopped. Now that I'm back let's worship the Lord together. Let's not look back at the past but rejoice in our present estate, let's celebrate that our names are written in the Lamb's book of life, let's rejoice and celebrate that we are free from the bondage of sin.

As our nation prepares to celebrate it's independence, let us also celebrate our independence. Sin no longer has dominion over us. We are able to keep are tongues, able to resist temptation, able to love our enemies, and pray for the salvation of their souls without seeking retaliation or retribution.



This freedom was brought with a price the precious blood of Jesus Christ. As you march onward remember that you are no longer a citizen of this land but an ambassador of a foreign country. Let your walk be a praise to God that honours and glorifies his name, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Galatians 5:1

God Bless You, Beloved and Our Nation!

WORSHIP SONG SERIES: ENCOURAGE YOURSELF BY DONALD LAWRENCE & THE TRI-CITY SINGERS

Blessed be the name of our God, Jesus Christ! Because of his power we don't have to be moved by the things that we see, or led astray by the works of the enemy. Yet sometimes we are. Everything isn't always going to go our way every day but they will work to our benefit no matter what any man may say.

With a great mighty God who has made promises like that on our side should our head be cast down? Should our shoulders slump? Should our mouths be empty or filled with praise no matter what the opposition or onlookers may say?

The truth is you won't feel good everyday. This flesh likes to act up and is not interested in serving God. Your knees don't want to bow down and your eyes have no interest in being lifted up, especailly when you don't get your way. There are times when nothing has happened, you just wake up in a funk and find your shoulders and head already slumped with a feeling of defeat putting the squeeze on you.

You know what you have to do? Wrestle, flip defeat our, box your way out, encourage yourself in the Word, which is Jesus. Jesus is the word of God, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1. David encouraged himself in the Lord in the midst of his distress and the Lord defended him in a mighty way.

"And David was greatly distressed: for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God." I Samuel 30:6

David's back was against the wall and everything that was dear to him in the land had been taken away except for his confidence in the LORD his God. Is Jesus your LORD? Is your confidence in Him? Then encourage yourself in Him. In the victory that His shed blood has given you. In the power that his shed blood has given you, "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." Luke 10:19




Shake that devil off of you this week, instead speak over yourself and be encouraged in the Lord. Knowing that he has plans of peace for you and your expected end is already written and is much greater than any feeling in your flesh or circumstance set before you. Jesus is waiting to receive you with a crown of glory, call you by a new name, and clothe with a robe of righteousness. Be encouraged in the Lord!

For Further Reading: I Samuel 30

-Nigeria

Mother's Day Prayer

"Lo, children are the heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. " Psalm 127:3

God is good; blessed be the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ! Today is Mother's Day. A day set aside to celebrate mother's, the vehicle in which the Lord has chosen to bring us into the world. As we honor man let us remember to honor the Lord.

The psalmist tells us that children are the heritage of the Lord and his reward. He has entrusted, us mothers, with these very special beings with the sincere desire that we would raise them up in the way of the cross. What a noble, honorable, and special charge the Lord has bestowed upon us women. On this day here at The Carpenter's House we would like to pray for your strength in the Lord and honor Him.

As you read this prayer accept the words for you and think of the mothers that you-say this prayer for them as well:

Father God, in the precious name of Jesus, I come before your presence with thanksgiving. Thanking you for bringing us out and bringing us through, thanking you for that special job called motherhood in which you have anointed and appointed us to do.

Lord, I thank you for my mother. I thank you for using her to bring me into this world.

Lord, I pray that you would make manifest the reason in which you placed me in her care and I pray that you would provide me with the wisdom to use it as a testimony unto your honor and glory.

Lord, I pray that you would continue to bless every mother with the strength necessary to perform the work you have entrusted them to perform. Bless them with the courage and conviction to raise their children, your children up in the word. Bless them Lord with knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.

Lord, I pray that you let your peace rest upon them and cause them to dwell in safety forever trusting in you. That they and their seed may live abundantly upon this land.

Lord, I pray for those mothers that know not the joy of your salvation. I pray that you would not turn your face away from them, instead, please let your mercy and grace abound unto the salvation of their souls.

Lord, I thank you for every mother whether good or bad, for you see the end of thing and hath the power to use any situation unto your honor and glory.

 Lord, I pray that it begins with me and with my family. Raise up a standard in which the enemy cannot penetrate. Use every mother in this family as servants and ministers of the mighty gospel of Jesus Christ, in the precious name of Jesus.

Let the church say, AMEN!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

FROM THE CARPENTER'S HOUSE

TESTIMONY TUESDAYS: His Grace is Sufficient For Me

Praise ye the Lord and bless His holy name! God is good and He is good all the time. It's been awhile since I posted something for Testimony Tuesdays. What I envisioned happening in this series hasn't been happening and I slacked off from posting in this section.

I had planned on this section being a meeting place for Chrsitians to celebrate the goodness of God and inspire each other through the sharing of their testimonies. That hasn't quite happened, but I shouldn't be seeking my own glory; I shouldn't be reveling in my works alone, but the work that God has done. Maybe my plan hasn't come to fruition, so that I wouldn't get a big head or glory in what I have done but what the Lord has done. Pride is a dangerous thing and the Lord resisteth the proud but gives grace to the humble, James 4:6. And I don't want him to resist me. I want to be pleasing in his sight, Not glorying in my own strength is a lesson I had to learn, just as Paul had to learn, and we all have to learn how to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God that we may be exalted in due season, I Peter 5:6.

In II Corinthains 12:1-10 Paul gives his testimony of how he received a divine  revelation but to keep him in check he also received a thorn in his side. He sought the Lord in prayer three times for this thing to be removed and the Lord responded, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Paul learned not to glory in himself but to glory in God even in his infirmities. You might say this isn't an infirmity but let me ask you this: when things don't go your way doesn't it make you sick? (To thine ownself be true) The truth is it makes me sick.

But the glory is not mine, my success is not mine, the success of this series or this blog is not mine, but God's. When I don't get the results I want out of life, or the success that I seek, his grace is enough to brag about. 

This Tuesday, my testimony is this: To the only wise God, Jesus Christ, be the glory, honor, power, and dominion, for the things which he has done, is doing, and will do for His grace is sufficient for me.

Let the church say, AMEN! 

PRAYER FOR THE LIVING

"The dead praise not the Lord neither any that go down in silence." Psalm 115:17

During this week tornadoes have wreaked havoc throughout the south. The death toll has been estimated at nearly 300, thus far. Devastation of this nature usually causes people to question to God. Why did this happen here? Why now?

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Often a spirit of hopelessness and desperation will overcome the survivors and a somber mood full of lamentations is taken up for the things and people lost. But what really should come out of this is an open conversation with the Lord. For it was out of the whirlwind that the Lord spoke to Job, Job 38: and 40:6. If we listen carefully we can hear what he is saying:

Pray, pray, and when you're done praying pray.
Pray for living, pray that they would be saved. Pray that they will be comforted. If 300 people are dead then there are 300 families that have suffered a loss. Pray that they will lift up their eyes unto the hills from whence cometh all of our help. No matter how it gets there, no matter who is used to perform the good work it all comes from him that is good, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Pray for the living. Pray that we will all recognize the frailty of our lives. Pray that we all recognize the power and majesty of God; that we recognize that he has the final say in our lives whether we serve Him or not (although it is much better to be in the service of the King).

"Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." James 4:14

Pray for the living. Pray that we recognize now is the only time we have and now is the acceptable time for salvation. Pray that help comes soon, pray that restoration and healing begins now in the hearts of all men, in Jesus name. AMEN.

If you would like to help the survivors of this disaster by volunteering or making a finanical donation to the Red Cross please CLICK HERE




   

NOMINATE THE CARPENTER'S HOUSE FOR THE BLACK WEBLOG AWARDS

Praise ye the Lord and bless His holy name!

Do you love what you see here, would you like to help spread the good news that Jesus died for us on Calvary? Well here's your chance and it only takes two clicks and a few keystrokes.

Nominate The Carpenter's House for a Black Weblog Award, please.

Take a minute or two to nominate The Carpenter's House for the following categories:

• Best Faith Based Blog
• Blog to Watch

Simply CLICK HERE to show your support to The Carpenter's House. Copy and paste the url, http://www.goingtothecarpentershouse.blogspot.com/ into the categories.

"...That thou doest, do quickly" John 13:27, the Nomination Period Ends Saturday May 7, 2011

For more information about the Black Weblog Awards CLICK HERE

4 Rs Repent, Renew, Restore, and Rplenish: On the Road to Repentance

You know it’s very important to always have your spiritual ears open so that you can hear God speaking to you. I was casually watching the Travel Channel’s Top 21 Caribbean Vacation Destination when He spoke to me. The voiceover was saying something enticing about the pink sands beach in the Bahamas, “This is the place to go if you are looking to renew, restore, replenish.” I murmured within myself “Ahhh…I wish I could go there,” and Lord spoke to my heart saying, “This is what I do; you don’t have to go anywhere.”

That is what he does and what he would like to do for each and every one of us. Of course, the Spirit compelled me to create a 3 Rs series sharing the work the Lord wishes to do in our lives and has done for some of us. Then He spoke to me again, “You must first repent, then I will renew, restore, and replenish.”

Thus the series has become the 4 Rs Repent, Renew, Restore, and Replenish. All of these words are verbs requiring someone to take action. The first R, Repent, requires you (and me) to act.

What does it mean to repent?

Repentance is more than offering an up a mere low and muffled “I’m sorry.” In order to repent you must first feel bad or regret the sins that you have committed against the Lord. Next you must turn from sin and finally you must dedicate yourself and your life to Jesus. Many people don’t think they need to do this because all is well in their life. I’m working, my kids are healthy. Why do I need to repent? Do you think God is showing you mercy for you to live your life any kind of way you want to? In the words of my brother Paul, “God forbid.” The goodness of God is to lead you to repentance, “…despises thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” Romans 2:4

Is Repentance Important?

Yes, repentance is important. The first sermon that Jesus preached after the death of John the Baptist was a simple yet enduring one, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17 don’t shirk this article off because you’re a believer and you believe you don’t need to repent. We all need to repent on a daily basis. Even if you’re not living in sin, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Serving God isn’t just about outward gestures, it’s a heart condition and he sees and knows your thoughts and the intents of your heart, Hebrews 4:12. You might say to yourself, it’s not that serious but it is that serious, “who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands and pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully in his heart.” Psalm 24:3-4 In Genesis everyone in the world was destroyed except for eight people because the thoughts of man were continually wicked. Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? Proverbs 20:9 Only the Lord can cleanse us and redirect our path.

If you believe that you have no sin and need not repent then you are essentially confused about who Jesus died for and why. You are basically saying that you don’t need him. Because he didn’t come for or die for one single righteous person, he died for sinners everywhere like me, “…They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Matthew 9:12-13

Don’t as John the beloved says, deceive yourself by saying you have no sin, just confess it for the Lord is faithful and just to forgive sins, I John 1:8-9

The Blessedness of Forgiveness

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.

For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said I will confess my transgression unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of the great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.

Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

I will instruct and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with a bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.

Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.

Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Psalm 32:1-11

Praying For Forgiveness

If you don’t know what to say or how to say it, look to the Word of God for examples, like Psalm 51. If you don’t have access to the word right now simply say from the heart, Father God in the precious name of Jesus please have mercy on me and forgive me for I have sinned and come short of your glory. Lord, instruct me on how to live righteously because I cannot do it without you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.