“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Hebrews 11:6  (NKJ)

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Matthew 7:7-11  (NKJ)

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. “Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?     “Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”

Earthly parents take good care of their children. They give good gifts to their children. The law of the land punishes parents who are cruel to their children. If we, as earthly, imperfect parents, would not dream of causing harm and distress to our children, then why do we even imagine that God would want to harm us in any way? We discipline and correct our own children, but we do not injure or kill them. God is so much more perfect than we are – what would He accomplish by hurting us? God chastises and corrects us by His word and His Spirit not by sickness, injury or poverty.

People choose to blame God for misfortune, sickness and disease in their lives because they don’t want to take the responsibility for their own sin. It is a pride thing – they put all the responsibility on God so that they can play the martyr. They would rather bear the “punishment” than repent for their sin and disobedience. We need to face up to our own responsibility, humble our hearts and receive God’s forgiveness. The same pride that stops you from repenting will stop you from humbling your heart to receive God’s forgiveness. God wants our obedience not our sacrifice.

Proverbs 21:2-3 (NIV)

All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart. To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

You can be stubborn and rebellious and God will leave you to do your own thing until you end up in the pigpen. The moment you come home to Him in repentance, He will forgive you. The fact is that your own children are safe while they remain in your home, but if they venture out to live on the streets and in the alleyways they become a prime target for injury or death. You can only protect them if they stay in your house! If you want to experience life and blessing, you must stay in God’s “house”. If you remain in God’s house then the devil has no access to us, but if you wander into the “streets” and the devil’s turf, then you will be a target for the devil.

John 10:10  (NKJ)

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Jesus is the good shepherd sent to love and save us. The devil is the thief who comes to try to kill us, steal from us and destroy us. As a thief he may try to break into your house with sickness and calamity, but you can remind him that he is there illegally and you can throw him out!

John 14:9-10  (NKJ)

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.

Jesus spoke and acted according to what He saw and heard from the Father. He was not acting alone. As He went about doing good and destroying the works of the devil, He acted on direct authority given to Him by the Father (Acts 10:38). Sickness and sin are from the devil and God and the devil are not pals! They are not working together to destroy us. The devil is in the destruction business, but God is in the construction business! The Father desires to bless us and He will bless us if we will obey and serve Him.

Psalm 30:4-5  (NIV)

Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.

Titus 1:13-16 NKJ

According to the word of God, the attitude of our heart determines how we perceive everything around us. We can look for the good or we can look for the bad in people and situations. We can look for the best or we can look for the worst. 1 Corinthians 13:7 says that love is “ever ready to believe the best of every person.” God believes the best of us. Even though He sees right into our heart, He still gives us the benefit of the doubt. When He speaks to us, He speaks to our future and when He speaks over us, He speaks life. He always sees what good thing that He can make of us. Of course we must be yielded to Him and not doing our own thing and going our own way. We need to give others the same benefit of the doubt and believe the best of them as much as possible.

There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death.   Luke 23:32

Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? “And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Luke 23:39-43 NKJ

One criminal admitted his guilt and acknowledged the innocence of Jesus, crucified not for His own sin, but for ours. The other criminal, defiant toward God and man even as he faced death, mocked Jesus. The two completely different ways that the two men saw Jesus were colored by the attitude of their own hearts. One, with a soft heart, saw his Savior, but the other, with a hard heart, saw just a man hanging next to him. In Titus it says that to the pure all things are pure. When you have a pure heart you look for and see the good in things and people. You believe that even if people make mistakes, that they mean well.  When your heart is evil, you think that everything you see is evil, too. You believe that people’s motives are as evil as your own.

This will be the third time I am coming to you. “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.”  2 Corinthians 13:1 NKJ

Having a pure heart has everything to do with the way we perceive the word of God. A pure heart is an honest heart. If we have a pure heart we will receive the word and believe it exactly as it is. We will not twist it, pervert it, or ignore what we don’t like. We will not make it say what we want it to say. We will believe it in its entirety and not base what we believe on selected scriptures taken out of context.

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.  Hebrews 10:22 NKJ

The Word of God must be honored in our lives. We must not try to change it to suit ourselves, but we must change to conform to it. The word is pure water that washes us clean and makes us pure again. Adam and Eve were originally pure and innocent, but sin corrupted them and their seed. Jesus restored to us the purity that they once had. It does not matter what you have been exposed to and how hard and corrupt you became. When you are born again, you are changed. The word of God and the Holy Spirit will begin to wash and change you and restore the purity and innocence you never thought that you would see again. The world says that once you lose your innocence, it is gone forever. But by the supernatural, transforming power of the Spirit of God and the blood of Jesus, our innocence can be restored and we can be like God – having a pure heart and looking for the good in every situation and in every person!

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man

whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”  Romans 4:4-8 NIV

The gift of salvation, of righteousness and of forgiveness from sin is priceless. We cannot pay for it. If we owned the whole world, we would not have enough money to buy one drop of Jesus’ blood. That is why the Lord had to offer this awesome gift to us totally free. The only price we pay is to yield ourselves to Him. Isaiah 55:1 (Amplified) says that it is takes self-surrender to accept the blessing of priceless spiritual wine and milk!

Those who are washed in the blood of Jesus, whose transgressions are forgiven, and whose sins are covered are blessed, blessed, blessed! Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him. What a joy to be forgiven! Even though we have sinned – even sinned deliberately – we can still be forgiven and washed clean as if we had never sinned.

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Galatians 5:13-14 NIV

Just because your salvation was free, does not mean that it was cheap. It is not a gift that we should misuse. Freedom is something to be valued and enjoyed. Don’t use your freedom as an excuse for sin. Just because you have experienced freedom from religion and bondage and just because your conscience is clean now and forgiveness is just a prayer away – that does not mean that you are free to indulge your flesh.

Some people think that in order to be “not religious” you should indulge your fleshly desires. Of course they all think that they are “in control” and they can “handle” it. But every person who is in bondage to their flesh now, started out originally, thinking that they were in control! The problem is that you are usually firmly in bondage long you even realize you are. Being carnal and yielding to carnality may be the opposite of being religious, but it is not spiritual by any means and neither will it benefit you in any way whatsoever.

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

Romans 12:3 NIV

The key to protecting your heart from sin is humility. Don’t think that you are impervious to temptation. Don’t trust yourself near temptation. Don’t place yourself in a position where you can possibly be tempted.

Abstain from all appearance of evil.  1 Thessalonians 5:22 KJV

Don’t participate in any thing that even looks like sin. If you are not going to be religious – then be spiritual – fall in love with Jesus again.

See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.  Hebrews 3:12-13 NIV

Sin is deceitful and it will harden your heart. When we sin, we have the option to turn toward God and confess our sin and ask God for forgiveness. However, if we begin to enjoy our sin or if we are prideful and defensive about our sin then we will make excuses for ourselves. We will find fault with God, the preacher, and everybody else. We will blame others for our problems. When your heart is hard you are in big trouble. You become completely insensitive to the Holy Spirit and that is a sad place for a Christian to be.

Protect your heart from sin and you will protect it from becoming hardened toward God. Stay on fire for God and allow the Holy Spirit to burn out any bad attitude before it can come between you and your Lord and Savior.

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago–whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows–such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man–whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows–how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities,

that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:1-10 NKJV

God’s grace is sufficient to meet and match any situation we face. Paul was not sick or diseased and his eyes were perfectly healthy, but he faced tremendous hardships and persecutions as he sought to obey God and answer the call of God that was on his life. Paul had several encounters with the Spirit of God after his first dramatic encounter with the living God on the road to Damascus. Before his conversion, he was greatly used by the devil to destroy God’s people, even though he sincerely thought that he was a crusader for God and the law. After his conversion, he was zealous for Jesus and became a big problem for the devil.

The Greek word aggelos is translated angel or messenger. This is a being, not an object like a sickness. Satan sent a messenger, a demon, to harass Paul. This demon tried to stop Paul, to hinder and harass him and even tried to kill him. The demon stirred people up to persecute Paul and to try to kill him. They even left him for dead at least once. Paul tells us what he went through in 2 Corinthians 11.

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ?–I speak as a fool–I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness–besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation? If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.  2 Corinthians 11:22-30 NKJV

When God calls us, He anoints us, and He also graces us to deal with whatever we will face as we seek to obey Him. God does not call us because of us, but in spite of us. We can do our best when we yield to Him, and rely on Him, and allow Him to work through us. When we feel weak or inadequate, we rely on and trust in Him and His strength makes up the difference. Actually, we are in our place of greatest strength when we are weak in ourselves and we rely more on Him and lean harder on Him. You are in a good place when you need God’s grace and when you are dependent on God’s grace. His grace is sufficient for you!

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

“But you, O Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, 9 I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, `You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. 10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 11 “All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. 12 Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. 13 For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. 14 Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you,” declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. 15 “See, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff. 16 You will winnow them, the wind will pick them up,

and a gale will blow them away. But you will rejoice in the LORD and glory in the Holy One of Israel.  Isaiah 41:8-16 NIV

This passage shows the nature of our Heavenly Father – so loving and kind and patient – as he deals with His people – stubborn and rebellious as they are!

But you, O Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. Because He made a covenant with Abraham and promised to bless his descendants, God continued to watch over them and be kind to them – even though they severely tried His patience.

I said, `You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.  So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. One of the awesome things about God is that He is so slow to anger and so swift to forgive and to restore. When we repent, turn around and commit to Him, He forgives us completely as if it never happened and He treats us as if we are His family. Under the Old Covenant, the best position that God’s people had with the Father was that of a servant. It was an honor for God to call you His servant. Under the New Covenant, we are not only servants, but we are sons and daughters of God and we enjoy all the rights and privileges of our position.

When we return to Him in humility and repentance, He reminds us that He has not rejected us. In reality, when we feel that God is far from us, it is usually we who have already rejected Him. The good news is that if He does not reject us, then that means that He must have already accepted us! If we want to see God’s promise of help and strength manifested in our lives, then we must deal with fear and reject it from our hearts, from our thoughts and from our mouths. If we believe and receive God’s promise that He will be with us, strengthen us, help us and uphold us, then that is exactly what we will experience. God makes it available – we tap into it when we refuse to be dismayed or fearful. Instead we choose to trust in Him and to believe in Him.

All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. When you are on God’s side then He is on your side. It is completely useless for your enemies to try to take you out. By attacking you, they sow the seeds of their own destruction. They will come to attack you, but they are the ones who will be taken out. When you place your trust in the Lord, He will contend with your enemies on your behalf. When God is finished with them, you will look for them, but you will not find them.

For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you,” declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. “See, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff. You will winnow them, the wind will pick them up, and a gale will blow them away. But you will rejoice in the LORD and glory in the Holy One of Israel.Even though we may feel unworthy of God’s love, He loves us anyway. Because He loves us, He anoints us with power to do what we could not do. He gives us a reason to rejoice in the Lord and glory in the Holy One of Israel!

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

A Prophetic Song by Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne

Faith counts it done without any proof in the natural
Faith counts it done, thus saith the Lord
Faith counts it done without any proof in the natural
Faith counts it done according to His Word

This is the place of the commanded blessing
This is the place that He wants me to be
He said, “Command, command ye the harvest”
This is the day of Jubilee

You are not here, you’re not here by accident
You are here by His divine plan
This is the hour that your victory is upon you
This is the hour to possess the land

He’s wrapping you in His presence
He’s wrapping you up in that which is divine
The coat of many colors the master is giving you
He’s put on a banquet and said, “Come and dine”

I love His presence, I love the anointing of my Father
I love to sing and bask in Him all day
I love to go sit by the fast flowing river
He is my Lord and I love Him today

Faith counts it done when I don’t feel it
Faith counts it done when everything doesn’t go my way
Faith counts it done no matter what the circumstances
Faith counts it done because that is His way

It is a realm, a realm of no striving
It’s a realm of His rest and what a rest it is

Come on dear brother, come on dear sister
Come and sit at the table that’s been set for you
If you don’t sit down then you will be missing
All that He’s promised that He said He would do

God’s got good things, good things He wants to give us
God’s got good things, good things He wants to give you
He is so good, so good that He does what He’s promised
O, taste and see that He is so good

Brighter and brighter shall be their portion
The righteous man shall flourish in the courts of our God
Blessed coming in and blessed going out
This is not man-made, but this is His Word

I am in the place of the commanded blessing
I am in the place, thus saith the Lord
The ravens are coming; they’re bringing provision
The ravens are coming, thus saith the Lord

He said, “Go stir up the church of America”
He said, “Stir them up for a revival that will come”
He said, “There was going to be another great awakening”
He said it according to His Word

I see whole towns and cities to be shaken
I see whole states, whole regions by His Word
I see America shaken by revival
This is not my idea, but it comes from the Lord

God’s not finished with America
America is an instrument in His hand

I know what He told me, I know what is coming
I know what’s coming, it’s coming this way
It’s a mighty storm of hurricane proportion
It’s a mighty storm of the glory of the Lord

There is nothing that the devil can do, that he can do to stop it
There is nothing that he can do to stand in its way
The wind of the Spirit is presently blowing
But it’s gonna blow more and more each and every day

There is no time, no time in the spirit
There is no distance that takes time for Him to cross
Everything is instant, it’s now in the spirit
That’s the way that God is, so get on board

O, I hear heavenly music
O, I hear the sound coming from His throne
I am being lifted up, being lifted up in His glory
I am rejoicing because I’m one of His own

You’re too good to me, Jesus
You are too good, you bless me, bless me, bless me some more
My cup is running over, I’m drinking out of the saucer
You bless me, sweet Jesus, and you bless me some more

I want every one of my friends to get in on this blessing
Because God does not have favorites, but He is moved by our faith
I want every one of my friends to get in on this blessing
The table’s not just for me but for you as well

I declare it and your ear has to hear it
When your ear hears it then it arises great faith
When great faith arises you act on the promise
I must declare it, the Word of the Lord

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Fight the good fight of the faith; lay hold of the eternal life to which you were summoned and [for which] you confessed the good confession [of faith] before many witnesses.  1 Timothy 6:12 AMP

When you first receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you do it by a confession of faith—you believe it in your heart and then you speak it out of your mouth—the Holy Spirit responds to the faith in your words and makes your spirit brand new. You become a new creature in Christ. You did not become born again by your own holiness or because you deserved it, you did not receive eternal life by working for it, you became a child of God only by believing and speaking. Jesus already saved you, delivered you, healed you, prospered you and blessed you two thousand years ago by His sacrifice on the cross. You believed in what Jesus already did for you and you spoke your faith out loud. You made a public declaration of your faith and a miracle happened.

And God said, Let there be light; and there was light.  Genesis 1:3 AMP

For seven days, as God created the heavens and the earth and everything in and on it, He spoke out words of faith, commanding, “Let there be…” and the Bible says that, “…it was so!” God accomplishes His will and plan by speaking it out. The Bible is full of prophetic utterances, most of which we have already seen come to pass. Whatever God says comes to pass. Sometimes He speaks it out hundreds and hundreds of years before, but they always come to pass.

So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.  Isaiah 55:11 AMP

This is how powerful God’s Word is as it goes forth—it does not return to Him without producing a result—it is always effective and never useless. God’s Word always accomplishes that which He pleases and purposes. His Word prospers in the thing for which He sent it. God speaks no useless, powerless, unproductive words. His faith stands behind His words. When He speaks His Word, it is with an expectation that they will never, ever fall to the ground and that they will begin to move and work and change circumstances and situations to line up with His will. The devil can kick and scream and make a noise and disturb some people, but to no avail God will have His way in the end. The devil and all those who oppose God will come to nothing.

God has given us His Word—Jesus was the Word made flesh who dwelt among us (John 1:14)—and He has taught us how to live and prosper in this world. If we will study God’s Word, fill up our hearts, with it and act on it, we will prosper in our way. God has shown us in His Word how He expects us to operate—like Him. He has made us certain promises and He expects us to speakwords of faith, based on these promises, and to walk in the blessing of fulfilled promises.

From the fruit of his words a man shall be satisfied with good, and the work of a man’s hands shall come back to him [as a harvest].  Proverbs 12:14 AMP

A man’s [moral] self shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; and with the consequence of his words he must be satisfied [whether good or evil]. 21Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life].  Proverbs 18:20-21 AMP

You can speak death and destruction, failure, fear and defeat over your life and your family or you can speak life and blessing—it is up to you. The devil knows the power of faith-filled words and he wants to keep that knowledge from you so that he can keep you defeated. Even when you have heard the truth, he tries to stop you from acting on it. He, and your own carnal mind, will give you every argument they can think of.

They will try unbelief—“That’s not true. Words don’t have that much power. You can’t just say it and get it.” Self-consciousness—“What will other people think if you say it and nothing happens? They will laugh at you.” Doubt—“Maybe it works for God, but do you really think that this will work for you?” Sin-consciousness—“This won’t work for you—you’re not holy enough.”  All of these are lies. God emphasizes the power of your words and the importance of speaking life-filled words and cutting out words of death and defeat.

But I tell you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak.  Matthew 12:36 AMP

God reminds us that every idle word we speak will be judged. Idle words are useless words—inoperative, non-working words. If we don’t want to have to explain ourselves on the Day of Judgment, we must stop speaking inoperative, non-working words. If we want to see blessing and prosperity come to our life, we must start speaking God’s Word—words of life that produce life!

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

There are some eternal principles that operate in the spiritual realm and the natural realm that are unchangeable and immovable. If you want to see results, if you want the Word of God to work for you, you must obey the Word and do the Word.

That is why I thought it necessary to urge these brethren to go to you before I do and make arrangements in advance for this bountiful, promised gift of yours, so that it may be ready, not as an extortion [wrung out of you] but as a generous and willing gift.  2 Corinthians 9:5 AMP

If you want to be blessed, you must adjust your attitude about money. According to the Word, your offering should be willing and generous and not wrung out or extorted out of you.

[Remember] this: he who sows sparingly and grudgingly will also reap sparingly and grudgingly, and he who sows generously [that blessings may come to someone] will also reap generously and with blessings. 7 Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver [whose heart is in his giving].  2 Corinthians 9:6-7 AMP

You set the level of your blessing by your giving. It will come back to you in the same spirit and measure that you gave it. Make up your mind and purpose in your heart to be a generous and a cheerful giver. God is thrilled with a generous giver and will do His best to bless them, send plenty of seed their way and generally take good care of them. The Lord is not as thrilled with the offering of a grumpy, selfish, grudging giver any more than we would be. If you want the fullest benefits from your giving, then make sure your whole heart is in it.

And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation].  As it is written, He [the benevolent person] scatters abroad; He gives to the poor; His deeds of justice and goodness and kindness and benevolence will go on and endure forever!  2 Corinthians 9:8-9 AMP

When you are a generous, cheerful giver, you will be the lender and not the borrower. You won’t need others to help you with anything, but you will be the one who has enough for yourself and also a surplus that enables and empowers you to reach out and help others. The benevolent person scatters abroad – he doesn’t limit his giving – he has a lot to give to a lot of people. Your generosity has eternal consequences – your giving will change people’s lives. You will bless people who will go on to bless other people even down the generations. Not only that, but Heaven will have a permanent record of all of this blessing – the results of your giving go on and endure forever – even into eternity.

And [God] Who provides seed for the sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your [resources for] sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness [which manifests itself in active goodness, kindness, and charity].  2 Corinthians 9:10 AMP

The blood of Jesus made you righteous, but the fruits of that righteousness are acts of goodness, kindness, and charity. If you are a generous sower of seed, not only will God provide you with bread – all the things that you personally need – but He will provide you with extra seed to sow and He will also create new avenues that will produce more finances – which will result in more seed for you to give. It is a wonderful cycle of blessing and increase in every area.

Thus you will be enriched in all things and in every way, so that you can be generous, and [your generosity as it is] administered by us will bring forth thanksgiving to God. For the service that the ministering of this fund renders does not only fully supply what is lacking to the saints (God’s people), but it also overflows in many [cries of] thanksgiving to God. 13 Because at [your] standing of the test of this ministry, they will glorify God for your loyalty and obedience to the Gospel of Christ which you confess, as well as for your generous-hearted liberality to them and to all [the other needy ones]. 14 And they yearn for you while they pray for you, because of the surpassing measure of God’s grace (His favor and mercy and spiritual blessing which is shown forth) in you.  2 Corinthians 9:11-14 AMP

The Lord will enrich you in all things and in every way, so that you can continue to be generous. Your generosity not only blesses others, it blesses you and it glorifies God and it brings forth thanksgiving to God. People will glorify God for your loyalty and obedience to the Gospel of Christ and for your generous-hearted liberality to them. You might say that you believe the Gospel, but your giving proves that you do.

Now thanks be to God for His Gift, [precious] beyond telling [His indescribable, inexpressible, free Gift]! 2 Corinthians 9:15 AMP

God’s gift of eternal life is free, but every Christian must decide to be a part of bringing this Gospel free to all those who have yet to hear.

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us.  Hebrews 12:1 AMP

We have a great cloud of witnesses, who have gone on before us, who led and paved the way for us, who made sacrifices, some paying the ultimate price, to uphold the truth and lift Jesus up, who are watching us over the banisters of heaven. We owe it to them and ourselves to strip off the worldly stuff that wraps itself around us to trip us up and the weight of sin that is so easy to pick up and so difficult to get rid of.

Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  Hebrews 12:2 AMP

The devil will try to lure and distract you with all kinds of sins and temptations and unfortunately some people are very easily distracted. If you want to do the right thing, you need to look away from all distractions and keep your eyes on Jesus. Jesus is our example. He did not give in to temporary temptations, He had His eye on the prize and the joy that was set before Him, and therefore He endured the shame and pain of the cross. We are His joy!

Just think of Him Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds. 4 You have not yet struggled and fought agonizingly against sin, nor have you yet resisted and withstood to the point of pouring out your [own] blood.  Hebrews 12:3-4 AMP

Jesus struggled so intensely against the temptation to disobey God and not go to the cross that He sweated blood. You haven’t resisted sin till you sweated blood yet. When you look at what Jesus endured at the hands of man, you can encourage yourself and keep your spirits up, knowing that your trials are nowhere near as bad as His. He made it through and so will you.

And have you [completely] forgotten the divine word of appeal and encouragement in which you are reasoned with and addressed as sons? My son, do not think lightly or scorn to submit to the correction and discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage and give up and faint when you are reproved or corrected by Him; 6 For the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes. 7 You must submit to and endure [correction] for discipline; God is dealing with you as with sons. For what son is there whom his father does not [thus] train and correct and discipline? 8 Now if you are exempt from correction and left without discipline in which all [of God’s children] share, then you are illegitimate offspring and not true sons [at all]. 9 Moreover, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we yielded [to them] and respected [them for training us]. Shall we not much more cheerfully submit to the Father of spirits and so [truly] live? 10 For [our earthly fathers] disciplined us for only a short period of time and chastised us as seemed proper and good to them; but He disciplines us for our certain good, that we may become sharers in His own holiness. 11 For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it [a harvest of fruit which consists in righteousness–in conformity to God’s will in purpose, thought, and action, resulting in right living and right standing with God]. 12 So then, brace up and reinvigorate and set right your slackened and weakened and drooping hands and strengthen your feeble and palsied and tottering knees.  Hebrews 12:5-12 AMP

As a child of God, it is important for you to allow God to bring correction to your life, knowing that He has your best interests at heart. God only corrects His own children. If He doesn’t correct you, you are not His. Just as an earthly father disciplines and corrects his child, whom he loves, so God disciplines and corrects you by His word and His Spirit. He also allows you to reap what you have sown and face the consequences of your actions and choices. At the time you are being disciplined, it is not pleasant, it is painful. But afterwards, if you submit to it and allow God to train you, it will yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness.

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy, by [the] cleansing [bath] of the new birth (regeneration) and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 Which He poured out [so] richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Titus 3:5-6 AMP

Sin and death has corrupted man from the time of the fall in the Garden of Eden. Jesus died and rose again to restore what the devil has stolen and restore us once again, not only into relationship, but also into fellowship, with our Heavenly Father. There are two things that happen to you. The first is instant and the second is progressive. The first thing that happens to you, when you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, is that you are “bathed” in the Holy Spirit and washed clean from all sin. Your spirit is regenerated—made brand new. The second thing is a work in your mind and body. As the Holy Spirit is allowed to work in you, your mind will be progressively renewed to the truth and filled with light. Sin, darkness, and the lies of the devil will be dispelled and freedom and faith will reign in your life.

Strip yourselves of your former nature [put off and discard your old unrenewed self] which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion; 23 And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude], 24 And put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God’s image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24 AMP

You make a choice to strip off the junk of your old carnal nature. You choose to renew your mind to the liberating truth of God’s Word. You choose to put on your new nature, created in God’s image—righteous and holy. You cannot sit back and do nothing and expect God to do everything. You have a choice and a responsibility to serve God and not the flesh. You must exercise your freedom of choice and choose life over death, liberty over sin, and blessing over cursing.

If then you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, thus sharing His resurrection from the dead], aim at and seek the [rich, eternal treasures] that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth. 3 For [as far as this world is concerned] you have died, and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, Who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in [the splendor of His] glory. 5 So kill (deaden, deprive of power) the evil desire lurking in your members [those animal impulses and all that is earthly in you that is employed in sin]: sexual vice, impurity, sensual appetites, unholy desires, and all greed and covetousness, for that is idolatry (the deifying of self and other created things instead of God). 6 It is on account of these [very sins] that the [holy] anger of God is ever coming upon the sons of disobedience (those who are obstinately opposed to the divine will), 7 Among whom you also once walked, when you were living in and addicted to [such practices]. 8 But now put away and rid yourselves [completely] of all these things: anger, rage, bad feeling toward others, curses and slander, and foulmouthed abuse and shameful utterances from your lips! 9 Do not lie to one another, for you have stripped off the old (unregenerate) self with its evil practices, 10 And have clothed yourselves with the new [spiritual self], which is [ever in the process of being] renewed and remolded into [fuller and more perfect knowledge upon] knowledge after the image (the likeness) of Him Who created it. Colossians 3:1-10 AMP

Set your mind and keep it set on heavenly things and ideals. Get rid of the earthly things that once dominated your life and your thoughts. Kill the evil desires of your flesh. Strip off your old, unregenerate self with its evil practices. Clothe yourselves with your new spiritual self, which is continually in the process of being renewed and remolded into the image and the knowledge of God, Who created you.

I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]. Romans 12:1-2 AMP

Present your body and your mind to the Lord as a sacrifice—a living sacrifice. You must make the choice, with the Holy Spirit’s help, to not conform to the world’s standards. When you renew you mind to God’s ways of thinking and doing, you will also find God’s perfect will for your life.