It can be hard for some to believe that God could ever be inaccessible. In this day and age, many of us think God is like a streaming channel - turn it on when you want and ignore it when you don't. This attitude leads to so many believing they should 'enjoy life' or make money first, putting the need to enter into a relationship with God on the backburner. "Oh, I'm young and I've got my life to live. I'll give my life to the Lord later," they say.
However, what many fail to realize is that tomorrow may be too late.
That is not the message anyone wants to hear. We always imagine there will be plenty of time to turn to the Lord. However, consider Isaiah 55:6-7 - Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
This scripture makes it painfully clear that there is a time when God can be found. This being the case, the opposite is equally true - there is a time when God cannot be found. We must ask ourselves which of these options do we prefer? Wonder how the latter option could happen? Imagine a guy, living the life. He's got money, women, cars, homes and takes great trips. He's the dude every guy wants to be and the man every woman wants. His mom keeps telling him to make time for God but He promises her he'll do so when he gets married and has kids. Over the years people try to talk to him about Christ but he brushes them aside. He eventually gets tired of his mom's 'nagging' about God and calls her less frequently. His life of partying intensifies and he's soon doing things he never would have before, all because he can and nobody tells him not to.
One day, he falls sick and dies. At no point did he get to return to the subject of getting to know God or His son, Jesus Christ. His death was sudden, so there was no death-bed opportunity for someone to pray with Him and have Him give His life to Christ. Where do you think a man like that ends up? Heaven? Hell? According to the words of Jesus in John 14:6, this man will not make it to heaven because He never took that preliminary step of accepting Jesus as His Lord and Savior.
God does not want anyone to go to hell (2 Peter 3:9). And this is why the Lord wants everyone to turn to Him and leave behind the things that don't please Him, because these things negatively impact a relationship with Him. Jesus said in Revelation 16:15 - “Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is he who stays awake and who keeps his clothes [that is, stays spiritually ready for the Lord’s return], so that he will not be naked—spiritually unprepared—and men will not see his shame.” (AMP). The Lord wants all to be spiritually ready for His return because He has promised to come back and those who remained ready will go to heaven, while those who didn't will suffer an unpleasant fate in hell. Nobody knows when the time of His return will be, but is it worth it to leave things to chance and remain unprepared? If my experience is anything to go by, then making intentional choices to have a relationship with God is not easy. Many might not want to hear that either. Yet, I've seen God do things for me whereby I'm thoroughly convinced that the sacrifices were worth it. Plus, God is responsible for me and according to 1 Corinthians 1:8 - He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
You may be wondering, how can you seek the Lord? How does one prepare for when Jesus will return? The first thing to do is to genuinely tell Him you want to know Him and have Him in your life. The next step varies from person to person but can look like any of the following: for many, finding a church where the Holy Spirit dwells acts as a great incubator for their relationship with God. Others open the Bible and develop their relationship through regular interaction with the word of God. Some are led to someone who talks to them about Jesus and helps them become familiar with who He is and what He offers. There are so many ways that God stretches His hand toward people so that a true relationship begins and is firmly established.
The point is, He wants a relationship with you and you should take the offer before it's too late. None of us know when that time will come but I pray in the name of Jesus that each of us will accept His outstretched hand and enter into friendship with the Lord, IJMN, Amen.
FINAL MESSAGE
(originally shared on July 14, 2023)
Back in April of 2022, I remember the Lord clearly telling me to mention to all of us that there was a need to pray for our mothers. I would regularly put our mothers in prayer and call on God for His mercy and grace.
I got a similar message on Tuesday this week (July 11, 2023) but with everything going on, I neglected to share it. Lord, please forgive me because a couple of things have happened this week to Peppers that reminded me of the need to not just share this message to individuals but with the entire group.
Ladies and gents, the Lord wants us to seat ourselves by the well of living water so that when the dry season arrives we are already well-positioned to draw and drink. What does this mean? If you are already in right-relationship with Jesus, then when the challenges of life come, you are well-positioned to lean on Him for the solutions.
If, however, our walk with the Lord is lax, then when the problems arrive, we start scrambling to get right with God and His Son, Jesus Christ. We start listening to the devil's lie that 'it's been so long since you took the Lord seriously so He won't take you seriously.'
Such lies are immediately eradicated and powerless if we are already walking with God and going to Him daily, doing the things He wants us to do. If we are spending time in His word and being intentional to create time to hear Him speak to us. Not just talking at Him all the time. I mean think about it? Who likes that person who's always talking at them but never slows down to ask and hear what you think or want to say?
Let's get into the habit of investing in a relationship with God so we're not scrambling when the storms of life hit us.
That said, I praise God that He is happy that you come to Him period. Be it before or after the issues arise. He will help you. Nevertheless, it is always best to be prepared than to have to react to things. God is happy to give us that opportunity so let's take advantage of it.
God bless you!!! If you've got questions on how to achieve this, please don't hesitate to ask. No inquiry is stupid - we are all at different stages in our walk with the Lord and we need one another to grow.
CLOSING PRAYER
Praise the Lord Almighty! Father, I am grateful for this hour to spend with others in honor of You. Thank You for bringing us together from different continents to praise You and pray for the needs of others. To You be all the glory!
I place those who participated today before You. Thank You for their lives and thank You for bringing them to gather today. Lord, remember them for their worship and intercession. You know who they are and You know what they need. Lord, I look forward to hearing testimonies from them to Your glory. May Your presence be tangible in their lives each day, IJMN, Amen.
From PBS - Hallelujah, Father, thank You! You are the the God of the breakthrough! In the Name of Jesus, Lord remove every mountain to be cast out and destroyed. We command every opposing knee of every name to bow right now in the name of Jesus! May Your Power continue to break through and set the captives free. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life—Let the blind now see, let the deaf now hear, let the door knocks now be answered—to Your Glory.
Lord send the answers NOW to Your beloved who have been waiting for their blessings. May they overflow and be more than they asked for or imagined!
In Jesus Name, amen. ❤️
LAST 10 MINUTES
Did you read today's message? Do you get it?
If you haven't asked God into your life, now is the time. If you haven't considered having a genuine relationship with Him, this message is a wake up call for you to do so.
Many of us think we know God. We go to church, Bible study, and swing by to fellowship with other Christians regularly. Yet, ask yourself this question - have you experienced God's might hand? Have you seen a miracle that seems like one from out of the Bible? Have you testified to His glory and power? Many of us are Christians and were born Christians but we might not actually have a relationship with Him yet.
The great thing is you don't have to go another moment without it.
Take a few preliminary steps though. Remember that you are a sinner and that sin acts as a barrier to relationship. Once you acknowledge this, repent for your sins and ask the Lord for His forgiveness.. Then, forgive all who have hurt you. You may know some of their names or faces, but trust the Lord to remind you and when He does, please forgive them completely. The reason why this is necessary is that the Bible says we can't expect God's forgiveness if we haven't forgiven those who've wronged us.
Then, just ask Him to come into your life. Tell Jesus to come on in and make a home in your heart. Watch Him transform you.
Glory be to God! Let us thank the Lord for those who have made this choice to welcome Jesus into their lives. For they have answered the call of Jesus as contained in Revelation 3:20 - Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
Praise the Lord!!
From BI - Lord, I pray You lay Your healing hands on my clients as well as P&P peppers in need of Your healing touch. I pray that they will not service negativity and that every infirmity or affliction bow to God’s authority. I pray they receive divine visitation from the Lord. May the mantle of good health and long life rest upon them. Every negative health report shall turn into praise report IJMN Amen.
From PBS - Lord, THANK YOU, for giving me the strength and boldness to not respond negatively to ‘out of nowhere’ and ‘unexpected’ attacks from the enemy today (and any day). Thank You for waking me up early to pray and fill my tank up beforehand, fully girded with the armor of the Lord and brimming with the fruits of the Spirit. Thank You for Your justice and vengeance for they are Yours, and You shall repay. Thank You for the opportunity to publicly testify and give You the glory for being my Rock, my Light, my Deliverance, and my Salvation. You are God, and God alone! Thank You Jesus! ❤️
From BI - Lord, I lift up in prayer the weary and broken-hearted. Break every chain of depression and sadness gripping Your children. You are the great Shepherd that will leave the ninety nine in search of the one. Guide them to You and envelop them in the warmth of Your love. Silence the voice that tells them they are unworthy. Loving God, replace their sadness with joy, their tears with laughter, their despair with hope, their weakness with strength IJMN Amen.
Lord, I lift up the woman and her child who were kidnapped in Haiti. She was there to minister and help and I trust in You to set her free, just as You did for those who were kidnapped last year.
That said, I point You to Your wonderful word in Isaiah 49:22 - This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "See, I will beckon to the nations, I will lift up my banner to the peoples; they will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their hips.
Lord, lift up Your banner for the kidnapped and unlawfully taken. There are so many people being held hostage in one way or the other. I lift them up as well, knowing that the earth is the Lord's and everything in it, the world and all who dwell in it (Psalm 24:1). As such, beckon to the nations to have Your sons and daughters brought to safety like the precious cargo they are, made in Your image for Your glory. I decree Your freedom, Lord.
IJMN, Amen.
Jehovah Jireh, I come before You to pray for the needs of fellow Peppers. Abba, in the Bible, Your servant Elisha prayed that You would open the eyes of the servant, and then he saw the provision all around him. I pray therefore for fellow Peppers, that You would open their eyes so they can see and access the provision You have made for their needs.
I trust that the provision is already there because it is written: "Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear" (Isa 65:24). Psalm 34:10 says "Fear the LORD, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing. Young lions go lacking and hungry, but *those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.*
2 Kings 6:17 -- "And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha"
So Lord, my request is simply that You, in Your grace and might, would open the eyes of my fellow Peppers, so they can see the good provision You have provided to them. Amen, in Jesus mighty name!
Good God, You are the Almighty. Nobody compares to You. Father, thank You for hearing my prayer for people that they come to a knowledge of You as You promised in Jeremiah 24:7. Thank You for giving people a desire for You. Thank You for whetting their appetites for more of You. Thank You for letting hearts clamor for You. Thank You for kindly pouring out Your Spirit on all mankind in accordance with Your word in Joel 2:28. Be glorified, Lord our Redeemer.
Now and forever more, IJMN, Amen.
From BI - Thank You Lord for Your anointing. Thank You Lord for Your light that can penetrate the darkest places. You have never failed me and You never will. Thank You for guiding my steps. Even when I stumble, I never fall. Thank You for reversing negativity. Thank You for my praise reports. There isn’t and never will be a God like You. Thank You my Abba Father for choosing me!
God I thank You for giving me a new key to overcome certain struggles. Thank You for helping me to focus on what's important, and thank You for helping me to prioritize my time.
Thank You for this month of August, and all the fulfilled promises it holds! Also, I thank You for helping my family to be united.
While I don't understand Igbo, this song always brings me to praise the Lord. He has paid every price to set me free and I can't help but honor Him when I hear this song
Lord, thank You for loving me and allowing me to pick up the English parts of this song. Please bless everyone involved in creating this song.
For my safety
He paid oh
My freedom oh
He paid oh
My extra luggage was paid
He paid oh
Jesus paid in full
When He said its finished
The deal was sealed and done and dusted
....
Upon my head I bear the mark of Christ
I am born of God
Lord, I want to thank You for helping me yesterday. I suddenly felt unwell but in Your kindness You heard my prayers and walked me through it all. Thank You for teaching me to rely on You for everything. There is nothing too difficult for You to carry. Nothing too complex for You to deal with. I don't need to handle anything on my own because You are right there with me through it all.
Thank You, Yahweh! Glory be to Your Holy Name!
Lord, I want to thank You for Your grace and mercy upon my family, friends, prayer subjects and I.
Without it, where would we be?
Thank You, God. For loving us so much. Thank You for being compassionate to us. Thank You for never taking Your hand off us even when we sought to go our own way.
Lord, You are great and greatly to be praised.
I want to acknowledge You, God. for all You do!!! Thank You!
From BI - Thank You heavenly King for all You have done for me, all You are doing and all You are going to do in my life. You are my defender, my refuge, my guardian, my provider, my teacher, my friend, my forgiver, my Father. You are full of love, mercy, grace and so much more. Thank You for being the only constant in my life. My Rock of ages, Beautifier of my destiny, Glory of Israel, El Shaddai, Adonai, Mighty one, Living water, Righteousness, Yahweh, The Great I Am. Thank You Thank You Thank You.
Psalm 95:3-5 - For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.
Thank You God for being the Mighty Creator of everything. You are owner of all. Thank You for sharing what belongs to You with us. Thank You for being so kind and loving even when we don't always treat the things You created well.
Have mercy on us, Lord. Let Your mercy continue to speak for You are the kind and loving Father we depend on.
Luke 1:49 - for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.
Hallelujah! My God, I thank You for the great things You have done for me. Thank You for going ahead and laying the path I am to follow.
Thank You for redeeming me and saving me from sin and death itself.
Thank You that when I gave my life to Christ, I was justified, just as if I never sinned.
All by Your grace and to Your glory, IJMN, Amen!
PRAISE TIME
Let us enter God's presence with praise and thanksgiving on our lips.
Tell God why you love Him, thank Him for what He's done. Exalt Him for being holy and wonderful.
Give Him Supernatural Praise!
Nothing ordinary.
Let's go!!
From M22 - Thank you Father for bring us together as a community to praise, pray and worship. It can only be you Abba. Thank you!
From C - Praise God for this new month!!!
I pray we remain steadfast and hopeful in Him
Heavenly Father I want tjj ok thank You for your goodness and grace, for calling upon each of us by name and making us your children. Lord there are still many who do not know or seek of You, I pray that You pour into their hearts the desire and thirst for you! I pray that you continue to help the work of missionaries who are truly moved by you to spread the true gospel of Christ and salvation in You.
I pray over todays P&P that through the prayers here lifted many souls be saved. I pray over every praise, blessing and prayer that will be lifted in this place that they reach your heart and ears. In Jesus mighty name for there’s no name higher, no one greater than our good and wonderful God
Amen
From EC - Amen and good morning ladies!
From CD - Our present is God's gift to us & I like getting gifts so I celebrate each and every gift God gives me.
Moment of reflection, I was on a road trip this past weekend and I used that time to have a conversation with my Daddy, what He brought to my attention was that I was spending too much time focusing on the things that were not going according to "my" plan and not spending enough time and appreciating the things that are going according to His plan.
I don't know how God talks to y'all, but He is firm and blunt with me, He told me to mind the business that pays me and be about the work and people He as assigned to me. He told me to let what He has assigned to me keep me busy because if I am focused on that, I won't have time to focus on those things that are none of my concern.
I said all of that to say, be grateful for today for we shall never see it again
Love you Family
From IDQ - Good morning God bless you all!
From AC - Lord Jesus, I pour my praise upon You and worship at Your feet, for there is none greater than You. Our mighty King of kings, born in the lowliest of circumstances, and hung on a cross meant for thieves to atone for our transgressions, and reconcile us with our Father because of Your undying and unwavering love for us. May we never lose our wonder of Your mercy and the price You paid in full for our freedom (Galatians 3:13). May Your Name be glorified, above all names, always and forever. Amen, Amen.
From PBS - Glory to You Lord for creating the days and time, which allow us the opportunity to humbly worship and praise You and Your Word. Thank You Lord!
‘Heavenly Father, thank you for another opportunity to humble ourselves, and give you all of the worship and praise.
We are reminded in the book of Genesis that man’s origin is the dust of the earth. It was your breath that gave us life. We did not originate from an animal or a random event; your Word says that we were fearfully and wonderfully made in your holy likeness.
Marvelous are all of your works Lord, and may our souls never forget and confess this always.
-Father, please forgive us for the times we have exalted ourselves above You.
-Forgive us for thinking of ourselves greater and more capable than You.
-Forgive us for not using the fruits of the Spirit and the armor of the Lord when facing pressures.
-Forgive us whenever we refused to seek you first, nor completely trust You and Your Word.
-Forgive us for assuming that just because you love us, that you will automatically accept our unordained choices.
-Forgive us for making ourselves, other people, objects, or beliefs, as the first savior of our troubles, instead of going to the only Savior, Jesus Christ.
-Forgive us for not clothing ourselves with humility. Let us now renounce all pride, confidence in material things, ego, selfishness, and arrogance.
-Forgive us for refusing the advice, counsel, guidance, protection, help, and commandments of the Holy Spirit.
-Forgive us for blocking our angels to perform the Word that You sent them to do.
Lord, we want to follow You. We put aside our own desires and conveniences. We yield our desires that are not in Your plan for us. Even in the midst of fear, we surrender and entrust our future to You. We choose to take up our cross and follow You!
Father, in the name of Jesus, we refuse to be wise in our own eyes; but we choose to fear You and shun evil. This will bring health to our bodies and nourishment to our bones.
Lord going forward, we choose to humble ourselves and submit to Your Word that speaks to the very thoughts and purposes of our hearts. We are not alone in this world! Your Presence is within us and surrounds us. Hallelujah!
We refuse to order our steps anymore; we now give them ALL over to You, Lord!
In the Name of Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!’
Be blessed Peppers and everyone!
From BI - What can I say unto The Lord? All I have to say is thank You Lord. Thank You my Abba Father for letting me see this glorious month of August. Your love and mercy knows no bounds. Thank You for being so accessible I can always approach Your throne of grace. Thank You for answered prayers and unanswered prayers as everything works out in Your time for my good. Thank You for yesterday, today and forever.
Thank you sis @FFJ for today’s word. A lot of people think there is time. What we do in this life determines what will happen in the immortal life. Just as we did not know when we were going to enter the world, we do not know the end. May we all live long healthy lives IJMN Amen. Knowing Jesus means everlasting life with Him. Life can be trying and it is not easy thinking, speaking and doing the right thing all the the time. Thank God for His grace which He makes available to all of us. May God help us to not only be believers in Him but also doers of His Word. May we reject everything contrary to His Word and align ourselves completely with His Will IJMN Amen.
From M22 - Happy new month Peppers! Thank you so much for today's word sis @FFJ . It is a great reminder for us to reach out to God because his hands are always stretched to receive us. Our life long goal should be to endure for Jesus Christ and make heaven. We are reminded by the word of God that we are not of this world even though we live in it. I understand that there are uncontacted tribes in the world that are isolated and are hostile towards missionaries spreading the gospel to them. I pray that they get to know God in the most amazing way. When I read today's word I immediately thought of uncontacted tribes that are isolated from the rest of the world. I pray that these tribes and people that are unaware come to know God is the way. IJMN amen.
ALTAR CALL
The Lord wants you to become born again in Jesus Christ. Indeed, the only way any of us will make it to heaven is to be born again. These aren't my words they are from the Lamb of God Himself in John 14:6 - Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Good deeds, kindness and the hallmarks of a well-lived life aren't enough. You have to realize that you can't do life without Him. You need Him to get you out of the messy entanglements you're in. You have to put your pride aside and ask Him to get you there.
Now is your opportunity to do just that and get baptized in the Spirit (John 3:5).
Don't worry about not being perfect enough for God. He will take your hand right where you are and lead you to the improved you. Jesus hardly hung out with perfect people. It was prostitutes, fornicators, tax collectors, the poor and the sick that made up His crew. His job is to take your sins away when you choose to be born again. To make you brand new and free from past shame and guilt.
If you are willing, why don't you say the following prayer?
Lord Jesus I am a sinner. I confess my sins right now to you. And I believe that you are the son of God. I believe that you came , you died, your rose again, and you paid the price for my sins. Today, I accept the new life, today I accept the Holy Spirit. Come dwell in me, make Your home in me. I will never be the same again. In Jesus's name, Amen.
Praise God and welcome to the household of the Lord. Please let the Lord transform you. He loves you as you are and welcomes you just that way but He will change you. I'd be doing you a disservice if I didn't let you know. My recommendation is that you let Him have His way and bow to the beautiful changes He will bring your way.
Now that you are born again in the Spirit, I strongly recommend that you get born again with water for we are told in John 3:5 - Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Find a church that is led by the Holy Spirit and get water baptized. The Lord will guide you, IJN, Amen.
To learn more about the faith and find answers to some questions you might have, check out this handy page - ! How to have a stronger relationship with YHWH God!
The Lord bless you!