Ephesians 4:15

Rather, let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, [even] Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

Sometimes growing up can be uncomfortable. All the stretching and pulling can cause some things to become dislodged. Things that used to be small and easy to manage now are larger and causes one to be clumsy and disorganized.

However, growth and development are essential and vital parts of every fruitful life. The scripture says, “…let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head,” meaning get ready for your expansion project.

Growth and progress can occur at different times and various rates for different people. We may not all experience growth together, but we should all be growing nonetheless. Sometimes people perceive growing pains to be a negative experience and they regress and stop making progress. Although the stretching, pulling, prying and aggressive tugging can be uncomfortable, however, it should be most welcomed and appreciated. Every part of our being should be growing and expanding to become more and more like Him, in every way, everyday.

Being born – again is similar to being born in the natural, growth is expected. It would be unnatural to walk into a room filled with adults and everyone had a baby’s bottle in their mouth, cuddling a stuffed animal and wearing a diaper. Bassinets are for babies; spiritually and naturally.  Some people refuse to grow spiritually, they just lay there in the spiritual bassinets of life waiting on someone to come by and pick them up and meet their needs. They just lay there and cry like a baby, unable to articulate God’s Word, they never learned how to speak and walk by faith. They piggy back through life riding on other peoples prayers and blessings. God expects every Christian to grow and reach their full potential. He expects us to walk by faith and not by sight and to be able to speak the Word and see it manifest in their everyday lives and circumstances. It’s time to put away childish things (1 Corinthians 13:11) and grow in God.

Enjoy the stretch!

Visit our website www.harrisministriesint.com, www.detoxifyingthesoul.com www.nuturingnuggets.net, www.themarriagemanual.net, www.beyondyourweight.com, and www.fellasofgod.com

Influence defined:

• The effect of something on a person, thing, or event.

• Power to sway: the power that somebody has to affect other people’s thinking or actions by means of argument, example, or force of personality.

Another word for influence is persuading.

Today I pose the questions, “Who has influence in your life? Whose life are you influencing?

What things or people do you allow to sway your life? TV, radio, ancestors, tradition, your past or someone elses past, fear, culture, the opinions of natural unchanged men/women, etc.

Whether we know it or not throughout the course of our earth journey there are those in whom our lives greatly influence or sway and there are those who influence our lives. We affect those around us for good or for evil everyday by what we say and do. We can affect the way others dress, eat, wear their hair, train their children, and treat their spouses. We can sway peoples self-image, the way they think and speak, money management, the way they interact with God, their perception of God, etc.

In the book of Acts chapter 18:12-13

… the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law. 

Here we see that Paul’s influence among the people was perceived by some to be contrary, although Paul was sent by God. Power persuades. The limited power of the kingdom of darkness persuades and the ultimate limitless power of God persuades. People and things can be greatly influence by power, even if it is weak power. Paul lived a life that demonstrated true power and therefore many people were willing to listen to what he had to say. Paul told the people to follow me as I follow Christ. In other words allow my life to influence your life in respect to my relationship and fellowship with God.

In 2Corinthians 5:11, Paul says:

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. 

Paul knew that he would someday have to stand before God and give an account of the life he lived and the influence he had in the lives of others here on the earth. Influence carries with it great accountability. The children (natural and spiritual) that God entrust to us here on the earth are influenced by our lives; we can sway their hearts toward good or evil. If we influence children to be partial and have respect of persons because of our own fears and pride we will have to give answer to God for that misguided influence. We can by precept and example influence our children to love and honor then we our responsible for that influence as well.

What kind of a sway do you have on people around you? Are you the kind of Christian that influences everyone around you to be carnal? Or does your life persuade and stimulate spiritual hunger in people? Do people follow and emulate you because you follow and emulate Christ?

Jesus delegated the power of influence to His Church. He told Paul, in Acts 26:18, that he was chosen and appointed by God:

To open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may thus receive forgiveness and release from their sins and a place and portion among those who are consecrated and purified by faith in Me.

You too are a light and influence in somebody’s life, whether they are young or old. So let that light shine bright before them so that they may see your good works and glorify God by following in your footsteps.

Visit our website www.harrisministriesint.com, www.detoxifyingthesoul.com www.nuturingnuggets.net, www.themarriagemanual.net, www.beyondyourweight.com, and www.fellasofgod.com

Influence defined:

• The effect of something on a person, thing, or event.

• Power to sway: the power that somebody has to affect other people’s thinking or actions by means of argument, example, or force of personality.

Another word for influence is persuading.

Today I pose the questions, “Who has influence in your life? Whose life are you influencing?

What things or people do you allow to sway your life? TV, radio, ancestors, tradition, your past or someone elses past, fear, culture, the opinions of natural unchanged men/women, etc.

Whether we know it or not throughout the course of our earth journey there are those in whom our lives greatly influence or sway and there are those who influence our lives. We affect those around us for good or for evil everyday by what we say and do. We can affect the way others dress, eat, wear their hair, train their children, and treat their spouses. We can sway peoples self-image, the way they think and speak, money management, the way they interact with God, their perception of God, etc.

In the book of Acts chapter 18:12-13

… the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law. 

Here we see that Paul’s influence among the people was perceived by some to be contrary, although Paul was sent by God. Power persuades. The limited power of the kingdom of darkness persuades and the ultimate limitless power of God persuades. People and things can be greatly influence by power, even if it is weak power. Paul lived a life that demonstrated true power and therefore many people were willing to listen to what he had to say. Paul told the people to follow me as I follow Christ. In other words allow my life to influence your life in respect to my relationship and fellowship with God.

In 2Corinthians 5:11, Paul says:

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. 

Paul knew that he would someday have to stand before God and give an account of the life he lived and the influence he had in the lives of others here on the earth. Influence carries with it great accountability. The children (natural and spiritual) that God entrust to us here on the earth are influenced by our lives; we can sway their hearts toward good or evil. If we influence children to be partial and have respect of persons because of our own fears and pride we will have to give answer to God for that misguided influence. We can by precept and example influence our children to love and honor then we our responsible for that influence as well.

What kind of a sway do you have on people around you? Are you the kind of Christian that influences everyone around you to be carnal? Or does your life persuade and stimulate spiritual hunger in people? Do people follow and emulate you because you follow and emulate Christ?

Jesus delegated the power of influence to His Church. He told Paul, in Acts 26:18, that he was chosen and appointed by God:

To open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may thus receive forgiveness and release from their sins and a place and portion among those who are consecrated and purified by faith in Me.

You too are a light and influence in somebody’s life, whether they are young or old. So let that light shine bright before them so that they may see your good works and glorify God by following in your footsteps.

Visit our website www.harrisministriesint.com, www.detoxifyingthesoul.com www.nuturingnuggets.net, www.themarriagemanual.net, www.beyondyourweight.com, and www.fellasofgod.com

Influence defined:

• The effect of something on a person, thing, or event.

• Power to sway: the power that somebody has to affect other people’s thinking or actions by means of argument, example, or force of personality.

Another word for influence is persuading.

Today I pose the questions, “Who has influence in your life? Whose life are you influencing?

What things or people do you allow to sway your life? TV, radio, ancestors, tradition, your past or someone elses past, fear, culture, the opinions of natural unchanged men/women, etc.

Whether we know it or not throughout the course of our earth journey there are those in whom our lives greatly influence or sway and there are those who influence our lives. We affect those around us for good or for evil everyday by what we say and do. We can affect the way others dress, eat, wear their hair, train their children, and treat their spouses. We can sway peoples self-image, the way they think and speak, money management, the way they interact with God, their perception of God, etc.

In the book of Acts chapter 18:12-13

… the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law. 

Here we see that Paul’s influence among the people was perceived by some to be contrary, although Paul was sent by God. Power persuades. The limited power of the kingdom of darkness persuades and the ultimate limitless power of God persuades. People and things can be greatly influence by power, even if it is weak power. Paul lived a life that demonstrated true power and therefore many people were willing to listen to what he had to say. Paul told the people to follow me as I follow Christ. In other words allow my life to influence your life in respect to my relationship and fellowship with God.

In 2Corinthians 5:11, Paul says:

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. 

Paul knew that he would someday have to stand before God and give an account of the life he lived and the influence he had in the lives of others here on the earth. Influence carries with it great accountability. The children (natural and spiritual) that God entrust to us here on the earth are influenced by our lives; we can sway their hearts toward good or evil. If we influence children to be partial and have respect of persons because of our own fears and pride we will have to give answer to God for that misguided influence. We can by precept and example influence our children to love and honor then we our responsible for that influence as well.

What kind of a sway do you have on people around you? Are you the kind of Christian that influences everyone around you to be carnal? Or does your life persuade and stimulate spiritual hunger in people? Do people follow and emulate you because you follow and emulate Christ?

Jesus delegated the power of influence to His Church. He told Paul, in Acts 26:18, that he was chosen and appointed by God:

To open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may thus receive forgiveness and release from their sins and a place and portion among those who are consecrated and purified by faith in Me.

You too are a light and influence in somebody’s life, whether they are young or old. So let that light shine bright before them so that they may see your good works and glorify God by following in your footsteps.

Visit our website www.harrisministriesint.com, www.detoxifyingthesoul.com www.nuturingnuggets.net, www.themarriagemanual.net, www.beyondyourweight.com, and www.fellasofgod.com

Hebrews 3:1-3 (AMP)

SO THEN, brethren, consecrated and set apart for God, who share in the heavenly calling, [thoughtfully and attentively] consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest Whom we confessed [as ours when we embraced the Christian faith]. [See how] faithful He was to Him Who appointed Him [Apostle and High Priest], as Moses was also faithful in the whole house [of God]. Yet Jesus has been considered worthy of much greater honor and glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house has more honor than the house [itself].

We, Christians, are possessors of the nature of Almighty God. We are heirs and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. We believe that God has a plan and purpose for our lives but yet many die without fulfilling even a fraction of that plan.

The scripture text for our blog today says we have a Heavenly calling. The plans and purposes God has for each life may not be popular, it may not even seem logical in the natural because it’s, heavenly. Jesus would have never fulfilled His earthly course if He was trying to make it fit in with natural human reasoning. Man had a different plan and course for Jesus life but He refused to veer from the Father’s plan. Natural man did not understand nor favor the course God had for Jesus, His own Son. Many people tried to stop Him and talk Him out of it but He stayed loyal to His Fathers will. Be cautious about trying to redirect other people’s lives just because it doesn’t make sense to you. If God is not directing you to tell them to go another way don’t be an accomplice to the devils plan to shipwreck or confuse someone else’s course just because it doesn’t appear right to you. After Jesus revealed to His disciplines the course the Father had given Him to fulfill, Peter piped up and rebuked Jesus.

“Then Peter took Him aside to speak to Him privately and began to reprove and charge Him sharply, saying, God forbid, Lord! This must never happen to You! Matthew 16:22 AMP

Peter was very sincere in his human efforts to try to help Jesus fulfill his destiny but he was sincerely wrong. Every person’s destiny is very precious and vital; we should always seek God through prayer and His word before we begin counseling people about their destinies. You never want to be held accountable for someone getting off course because of what you thought their course should look like.

God has different paths and administrations of the Spirit for different people. We must let God be God. A Heavenly calling is just that Heavenly, it comes from God not man. The scripture says we are all partakers.

Once we seek God and find out what our part is in the body of Christ, we must go forward with fervor and passion not allowing other people’s opinions to stop our progress. God loves you and has a specific plan for your life but you must diligently seek Him with a pure heart. He will reveal to you what you need to know, where you need to go and any other specifics you may need to know. Just go and flow with the Holy Ghost, He is your guide! Be faithful to God and do all that He entrust to you to do, with a joyful heart. Stay excited about the things God has given you to do, so that He can fulfill His plans through your life and be glorified.

Press in to fulfill the heavenly calling in your life, today!

Visit our website www.harrisministriesint.com, www.detoxifyingthesoul.com www.nuturingnuggets.net, www.themarriagemanual.net, www.beyondyourweight.com, and www.fellasofgod.com

John 4:3-4

He left Judea and departed again into Galilee. And he must needs go through Samaria.

The word destination is from the root word destiny. Destinies are composed of a series of predetermined events that bring a person to a specific place, season or time in their life. A person’s destination is highly connected to purpose. A destination is the place to which somebody or something is going or must go.

According to John 4:3-4, Jesus journeyed to 3 particular cities: Judea, Galilee and Samaria. Neither of these places was His final destination but only a part of His journey. Each place had its specific purpose in the fulfilling of His entire course.

Jesus final destination called for active participation, not just mere day dreaming.

Many times we rejoice in proclaiming the vision and dreams God has reveal to our spirit by the Holy Spirit but then we sometimes forget to actively participate in what we’ve seen. God is not revealing specific things concerning your destiny just for you to daydream about them, He wants participation. We sometimes sit idle viewing our future as it were on a movie screen seeing in our spirit pictures of God given assignments and snap shots of the things God wants us to do and places He wants us to go.

It was necessary that Jesus go to Samaria the scriptures tell us. What if He would have just preached and shouted about the revelation of the deliverance that should come to Samaria but never took an active part in the fulfillment of what he saw in His spirit.

God is calling for active participation from us to fulfill our God given destinies, so stop day dreaming and get up from that lounge chair start taking steps toward the things He has revealed to you concerning your destiny.

Visit our website www.harrisministriesint.com, www.detoxifyingthesoul.com www.nuturingnuggets.net, www.themarriagemanual.net, www.beyondyourweight.com, and www.fellasofgod.com

Luke 2:49

And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? 

Business defined:

• Important matters: tasks or important things that somebody has to do or deal with.

In this verse the word business can be rendered, “in the things of my Father.” Jesus knew His time here on the earth was short and He was determined to finish the work the Father had given Him to do. The business or things of the Father were top priority to Jesus. He didn’t let anything or anybody keep Him from pursuing and doing the Fathers will. The work of God is the only reason we are still here in the earth. We must be diligent to complete with excellence and vigor our course. Every course in Christ is a part of a whole. Our part is to do our part. There are things going on in the earth today that will never be fixed unless the Kingdom of God intervenes. The Kingdom of God is within us. God wants to intervene in the affairs of man-kind but He needs you and me to cooperate with Him. God sent His only begotten Son into the world because He loved us and did not want us to perish. Now God has many sons/daughters in the earth because of His great love for us all.

We are His hands, His feet and His mouth piece, let us go into all the world to pursue and do the things of our Father, while it is still time. We must make it our business to do the business of Heaven while in the earth.

Visit our website www.harrisministriesint.com, www.detoxifyingthesoul.com www.nuturingnuggets.net, www.themarriagemanual.net, www.beyondyourweight.com, and www.fellasofgod.com

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (AMP)

Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].

It is quite clear from these passages of scripture that Love is not of this world. Love has no darkness in it at all. Love is spirit and truth. There is not one ounce of worldly resemblance in Love. Love is pure and undefiled by sin or self. It is not hard to distinguish human love from the love of God, there is no comparison.

The scriptures above declare that love is ever ready to believe the best, how awesome and supernatural. It says love believes. Love never fears or doubts that which is of God. Love is a believer of the plans and purposes of God. Love is a believer of the righteousness of God. Love is a believer in the power of God. Love is a believer in miracles, signs and wonders. Love is a believer in the power of the blood of Jesus. Love believes in mercy. Love believes in the regenerating power of the Holy Ghost in the life of a sinner. Love believes that by Jesus stripes we are healed. Love believes in the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. Love believes the Word of God. Love believes when we pray according to God will He hears us and grant the petitions that we desire. Love believes in the 1st and 2nd resurrection. Love believes that Jesus is coming back for His church just like He said He would. Love believes! Love believes! Love believes!

Visit our website www.harrisministriesint.com, www.detoxifyingthesoul.com www.nuturingnuggets.net, www.themarriagemanual.net, www.beyondyourweight.com, and www.fellasofgod.com