Thursday, December 20, 2007

Gospelchoirs.com www.gospelchoirs.com ..> We are so encouraged by all of the comments and emails that we've received in reference to our Tiffany Award win.   God has been doing amazing things for us and we have been giving him the glory and enjoying the ride.  Please continue to pray for us, and leave us a message on one of the sites listed at the bottom of this page. Gospelchoirs.com has added our pictures and press release to their website; Click on one of the links above and visit their site. God Bless, Refining Faith www.refiningfaith.com www.myspace.com/refiningfaith1 www.shoutlife.com

For Power Is Perfected In Weakness

And he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”  Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weakness, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.  – 2 Corinthians 12:9

Weakness – want of strength; want to do things great and glorious

Ah, weakness.  The mention of the word makes us feel insecure.  I mean really, who wants to be weak?  We all want to be strong, confident, and powerful forces to be reckoned with.  That is the desire of our hearts.
 

But what happens when our weaknesses come out?  How do we feel?  What happens inside of us when things don’t go the way we planned?  How do we handle that, in the moment?

We sincerely thank you all for coming out and supporting us.  We love to minister in song and our concerts are really that for us.  They are opportunities to minister and be ministered to.  We wanted each one of you to be encouraged in your faith.  If you needed to get closer to God, we hope we inspired you.  If you wanted to get to know God better, we hope our personal testimonies have given you a glimpse of what Our Wonderful God is like.  If you were feeling somewhat dull or stagnant, we desired that your fire for the Lord was rekindled.  We believe this was accomplished because it is the desire of God but…it was all done in our state of weakness.
 

Remember how I shared that it’s very hard getting ready for these events?  Well, I think we all learned that it can be just as hard going through.  That night was the most challenging we’ve ever had.  We had the whole night planned out.  We did our best to pull together an event where we could enjoy the presence of God in praise and worship and where we would take you into our own prayer closets.  We prayed and planned, thought and rehearsed.  Hours and hours of hard work along with the band.  We wanted everything to be perfect, but sometimes no matter how hard you try and how much you plan, it just doesn’t go that way.  Can anyone relate?

At one point during the concert, Nedra let you know that we were struggling up there and believe me it was so true.  Our prayer for that night was that we would, along with you, experience God in a new way, a deeper way.  We wanted to experience God in a way we never have before.  God will forever be a genius and a comedian.  He absolutely answered our prayers but in a way that we never expected.  God worked through our weaknesses.  Veronica shared the Scripture that night and it’s not until right now, as I write this, that I realize the depth of that Word.
 

God tells us that His power is made perfect in our weaknesses.  His power is performed and executed in those times when we are in want of strength – when we are weak but want to do a great and glorious thing.  It is so important to realize and take to heart that we cannot do mighty spiritual exploits in our strength.  No amount of talent, skill, effort or planning was going to bring about what we prayed for.
 

As much as we hate it, there is a undeniable and God glorifying strength in our weakness.  The problem is that we have a love/hate relationship with weakness.  We know God says we are strong when we are weak but we hate to be weak.  I believe we all struggle with this.  The joy in all this is that we have an amazing God who wants to teach us to rest in Him and let Him perform through us.  Let Him do the hard work which is all spiritual as we present our bodies as living vessels for Him to use.

We really had a wonderful time with you.  I know I speak for all of us when I say we really had a great time praising and worshipping God but what we want you to know is that there is no doubt in our minds that if you’ve experienced any encouragement; If you left uplifted, challenged, seeing God differently, strengthened to go through a trial in your life, I mean, anything you received, just know that it was entirely the power of God which accomplished it.  The gifts you received had absolutely nothing to do with us what so ever and so it should be.

So, with even more conviction, we say along with Paul that we rejoice and will boast in our weaknesses because His power was made perfect and we want God’s power to continually rest on us!

God Bless.
Rachel
Refining Faith

Subject:  Christianity and Wealth

Reynaldo Craig wrote:

“I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

John 10:10

 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus

(Phil. 4:19).

 "I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly."

Genesis 17:1-2

 There are many people and pastors giving misconceptions about God’s true intention regarding wealth.  Having wealth is not sinful, as there were many people in the Bible who were very wealthy, such as David, Solomon, Abraham and Job.  The problem why many believers are having trouble getting wealth is because they chasing wealth instead of God.  They should instead seek The Kingdom, and then riches will follow.  Jeremiah 29:11 says “I know the plans I have for you says The Lord, plans not to harm but to prosper you, plans that will give you a hope and a future”. There is a saying going around that is believed to be a bible verse.  It says that money is the root of all evil.  This is an error.  The actual verse is “The love of money is the root of all evil.”  1 Timothy 6:10.   I can go on about this, but when it comes to the bottom-line, it is ok with God to have money, but just as long that money does not have you…

In His service

Reynaldo A. Craig

ChristLikeTV, Inc.

Subject:  Christianity and Wealth

Cheryl Ashley-Henderson wrote:

I love the newsletter!!! 
My take on wealthy Christians is a simple one.  When you come into alignment with God's will and purpose in your life blessings are bound to follow.  Let me add this-- not only will they follow they will also be ahead of you!!!  Look at Abraham, Noah, David, Solomon and all the other great, heroic leaders of the faith.  They were destined and promised for so much prosperity --they wouldn't be able to hold and to count all that was in store for them.  Blessings and gifts would overspill for generations to come!!

How do you feel about wealthy Christians?  What is your take on those who own businesses, own real estate, write books, create profitable clothing designs, design websites and get paid thousands for it or whose music recordings cause their bank accounts to swell up?  They make about $50K a month.  Add on another $30K for ministry events and they are making way more than in six months than you make working for two years at your job!  How about that? 

Nowadays, we hear a lot about money.  We have those who are wholly for wealth.  They believe poverty or just financial lack is a curse.  They teach their congregants how to obtain wealth and not be ashamed of it.  Then we have those who are appalled at the great wealth of some of these teachers.  They think it’s a sin of some kind, to be financially very well off.  It’s just not like Jesus.  What side of the fence do you find yourself on?

I heard an interesting statement the other day that made me look at a Bible verse differently.  The preacher said, “The wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous” (Proverbs 13:22).  Our money doesn’t come from the church.”  I have to admit I was taken aback by that.  I never heard it put that way.  In reading commentary remarks, the example given was when the Israelites plundered the Egyptians as they left for the Promised Land.  All the wealth of the Egyptians was laid up for His people and they took it when they left.  If we remember the account, all they did was ask! (Exodus 12:35-36)  So, we do not rely on the people of God because they don’t have the money.  This preacher was making it clear that the wealth they obtained was not the result of “pimpin” the people of God.  Don’t you just love these new buzzwords?  Pimpin?  When did we start using that term to describe the actions of Pastors and Preachers?  What a time we’re living in (sigh).

I have mulled it over a little.  I am no possessor of great wealth at this time, so I need not think too hard about it but I had to give it some thought.  How would I feel if God gave me an incredible idea for an invention and a company was willing to back me financially turning this idea into a goldmine which now brings me millions in revenue?  Would I feel that I didn’t deserve it and that to take some of it and buy a beautiful big home (not the little brick house on the corner) is wrong?  If I could now spend $229 on one pair of shoes without worrying about paying my rent, would I be in sin for not going to Payless any longer?  If I only shop at Whole Foods and vowed never to darken the door of C-Town every again, am I setting the wrong example?

How would you feel looking at me?  Would you hate on me because I don’t have to go to Fabco any longer?  Would you look at me and think, ‘she is not being like Jesus at all.  He wouldn’t spend the money on himself.’  What comes to mind is Judas.  Remember when Mary came in with that bottle of very expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus’ feet?  Now, I have to admit, I probably would have responded like Judas, not because I was dippin into the money bags, but because I’m a touch frugal.  Okay, okay.  I’m just plain ol’ cheap.  Why in the world would she take the perfume that could be sold for a high price and waste it by pouring it on Jesus’ dirty feet?!  What happened to water?!  I echo with Judas, “Why this waste?”  My question to you is, do you see yourself in this?  As I come out of Versace with my new shoes, would you think to yourself, “Why is she taking $299 dollars and using it to by shoes instead of taking that money down to the shelter and giving it to the poor?  Why this waste?”

I ask this because there are some of us out there who may not be wealthy right now but because of having an entrepreneurial spirit and because of the talents God has given us, we will come into great wealth in the future.  That is not the case for everyone but for some.  They will no longer be the ones going to Conway to get the latest knock off for $7.99 (that only last through 4 washings), hallelujah!!  They will no longer be meeting you for your weekly shopping extravaganza at the communities beloved 99¢ Store anymore!!!  How will you respond when this happens?  In our hearts and minds will you be able to say with Paul…

1 Corinthians 12:26

When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. Or when one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

So how do you really feel about wealthy Christians?  Holla


Refining Faith
Rachel Green