Stepping back into the studio with fresh energy from my recent vacation, I'm thrilled to bring you a heartfelt session on Inside Beauty Inspires. We begin by exploring the transformative journey of self-love and God's unique crafting of our lives. As I unfold the essence of embracing our God-given identity, I share how wisdom and discernment can illuminate the path to our true calling. The gospel of rebuke and the power of God's Word are not just subjects for discussion—they're the bedrock upon which we stand as we navigate through spiritual rebirth and the discovery of our purpose.
Diving deeper, this episode is an invitation to marvel at the divine communication that has shaped humanity from creation to the present. I examine the intricate ways in which God has revealed Himself, from the whispers in Eden to the thundering voice of prophecy, culminating in the ultimate revelation of Jesus Christ. Through a prayerful lens, we contemplate the Trinity's mystery and the Christian doctrine's central tenets, seeking to foster wisdom and understanding in our faith journey.
Lastly, we celebrate the fruits of the Spirit and their role in nurturing unity within the church. I recount personal encounters with God's presence that serve as reminders of His provision, likening them to scriptural events that reveal the nature of spiritual sustenance. Our session rounds off with a nod to the dynamic Marshawn Evans Daniels, whose story of merging faith with entrepreneurial prowess serves as a beacon to all women seeking to translate their God-confidence into action. Join me for an episode imbued with encouragement and the wisdom to live a life in harmony with the divine.
Stepping back into the studio with fresh energy from my recent vacation, I'm thrilled to bring you a heartfelt session on Inside Beauty Inspires. We begin by exploring the transformative journey of self-love and God's unique crafting of our lives. As I unfold the essence of embracing our God-given identity, I share how wisdom and discernment can illuminate the path to our true calling. The gospel of rebuke and the power of God's Word are not just subjects for discussion—they're the bedrock upon which we stand as we navigate through spiritual rebirth and the discovery of our purpose.
Diving deeper, this episode is an invitation to marvel at the divine communication that has shaped humanity from creation to the present. I examine the intricate ways in which God has revealed Himself, from the whispers in Eden to the thundering voice of prophecy, culminating in the ultimate revelation of Jesus Christ. Through a prayerful lens, we contemplate the Trinity's mystery and the Christian doctrine's central tenets, seeking to foster wisdom and understanding in our faith journey.
Lastly, we celebrate the fruits of the Spirit and their role in nurturing unity within the church. I recount personal encounters with God's presence that serve as reminders of His provision, likening them to scriptural events that reveal the nature of spiritual sustenance. Our session rounds off with a nod to the dynamic Marshawn Evans Daniels, whose story of merging faith with entrepreneurial prowess serves as a beacon to all women seeking to translate their God-confidence into action. Join me for an episode imbued with encouragement and the wisdom to live a life in harmony with the divine.
new, new, new, everything new, new, new, new, new, new, everything new. I'm ready to go. Hello, it is stephanie l harrison and you are now listening in to. Inside beauty inspires, where we motivate, encourage and inspire through biblical principles, through the word of god, through the bible. I miss you guys so very much. I have not been on in two weeks. I know you guys miss me. I miss you as well. I've been on vacation. Just getting back. The DR does not owe me anything. Punta Cana is where it's at Enjoyed my family and friends on this trip, but I'm happy to be back in the studio today to give you guys the word.
Speaker 1:So, of course, you guys know that I have these things that I do with the cards. I'm always giving out words of encouragement through cards. Why? Because God can speak through any and everything. You know we put limitations on God and there's no limitations when it comes down to our Father and who he is okay.
Speaker 1:And so today I chose a card, y'all, I chose a card, and my card today says I allow myself to love who I am, not who I think I should be. I allow myself to love who I am, not who I think I should be. If you take away all the who I should be, what is left? You start here in the silence, the present, and you receive a gift peace of mind. Love and embrace who you are right now. Love and embrace who you are right now. That's a word not just for me, but that's a word for you too, because we can get caught up in this world. We can get caught up in who people want us to be, but love who you are, where you are, and always remember. If you don't remember nothing, I say we're all still on the potter's wheel. What does that mean? He's shaping us, he's getting us to the next level, not us ourselves. We're not doing it ourselves. That's the problem. The problem with the world is that we try to do things the way that the world does things, and it don't always work to our benefits. Okay, it just doesn't. It does not. You know, when you put God in everything, you will see his hand in everything. This is not what I think. This is what I know to be true.
Speaker 1:So let's jump into the words. You know I've been talking to you guys about wisdom and how important it is to use wisdom in every aspect of everything that you do, why important it is to use wisdom in every aspect of everything that you do. Why Wisdom? Because you need to know the difference between counterfeits and godsends. What do I mean by that, counterfeit and godsend? Well, in the very beginning, when I first started doing the podcast and, you know, started doing the show, I talked about godsend versus counterfeits, because it's a real thing and wisdom shows is such an important factor in, you know, seeing who sent who.
Speaker 1:Okay, so today is April the 13th and this is what my devotional says for today Accepting rebuke. Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you. Rebuke the wise and they will love you. Proverbs 9, verse 8. How can you tell a wise person from a foolish one? Watch how they respond to correction.
Speaker 1:Some people are unwilling to listen to constructive criticism or loving rebuke. They care more about their pride and image than the truth. They don't want to improve or correct themselves. They want to feel good and avoid feeling bad. These people cower in the face of confrontation and are not up for to challenge and not up to the challenge of becoming better. Now I want y'all to know.
Speaker 1:I opened this book up and this is what it says. But is this not the truth? You know God, you're so strategic in everything that you do and everything that you say, and you know nothing catches him off guard. That's why you have to trust him. It says save your correction for those who are willing to accept it, for they will love and appreciate you because you made the effort to help them grow. Those people are worth your rebuke and they will continue to greater heights. Keep your heart humble towards those willing to help you grow and learn.
Speaker 1:Accept rebuke from the wise, accept discipline from God and in time you will grow wiser Still. You will continue to get wise. Man, listen, lord, I don't want to be a mocker, I want to be wise. Please tender my heart when someone is willing to make the effort to help me grow. Give me the wisdom to refrain from rebuking those who will only be angry and rejected. Help me offer it lovingly to those willing to appreciate and learn from it.
Speaker 1:Man, listen, if that wasn't a word, I don't know what one was. It's the truth, and the truth shall what Set you free? That's what the word of God does. That's what Jesus came to this world to do. He said I came to set the captives free. The truth will set you free, but the problem is, people don't love the truth, they love the lies. Why? Because it keeps them where they are, not even realizing that it's keeping them where they are. But they like the image that it brings, they like the clout that it brings. And see, you got to save your creation for those who are willing to accept it For what it is love and support. You know what I'm saying, because you're making the effort to help them grow.
Speaker 1:And when it comes down to the call in my life, I really do feel very passionate about this, because you know I shout out the ladies of ISI every time I get here, because you know you, ladies, make a difference. All of you, ladies, y'all do. Man, when you get up every morning at 6 am to join me and saying affirmations and doing a devotional and having Bible studies, it's not about me, it's about the word. You know I want to shout out Felicia. I want to shout Felicia out on today because, like, look, felicia, anglo, so many people, wilhelmina, all of you ladies, ms, brenda, wakana, I mean, there's so many, there's so many of you.
Speaker 1:I don't want to start name dropping because I don't want to miss anyone, but the truth of the matter is that God is the one making the difference in our lives, right, he's the one that's showing himself mighty in the land of the living, right? You know the testimonies that have been pouring out of you guys' mouths. You know, since the two in the past two weeks let's say past month has been just phenomenal. And the things that God is doing, what the word of God is doing. That's why it's such an important piece of the puzzle. So I have to shout the ladies of ISI out, because it's not so much that I'm making a difference, god is the one that's making a difference. All glory be to God. You know he's the one that's changing us from the inside out. But how is he doing it? Through his word, through his word. Let's get into the word today, okay? So we're going to get back into this word, because I want you to understand how important it is. Go with me to John 1. And shout out to Deja John 1.
Speaker 1:In the beginning, the word already existed. The word was with God and the word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him and nothing was created except through him. The word gave life to everything that was created and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it and the darkness can never extinguish it.
Speaker 1:God sent a man, john the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light. He was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn. They are reborn not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God, but a birth that comes from the living God.
Speaker 1:So the word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness, and we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son. John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds. This is the one I was talking about when I said Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me From his abundance. We have all received one gracious blessing after another, for the law was given through Moses, but God's unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the unique one who is himself. God is near to the father's heart. He has revealed God to us. He has revealed God to us. Now, when you think about it, this is the truth, and the truth shall what Set you free? The word of God is where it's at In the beginning, in the very beginning.
Speaker 1:Let's go to Genesis 1. Let's go to Genesis 1 so that we can make this very clear. I'm going to be skipping around the word today because I want us to understand the gist of what I'm saying. I want you guys to take it seriously, okay? Because at the end of the day, you didn't wake yourself up this morning. God did. At the end of the day, he's the giver and the taker of life. He sent his only begotten son. He did. He created this world. He created the earth. Let's talk about it Genesis 1.
Speaker 1:In the beginning, god created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said Let there be light. And there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light day and darkness.
Speaker 1:Night and evening passed and morning came, making the first day. Then God said let there be a space between the waters to separate the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth. And that is what happened. God made the space to separate the waters of the earth from the waters of the heavens. God called the space sky. An evening passed and morning came, marking the second day. Then God said let the waters beneath the sky flow together in one place so dry ground may appear. And that is what happened. God called the dry ground land and the waters seas. And God saw that it was good. Then God said let the land sprout with vegetation, every sort of seed-bearing plant and trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees that grow seed bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came. And that is what happened. The land produced vegetation, all sorts of seed bearing plants and trees with seed bearing fruit. Their seeds produced plants and trees of the same kind, and God saw that it was good. And evening passed and morning came, marking the third day.
Speaker 1:Then God said let light appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them be signs to mark the seasons, days and years. Let these lights in the sky shine down on the earth. And that is what happened. God made two great lights the larger one to govern the day and the smaller one to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set these lights in the sky to light the earth, to govern the day and night and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And evening passed and morning came, marking the fourth day.
Speaker 1:Then God said Let the water swarm with fish and other life, let the skies be filled with birds of every kind. So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that scurries and swarms in the water and every sort of bird, each producing offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God blessed them, saying Be fruitful and multiply. Let the fish fill the seas and let the birds multiply on earth. And evening passed and morning came, marking the fifth day and let the birds multiply on earth. And that is what happened. God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind, and God saw that it was good. Then God said Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth and the small animals that scurry along the ground. So God created human beings in his own image, in the image of God. He created them, male and female. He created them. Then God blessed them and said all the fruit trees for food, and I have given you every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky and the small animals that scurry along the ground, everything that has life. And that is what happened. Then God looked over all he made and saw that it was very good. And evening passed. Morning came, marking the sixth day. Morning came marking the sixth day.
Speaker 1:Heavenly Father, you know, before I get into this word, I just want to pray and ask that you have your way on today. Eyes haven't seen and ears haven't heard all of the things you have in store for those who love you, dad and Lord. I'm praying right now for all of the hearts that have ears to hear and eyes to see. I pray that this word penetrates their heart. God, I pray that you have your way on today. Let this message go forth. Let this message go forth and do exactly what it's supposed to do. Cause people to turn from their wicked ways. Cause people to see who you are. Cause people to see themselves the way that you see them. God, it is in your son, jesus' name that I ask all these things. These things, amen. So let's just jump into this word, okay, because I want us to understand the gravity of what God is saying today.
Speaker 1:From the very beginning of creation, god has been making himself known to people by his revealed word. In Genesis 1, we read the account of God speaking the world into existence, then speaking relationally to Adam. You know, if we would have kept going in the book of Genesis, then we would. It's Genesis 2 and then Genesis 3. We see in the very beginning how this world was created and we see the people in the world that God gave that authority over to. We also see them drop the ball. We also see them get kicked out and we also see their offspring go through something very similar. It is written in Exodus 3,.
Speaker 1:God spoke to Moses from a burning bush, calling him to be his agent to liberate Israel from slavery and Egypt. Throughout the first five books of the Bible, god gave instructions to his chosen people so that they would know the glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love. He gave it to us as clear as day he did. God taught his people how to worship through the words of the psalmist, and he reminded them of their coming hope through the words of the prophets. But God gave his greatest revelation when Jesus, the Son, the very Word of God, came to earth.
Speaker 1:The author of Hebrews explains this well. Let's go to the book of Hebrews, chapter 1. In the book of Hebrews, chapter 1, and I'm reading from the New Living Translation it says Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancients through the prophets and our ancestors, and now, in these final days, he has spoken to us through his son. God promised everything to the son as an inheritance, and through the son he created the universe. The sun radiates God's own glory and expresses the very character of God and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. This shows that the son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names. So we're talking about Jesus.
Speaker 1:We're talking about the belief it says, for God never said to any angel what he talking about Jesus. We're talking about the belief it says, for God never said to any angel what he said to Jesus you are my son. Today I have become your father. God also said I will be his father and he will be my son. And when he brought his supreme son into the world, god said Let all of God's angels worship him.
Speaker 1:Regarding the angels, god said let all of God's angels worship him. Regarding the angels, he says he sends his angels like the winds, his servants like flames of fire. He sends his angels like the winds, his servants like flames of fire, but to the sun, he says. He also says to the son but you are always the same, you will live forever. And God never said to any of the angels sit in the place of honor at my right hand. Until I humble your enemies, make them footstool under your feet.
Speaker 1:Therefore, angels are only servants, spirits sent to care for people. Who will inherit salvation? Who will inherit salvation? Who will inherit salvation? So, from the beginning, jesus, the word, was with God and God was the word. From the beginning, jesus, the word, was with God and was God.
Speaker 1:In this verse, john is making it very important Jesus is not like God. Rather, jesus actually is God, but Jesus is also God, meaning that Jesus is separate from God. This mystery is explained through the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. This biblical doctrine explains that God existed in three persons being of one substance, power and eternity. This doctrine is clear in scripture and without it, the message of the gospel falls apart. For example, in delivering the Great Commission, jesus commands his church to baptize his disciples in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, the three members of the Trinity. This doctrine has been affirmed throughout church history and it has, you know, this morning, on the prayer call, we talked about the Trinity, we talked about the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and we talked about in the beginning right, kind of like what we're speaking about right now, but it's in 1 John chapter 2 and 1 John chapter 4.
Speaker 1:As a matter of fact, let's go over to 1 John, chapter 4. Dear friends, do not believe Now. This is 1 John 4. Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the Spirit they have comes from God, for there are many false prophets in the world. This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God. If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.
Speaker 1:Why did I go to 1 John, chapter 4? Because you got to have wisdom in order to discern who is who. Okay, you got the Father. You got the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the spirit that was left. Okay, jesus carried the Holy Spirit because he was a holy man. He did no wrong. He did what the Father told him to do? He followed instructions. He was. This was who he was from the very beginning.
Speaker 1:Okay, we can go to Luke one, and it talks about Mary's encounter and it talks about Elizabeth's encounter. We talked about this before on the show, but there was a difference. See, when Mary was told that she would have a child, she was very excited about it. When Zacharias was told he was going to have a child, he questioned God. There's something to that. There's something to that, and don't miss it, because, see, god gives his words through angels and through his prophets. Guess what? His prophets just happen to be human beings and guess what? Those human beings just happen to have the spirit of God. But it's giving it to you right here, so that you'll understand. You have to test the spirit in order for you to know who sent who.
Speaker 1:Okay, it says such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here, the Antichrist. Okay, they don't acknowledge jesus. They act like jesus didn't exist. We know this to be true based off of how bold they are. But we're the people that are bold for jesus and okay, we, we.
Speaker 1:You know the thing about this faith walk, and I call it a faith, faith walk, because that's what it is. We're believing in his son, the father, the son and his Holy Spirit. Okay, well, this Bible, this book, that's what it's about, and he's speaking to his children. He's speaking to his children through his son, jesus Christ. Listen at what verse four says, and the world listens to them. But we belong to God and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the spirit of truth or the spirit of deception. This is very real, real in these streets. You got to know the word. You got to know the word and God will give you clarity, he will give you discernment. Hey, he'll give you wisdom If you ask him for it.
Speaker 1:We can go to the book of James, and it talks about it. But let's keep going. Jesus is the eternal word of the father. Therefore, we understand his powerful role in creation, for through him all things were made. But the great mystery of the gospel is that Jesus came to live with us. He left his position as creator and ruler of the universe to become human and endure all the miseries, all the miseries of this life. He came to earth to completely identify with us, in order that we might in turn identify with him and receive him as our savior and Lord. And to those who receive him as our Savior and Lord and to those who receive him, he gives the amazing promise that they will be the very children of God, not simply permitted into the presence of God as servants or guests. Rather, they are eternally welcomed into the house of God as his own sons and daughters, heirs of all of God's promised blessings. Heirs of all of God's promised blessings. Let's go to Galatians, chapter 4. Galatians, chapter 4.
Speaker 1:Think of it this way If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not better off than slaves. Until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had, they have to obey their guardians until they reach whatever age their father set. And that's the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children. We were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world. But when the right time came, god sent his son, born of a woman subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us, who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, god has sent the spirit of his son into our hearts, prompting us to call out Abba, father, or, in the words of Stephanie, daddy. Now you no longer are a slave, you're no longer slaves. Now you are no longer a slave, but God's own child, and since you are his child, god has made you his heir. And since you are his child, god has made you his heir.
Speaker 1:Before you, gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not even exist. So now that you know God or should I say now that God knows you, why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world? Once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world? You are trying to earn favor with God by absorbing certain days or months, or seasons or years. I fear for you. Perhaps all my hard work with you was for nothing.
Speaker 1:Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become, like you, gentiles, free from those laws. You did not mistreat me when I first preached to you. Surely you remembered that I was sick when I first brought you the good news. But even though my condition tempted you to reject me, you did not despise me or turn me away. No, you took me in and cared for me as though I were an angel from God, or even Christ Jesus himself. Where is that joyful and grateful spirit you felt then? I am sure you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me if it had been possible. Have I now become your enemy? Because I'm telling you the truth? Those false teachers are so eager to win your favor, but their intentions are not good. They are trying to shut you off from me so that you will pay attention only to them. If someone is eager to do good things for you, that's all right, but let them do it all the time, not just when I'm with you. Oh, my dear children, I feel as if I'm going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives. I wish I were with you right now so I could change my tone, but at this distance I don't know how else to help you. Tell me what you want to live under. Tell me you who want to live under the law. Do you know what the law actually says?
Speaker 1:The scripture says that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freedom wife, freeborn wife. The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempting to bring about the fulfillment of God's promise, but the son of the freeborn wife was born as God's own fulfillment of his promise. These two women serve as an illustration of God's two covenants. The first woman, hagar, represents Mount Sinai, where people received the law that enslaved them, and now Jerusalem is just like Mount Sinai in Arabia, because she and her children live in slavery to the law. But the other woman, sarah, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. She is the free woman and she is our mother, as Isaiah said. Rejoice, oh childless woman. You who have never given birth break into a joyful shout, you who have never been in labor, for the desolate woman now has more children than the woman who lives with her husband. And you, dear brothers and sisters, are children of the promise, just like Isaac, but you are now being persecuted by those who want you to keep the law. Just like Isaac, but you are now being persecuted by those who want you to keep the law, just as Ishmael, the child born by human effort, persecuted Isaac, the child born by the spirit, by the power of the spirit. But what do the scriptures say about that? Get rid of the slave and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the free woman's son. So, dear brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, we are children of the free woman.
Speaker 1:Now listen y'all. I got to make sure y'all understand where I'm coming from when I say this. I done read this book before, but I'm following God's directives right now. And he took me to Galatians 4. Now, I've always tried to explain Galatians. I've always tried to explain Abraham and Sarah and Hagar. I mean Isaac and Ishmael. My bad, I always have tried to explain Isaac and Ishmael in the way that it's broken down in the scripture. In the way that is broken down in the scripture the promise, the promise.
Speaker 1:People want to forfeit their promise, Not even knowing that they're forfeiting, because they lean to their own understanding. You can't tell nothing to nobody, because everybody knows everything right. So who's who? And how do you know who is who? The only way that you're going to know who is who is through the word of God. And if you're not studying the word of God, I'm sorry you may deceive yourselves. If you're not leaning not into your own understanding, but in everything, in knowledge and your father and everything that you do, and asking him to direct your steps, then, houston, we have a problem.
Speaker 1:I say that very bold. I mean we have the stories is written in the word. People are coming out with all types of videos, they're coming out with the mysteries, they're coming out with history and guess what the word identifies with. See, the one thing about the Bible you can't add to it. You can add to it, but you can't say nothing away from it. You can't even add to it. And you can try to take away. You take away what you want to take away, but guess what you got to read it in its entirety. That's the problem. People are trying to really give words of encouragement off of secondhand information.
Speaker 1:There's an anointing that comes with this I'm drawn to the word, I'm drawn to it. I can't help what I do. You know when people try to, you know, belittle this. I know that I work for my father. I know that that's the call that God has on my life to deliver the word. I know that I'm a prophetess, I know who I am, but titles have never meant anything to me, they just haven't.
Speaker 1:I want to identify as a woman of God. I want to identify as a woman of God. I'm Stephanie L Harrison. You know. Am I anointed to do what I'm doing? To give the word, absolutely. You know, I was anointed by Prophetess Deborah and you know she's a prophetess. She's from Africa. She has two churches in America, she has seven in Africa. She's a woman of God. God chose her. God chose me. The same way, god's choosing you.
Speaker 1:But what happens is we live in a world that acts like he isn't who. He says he is okay. We live in a world that does what they want to do when they want to do it and then look crazy at the circumstances and situations that they caused on themselves. You know, when we get into the book of Exodus, you know we're talking about Moses. It's a pretty interesting book that you guys should get into because, you know, a lot of people say they want to hear God speak. Well, get into the word and you do. You hear him speak. He speaks through the prophets, he speaks through the scripture.
Speaker 1:But if you're not in the word. How can you understand anything? How, oh? I know the law of attraction, I know the world's way, I know Maybe the moon, maybe the stars, maybe astrology. I'm just saying this is the way of the world. Does it look like it's the same thing that I'm doing? In a sense, probably might be saying the same thing, but one is a counterfeit and one is God sent. Oh, what's up? How can you make such a bold statement?
Speaker 1:We just read about it in Galatians 4. Isaac and Ishmael. And what did they come out of? They came out of our own selfish ambition, in a sense meaning like they had a choice. But see, sarah, sarah was a little, she was a little eager. She was. You know, I wanted it, I want it now. Right, she wanted to challenge, she wanted it now. I didn't take away the promise from her, though, because of her thought process. He allowed it to happen. He did. He allowed it to happen.
Speaker 1:Let's get back into the word. I'm sorry, I mean not that I've deviated off of the word, but I want you to understand what I'm saying. It says Jesus has been from the beginning. We see this in the book of Genesis as well. We live in a society where many people believe in some type of God. Therefore, you probably would not get a whole lot of pushback when you say God created the heavens and the earth. However, understanding that Jesus created everything changes how one views the whole scripture. It changes how one views the whole scripture.
Speaker 1:Let's go to Colossians, chapter 1. Again, I told you guys we was going to be skipping around today, but I'm following my daddy's directives, so let's talk about Paul for a minute. We've been talking about Paul, but this letter was from Paul. Let's talk about it. It says Colossians 1. This letter is from Paul, chosen by the. About it it says Colossians 1. This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.
Speaker 1:We're writing to God's holy people in the city of Colossus who are faithful brothers and sisters in Christ. May God, our Father, give you grace and peace. We always pray for you. We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God's people, which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the good news. The same good news that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives. From the day you first heard and understood the truth about God's wonderful grace. You learn about the good news from you.
Speaker 1:Pray for this, our beloved coworker. He is Christ's faithful, faithful servant and he is helping us on your behalf. He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you, so we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit All the while you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power, so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people who live in the light, for he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transformed us into the wonderful, into the kingdom of his dear son, who purchased our freedom and forgave us of our sins, of our sins.
Speaker 1:Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. It's that right there in the word Colossians 1, verse 15. Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see, such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead, so he is first in everything, for God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross.
Speaker 1:This includes you, who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him, without a single fault. But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don't drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the good news.
Speaker 1:The good news has been preached all over the world and I, paul, have been appointed as God's servant to proclaim it. I can easily put my name right there and say I, stephanie, have been appointed as God's servant to proclaim it, because it's the truth, and the truth will set us all free. It's true. Let's keep going. I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I'm participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you. This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God's people, for God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you, gentiles too, and this is the secret. Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. That's why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ's mighty power that works within me. That's Colossians 1.
Speaker 1:Now let me tell you guys a quick little story here behind this chapter Colossians okay, because I remember it like it was yesterday and I remember exactly what the Father said to me. So you know, I think I've told the story before, but I'm giving it to you guys again. So about six, seven years ago, I well, I've always known I had a gift, but I didn't understand it and so I started, you know, speaking to God. You know, as I grew older, said Dad, I need you to talk to me. I've always called him dad. I said, dad, I need you to speak to me. You know about this call that I have because I feel a presence around me all the time. I feel a presence around me all the time and that was one of the prayers he gave me, luke 24. This time, when I was praying, I said Lord, you know, I know that there's something that's here that I can't see, and you see everything, and I know. You know what this is Because you know, when you're in a faith walk, you're trusting God. Right, you're trusting him like you trust no other. So you're asking him to lead you and to guide you into the truth, and God will do just that. He will when you call to him. Today, I asked him. I said, daddy, what would you like for me to give the people? And he showed me. He gave me the scriptures and he showed me what to speak to you guys about, and that's what I'm doing. That's why I said I'm following his directives me what to speak to you guys about, and that's what I'm doing. That's why I said I'm following his directives.
Speaker 1:People don't believe this to be true, but I know that it's true, okay, so one day, you know, it was like I've always feel a presence. Sometimes my temperatures would change and and sometimes I can feel them on my right hand, I can feel it's like ice cold. It's like the feel when there's something ain't right. My body temperature would change, the temperatures would change. So I would always regard it to like. It's like I can feel one is lighter than the other, right. So, in essence, what I was trying to say was that one was more powerful than the other, so like one was lighter and one was heavier. That was the only way that I can explain what I was feeling.
Speaker 1:Well, you know, when I'm crying out to the Lord, I didn't just cry out to him one time. Y'all you know, when you have a relationship with God, you're constantly speaking to him, so you're normal, okay, like I cried to him on yesterday and that was it. No, we're constantly talking to the Lord. The Bible even tells us to meditate on the Word day and night. Right, so we're constantly. When you condition yourself, it's the conditioning like anything, and this has become second nature to you. I always talk about it.
Speaker 1:But one day he took me to Colossians and he showed me this verse Colossians 1.15,. Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. And I kept reading. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation. But through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see. That was it right there? And the things we can't see, such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers and authorities in the unseen world.
Speaker 1:My question to God was see, see what I'm saying. So I know you see everything. I know, you see and I know. You know what I'm going through. You know what's happening because you know everything. You even. You see and I know, you know what I'm going through. You know what's happening because you know everything. You even know the things that are visible and the things that are invisible. Visible and invisible. Show me, talk to me, tell me what is going on.
Speaker 1:It's 1 Corinthians, chapter 12. It says, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about special abilities the Spirit gives us, I don't want you to misunderstand this about special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don't want you to misunderstand this. You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols. So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus and no one can say Jesus is Lord except the Holy Spirit.
Speaker 1:There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it's the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. I was going to say duh, but yeah, duh.
Speaker 1:To one person, the spirit gives the ability to give wise advice. To another, the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another. And to someone else, one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. It was that message right there. For me, that was the one. That was the one, because, again, I would always, you know, explain it as light and dark. I would always explain it as light and dark. I would always explain it as two. It was like two forces, all right.
Speaker 1:Well, the Bible tells us we don't wrestle against flesh and blood. We don't. We just read it in Colossians. It makes sense of what Ephesians is talking about. But we're in 1 Corinthians, chapter 12, talking about the special gifts and the abilities that God gives to his children. One heart, one sound is what I've been telling the ladies of ISI, because we got to be on one accord Iron sharpens iron. Proverbs 27, 17, is a real thing. God isn't coming to play with his children. He wants us to be able to edify one another through his word.
Speaker 1:But if we don't know what the scriptures say, how can we give constructive criticism or encouragement or empower another individual when God has given us that ability to do so? Because we are not seeking his face, we're not in his word, the way we ought to be. All you have to do is start. See God, people think that you have to be. You have to cross this T and dot this I. You have to be perfect. No, he says come as you are. He wants you where you are. He doesn't require for you to be perfect. He's the perfecter of our faith. His son, jesus Christ, is the perfecter of our faith. That's why we're no longer under a law, we're no longer under the law of Moses. We're under the new covenant, the new covenant of Jesus Christ. Let me continue. It says still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another person is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. Verse 12,.
Speaker 1:The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, some are free, but we have all been baptized into the one body by one spirit and we all share the same spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says I'm not a part of the body because I'm not a hand, that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says I'm not part of the body because I'm not an eye, would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how could you hear a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how could you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? If y'all anything like me I got this like imagination out of this world I did like that would be weird. But our bodies have many parts and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part.
Speaker 1:Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand I don't need you. The head can't say to the feet I don't need you. In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary, and the parts we regard as less honorable are those we close with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require the special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the part suffers with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ's body and each of you is a part of it.
Speaker 1:Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church. First are apostles. Second are prophets. Third are teachers. Then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who have the gift of leadership, those who speak in unknown languages.
Speaker 1:Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not.
Speaker 1:So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts, but now let me show you a way of life that is best of all. Let me show you a way of life that is best of all, which makes me want to go to 1 Corinthians 13,. Right, because 1 Corinthians 13 talks to us about love. I'm telling you God is so strategic in this message today. Those with the ear, let them hear what thus says the Lord. I feel his presence all over me. I'm not telling you what I think. I'm telling you what I know. Jesus created everything and holds it all together. He is who he says he is. He is First Corinthians 13.
Speaker 1:If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood of all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that could move mountains but didn't love others, I would be nothing If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body. I could boast about it, but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing. Then God gives us the definition of what love is. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealousy or boastful, or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not iterable, it keeps no records of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice, but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up. Love never loses faith. It always helps, it is always helpful and endures through every circumstance. It endures through every circumstance.
Speaker 1:Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless, but love will last forever. Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture. Listen to what I just said. Now, our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only parts of the whole picture. But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will be useless. What did I come in on? We're all still on the potter's wheel. All of us are on the potter's wheel. Shame on you if you're criticizing somebody that's not there, because you're still on the potter's wheel and God is still showing you things, just like he's still showing them things too. He's teaching us all. Nobody's arrived Jesus did? He seated at the right hand of God because he didn't know him. He did. He didn't sin, he was a sin man, he was the blameless lamb. That's why he had to be sacrificed. Get into the word In the book of Leviticus you couldn't come to God without a sacrifice of shedding some type of animal. I would have been so lost Y'all. I'm just telling y'all. You had to have pigeons, doves, all kinds of animals just to get forgiveness. And here's another. That's why you got to get into your word, because even if you did something that you didn't think that you did, and it comes to your knowledge that you did it, yep, you too Got to find an animal to sacrifice. That's why I love Jesus. I love him, oh man, I love him and I thank him. I thank God for him. I thank God for him. It says Prophecy, and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless, but love will last forever. Now our knowledge is partially incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture. But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless. And now everybody quote this scripture, but I don't believe everybody really, you know, take this scripture to heart. I want y'all to take this to heart today.
Speaker 1:When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child, but when I grew up I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me completely. Three things that will last forever faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love. The greatest of these is love.
Speaker 1:Listen, what a word Y'all. I wish I could see this. But there's this bird that's been standing outside this window, just standing outside this window. I'm actually taking my phone out so that I can actually do a video of it. But this bird is like literally outside the studio, just walking around. It's been on top of the building, it's been right there.
Speaker 1:Y'all can't tell me miracle signs and wonders. Don't follow those who believe. I'm looking at this bird. Y'all see it right here. Look at it just chilling, and I'm going to tell y'all why I find it so interesting. He's eating. You know what he's eating. He's got something to eat. You know what that is indicating to me the bread of life. The bread of life, because I'm going to tell you the message is summed up in the bread of life. I'm going to tell y'all why I say that Because before I came in here, god gave me 1 Kings 17.
Speaker 1:Now I've been following his directives since. I've been doing this show and that's what he just gave me I'm talking about. Before I came in here, he gave me this Now, if you guys go to God, you are funny. Today, if you go to First King, you look at it just full of the food, okay, okay, that is to me is funny, but that's a sign. Even when I came in today, you know, I spoke to one of the guys here, the owner of the station, and I was telling him God is so funny, he's so hilarious. You know, he had given me the word to give today and he wants me to go to 1 Kings 17,. And that's what I'm going to be speaking on. But you know what? Because that crow just came and I did a video of it on my phone. I'm going to post it on my page. He wants me to talk about the bread of life and that's why I know he wanted me to go to 1 Kings 17. Let's get into this word, okay? So when you get a chance, I want you guys to read it. All right, but I'm just going to read from the synopsis of a summary of what this is saying. Going to read from the synopsis of a summary of what this is saying Elijah's actions in chapter 17 are a demonstration of power, of the power of God to provide for people and overcome the disastrous effects of sin and death.
Speaker 1:Through power given to him by God, elijah multiplied a small amount of flour and oil in order to provide bread for the widow and her son for many days. God also worked through Elijah to bring the widow's son back to life after he became sick and died. These miracles marked Elijah as God appointed messenger at the stage in history. At that stage in history, however, elijah's two miracles recounted in this text have additional significance. They prefigured the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus, as God's son and appointed messenger, was personally able to turn a meager meal into a feast for multitudes, the feeding of 5,000, boldly proclaimed that Jesus was capable of abundantly providing for people. Jesus' provision was not limited to mere physical bread, though he claimed to be the true bread from heaven, sent to provide for all those who would feast on him. Y'all see that. Y'all see how good God is. Oh man, right here in the station, in real life, in real time, because it's the bread of life. Man, the word is the bread of life. He wants his children to start feasting on the bread, on the bread of life.
Speaker 1:Jesus also performed miracles, proving him to be God in the flesh and one who possessed ultimate power over sin and death. Like Elijah, jesus brought the dead son of a widow back to life. Seeing the woman having compassion on her, jesus spoke to the son and he sat up and began to speak. Jesus said that acts like these demonstrated that he was the Messiah who would bring healing and restoration to those broken by sin's consequences. Again, do you see the similarities in the spirit of God used on Elijah during that time? It's the same spirit, y'all. That's what we're speaking about. It says power he possessed, unlike the widow's son, lazarus had been dead for several days and his body had been wrapped in funeral linens and placed in a tomb. Jesus prayed to the father and then spoke to the corpse, calling it to life.
Speaker 1:Jesus attested to the fact that raising Lazarus served as a testimony to the glory of God. Soon, this glory was seen in the far greater resurrection, that of Jesus himself. The power of God over Satan, sin and death was fully demonstrated by Christ's victorious energy from the grave. His resurrected life would serve as a first fruit of the resurrection promised to all those who place their faith in him. By God's power, all those longing for provision and broken by death can be restored to new life, now and forevermore. God is the bread of life. He is the bread of life. He gave me a miracle sign and a wonder. There is security in his promises.
Speaker 1:Guys, I hope that you really take heed to what I'm speaking today Because, literally, god wanted me to make sure that I spoke that word. That's why he sent a bird. He sent a bird Just like he sent the bird to Elijah to feed him after he had done this miracle. You know God is who he says he is man and he will not be mocked. My final message to you is Isaiah 46, verse 10. I declare from the beginning how it will end and foretell from the start what has not yet happened. I decree that my purpose will stand and I will fulfill my every plan. Y'all do know who's speaking. Right, it's just my voice, but it's our Father who's speaking through me. I'm going to say it again, and this time I really want you to try not to hear Stephanie, and try to hear the Father speaking through me, not to hear Stephanie, and try to hear the Father speaking through me. I declare from the beginning how I will end and foretell from the start what has not yet happened. I decree that my purpose will stand and I will fulfill my every plan. Isaiah 46, verse 10.
Speaker 1:We change our minds every single day, sometimes multiple times throughout the day. As human beings, god has made us wonderfully complex, for sure, and that complexity often makes us indecisive. We think about everything, weighing the pros and cons, and we evaluate the likelihood of outcomes and possibilities, but God doesn't think or operate the way we do. To the contrary, god says For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways, as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts. That's Isaiah 55, verse 8 through 9.
Speaker 1:In order for us to believe the promises of God, we have to first trust the character, nature and unchanging essence of God. When God promises, he proves, he provides and he follows through. Every purpose he has for you will stand. It cannot be thwarted, and every element of his plan will be fulfilled. How that part is none of our business. Our job is to believe, to be obedient and to step whenever and whenever he steers us. This is a season that is going to require you to believe the promises of God like never before. You believe the blessings into being. You believing the blessings into being. You're believing the blessings into being. The question what promise or whisper from God have you struggled to believe will actually come to fruition? What promise or whisper from God have you struggled to believe will actually come to fruition?
Speaker 1:I want to give a shout out to Marshawn Evans Daniels. I'm reading her book Believing Bigger and it's a devotional journal and a lot of the things that she says I can identify with. So definitely shout out, marshawn Evans Daniels. Thank you so much for what you do each and every single day. I know you don't know me, but God has a way of putting the right things into people's hands when they need them. I don't even know why I'm getting choked up, but I just wanted to shout you out and tell you that I appreciate you. I appreciate what you did in that moment when God was calling you, and it's because of people like you that people like me are able to continue to walk in the call that he's called us to as well. So, again, I appreciate you.
Speaker 1:Again, her name is Marshawn Evans Daniels. Her book is in Amazon. Her book is in Barnes Noble I mean you can Google her. She has different books. Me and my friend Akisha, we were talking about her recently and so I definitely want to shout her out. You know, she is a serial entrepreneur, a TV personality and a creator of God Confidence, a movement, and founder of she Profits. She helps women turn ideas into income and faith into action. This woman you know. Again, I don't know her, but I definitely wanted to shout her out. Thank you and again, thank you, listeners, for listening in to Inside Beauty Inspires, where we motivate, encourage and inspire through biblical principles. I pray that this word touches you in a way that changes the direction of your life. Have an amazing day on purpose, peace.