The winds of change...

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven...Ecc 3:1 

Seasons...Webster says seasons are a time characterized by a particular circumstance or feature. Here in South MS the seasons are not so clearly defined, as a matter of fact we haven't seen a Winter in quite some time. Despite the weather I feel a new season coming, the winds of change are blowing. I have an urgency to make some pretty hard changes to adjust for this new season. God is calling me up to a new level, a new place, a new glory (2 Cor 3:18) 

Most people, myself included, are not fans of change but God is calling me and my ministry to a new place, a new level, a new glory! I will go where God calls me. Change is typically not easy, nor is it always fun but the results are always rewarding IF you don't quit. I feel like God is not only calling me to a higher level but He is calling His church to RISE up...

He's breathing on you, and saying YOU WILL LIVE!!! (Ez 37) He is speaking to your souls saying Talitha Koum (Mark 5:41) The winds of change are blowing... Will you rise up and walk or will you remain in the valley of dry bones? 

A Big THANK YOU to EJE Student Council

Friday March the 2nd was an emotional day for a couple of reasons. First of all it was the birthday of our beloved Zac Ainsworth who's tragic death inspired the Z.A.C Project (Zeal And Compassion for Women)

Secondly Denisea, Zac's mother & my dear friend, cooked breakfast and brought gifts for the ladies who are living in the Z.A.C Center. Despite her sickness, she walked in and blessed us with her act of kindness and love. Thank you Denisea, we love you very much!

Last but certainly not least Denisea presented me with a check for the Z.A.C Project! This donation came from the East Jones Elementary Student Council. This School got together and raised funds for this ministry. Apparently they sold hearts for .25 cents each and they raised $600.00...thats a lot of hearts and even MORE LOVE! I cannot begin to tell you how much this blessed me personally! You guys are helping to save lives, and I want to thank you from the bottom of MY HEART!

What a humbling experience...THANK YOU Ms. Denisea and East Jones Elementary May God bless you a hundredfold!

Pastor Brandiilyne

Cracked Waterpots

 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.
Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.
Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep...

The woman at the well was completely shocked when a Jew had the audacity to ask her for a drink of water. First of all the Jews never associated with Samaritans and she knew that He would be considered unclean if He drank from her waterpot. I'm sure she probably assumed the worst about His motives for even speaking to her. As soon as He asked about her husband I'm sure her countenance fell as she was instantly reminded about her past; all then men who had come and gone. 

This woman had obviously been trying to fill a void in her life with men. She had five husbands, the Word doesn't say what happened to those men, but they had left her nonetheless. She was now "shacking up" with a man outside of wedlock and Jesus told her all about it! Something began to stir inside of her; she perceived His anointing and her heart opened up to Him. It was then that Jesus filled the void inside her with "Living Water" and verse 28 says...She left her waterpot. 

SHE DIDN'T NEED IT ANYMORE!!

She was full--filled to the overflow!  She had found what she was looking for!!! This woman, who had lived a life of apparent sorrow; her heart had been broken over and over again! Then that day by that well, Jesus came and replaced her cracked & broken "waterpot" with a heart overflowing with His perfect love! 

Come to the Well & leave your waterpot and let Him fill your heart <3 

Pastor Brandiilyne

He came to steal...to kill...& to destroy

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”--Matt 3:16-17

 A word straight from God, an affirmation from the Father. The Holy Spirit came and covered Him...WOW what a beautiful moment for Jesus. Talk about REVIVAL!!! 

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him...(Matt 4:1-3) 

Then comes the enemy--he wants to steal that word, destroy the affirmation, and kill Jesus!

 The enemy is always waiting to pounce and steal what God has done in our lives. He wants to take the Word and destroy what God has just blessed us with. A fight ALWAYS follows illumination--Satan wants to cast shadows on the revelation with which God has just enlightened you. Anytime you have an encounter with God and experience Him in a new powerful way, you must be prepared to encounter an enemy who is out to destroy ALL the great things God has just accomplished in your life. 

...But I have a GREAT NEWS!! Because of what Christ did on the cross you have ALL authority over that enemy. When Jesus was being tempted by Satan, He always cut him with the Word. He defeated the  lies of the thief with the Truth! God gave us a very POWERFUL weapon to combat our enemy, He gave us authority to use it, and His Spirit to EMPOWER us and make this weapon deadly! 

We just had an amazing encounter with God, and we had a life changing experience. God really SHOWED up and lives were changed, people were filled with His Spirit. Some were set free from lifelong bondages, and the enemy is itching to steal, kill, and destroy what God has done-- But there's no need to fear because HE that is in you is GREATER than he that is in the world! 

Don't allow the enemy to come in and take what God has given you! Hold onto it, and HIDE it in your heart! YOU ARE VICTORIOUS!!! 

Pastor Brandiilyne 

Crushed

Moreover the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Also take for yourself quality spices—five hundred shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much sweet-smelling cinnamon (two hundred and fifty shekels), two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet-smelling cane, five hundred shekels of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hin of olive oil. And you shall make from these a holy anointing oil--Ex 30:22-25 

What it takes to make the holy anointing oil: myrrh, cinnamon, cane, cassia, and olive oil. Each ingredient is significant.

--Myrrh was a spice that was used as a pain killer (it was offered to Jesus on the cross) It is named myrrh because of its bitterness. Myrrh was also used in the embalming or anointing of the dead, so it came to represent mortality, suffering, and sorrow.

--Cinnamon oil was used to start fires 

-- Sweet Calamus (Cane) it's name comes from the root-term meaning "to stand upright" Calamus was a reed that grew in the miry soil; it was crushed to produce scented oil.

-- Cassia is a spice. This spice was used as a cleansing agent or a laxative. The Hebrew name for this particular spice comes from the root word signifying "to stoop" or to "bow down" 

--Olive oil In order to get olive oil you first have to harvest the olives, this required beating the tree which would cause the olives to fall to the ground. They were then gathered and taken to an olive press, where they would be crushed to extract the precious oil. 

All these ingredients were crushed and added to the precious olive oil-- The bitter and the sweet mixed together perfectly becomes HOLY ANOINTING!
The myrrh was very costly it had a sweet aroma, yet a very bitter taste. It came from a tree; when it was cut the pure medicinal myrrh would come out. The healing herb came from its wounds....

The cinnamon oil was used to ignite fires...
The calamus was crushed despite it's uprightness...
The cassia was purifying and humbling...
and the olive oil was bruised and crushed.--Sounds a lot like Jesus

In Matt 26 Jesus was anointed by the sinful woman; she poured the oil on His head preparing Him for His burial. --Just a few verses down Jesus is in the garden of Gethsemane and He is wresting in prayer, His very "soul was sorrowful even to death." He went farther into the garden agonizing over His destiny to the point that He was sweating blood. I can only imagine the pressure He felt. 

He went back only to find His disciples sleeping--I'm sure He wanted to say, "Don't you understand what I'm going through! Can't you at least stay awake!!' The truth is no one could relieve His pain---Jesus was being crushed in the olive grove. The very name Gethsemane literally means "olive press"-It was fresh oil, fresh anointing--God was preparing Him for something bigger!! 

Something amazing happens when we're crushed...

Anointing is costly-- wounds to bring healing... fire and zeal... being extracted from the mire just to be crushed... cleansing and humility... then comes a beating...and crushed again...HOLY ANOINTING

Are you willing to pay the price? 

Pastor Brandiilyne

Does anybody hear me?

When I call, give me answers. God, take my side!..........hear me!---Psalm 4:1 MSG

Have you ever felt like no one was listening? They just don't get it...Every time we find ourselves in hard times this phenomenon happens. We tell everyone just how bad things are and just how much pain we're really in, and they seem to just nod and smile; sometimes we get a "I completely understand." Everything in us shouts NO!!! I don't think that you do!!!  So we go to the next person and repeat this process, somehow hoping that we can successfully express the pain we are experiencing, but again we fail to get the appropriate response. 

We go to God and shout PLEASE GIVE ME ANSWERS!!!! nothing.....(the sound of crickets serenading you in the silence) DOES ANYBODY HEAR ME???!!!! 

Then you read down a couple of verses....

Look at this: look Who got picked by God! He listens the split second I call to him.  Complain if you must, but don't lash out. Keep your mouth shut, and let your heart do the talking. Build your case before God and wait for his verdict...verses 3-5

...and wait

get a grip...better yet--lose it

But as for that [seed] in the good soil, these are [the people] who, hearing the Word, hold it fast in a just (noble, virtuous) and worthy heart, and steadily bring forth fruit with patience. Luke 8:15 AMP


The older I become the more I realize that with age I am beginning to change--dramatically.
My hair is turning white and my body just doesn't work as well as it did just 5 short years ago.... My joints, especially my hands, hurt and some days it seems that I am losing my grip. AND I'M ONLY 37!!!!!---I'm falling apart :(does anyone hear the violins):

As my body changes and matures so does everything else... The way I see things...The way I handle things and I'm finding it a whole lot easier to just let go of offenses when just five short years ago I would have a "death grip" on them!  I would "hold on" to the small stuff allowing them to infect me and steal my peace and my joy.

These days I have decided that my peace and joy are entirely too precious! I refuse to release them so that I can "grab hold" of something as simple as an offense. I realized that it's impossible to "hold on" to anger & peace simultaneously...I CHOOSE the latter!

I was in a class a couple months ago learning about the brain, and I got a clear picture of what maturity brings--intelligence over emotion-- meaning I lead my emotions not the other way around. Choosing to allow offenses to roll off of my back, is my intelligence leading my emotion.


A new maturity has come and I have "lost my grip" and given it to God. --I think I have spiritual arthritis -PRAISE GOD-...it's hurts a whole lot more to HOLD ON to something than it does to release it-- Most things are not even worth "taking hold" of in the first place-- so I don't sweat the small stuff; I choose to let it go! 





Choose your battles wisely...if there are no spoils its not worth the fight." (and remember being "right" is not a treasure it is pride.) My treasure is my personal peace and joy, and I'm so grateful that I've gotten "old" enough to lose my grip on the things that don't really matter, and I now cherish and protect the true spoils of life. LOVE, PEACE, & JOY.... 


Just Bb

OAN: Remember when you hold onto offenses it not only steals your peace and joy but it can rob those you love of theirs as well--