I am not ashamed of the Gospel

Written by:

Mandy Carey-Founder 

Father of the Bride Ministries

Cape Coral, Florida

I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL, BECAUSE IT IS THE POWER OF GOD THAT BRINGS SALVATION TO EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES, FIRST TO THE JEW, THEN TO THE GENTILE. ROMANS 1:16

WEBSTER’S DICTIONARY DEFINES “ASHAMED” as, “feeling shame or guilt: not wanting to do something because of shame or embarrassment, a feeling of inferiority or unworthiness.

Romans 1:16 makes such a BIG statement. The Apostle Paul is all about LIVING, BREATHING, EATING, SLEEPING, PREACHING, and TEACHING the Gospel of Salvation. 

The Apostle is declaring to the entire world that he is ALL ABOUT JESUS! He makes it very clear.

In this one little verse, He is telling the WORLD, “I’m not who I used to be”. He is BOLDLY proclaiming to all who see him, all who hear him, all who know him, “it does not matter what you used to be! What matters is that you believe in Jesus and what He has done for you!

Paul’s life is a very real example of the grace of God coming to meet us right where we’re at in life. No matter who you are and what you’ve done, JESUS IS NOT ASHAMED OF YOU! NEITHER IS HE OR WILL HE BE ASHAMED TO USE YOU FOR HIS KINGDOM. HE WANTS YOU TO BE BOLD IN PROCLAIMING YOUR FAITH. HE WANTS PEOPLE TO KNOW YOUR PAST. HE WANTS TO MAKE THAT PART OF YOUR TESTIMONY. 

Remember, it’s not about who you were, but rather who HE, (Jesus) is in you! Don’t live your life Ashamed, but UNASHAMED!

Seeking His Kingdom

Matthew 6:33 (AMP)

But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His Kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.

Happy and Blessed New Year...wow its 2015!! 

May this year be filled with all good things upon you and your families 

as you seek to know and love Him with all your heart.

As we walk into a New Year with new goals, resolutions, desires lets all take an inventory if we are truly seeking His Kingdom. I purposely used the Amplified version of this scripture to break it down deeper for you. First let me say, that I believe that this scripture is one of the anchors that keep our lives in His will. It's like when things are way off in our lives we can always come back to this scripture and do some soul searching with God. 

Take today to examine your life and heart. 

Jesus said in Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is your heart will be there also. 

Ask yourself....

Am I seeking FIRST in my life His Kingdom..by putting Him First in all things?

Do I give Him my first time in the morning or am I too tired or too busy?

Does my life show by actions and truth His way of doing things?

When I hear His word am I quick to obey?

Do I honor Him with my tithes (a tenth of all increase I received)?

Do I Love my neighbor as myself?

Am I in Love with Him?

Sometimes its just a matter of getting back to basics with seeking Him first. If your missing out on all the things that God wants to bestow upon your life, make it a point this year to start seeking Him first in all things. Lets be about the Father's business this New Year and watch His blessings overtake your life instead of you trying to get blessings they will just follow you. Our identity is found in Him alone, not anything else. Set your minds and hearts upon Him and you will experience the fullness of His Love, Peace and Joy.  

Declare This:

In 2015 I am making a bold statement for God..

I'm not going to let up, give up, back up or shut up..

I will declare by my life that He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords..

I will not be passive anymore,,

I will seek Him first in all things..

I will not allow my emotions or feelings to rule my life..

I will be obedient to His word..

I will love Him and others in actions and in truth..

And..

I put the devil on notice you have no place in my life anymore..

I am a daughter/son of the MOST High..

I will not be defeated by you anymore..

I rebuke you in Jesus Name that anything you try to use in my life that is counterfeit will fall..

I take a BOLD stand...

YOU WILL NOT..

STEAL

KILL or

DESTROY 

from my life anymore..

I claim this for my life in 2015 in Jesus Name..

I am highly favored..

I am who God says I am..

I love you Lord Jesus..

Thank you for giving me another New Year..

2015 is my year..

I'm coming after it with you.. 

I shall not fear you are with me..

I will take boldly all the promises of God this year..

My love ones I claim will be saved this year..

Prodigals come home NOW in JESUS NAME..

Abundance is mine this year..

I will no longer survive but thrive.. 

I will GIVE more..

and 

I will seek your way of doing things this year and all these things will be added unto me...

in Jesus NAME..

THANK YOU GOD

I LOVE YOU LORD GOD

and 

I will make you proud of me Father for it is you that I live for.

The Lord God fights for YOU!!

Yesterday as I turned the pages on the second to the last day of a 9 week Bible Study I had such a strong urge in my spirit from God to share with you. For those that receive my blog post from girls in prison to girls in the free world the message is the same..."I'm fighting for you" says God. YOU need to hear this, that the God of heaven and earth is fighting for you.!! There are those of you waiting on clemency that need to hear that "God is fighting for you"...ALL you need to be is STILL. There are girls out there going through a rough time with their husbands and your heading for divorce and your full of emotions and sadden that you feel like your husband isn't even fighting for you but God is fighting for you. There are you that are dealing with unexpected deaths in your family and it's tearing your family apart, the Lord says BE STILL I am fighting for you and love you, I am all about family. Still yet there are those of you about to to walk into the free world with much worries...remember God has done a great work in you and will see it to completion..He is fighting for you too!! 

To all you beautiful and beloved girls God loves you so much, He is fighting for you even if you feel nobody else is, He is. Let today be a new start in your heart to walk this thing out in faith yet knowing God is fighting for you so there isn't anything to fear or be concerned about.  If you have to repeat it a hundred times a day to get it into your spirit say it...God loves me, God is fighting for me. 

Fill in the blank _______ with your name and say; God loves me, He favors me, He wants to bring me good not harm all the days of my life. His grace is all I need and His power works best in my weakness and I need not be strong. I will walk by faith and trust in you Lord for you are worthy and I know today that your word says that you are fighting for me and all I have to do is be still. Help me to be still, help me to fully trust in you and give me a portion of Joy today as I celebrate in your Love for me. I love you Lord God and thank you for fighting for me. In Jesus Precious Name the Name above ALL Names...AMEN.

Now go...be at peace...Love God BIG and Love others BIG...To Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or image...Ephesians 3:20.

I love you deeply and you mean so much to my heart. 

Don't be anxious about anything...God's got this!!!!!!!

Conforming to Rigteousness

Romans 10:3

For being ignorant of the righteousness that God ascribes {which makes one acceptable to Him in word, thought, and deed} and seeking to establish a righteousness (a means of salvation) of their own, they did not obey or submit themselves to God's righteousness.

I was led by God to share in today's blog post a devotional from Power Thoughts, by Joyce Meyer. 

This devotional will speak to any heart that yearns to be made right with God.

Righteousness means being made right with God and then consistently conforming to His will in thought, word, and deed. In other words, when we are made right with God, we begin to think right, talk right, and act right. It is a process in which we are continually making progress. We have setbacks, but overall we move forward.

The Holy Spirit works in us, helping us become the fullness of what the Father wants us to be in Christ. The outworking of righteousness-which is ultimately seen in right thoughts, words, and actions-cannot begin until we accept and believe in our right standing with God through Jesus Christ.

Power Thought: My thoughts, words, and actions are acceptable to God because Christ lives in me.

Pray on this and let it be sowed on the tablet of your heart beautiful people!!

Have a bright and blessed day in Christ.

"Nancy Michele"

Today Pink Love Ministries along with Surrender40 Ministries honors this day to:

"Nancy Michele"

Philippians 1:6 being confident of this, what he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

So who is Nancy Michele? Before I share with you who Nancy Michele is, first let me share with you how God blessed me with such a beautiful and extraordinary women of faith. It was in late May of 2009, I was on twitter posting scriptures and I saw a tweet that asked for someone to write a couple of women prisoners. I thought...I can do that and I replied. So now you know, Nancy Michele is an inmate in the custody of the Florida Department of Corrections. That is where she currently resides, but not who Nancy Michele is.  I was inspired by God to write this post in honor of Nancy Michele to give her our blessings from God, but also to encourage other women inmates all over with a ray of hope that your time is coming too...don't give up your hope.

Nancy Michele entered into the Florida Department of Corrections on 

November 5, 1997 

and will be released from custody on:

May 9, 2014

(this is almost 17 years in prison not including county time)

WOW...WOW...WOW...I have goose bumps just saying that...SHE WILL BE RELEASED FROM CUSTODY ON:

MAY 9, 2014....

PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!!!

Now who is Nancy Michele? She was a broken girl that entered into custody and now a put back together..Women of God. She is creative, artistic, outspoken, kind, outstanding, beautiful, modest, loyal, honest, discerning, noble and the MOST important...

A lover of JESUS Christ.

Through Christ Jesus she has the oil of gladness instead of mourning and has be bestowed the crown of beauty instead of ashes..

Nancy Michele has been from the depths of the pit and now set apart, Anointed, Transformed & Redeemed.

We love you Nancy Michele and bless you as you journey into the "free world" now with these scriptures..

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper you, not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Jude 1:2 

Mercy, Peace and Love be yours in ABUNDANCE.

I am beyond-beyond-beyond BLESSED to call you friend.

With abundance of Love to you Nancy Michele 

from all at:

Pink Love Ministries

&

Surrender40 Ministries

**For those of you reading this post that do not know Christ as your personal Savior...the Bible says...TODAY is the day of Salvation. Right now if you want Jesus to come into your heart and change your life and secure your eternity with Him please pray this simple but profound and life changing prayer and mean if from your heart**

Dear Jesus:

I've sinned and I'm not proud of it. 

Today I lay it down and repent.

I believe that you are the Son of God and died on the Cross for my sin.

Today I ask you to come in my heart and be my Savior, my friend and wash me clean. I no longer want to live from me, but for you. Thank you for accepting me just as I am. I love you Lord Jesus..and thank you.

In Jesus Name I pray...AMEN & AMEN !!!!!!!

Praise the Lord...and welcome to the body of Christ...you are now reborn...the Bible says your sins are no more...completely forgiven..In Luke 15:7 it says..

I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over nintey-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. 

Luke 15:10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

REJOICE...heaven is rejoicing over you!!

If you said this prayer and or would like to contact us for love, encouragement and friendship in Christ Jesus we would be honored to send you a letter of hope and begin the journey with you too.

Surrender40 Ministries, Inc.

Pink Love Ministries

Attention: Trachena

Post Office Box 1041

Davenport, Florida 33836

*Speak Life*

Proverbs 18:21 (ESV) 

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

This is a simple, yet very powerful word (s) for you today..

*Speak Life*

Solomon, the King of Israel & the wisest man that EVER lived writes these words in Proverbs, actually he wrote the whole Book of Proverbs & warns us about the power of the tongue.  Today I urge you to choose your words wisely, you are either speaking death or life over yourself. 

In the Spring of 2012--I had this moment with God that made me reflect on how I was using my words. I realized that although I would say life type of words for most "positive" situations, (anyone can do that) yet I was most always using death words in negative situations. I had an awe moment that I can "choose" to look for the positive (a life word) in my negative or not so pleasant situations. This might sound so elementary and you would be right in thinking so...yet it is extremely powerful, uplifting and scripture. Today I have made a lifestyle out of looking always for the positive (a life word) instead of a negative (a death word) in not only the great things that happen in my life but in also the not so great things.

You have a choice.

Speak Negative words over your life.

Speak Positive words over your life.

You have a choice.

My circumstances (good or bad) will not determine how I choose to speak my words, they will always "Speak Life". I pray today you will choose your words carefully and know that you too have a choice. 

In closing know that you are so very much loved by God and He wants what is good for you. He wants to see you well and prosper in all things. 

Please heed this warning in James 3:6 (ESV) it says; The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life of fire, and it itself set on fire by hell. 

Pray right now that God will help you say and look for a positive out of every circumstance in your life. 

God wants life for you and good...

*Speak Life*

The Good of Others

Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. 1 Corinthians 10:24

This is such a simple message, but one that has great joy if it's applied. 

The world will tell you to seek your own good, but God says we are to seek after the good of others. When we seek the good of others and begin to live a life of goodness to one another we instantly begin to feel good.  In Proverbs 11:25 it tells us clearly that he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. There are simple things we can all do to seek the good of others. Give a compliment, give a simile, encourage someone, give gifts you would like to receive, let the person in a rush go ahead of you, give away something....and the list can go on and on...

Today make a decision to live a life doing good for others and you will be blessed.