Our society is suffering from a progressive breakdown of interpersonal relationships. People are more connected than ever…and less connected in real relationships. Texting has taken over talking. Relationships have diminished and people actually spend less quality time with family and friends. People are bashing authority, taking matters into their own hands, attempting to kill people because they don’t like them, to all sorts of manipulation and evil. What on earth has happened in this nation? How did the breakdown start? What can we do to bring about change?

It’s imperative to take time to get away to spend with family and friends, or you will get caught in the crossfire of enemy tactics. Satan is afraid of what you can become in Christ…so he seeks to destroy any of us at a young age. Be encouraged….people who have been the lowest often end up the highest. The Scriptures tells us, “He who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14).

There is always something you don’t know in any situation; so be careful not to assume and judge. Satan will try to get you to accuse, assume, attack, belittle, lie, and slander. He will paint a rosy picture to get you off course and it never ends well. Remember Judas. Sowing and reaping is a principle that works in the good and the bad.

David’s own father and brothers assumed he wasn’t in the lineup for God’s choice…but wow….were they wrong. The very one they thought wasn’t good enough and not even called in for the lineup, was God’s choice. See how far off assumption can get a person, and an entire family falling for their own opinions? (See 1 Samuel 16)

Satan comes to distract, deter, damage, and create doubt and duress in the lives of every believer so that we are derailed by evil tactics. Lack of respect, lack of respect for authority, and moral decay has swept through the nation. It is obvious what is happening. Satan is out to steal, kill, and destroy. 

The Bible says that we are hid in Christ (as born-again followers of Christ) and the devil cannot find us. He roars like a lion trying to get us to come out and align with him through negative confession, accusation, slander, and all sorts of evil. 

Satan comes to divide your mind against God. He will try to divide your marriage, family, friends, cities, churches, and nations. A house divided will not stand. A nation divided will not stand. When people lose their moral compass, disaster is imminent. 

The enemy wants to destroy from within. Keep your heart pure. Purity is prerequisite for power. Courage is prerequisite for impact and legacy 

Choose this day WHO you will serve —God or Satan. Determine in your heart to be the change in every situation. Determine to confess the Word of God over any and every circumstance, regardless of how it appears. Stay in alignment with God’s Word which is His will. Build your house upon the ROCK…Jesus Christ…a sure foundation. We will never improve on God’s “ancient path.” (Stand at the crossing, and consider the ancient path, that leads to Me. Walk on this path and you will find rest for your souls….See Jeremiah 6:16). 

Jesus said that whoever heard His words and obeyed Him, would be like a wise man who built his house on a rock. (See Matthew 7:24-27) 

“The LORD is my rock and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust.” (Psalm 18:2) 

God wants us to build securely on the Eternal Rock—the Word of God. Jesus is our ROCK..He is the firm foundation that we can build our lives upon. Don’t you dare budge off of God’s Word! Stand strong, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord. Instead of being divided, be determined to obey God! Believe Him, and trust Him! He is always faithful….

God loves you! 

HIS love and mine,

DEBORAH 

Dr. (Rev.) Deborah Starczewski

BOOKS FOR ENCOURAGEMENT AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH BY DEBORAH STARCZEWSKI

 GOD’S PRICELESS TREASURE (How To Overcome Challenges, Be Transformed, And Know Your Purpose)….move from drama to destiny, pain to purpose, trials to triumph,

A LEAP OF FAITH (25 Days At The Mercy Seat)…the full account of God raising my husband from death, healing him from two strokes and two open-heart surgeries….25 days at Mercy.  This book will encourage you to take your own leap of faith!

THE MIDNIGHT HOUR (WIll America Turn Back To God?)….a must read for all.

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE, www.starministriesinc.com, and other distributors. 

God wants to use you to bring heaven to earth on behalf of someone else. We have help from the Helper—the Holy Spirit. What a comfort for our prayer life we find in Romans 8:26-27. Many times, especially when we are burdened with someone’s need, we aren’t exactly sure how to pray. But the Holy Spirit comes to our aid. He may give a scripture to meditate on, or reveal with a dream, sign, or in any way He sees fit. 

With our limited knowledge we may not have any idea how or what to pray for a situation; but God’s Holy Spirit steps in and prays for us and through us—always in harmony with God’s perfect will. He knows exactly how to get our attention….and when our ears are tuned in to hear His Voice, we will know what is on the Father’s heart. This is the way Jesus lived here on earth. 

If you are called to be an intercessor, you will be one who identifies with others. You won’t snub your nose in the air, think negative thoughts within, or blast people out for prideful reasons. You won’t automatically assign motive or heart intent and criticize. You have a heart that is tender to people. 

Intercessory prayer moves one to cry out from the innermost depths of the heart with tears for someone else. The apostle Paul says, “the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express” (Romans 8:26 NIV). Jesus identifies with us and reached the deepest agony at Gethsemane. Jesus prayed with “loud cries and tears” as written by the author of Hebrews (5:7 NIV). 

Jesus was numbered with His transgressors and identified with all people through experiencing everything we would ever experience here on earth. Jesus epitomized lasting love. He identifies with us in every situation and on every point. 

When we are moved by identifying with others, praying with deep cries from our heart and tears, and stand in our God-given authority, we move the heart of God. Our intercessory prayers move God and causes Him to change His mind. 

Pray and then get up and go out to be a great encourager, not a critic. Pray for our leaders. Pray for your pastor. Pray for their strength, their family, and ministry. Get rid of evil obstacles such as envy, greed, lust, malice, prejudice, and lies—all of which Satan uses to destroy the power of our prayers. Realize that if it had not been for the Lord, well, need I say more. 

Amazing victory is ours when we pray. The world in which we live needs love. God uses ordinary people to be vessels of hope and encouragement, and to move mountains through prayer. Listen for and obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit. 

Divine influence in personal lives and world events are not brought about by achievement, manipulation, prestige, control, or power, but upon humble and utter dependence upon Jesus Christ Himself. The Spirit of God will awaken you to a whole new level of extraordinary prayer as you obey His promptings and pray until you sense release. 

I remember many years ago hearing the phone ring in our home only two times before I could get to it at 3 AM in the morning.  I saw the name that appeared on the caller I.D. and knew it was one of the staff at our home church, but was not a number I recognized. I got up to pray, sensing in my heart and spirit that it was God moving me to prayer for the person with that name. 

The next morning, I called the church to inquire from this couple and learned that at the same time the Holy Spirit used the telephone ringing in our home to get my attention, the husband’s father (with the same name) was being taken by ambulance to the hospital with heart attack symptoms. She shared the story and told me he was going to live…that he had made it through. You can see how God gets our attention in natural ways. The Holy Spirit unveils Heaven’s agenda to us when we are open, aware, and expecting God to speak to us at all times. We live with eternity in mind and are increasingly aware of His Holy Presence. We don’t have to understand all the details…but simply obey the leading of the Holy Spirit. 

You never know what someone else is walking through. Don’t ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Stop and pray….your prayers dispatch Heaven’s angels from the throne room of God to bring answer to prayers. (Psalm 103:20). 

People are in despair and wondering what on earth is going on in the world in which we live. I heard a mother’s message yesterday at her own son’s funeral. He had taken his own life. He left behind heartbreak, confusion, and distress. Suicide is a permanent choice to a temporary situation. Life is a precious gift from God. Talk to people and take time to listen with your heart. Encourage people…life is short..eternity is forever. 

“The Father who knows all hearts” (Romans 8:27) can use us to make a difference in the lives of those we pray for—even when we don’t know “how” we ought to pray. 

Prayer is a gift from God! We are able to partner with the Holy Spirit, cooperate with Him, and see the Kingdom of heaven released here on earth! The sweet Presence of God within us brings hope and reformation to the world around us—encountering a loving Heavenly Father. 

HIS love and mine,

Deborah

BOOKS BY DEBORAH STARCZEWSKI

GOD’S PRICELESS TREASURE (How To Overcome Challenges, Be Transformed and Know Your Purpose)….. learn how to move from drama to destiny, a test to a testimony, and a tragedy to triumph. 

A LEAP OF FAITH (25 Days At The Mercy Seat)…the full account of God raising my husband from death, healing him from two strokes, two open-heart surgeries…and 25 days at Mercy.

THE MIDNIGHT HOUR (Will America Turn Back To God?)… a must read for every leader. A great family devotional. 

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE, www.starministriesinc.com and other distributors.

If you will choose to love people right where they are—love will light the way. Everyone is on their own journey in life. How does God see a young mother who is struggling with rage, or a young father who is struggling with his temper? How does God view a child who is crying out for help with pain from being bullied at school? 

Jesus paid the price in full for sin—and it is nailed to the cross. God has rescued us from any possibility of a curse. The Bible says so and that settles it. Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrong-doing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree”’ (Galatians 3:13). 

That is great news my friends. The powerful truths found in God’s Word are life sustaining and enable us to extend the same life to people who are distraught and caught in the tangled web of sin—no matter if it is their own doing, or someone else’s. None of us have arrived–we have all fallen short of the glory of God. 

When a person knows that someone cares about them, no matter the distance, it’s like a breath of fresh air and rest for the soul. Confession is good for the soul and brings healing. Choose to be a safe place for others to share their hurts so they can move forward to healing. A safe place is where the intent of the heart is for healing and restoration. 

Many Christians wonder will God ever answer their prayers–to heal a relationship, repair a marriage, to bring back a prodigal child, to heal a sibling, to save a lost parent. Many times after we pray, things seem to get worse rather than improve. I’ve got great news– be reassured in the fact that your heavenly Father is at work behind the scenes on your behalf and in the lives for whom you are praying. 

It is time to plant hope in others through Jesus Christ—the Blessed Hope. Learn to love people right where they are in life. If you don’t know how to help them, ask God. He will lead you in the right direction. 

You can’t clean a fish till you catch it ….and God doesn’t expect us to get cleaned up before we come to Him. (That is the beauty of God’s grace and mercy). Choose to intentionally extend grace and mercy to those in need of help. 

God extends open arms to all. Don’t live another day thinking, that just maybe, because one trial hits right after the next, that your life is off course. Take time to turn to God’s Word and read about the trials and tribulations of those who submitted their lives fully to Jesus and followed Him. It wasn’t a rose garden with sweet smelling flowers perfectly lining a yellow brick road. 

God uses our trials and tribulations to prepare us to receive the blessings of His divine favor. He uses trials to position us in new platforms to touch the masses in need of a Savior—His name is JESUS!

Let me tell you one more thing—one of my favorite verses. I remember over twenty years ago how the Holy Spirit led me to a special service at a specific church and I heard a speaker share this verse: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). I will never forget that day—hearing that man say, “God changed the entire order of this service for someone to hear this word tonight.”  That is the amazing love of our heavenly Father. Don’t you dare give up. Don’t you dare stop short of all God has for you—keep moving forward IN CHRIST! 

Don’t fall for the trap of Satan and don’t believe his lies. Don’t listen to religious spirits or those who point fingers—turn to our loving Heavenly Father that has open arms for you. Turn to God and His Word—our map for success in life. 

You can become a world changer. God has removed every barrier and limitation to reveal the fullness of His glory in Jesus. “We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Everything we need comes from God’s presence, and He does not withhold it from us. Choose to renew your mind in the Word of God–read and pray God’s Word.  It’s the only way to experience the transformation God promised in Christ. The River of Life–only found in God–is at work in us to draw the world to JESUS. 

Jesus Christ blesses all who believe in Him with rivers of living water so that we are satisfied in Him and can be a source of blessing and refreshing to others. 

Choose to be fully committed to Jesus. He has great things for you to do WITH HIM. You may be the very one that delivers the greatest love letter ever written–the Bible–to someone in need this upcoming week. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you be more sensitive to His guidance. He will answer that prayer!

HIS love and mine, 

Deborah

BOOKS BY DEBORAH STARCZEWSKI

GOD’S PRICELESS TREASURE (How To Overcome Challenges, Be Transformed and Know Your Purpose)….. how to move from drama to destiny, pain to purpose, and a mess to a message.

A LEAP OF FAITH (25 Days At The Mercy Seat)…the full account of God’s divine intervention, resurrection power, and miracles on a daily basis….you will be changed forever. 

THE MIDNIGHT HOUR (Will America Turn Back To God?)… a must read for every leader.

Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.starministriesinc.com and other distributors

SHIFT HAPPENS (Anthology – with other authors – available on Amazon—-click on Dr. Deborah Starczewski