Hello brothers and sisters and Heartdwellers family. May the Lord give us all the fortitude to be radical lovers of his and not be afraid of the opinions of men.
In prayer the Lord brought up honesty, laziness and repentance. I thought to myself what could it be as I searched my conscience, I realized something I had done that I was disappointed in but I now realized Jesus was disappointed as well.
Since being here in Ghana I have longed to just walk the streets to touch and help this beggar children and the lame. However, I have been told by all to careful in giving donations away to the children because many of their parents are there watching and sending them out to make money. Many of the street children are not from Ghana but they are Fulani Muslims from different African countries who come to make a living. So they don’t even speak the local dialect and many feel if I support the children in anyway its empowers the parents to continue to have them beg hence it becomes a business.
Those who are lame or crippled it’s the same thing. Many have someone guiding their hands or pushing them and they get a cut from one they make that day. So on more than one occasion the precious children have made contact with me and come to the window begging. It’s so hard as I see Jesus coming under their guise and I have been scared to give a donation because I will be reprimanded or given a talk about it. So that had happened that morning and as we drove away, I felt that I should’ve given it that although everyone else is numb to the idea of helping because they see a business I see a child in need, a parent in need I see Jesus and that is who God created me to be. If everyone thought the same with those who are poor then no one would help them but I have been given a different task, a different heart and a different way to think and see people so I must act…but I didn’t because I was scared of what others may say .
So after the conviction of my sin I came before the Lord, Jesus thank you, for getting my attention this morning. Please forgive Me Lord I am always at your mercy and I can’t believe how much that grieved you Lord. I am sorry Lord and I confess all my sins to you those known and even unknown please help me not to lose myself and most importantly fear the opinions of others.
Jesus began, “My beloved dove, you have said rightly the fear of men will continuously become a snare for you My little one. Just as my beloved St Catherine of sienna has said be who you have created to be, and you will set the world on fire. Where others see fraudulent activity, business, and even business as usual with children begging on the streets, where they see lazy mothers and fathers exploiting their children, so they don’t give, I want you to see Me in the eyes of every beggar and child that comes to you. Yes, many have had to use deceitful motives or business schemes to get help, but at the end of the day they still get helped and that is what they need beloved. They are also in need of love.”
Lord show me what to do and how to do it, you know why I fear because it becomes a big bone of contention now when I am helping those in need.
Jesus responded, “I know beloved that will all soon change. Get the group to a novena to st. Therese my little flower in the fiery trial both of you have lost your way a bit and not entirely your fault, but there are many suggestions being given to this soul as to the direction they need to take to bring in some income rather than trusting on My providence. Some of these avenues I am leading this soul others are his thoughts and thinking.”
“Allow this soul to continue, but the motive of their heart I will change not to bring income in but I want them to see their life is a resource. All I have given this soul is to be a gift for the poor and needy. Once that changes— more provision will come.
And here Jesus is talking about Father Derrick
“Trust Me beloved one I know you guys are at odds now and it seems every straining but t with the daily prayers and this novena much will change. Continue to remind him of the vision and encourage him in the most gentle way to begin prepare that land first and leave the rest to Me beloved.”
Yes, Lord what else is on your heart? Oh and I do want to thank you for what you have done Jesus, Thank you Jesus for your great mercy towards Me. Everything you said has come to past I am so sorry for my continuous unbelief, and here guys, I was talking about the engagement ceremony, it was beautiful.
“My little one, I use everything for your good. Even in the fiery furnace, your faith yes, although has been tested but it has been strengthened that you can trust My words to you. I am faithful and have so much compassion and pity, on you My little one. Continue to love, believe the best and show kindness. They too can sense the sincerity and purity of your heart Beloved, everyone can. I have taught you how to truly love those who mean harm and that is how I always wanted you loving everyone, no matter their motive because it’s in that, where I will use you to draw them closer to Me. When you get home, don’t jump to get so busy in ministry, but spend more time with Me little one, I too have need and longing for companionship and have missed our time together”
I have too Lord okay give me the grace and please protect our time,
“I want to speak to My brides about charity , about true homelessness, the rhema I gave you. True homelessness is feeling unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. There are so many around you, My brides who have these feeling, this loneliness and longing to be loved. I want you to touch others with My kindness, with My compassion, with My tenderness through you.
“So many have been jaded by deplorable actions of charities that have disappointed many when scandals came out, or hearing of stories of those with wrong motives or dishonest intentions asking for help but using it for themselves. All of these things don’t matter as much as one soul being touch with kindness and compassion despite their intentions. Beloved, that is how My love works.
“Imagine if I looked at each souls’ motives before I decided to be kind, or love them or better yet give to them. Not even many of you would receive. It is love and kindness that leads people to a place o f honesty, purity, and integrity. I give because I love and I want you My brides to give because you love, to give because I gave to you out of love without question, prodding or judgment and I want you to do the same. Do not pass anyone up because of the assumptions of your mind or fear of what others may think.
“Every time I bring someone in your path however far they are from likeness in character, that is still Me coming to you under the guise of someone who is homeless, unwanted, unloved and uncared for. These souls are looking for homes and I want them to enter into My heart, their home, to be restored, cared for and transformed and I can only use My brides to do that. Do not discount just one act of kindness and compassion oh My brides only if you knew”
Lord just like the move the shack, when Jesus said that one act of kindness changes the universe,
Jesus responded,
“Yes My little one, you have coined it on earth the butterfly effect, one small action in someone’s life can change their outcome vastly even daily. All is cause an effect, opening the door for someone who has a bad day, saying a kind compliment to someone who maybe be hurting, encouraging someone with a word of hope, giving food or gifts to someone in need.
“You have no idea how it change the outcome of their day. It changes every choice they make after that, because love has been interjected into their day because of it and it will always overpower the darkness that surrounds so many to consume and snuff out their light. Hence why there is so much darkness, coldness, and selfishness in your world today.”
I began to have bouts of fear again about the opinion of those around me and the contention it brings when I try to help the beggar children I then saw a vision of Ruth and I packing food every week just simple rice and stew maybe 50 boxes and giving it to people
“Beloved, remember charity covers a multitude of sins, this act alone will become a great source of protection for you and Derricks marriage and the project of the City of God. I will lead you to the area and as I mentioned above do no worry, his heart will be softened at the end of this novena, and he will submit himself to My will. This will be a great opportunity for the soul coming to get acquainted with the people and the work you all are to do in Ghana and your Beloved will come along eventually as well. Do not withhold your hand or resources from those I send and bring to you. And do not worry concerning the provision for this work much is coming your way; I have just been setting a firm foundation for you and Derrick and in both of your characters as well to steward the provision properly. So trust, believe and pray and I will do the rest.”
That was the end of Jesus message.
Then I got this reading in Mother Angelicas daily spiritual lessons and it was about the fruits of the spirit, the one Holy Spirit gave me was on fortitude and I believe the Lord was wanting me to have fortitude in what He has called me to be. It was so on point
It reads
Fortitude
The third gift of the Holy Spirit, given to us at Baptism, is the gift of fortitude. It is very powerful. To have fortitude is to have courage. But courage for what? Fortitude to my mind is very close to faith, because it must sincerely believe that Jesus is Lord, before I have the guts to do what a Christian must, when everyone is doing something else. I must have the courage to stand alone, to be willing to be called a fanatic, and to leave my family and all my possessions for the sake of the kingdom. Not everybody is called to that. For some the greatest penance is staying where you are, but it takes a lot of courage to stay and still be what God wants you to be.
The fortitude that the Spirit grants us is much greater than conviction. It is a drive. Our Lord, had it in spades. When He was traveling one day with the apostles, He said, I have a baptism by which I must be baptized and how I am strained until it is accomplished Luke 12:50, meaning He could hardly wait for that moment when He would redeem us. That is fortitude.
A Christian is never really afraid of persecution, he is strained until it occurs. You know our Lord said some very odd things. The beatitudes are the wildest things in the whole wide world. He said, Blessed are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kids of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad for your reward will be great in heaven Mtt 5;11-12
Now we come to the thing that keeps most of us from sharing in this gift of fortitude: human respect. I know what God wants me to do or say at this moment, but I am afraid of so and so. Now some say we have to be prudent. But one thing we have too much of today is prudence. We are all so careful; I don’t think people have to worry about prudence.
Do you notice how you are hemmed in by human respect? You are so afraid of what other people will say or think or feel that you deny God His will. With the gift of fortitude, you could care less. There is only one thing in your mind. To know Him, to love Him and to serve Him at this moment.
Look at Peter in the courtyard. He was terribly concerned about what those people in the courtyard though of him. He didn’t want to know he was Galilean. He didn’t want them to know that he was a follow of that Man. What a perfect example of human respect. In order to prove to these people that he did not know the Man he swore and cursed. He became what they were, so they would not think of him as one of the twelve. He descended to their level out of human respect. What a magnificent example of change. Peter had a very weak faith, but after Pentecost he is the one, who goes out and preaches the word without fear. The cord that held him down all his life was broken thanks to this gift of fortitude. He no longer feared what anyone thought. The mission given to him by Jesus was everything.
The gift of fortitude makes us persevere in holiness. It gives us the strength to forge ahead in the face of opposition and weakness. It gives us supernatural endurance, a spiritual daring. St Paul in the Second Corinthians describes it this way; We prove we are servants of God by great fortitude in times of suffering, in times of hardship and distress; when we are starving, we prove we are Gods servants by our purity, knowledge, patience and kindness by a spirit of holiness by a love free from affection (2 cor 6:4-6)
Fortitude is not only accepting the cross that God gives you this to empty yourself and to be unashamed that you love Jesus. This is a gift we must pray for every day, for when we lack fortitude, we lack hope, and faith and love.
We need to tell the Holy Spirit: Let me know the Father as He is and let me love Him as a child. Let me love my neighbor in the same way You love me. Then let me be strong no matter, what anyone say or thinks or does let me preserver. Let me be unashamed that I am Christian Amen!
Amen and Amen family. Be who God created you to be and lets set our world on fire!!
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