iHeartHope

iHeartHope: When Convictions Meet Reality :       So many times have I heard Men of God use the word ''conviction'' at church. What is conviction? Is it importan...

      So many times have I heard Men of God use the word ''conviction'' at church. What is conviction? Is it important in any way? Should a Christian be convicted about something he believes in? Do we easily give up on our dreams and convictions just because others think we can't?     The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines conviction as a strong belief or opinion; the feeling of being sure that what you believe or say is true. Most of us have had convictions about great things we would have loved to do in this life. For some, it has been the dream to pursue a college degree and become great entrepreneurs, for others it has been the passion to be great orators and motivational speakers. Others have longed to become great scholars like Aristotle, Plato or Socrates. For others, it has always been the burning passion to pursue a career in fashion.     What happened to all these dreams? Did they give up on themselves? Were their act...

Imagine being blind from birth and resigning yourself to the fact that you would never see. You are sitting somewhere minding your business,and a certain man comes saying He will make you see. Ah well,you got nothing to lose. So you allow him to do what He wants to do. Then this man spits on the ground and puts the mud on your eyes. No,hold on! So because i'm blind you didn't get nothing but your spit? Then you put the mud on my eyes! Like what kind of joke is this? Trying to make me double blind or something? But you allow him.Now he sends you to go and wash in the pool. Like where' s this man from?. Do you not care about me falling or being knocked down or something? And I even have to walk with your saliva on my eyes. Yet you obey,and now you see light for the first time. You have become a testimony,someone's hope and belief. And so you, going through a really difficult situation,through no fault of yours,and it seems since you turned to Christ, you seem to be ev...

        Jezebel's Entrance  Once upon a time Elijah, the prophet of God,who performed the most powerful miracles in his generation fell into deep depression. I mean this man fascinates me. He was fed by ravens; caused flour and oil never to run dry, predicted the end of three years of drought;and,get this, sent fire from Heaven to consume sacrifice soaked in water. I mean try even lightning charcoal that's a bit wet. Trend setting, mind blowing miracles. There was nothing he asked that he didn't receive an answer to: so you ask yourself what could cause this man that a whole King,in charge of the nations weaponry describe as a troubler to become miserable. Jezebel. No,that's not the name of the nations regiment. Nor the name of a spirit. Neither was it the name of a terrible disease. Jezebel was the name of the kings wife. Human,woman, flesh. After performing all these explosive miracles, even running faster than the chariots of the president of Israel, a ...

​We are blessed to have the beautiful Dr E writing to fill us with hope. Do enjoy. A couple of months ago I  read a story about the Israelites in 1Samuel 8:1-21.(Please take the time to read this.)  They wanted a king. End of story.What God had to say through Samuel didn't matter.They didn't care one skerrick  that a king would make them slaves and cause them a lot of grief.Here's exactly what they told God: we're mature enough to handle our issues. We want to be like the nations around us.  We want a tangible king.Someone we can see. Just give us a king!  As I  read further  on verses 4-20 it explained  that  their desire for a king wasn't the problem but the motive behind their desire for a king. .which was to be like the nations around them. These people were the apple of God's eye..His heartbeat.A people He brought up out of Egypt..parted the Red Sea to allow  them  waltz through while their adversaries were hot...

Sometimes,no most times our hearts are bruised by those we look up to for comfort. We find the hands we stretched ours to for support as the ones behind the knife that pierces us deep in our hearts. The shock of betrayal almost numbs the pain that stings us. It is in this moment that we lift our eyes up,to the light that shineth from above:remembering that there is no night in zion.Believing that it gets darkest before the dawn.

You remember the words the Lord spoke to you,You hadn't been dreaming then. You knew the prophets had told you,and you had heard it right. And you had told the world about what the Lord had shown you,even in dreams. But here you are in the pit now. Not a physical pit as Joseph had found himself in,but a pit nonetheless. A pit of what seems to be endless pain,unshakeable feel of heartbreak, unemployment that you just cant seem to get a break from. A pit of emptiness,loneliness and barreness. The world now looks on you with pity. It used to be amusement,for carrying yourself as if the whole world was yours to take,and then it turned to annoyance; they didn't understand who the heck you actually thought you were. They remind you,like Jesus, they are aware who your parents are,where you were born,the guys you had dated,the places you bought food,clothes and all things cheap from. And now it turns to pity.  You lift up your head, God,did you intentionally make me a laughing stock...