Division in the Church Part 2

10 I beg you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that all of you agree with each other and not be split into groups. I beg that you be completely joined together by having the same kind of thinking and the same purpose. 11 My brothers and sisters, some people from Chloe's family have told me quite plainly that there are quarrels among you.12 This is what I mean: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another says, "I follow Apollos"; another says, "I follow Peter"; and another says, "I follow Christ."13 Christ has been divided up into different groups! Did Paul die on the cross for you? No! Were you baptized in the name of Paul? No!
1 Corinthians 1:10-13(NCV)

According to the World Christian Encyclopedia (2001), there are reported to be over 38,000 Christian denominations in the world. As you can see from that statistic since the church first began in the book of Acts, there has been a shift in its focus and we have allowed division to come in and separate us. It would be one thing if 38,000 different denominations united together to do the work of the Kingdom, but instead it has been “my denomination is better then yours”, “we are the only true church”, and on and on, we have done like the disciples did here in Luke 9:49(NLT)…

49 John said to Jesus, “Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn’t in our group.”

But that did not please Jesus, look how He replies in verse 50…

50 But Jesus said, “Don’t stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you.”

All of this division just shows that man has gotten in the way of God. We have created our own rituals and traditions in our churches, but are they Bible based or are they man founded? It is not God’s will for us to be divided; His will is for us to be ONE…

I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one…20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. John 17:11, 20-23(NIV)

We all have roles to play being members of the body of Christ, but if we’re all divided and all of the different denominations are isolating themselves and moving in different directions, then the body of Christ is flopping around like a fish out of water. Remember "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.” (Matthew 12:25)
It’s time for us to stop analyzing everyone else’s denomination and start looking at where we are ourselves. Read the Book, hold up the Word against your church and see if they align, if they don’t, that doesn’t mean you start a revolution in the church or get yourself out of order. If you see something is not lining up then it’s time to start praying, pray for your church, pray for your leaders, and ask God what He desires you to do, if He wants you to stay and do something, or move on (if you move on don’t be bitter, continue to pray for that church because it is God’s will that we all walk in the truth, and ask God to lead you to a church home where He wants you to be).

It is time for us to be mature Christians, it’s time to take our blinders off. The blinders of tradition and religion, all those things that have been passed down from great granddaddy or great grandmamma. Just because they did things a certain way does not mean that it’s the right way. We are to follow what the Word says to do, not what man, tradition, religion, etc. says.

We are not saying this to knock anyone or any denomination because we are all one body, we are saying all of this because we feel the move of God, we know His hearts desire concerning His body and how He sees His children coming together. It doesn’t mean denominations will necessarily be brought down, it just means that we will all begin to work together, communicate, fellowship, etc as we are supposed to, AS ONE.

We pray this has been a blessing on your life.

Daryle and Tracy Houston
Kingdom Vizion Ministries

Division in the Church Part 1

1 Corinthians 1:10-13(NCV)…10 I beg you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that all of you agree with each other and not be split into groups. I beg that you be completely joined together by having the same kind of thinking and the same purpose. 11 My brothers and sisters, some people from Chloe's family have told me quite plainly that there are quarrels among you.12 This is what I mean: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another says, "I follow Apollos"; another says, "I follow Peter"; and another says, "I follow Christ."13 Christ has been divided up into different groups! Did Paul die on the cross for you? No! Were you baptized in the name of Paul? No!

Recently God has laid the division of the church heavy on our hearts. He has not been pleased at what is going on in the body, as far as unity. He desires that we really begin to recognize the truth of what is going on so that we can begin to change.

Today we are going to look at how the church has been divided because some have elevated the level of their Pastors to that of God. We know some might not agree with that statement, but we really have to think about it before we just dismiss it. Have our Pastors become an idol to us? Just look at the passage above, and how believers begin to talk about the men they followed instead of the God they followed.

Now of course we should show our Pastor the utmost respect, we should catch on with the vision that he or she has, we should support that person, etc. We are not diminishing their position in any way, what we are saying is that sometimes people seek their Pastor more then they seek God, some listen to their Pastor more then they listen to God, some spend more time in church trying to get a word from their Pastor then they will spending time trying to get a word from reading the Word of God.

Each church has a set man or woman that God has placed in charge to edify the flock, but we are not supposed to attend service just to see them. Service is about learning, fellowshipping, and meeting with God. We have to remember the Pastor is a person just like you and I, they are vessels and servants used by God…

1 Corinthians 3:5-7 (NCV)…5 Is Apollos important? No! Is Paul important? No! We are only servants of God who helped you believe. Each one of us did the work God gave us to do.6 I planted the seed, and Apollos watered it. But God is the One who made it grow.7 So the one who plants is not important, and the one who waters is not important. Only God, who makes things grow, is important.

God’s desire in these times is that we begin to come together and get our focus back on Christ, to move as one body, to exhort Him only as God. We are to gain knowledge and get some revelation and be built up by our set man or set woman, but ultimately we all have to get our own direction from the Head (The Father/Son/Holy Spirit) so we will know whether to move right or left, to walk or run, etc.

We are in a time where God is unifying His body, He desires for us to come together, but we have to get our hearts and minds in alignment with the Word of God, and give God back His rightful place in our lives for it to come together.

We pray this has been a blessing on your life.

Daryle and Tracy Houston
Kingdom Vizion Ministries

You are what you Think

Proverbs 23:7 (KJV)
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:…

There are many people that have been attending church for years upon years and yet their lives have only changed in the manner that they know God and may have gotten saved. But their personal lives have not changed. They still go through the same struggles year after year. One of the most undiscovered places on the earth is the human mind. We have to tap into the wisdom of God in able to learn how to use it the way He intended.

My question to you is how are you thinking? Has your thought patterns concerning your life since you came to Lord changed, or not? When we attend church it’s not so that we can be entertained, and it’s not to be looked at as a traditional thing. When we gather together and fellowship with other saints in God, it’s so we can learn something, so we can increase in our spirits and in turn increase also in our natural lives. So how are you thinking, what is in your heart concerning your own situation?

Many people have a poor thinking process about themselves, they think that they're a failure, they're ugly, they're stupid, they're poor, they can never live a happy life, and some of these thoughts have been programmed into their subconscious at a very young age; more than likely as a result of bad and abusive relationships when they were younger. They have gotten use to this thinking pattern and it has become instilled in the heart, so they don’t even think that it’s a problem.

But God wants the best for all of His children; God wants you to live a prosperous life, full of all good things and thoughts. If you think negative thoughts, than expect to see a negative manifestation. If you are living in an area that is horrible, and you tell yourself that you will never be able to move into an area you desire, than you better hunker down, because you won’t be if you don’t think you can.

The law of sowing and reaping works both for negative and positive things. God only wants it to work for you in a positive way, but if you keep planting negative seeds in your mind, than your harvest will be negative. It’s time to stop using Gods Word as a book to fill in our bookcases, and start using it to change our thinking patterns to produce positive results in our lives.

Romans 12:2 (KJV)
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Some of you may say, how am I supposed to think positive thoughts when my situation is so bad?

Act 26:2 (KJV)
I think myself happy, king Agrippa….

This scripture is concerning Paul. He was on trial literally for his life. He could have had thought bad thoughts and been down and out, which would have made his situation that much more miserable; but instead he is saying even though this may seem like a bad situation, I will none the less think positive.

Whatever it is you are going through, I want to encourage you to start to think thoughts of increase, start to think thoughts about that situation not being a problem any longer, and from this day forward only think positive thoughts no matter how a situation may look. It’s time to stop thinking like everybody else in the world, you’re a child of the Most High God, only think thoughts that He would approve of.

I pray this has been a blessing on your life.

Daryle Houston II
Kingdom Vizion Ministries

Idols

Acts 7:41(KJV)
And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.

This scripture is recounting the days of the children of Israel, when they were in the wilderness and made unto themselves their own god to worship. When the word idol comes up, the first thought that usually comes up in our minds is the golden calf, and bowing down to worship it. So when we talk about idol worship we say were good because we will never worship a statue. But the key phrase in that scripture is, in those days. We’re in different days, different idols, that you may or may not have even considered to be.

An idol according to Webster’s 1828 dictionary is: Anything on which we set our affections; that to which we indulge an excessive and sinful attachment; An idol is anything which usurps the place of God in the hearts of his rational creatures.

Last night God gave me a dream, and I woke up this morning 9/26/09 at 4:47am. I asked God to give me an interpretation of what the dream was about. Below I am describing what the dream was about and an interpretation of what God has given me so far is provided after.

The dream starts out; I am in this huge auditorium, it looks like some kind of school and it’s a stormy night outside. All of a sudden this big monster looking creature comes out and he is teaching everybody how to garner peace. He’ll come up to a person and the person would praise him and acknowledge him and a superficial peace would come over them and they would calm down. I soon find out that this monster is not a real monster but rather a man in a monster suit. This goes on for awhile and then I move on to the next sequence of the dream.

In this sequence of the dream I am with some people and it is very apparent that they are very wealthy, but I’m not like them, I feel like an outcast for some reason. I’m walking around this huge mansion and admiring all of their material luxuries. I go into their front room and I see them praising the beast like he had taught them in that big auditorium. Then I move on to the next sequence of the dream.

In this sequence I am with my wife in a place that I perceive to be our home. Have you ever heard the saying “Home is where the heart is”, so I am laying in the bed and a fear comes over me and I can sense that this beast is getting ready to show up in front of me so I can also praise him to get that superficial peace that he provides. My first intention is to go lock the door so he can’t get in, I get up in haste to rush to lock the door but I find that my wife has already locked the door. I am by the door and I hear these giant footsteps coming down the hall, and I called out to my wife in a loud voice saying TRACY, and then I woke up.

I woke up very confused of this dream, I asked God what it meant and this what He is revealing so far. The man in the monster suit is the devil, the first sequence represents how we are trained in our society we have been deceived to find peace in other things besides God. We try to find peace in the material things that only suffice us for a short while.

The second sequence was a tempting sequence; the devil was saying if you bow down and praise me you will have all of these luxuries in the world. He was saying just look at these guys you are with, see this big house, see the car, look at the money, just do what they are doing and you can have all this too.

The third sequence represents my own heart; the devil will try and tempt you through your heart first. In this sequence the door to my heart was already locked by my wife Tracy. As her being my wife that is her role that God has given her; to protect the heart of her husband.

When God created Eve, He created her from the rib of Adam. That rib that God took to create Eve was the rib that is used to protect the heart. God intended one of the roles of the wife to act in place of that rib that he used to create woman. He intended the woman to be the protectors of their husband’s hearts. This is why men can be more sensitive than women when it comes to the internal at times.

This is exactly how Satan got Adam to eat of the fruit of the forbidden tree. Many people believe he went to Eve first because she was the weakest, but it is quite the opposite. Eve was the strongest, because of her God given role and Adams mate. He knew to get to the heart of the man he had to get pass the protector of the heart which was Eve. After he accomplished this, he made the tree of knowledge and evil look more desiring to them than God was. They place that tree above God, and that in turn created that tree into their idol, and we all know what happens next.

So let’s look at our own lives, have we placed anything in our lives above God. Whether it be our fancy educations, fancy cars, fancy houses, fancy kids, fancy spouses. What are you sacrificing most of your time and even finances to? Is it to God or is it the works of your own hands.

I pray this has been a blessing on your life

Daryle Houston II
Kingdom Vizion Ministries

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

…and the wife see that she reverence her husband. ~ Ephesians 5:33b

The message today is geared toward the ladies and we are going to talk about reverence or as some other translations in the Bible say…Respect.

Last night in church during part of the speakers’ message, she was talking about respecting her husband, and how she had to learn to do that. She was recounting a story about how her husband worked outside of the home and how she was home schooling, taking care of the kids and the house, etc and as her kids started to get a little older they became a little unruly and she tried disciplining her children, but it wasn’t really working. So she went to her husband and told him what was going on and he told her, “Let me discipline the children.” But she proceeded to tell him no she had to be the one to discipline them because she was the one with them all the time, and he wasn’t with them that often, so she needed to handle it. She said she stated her case down to the T and it was reasonable so she wasn’t going to give up her stance on the situation. One day she was talking to the Pastor and she told him what was going on, and what her husband had said to her, and the Pastor was saying “Well I…” and she said she cut him off, and kept stating her point. Later that evening she was replaying the conversation with the Pastor over in her head and she realized that the Pastor was going to finish that statement with “Well I agree with him.” And then the Holy Spirit asked her, “Would you talk to your Pastor like you talked to your husband?” And she said, “No of course I wouldn’t.” Now before this moment, she thought that she had respected her husband, she wasn’t nasty to him, she supported him, she loved him, but the scripture doesn’t say we are to love our husbands (why because this comes natural to us, God didn’t have to command us to do it because it is a part of who we are), it says we are to see that we reverence, or respect, our husbands (something that doesn’t quite come as natural to us). Let’s take a look at the meaning of the word reverence…

Reverence (Greek-Phobeō): to reverence, venerate (to regard with respect), to treat with deference (A yielding in opinion; submission of judgment to the opinion or judgment of another) or reverential obedience.

Recently I had been asking God to work on me and in me, helping me to become the best person and wife I could be, and believe me God will give you what you ask for! So when I heard this message last night the Holy Spirit revealed to me this was something I needed to work on. Just as with the speaker, not that I am mean or nasty to my husband, but that I needed to work on yielding to him more. The Holy Spirit said to me “Let Daryle be himself, let him make the decisions and even if it looks wrong to you, or you know a better way, let him do it any way, this is how you will show him, that you respect him.”

For me as well as I am sure for many of you ladies out there this is not that easy. We women have a certain way we like things done, we have step by step plans, we logically think ahead and plan ahead, we have mothering instincts so sometimes we think we know what is best for our children, etc. I could go on and on. But God is speaking to us today and saying to let our husbands be our husbands, let them make decisions concerning the family, even if they are out there in the working world and we are at home with the kids. Let them do things the way they desire. There are many examples, I’m sure you each have your own. As wives we have to let go of some of that control, kick pride to the curb and begin to trust and reverence our husbands the way God intended.

One last note, I know all of you ladies out there are like, “But what about the first part of the scripture that says for husbands to love their wives!” Yes ladies it is true, the first part of the scripture does say that, but let me tell you what God told me to let you all know concerning that. He said we are not to try to manipulate our husbands to get love. We are not to focus on that, we are to seek our true love from God. What we are to focus on is respecting our husbands, and when we honor God by walking according to His Word, and seeking His love first, then He will honor us, and we will begin to see our husbands show us love.

I pray this has been a blessing!

Tracy Houston
Kingdom Vizion Ministries

Receiving is Believing

One of the most important laws in the Bible is the law of sowing and reaping or giving and receiving. Most people struggle with this because they can’t understand it, but most believers struggle with it because they haven’t mastered it. Most believer’s think that the most difficult part of this law is giving, so we work on our giving and have faith for the giving part but still can’t understand why sometimes we don’t think it is working for us. The giving part is the easy part; the part that takes a little more faith is the receiving part.

When you give what are you expecting, or are you expecting at all? We all have to train our hearts to receive, not just what your natural mind is expecting to receive but train your heart to receive anything that God wants to give. Don’t put yourself in a position where your heart and mind is in tunnel vision, just expecting to receive that one thing that God promised you. Instead keep your heart and mind open to all possibilities and catch everything He throws your way.

In the book of Acts (3:2-9), Peter and John were entering a temple and there was a man lying outside of the gate collecting alms. He looked at Peter and John expecting to receive something, Peter and John had no silver or gold to offer, but instead they healed this man that could not walk since he was born. The key phrase in the scripture was that this man was expecting to receive, if his heart wasn’t expecting to receive anything than he probably wouldn’t have been healed.

The way we prepare our hearts to receive is simply by believing; believing that something good can and will happen to you, no matter what you see with your natural eyes. For we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Belief and unbelief cannot co-exist together.

Matthew 13:58 (KJV)
And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Jesus himself could not bless the people of his hometown because they simply didn’t believe; their hearts weren’t expecting to receive what Jesus had to offer.

When God spoke to Abraham and told him that he was going to be a father of many nations, even though he had no children and he was about one hundred years old; in the book of Romans it tells you how he responded.

Romans 4:20 (KJV)
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

His heart was ready to receive.

When an angel appeared before Mary and told her that she was going to conceive a child, her response was; be it unto me. Her heart was ready to receive what God had promised. I think the one in this situation that had to receive it the most was Joseph. His virgin wife was having a child but it wasn’t his seed. I don’t know about you but I think husbands all around the world would have an issue with this. It wasn’t until an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and told him what was happening. He heard and believed, his heart was ready to receive (Matthew 1:20). Just imagine if unbelief would have taken its course in Mary and Joseph, if that would have been the case we would probably be reading about two different individuals in the Bible regarding that situation.

So what has God promised you lately? Is your heart ready to receive it, or are still on the fence of belief and unbelief? What you receive and do not receive is totally up to you. If you still have a bit of unbelief in your heart because your natural mind can’t comprehend it, just ask God to remove it.

And from this day forward just tell yourself that you believe that God has a plan for your life and you receive everything He has for you in the name of Jesus. Amen

We pray that this be a blessing on your life.

Daryle and Tracy Houston
Kingdom Vizion Ministries
www.kingdomvizion.org

Peace

Today, the world is living in uncertain times. The economy is in shambles, crime is sky -rocketing, many have lost their jobs/homes, and as a result have lost their families. But God wants you to know that everything is ok for His people, He says:

“For if you praise me I will release you from the bondage of this world, but first you have to know who you are and who I am to have peace in any situation”.

Your Release is in Your Praise!

Acts 16:25-26 (KJV)
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.

Let’s look at this situation, Paul and Silas were in prison at their darkest hour. What do you think would have happened if they would have let fear, doubt, and confusion enter their hearts? They probably would have been down and out in their spirit, and would have NOT prayed and sang praises, and probably would have been killed the next day. Instead, they had peace in that situation because they knew who they were in Christ and they knew who their God was, so they prayed and sang praises to God and as they did so they were immediately released from that situation and God gave them favor; as a result they even brought some souls into the Kingdom.

Now let’s look at your situation. You may be experiencing a moment in your life where you are in your darkest hour. You may not be in a physical jail, but rather a spiritual one where something has got your mind and heart in a sad and confusing place. Whether that place may be in the form of a bad relationship, overwhelming debt, physical abuse, mental or emotional abuse, or you may even be at a point in your life where you feel that God has left your presence.

We're here to tell you today that wherever you may be, God is right there by your side. In order for Him to move on your behalf you have to first calm yourself and submit to Him, have peace. Then you have to acknowledge Him, pray and sing praises to Him. After He sees that your heart is completely His, then that’s when your release will come. As a result of your release many people around you may also be released from whatever their dealing with. God will use you as a witness to His awesome power.

Psalm 37:18-19 (KJV)
The Lord knoweth the days of the upright and their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

If you honestly believe that with all you heart, than put it to work for you. God wants to help you, He’s tired of seeing His people struggle, but first we must learn His principles.

We pray that this be a blessing on your life.

Daryle and Tracy Houston
Kingdom Vizion Ministries

The True Church

As I continue to immerse myself in God’s word, I often find myself comparing the church of today with the beginning church founded by Jesus’ disciples. As I begin to compare the two my heart becomes heavy and grieved, because even though we are still preaching God’s word and souls are trickling in; sadly that’s all that is happening, for the most part.

We’ve gotten so caught up with the cares of this world that we have made church a tradition. Church is NOT a tradition. Church was designed to be the educational institution of God. There is supposed to be power and authority in the church.

In the book of Acts, it talks about and describes how the church operated. If you ever read this book you will feel the heart of God’s people that were given the assignment to spread His word. They didn’t care about anything else besides pleasing God and helping others. Even when they were persecuted, that didn’t even deter them. Their love for God radiates off of those pages. This church was the beginning church and they preached the beginning message, the message of salvation and baptism in the Holy Spirit. Yet, they still operated in power and authority that is greater than what we are operating in today.

The church in Acts performed signs, wonders, and miracles constantly (Acts 3:6, Acts 5:12, Acts 9:40, Acts 14:10, Acts 16:18); people were coming to the Lord by the thousands at one time (Acts 2:41, Acts 4:4). In today’s church most don’t even believe in supernatural healing powers. Just imagine if the church would have stayed the course that it had set out on when the disciples first began, we would be at a much higher level than we are at today.

It makes you think, are we even considered a church in God’s eyes? We’ve let division come into the church by the way of different religions. Let me ask you a question, what religion is God? Is He Catholic, Baptist, C.O.G.I.C., Protestant, Methodist, etc…?

And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: Matthew 12:25

We are at a point where there needs to be a union of God’s true believers as one body. We need to start maturing and growing the way God intended, and move pass the beginning message of salvation; I think we got that message down pact. Just because you’re saved, doesn’t mean you are doing God’s work. Many people give their lives to Christ and that’s it, they live their existence bogged down with the issues of life and they die and go to heaven. No, not me, I’m saved and filled with the Holy Spirit and as long as I’m living I’m going to make sure that I carry out my God given assignment and live like a king here on earth.

All I’m saying is that it is time for growth and maturity in the church, if I offended you with this writing than good; that means I struck a nerve that needed to be struck.

I pray this has been a blessing on your life.

Daryle Houston II
Kingdom Vizion Ministries

Growth…Maturity… The Process

There is a movement in the body of Christ taking place; God is shifting us onto the road of maturity. Somewhere between the book of Acts and the church of today, the body has gotten off of course, and we have become man made, instead of God made. We’ve gotten so far away from what God intended, and His desire now is for us to get back on track.

Luke 8:14 NIV
The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are chocked by life’s’ worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.

It’s time to progress people of God. During this time God is holding up a mirror in the face of every believer. He is having us look at ourselves and at what lies within us, He is showing us the things that we need to change, the things we need to be better in, and it’s all of the people that are willing to look at what God is showing them, that He will be able to use in these upcoming days. It’s time to stop being content with milk…

Hebrews 5:12 NLT
You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.

It’s time for us to start eating solid food. It’s time for us as a body to progress just as a child would from infancy to adolescence to adulthood.

Hebrews 6:1 NLT
So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding…

We have to begin to want more; more revelation concerning the Word, concerning God and His Kingdom. And then we have to put to use what we read and what we hear as I discussed the other day.

As we as believers begin this walk, God wants me to tell everyone reading this DO NOT get discouraged during this growth process, during this maturing process. It WILL NOT happen overnight. You don’t have to try to run when you can’t even walk. The only thing God is looking for right now is forward progress. He desires for us to start right where we are, whether we are on our bellies or our feet, whether if we can only crawl or run. Wherever we are right now, this is the place God wants us to start from. God says, do not get discouraged if you stumble, or trip He will be there to help you up. All He is looking for is perseverance to stay the course, so that we can go from milk to baby food, from baby food to solids, and from solids to meat. It is one step at a time, there is no room for guilt or condemnation along the journey, God is not disappointed with you; He sees your heart. The only thing that can make you miss this, is if you refuse to move. If you refuse to look in the mirror and see what God is showing you that needs to be changed, if you turn your back on it. The only thing that can stop you is you. God desires for us to get to a place where we know who we are, where we know that we are not trying to be something, but that we already are; where we are not trying to take authority over the enemy, we already know that he is under our feet, where we can love when someone slaps us in the face. A place of growth, and a place of maturity. That is God’s desire for His children. So let’s start together people of God, let’s look in the mirror and start moving down the road of maturity, so that we can do the work of the Kingdom. God bless!

Tracy Houston
Kingdom Vizion Ministries

We have exalted ourselves above God

Last night we were at church and the Pastor was teaching about honor. The word honor in the Hebrew (Kabad) means to be heavy, be weighty. So when you honor God, His Word has more weight in your life than anything else. For example it’s like a weighted scale you put the Word on one side, and anything else on the other side, and the Word should outweigh it every time. So if someone does you wrong you put what they did on one side of your scale, and forgiveness on the other. Forgiveness should outweigh it every time because that is what the Word tells you to do.

This morning as Daryle and I were in prayer the Lord started speaking to my heart and a heaviness came upon me, and He started showing me the sacrifices people have given in His name and the ways they have honored Him, He reminded me of people in Africa that will walk 50 or 100 miles for a church service, He showed me people in Asia that have to meet in secret because it is against the law to have your own Bible studies or meetings. He showed me the people that have been put to death in other countries and thrown into holes and buried alive all because they would not denounce Jesus. As He was showing me this a sadness came, and it wasn’t for these people that sacrifice daily to honor God, it was for us here in America who if we don’t get our favorite seat at church, or we have to sit in the overflow area, we would rather just go home and forget it. It’s for people that think that it’s crazy to drive over an hour to get to church, and will take anything that is not any further then 10 minutes away from their house. It’s for people that would rather sit at home and watch the service by internet because they have other things to do. It’s for people that are more worried about what people are wearing at church, then what the Pastor is saying. It’s for the people that clap and get excited when the Preacher says money is coming to your house right now, but turn their ears off as soon as the Pastor says it’s time to honor God with our tithes and offerings.

God showed me that as Christians in America many of us have exalted ourselves above Him. We wouldn’t walk 1 mile to get to church, let alone 50. If the government said we couldn’t meet privately to hold meetings or have midweek service, many people would say “oh well, it’s the law, I guess going to church on Sundays will be enough.” How many of us here if we had a gun to our head and the person said I will let you go if you denounce Jesus, how many people would denounce Jesus so they could go home and see another day, and just think they can repent when they get home.

We need to get back to a place where the apostles were at in the book of Acts. They actually rejoiced because they were beaten by the council for preaching the word of Jesus.

Acts 5:41
And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

Many of us don’t even like to read the Bible except on Sunday’s. I could only imagine what we would do if we were put in a real life or death situation for his name.

Some of you might be mad right now with me for posing these questions or for saying any of this, you might be saying well we don’t have to walk to church, and our situation is different than theirs, and yes that may be true, but if you are thinking that way you are missing what I am saying. The point is their passion, their commitment, their honor to God in every situation. So if you want to be mad that’s ok because it’s not coming from me, it’s what is on God’s heart. He is putting us in check. He is saying that it is time to honor Me! I am your Head, I am your Creator, I am your Lord, I am your savior, I delivered you from drugs, I delivered you from alcohol, I delivered you from sickness, I delivered you from abuse, I delivered you from death! I have been here every moment, now my children where are you?

Therefore the LORD God of Israel says: ‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.’ But now the LORD says: ‘Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed. 1 Samuel 2:30

God will honor those who honor Him, who make Him a priority, who make His Word, and His directions weigh more than anything that we want to do, weigh more than any situation or circumstance. You might have been praying and praying for something and you’re like, man what is happening, why isn’t God answering my prayer right now, well ask yourself this…have I been honoring God with my life? He said “those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed”, which means to be of little account. That is serious people of God. It’s time to take a look at ourselves, and rework something’s. It’s time to find a passion for God like never before. It’s time to start reaching out to Him and saying Father forgive me for I have not honored you as I should have, please help me to always honor you. Help me to always remember that your Word and your direction weighs more than anything in my life.

It’s time to put all pride aside, go to the feet of Jesus and become completely surrendered to Him, it’s time to relinquish control, and let the one that is greater then you begin to tear down everything in you that doesn’t need to be there, and build up everything He desires to be there. I know it’s not easy because I’m right here in this with all of you. For some of you, fear may try to rise up, pride may try to rise up, whatever it may be, quickly put it down, for nothing that may come up in us is greater than God, and He can help us in any situation. God bless!

Tracy Houston
Kingdom Vizion Ministries

Time To Act

Last night at church our Pastor was recounting a story when he was young in ministry and he asked a seasoned Pastor, if there was any wisdom he could impart to him. The Pastor said…”It’s always easier to preach it, then to live it.”

As Christians we know the Word, we can quote scripture, we have memorized passages, we got it going on when it comes to the Word, but one of the biggest dilemmas in the church and why people that are not saved have a hard time coming into the church and think we are hypocrites, is because we are not living out the Word, we are not doing what the Word says to do. Scripture clearly states…

22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. James 1:22-24 NLT

Jesus said to us…

14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. John 14:17 NIV

The first passage talks about how we are just fooling ourselves if we are not acting on the Word, it’s like we are just playing “Church”, but not living as “the Church”. In the next passage Jesus tells us that we should be following His example, and we will be blessed if we do the things we are supposed to do. I know for us it’s so easy to hear, but it’s much harder to act, but we must start to show some discipline, it won’t happen overnight, but I challenge each of you to start today.

So how do I do this you might ask, how do I make sure that I am doing what the Word says I should do? The Word gives us instruction for that in Joshua 1:8 NIV…

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

So if you know there is an area of your life you have some problems with, find a scripture that says how you are supposed to handle that situation. Then start meditating that scripture every day, and when a situation arises, let your actions be in alignment with the Word. It clearly states as you meditate in the Word then you will begin to be able to do what the Word says, and it says you will be prosperous and successful, in other words if you meditate the Word in any area, you can’t fail! Glory to God!

For example let’s take James 1:19 NIV…

…Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.

So if you’re someone that needs to be a better listener, or if you’re someone that speaks before you think, or if you’re someone that deals with anger, then this might be a scripture that you could use. It might not be easy, people of God but it is necessary for all of us. God bless!

Tracy Houston
Kingdom Vizion Ministries

The Law of Sowing and Reaping

Galatians 6:7 (KJV)
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Many of us are familiar with the law of sowing and reaping in the Bible. In today's society it is largely equated to the giving and recieving of monetary resources. In all actuality it is so much more than that. We have to get to a point where we stop trying to bring Gods Kingdom down to our level of thinking, a three dimensional world, but instead we need to ascend to His level and operate the Kingdom of God here on earth on that level.

Many of us know that there are two systems that are in operation today on the earth, we have the system of the world which we were born into and raised in. The system of the world is based on the principal of buying and selling. Than we have Gods system, or the Kingdom system; the Kingdom system is based on the law of sowing and reaping or giving and receiving.

It is through this law that we are here today, and able to spend eternity in Heaven, if we so choose. God gave or sowed his only son Jesus (John 3:16) and in return He received me and you. This is a law that not only works for your daily provisions but also for the things of the Spirit. If you are lacking something in your life, whether it may be love, joy, peace, etc… try extending what you are lacking to someone else.

Now you ask, how can I give someone what I do not have, the answer is that you do have it. Inside of us God implanted everything we need to be successful in life, the problem is that you never cultivated it. Start to train yourself to operate in what you are lacking. If you are not feeling loved on the inside, the easiest thing to do is express love to someone else, and whatever you sow, you will reap. It’s like watering a seed, the more you give the more you grow.

Many people get boggled over this law, because; 1. It works, if you just try it, 2. People don’t understand why. It’s not our job to understand God, if we totally understood all of Gods ways than we would start to think that we were God, and we all know the story of Lucifer. Don’t try and figure it out with your natural minds; just do it.

Some of us are in a position in our lives where we’ve tried everything possible to create a good life. Many have gotten to a point where their comfortable in life but there is still something missing and you can’t figure out what it is, some have been struggling since day one and are willing to try anything to change. No matter what your situation is, or your motive for wanting to change, God is speaking to you and you know it. Well God is saying it’s time to join His system, it’s time to stop trying to figure things out, it’s time to stop crying those tears of pain and sorrow. He wants to turn those tears into tears of joy. (I don’t know who I am talking to right now, because I am going off subject here, but God is using this writing to reach someone).

He is calling for you, He is not going to force you to come to Him, but He is telling you that things will not get better if you don’t let Him into your life. It’s time for you to get into a good church home and get counseling through His word. He loves you, He cares for you, and He doesn’t want to see you suffer any longer. But the decision is up to you.

Whoever this word of the day is for, God is really speaking to you. Just listen to Him.

Daryle Houston II
Kingdom Vizion Ministries

The Wilderness

There is a time in every believer’s life when they will experience what the Bible calls a wilderness experience. When most people hear of this experience they cringe, because no one wants to go through it; it is almost a sense that believers fear this experience. It is a desolate, solitary, and lonesome place in the spirit and maybe even in the natural, but this experience is not one to fear or be hesitant about, it should be embraced and accepted because of what it is designed to do.

Deuteronomy 8:2 (AMP)
And you shall [earnestly] remember all the way which the Lord your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and to prove you, to know what was in your [mind and] heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.

Everyone will have to go through this experience as a believer, but don’t let the devil deceive you and try and bring fear upon you about this walk. Most people think that when they go through the wilderness it will be filled with pain and heartache, but it’s actually quite the opposite; it’s filled with love and revelation. If you embrace it the correct way it can be the most pleasant experience ever. When the Holy Spirit leads you into the wilderness walk it out day by day, not focusing on will it be over but rather the moment you are in. It is in this time when it’s just you and your Father, He’s there speaking to you and watching you grow and mature into the person he called you to be. Don’t worry about provision because you will lack nothing.

Deuteronomy 2:7 (AMP)
For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your walking through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.

During this walk it’s not about the natural things that you possess but the things of the spirit in which you gain. This experience is meant to mature you into the person God has called you to be. I believe the amount of time that you are in the wilderness depends on your attitude. You can complain and murmur and spend forty years there like the children of Israel, or you can accept and embrace it like Jesus did and spend forty days. It’s all up to you.

Don’t get lost in the wilderness and turn your back on God, it’s not a place that was meant for us to live in but rather a season for us to walk through.

I pray that this has been a blessing on your life.

Daryle Houston II
Kingdom Vizion Ministries

Let’s start thinking like our Father

Proverbs 4:7 (KJV)
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Let’s begin to take our relationship with God into another dimension, let’s begin to seek Him like we have never before. Let’s begin to think like our Father. In order for this to happen we must have wisdom, when God imparts into us His wisdom He is imparting into us His way for making decisions, we begin to speak the things He would speak, we begin to say the things He would say, and do the things He would do. We begin to be more like our Father.

Look at King Solomon, he was one of the wisest and riches Kings to ever walk the earth. Yet he didn’t seek God for material things or self pleasures, but he sought God for something that is more precious than rubies, (Proverbs 8:11) His Wisdom. As a result of Solomon seeking God for His ways, Solomon was automatically increased in other areas of his life.

II Chronicles 1:10-12
Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great? And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I made thee king: Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there be any after thee have the like.

When you ask God for His wisdom you are telling God that your heart is ready to receive, that you don’t want to go about doing anything on your own, but rather in every decision you make, in every prayer you pray, in everything thing you speak, you want to do it the way God would do it.

God is our Father, and as our Father he wants to be in every part of our lives, He wants to help us in everything we do, all we have to do is allow Him to move. All we have to do is ask Him for His wisdom so He can cultivate our hearts and minds and get them in alignment with His.

All you have to do is ask, and it will be given unto you. Let’s start asking God for wisdom and knowledge so that we may do a great work for His Kingdom.

If you’re tired of going through life kind of as a hit and miss with your endeavors, or if you’re in a situation that you can’t figure out on your own, let God help you with it. Ask Him for wisdom to enlighten your heart and mind to His way of handling that situation. As surely as you ask, He will give, but first you have to ask.

Daryle Houston II
Kingdom Vizion Ministries

The Revealed Word of God

In the Bible, God uses his Word in two different ways which are known in the Greek as the logos and the rhema.. Logos is the form in which most of us are most familiar with, it is the general or written word of God from Genesis to Revelations. Rhema is the revealed Word of God.

It is through the rhema where revelation regarding something specific in your life is revealed through a specific scripture or set of scriptures. Our issue in the body of Christ is that we get ourselves in situations and the answer is in Gods rhema word, but we are unable to receive it because we barely know His written word. The rhema word is spoken to ones heart, and the only way that it can be received is by having His written word in our hearts to begin with.

We must get the written word in our hearts not only by reading it, but through meditation, that means muttering it over and over, musing it, letting it soak into us. By doing this the Word becomes a part of you, and eventually it will be like a light bulb goes on within and you have an “ahh ha” moment when the word becomes alive and you unlock the meaning within and receive rhema.

Let’s take the story of Elisha and his servant in 2 Kings 6:14-17

14 Then the king sent horses, chariots, and many troops to Dothan. They arrived at night and surrounded the city. 15 Elisha's servant got up early, and when he went out, he saw an army with horses and chariots all around the city. The servant said to Elisha, "Oh, my master, what can we do?" 16 Elisha said, "Don't be afraid. The army that fights for us is larger than the one against us." 17 Then Elisha prayed, "LORD, open my servant's eyes, and let him see." The LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

I’m sure the servant knew about angels, and knew about the protection of God, for he was a man of God, but that knowledge came alive to Him when God opened up his spiritual eyes and he could really see that which he already knew to be true. It is the same way with us when we receive the rhema, it is like our eyes open up and we can see the way this young man saw.

God desire for us is to see the Kingdom of God. He desires for us to see that which He has placed in His Word is alive and in operation all around us. But for us to be able to truly see the Kingdom of God we must have the rhema, we must put on our Kingdom contact lenses so that it all will become clear.

We pray this has been a blessing on your life.

Daryle & Tracy Houston
Kingdom Vizion Ministries

Be Perfect

When most people think of the word perfect they think of it meaning…entirely without any flaws, defects, or shortcomings. Don’t think of being perfect the way the world thinks of it, for we all make mistakes, but that does not mean you’re not perfect in the eyes of you creator. To walk in perfection you have to edify your mind with God’s Word and teachings. Perfection is complete humbleness. God is looking for perfect people to do His work here on the earth. Let’s take a look at what being perfect means to God.

Matthew 5:48 (KJV)
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Perfect here, is the Greek word Teleios it means: Brought to its end, finished, full grown, mature, complete in growth, in mental and moral character, etc. Here God is saying we need to be full grown and mature, we need to have complete growth in our mental and moral character. This is about transformation; God is looking for mature believers.

II Corinthians 13:11 (KJV)
Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

Perfect in this scripture is the Greek word, Katartizo, which means: to complete thoroughly, i.e. repair (literally or figuratively) or adjust; mend; restore. Here God is giving us a command telling us to be restored, to walk as people that have been mended and repaired. In our perfection, in our restoration we can be an example to the lost, those that are still broken and hurting, we can show them through our own lives how God can restore.

II Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV)
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man (human race) of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Here the Greek word for perfect is Artios, which means: complete. Here God is showing us how important scripture is for us, it helps us become complete. That means that things of this world can’t complete us, people can’t complete us, it is the Word breathed by God Himself which makes us whole.

I Kings 8:61 (KJV)
Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.

In this last scripture the word perfect here is translated in the Hebrew as Shalem which means: complete, safe, peaceful, perfect, whole, full, at peace. He is saying here that we are complete with Him, we are safe with Him, and we are at peace when we have Him in our lives.

It doesn’t matter what you are going through or what you have done in the past. Don’t be discouraged, God isn’t judging you by the mistakes you made, but rather the decisions you are going to make. Ask Him for forgiveness and he’ll forget them just like that, and you’ll be created a new person in Christ. He loves you, He sees you as perfect so start seeing yourself the way He sees you, but first you must submit and give your attention to His Word so He can help you. It doesn’t matter if you don’t feel worthy, I’m telling you that you are worthy, you are a joint-heir with Christ, and guess what you were made to be perfect, so BE perfect and let’s work together for Gods greater good.

It’s time to start doing God’s work.

We pray that this has been a blessing on your life.

Daryle & Tracy Houston
Kingdom Vizion Ministries

Submit to God/Dare to Seek God’s Heart

Today God laid it on our hearts for each of us to write a word for the day, we pray they both are a blessing to you…

Submit to God...
There is a time at hand when we are going to naturally see a great movement of Gods power here on the earth. God’s power is its own governing system that topples all others. It is up to us as His children and believers to submit to His power and choose to follow Him.

Romans 13:2
Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

The time we are in now is a time of natural manifestation of the Word of God. Whether you believe or not, you will be affected, positive or negative; that choice is yours. It’s time to submit totally to God. It’s time to put petty differences aside, it’s time to put your flesh aside, it’s time to start walking in love, it’s time to go after Gods heart, it’s time to come into full covering, it’s time to submit.

James 4:7
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

The only way that God can protect you is if you submit to Him, and stay under His covering. If you keep thinking you can do it by yourself than He can’t protect you because you are voluntarily going out of His reach.

Daryle Houston II

Dare to Seek God’s Heart...
When you desire to be close to someone, and develop an intimate relationship with them don’t you want to know what’s on their heart, don’t you want to know what moves them, what they are passionate about? Of course, this is a part of developing a relationship. So why in our relationship with God do we keep Him at an arm’s length? Meaning we get close to Him, but don’t get to close where we might actually hear something that might take us out of ourselves. I don’t hear many people in the body praying things like…

What is on Your heart Father?
Father, what do You desire to see done in the earth right now?
Who or what do you desire me to lift up in prayer?
Move me with what moves You Father.
Father, make Your heart my heart.

Remember David, it says he was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). We ought to be the same way. Dare to seek God’s heart, dare to enter into that secret place with Him and put your ear to His heart and see what you hear. Don’t be afraid to listen to His heart beat. Dare to be used by God to bring about change, because that is His desire, He needs people that are willing to give themselves for what is on His heart. It is time to take the focus off of ourselves and remember that we were created for others, we were created to give who we are to others, just as Jesus gave who He was for us (John 3:16). God bless!

Tracy Houston
Kingdom Vizion Ministries

Significance in Prayer II

The other day I wrote on the subject of the Significance in prayer and why it is so important to do. Today I want to ask a question, what are our motives for praying? Do we pray to the Father just in the time of our need, do we pray concerning others, or do we pray out of selfishness? Where does your heart lie?

Matthew 6:21 (KJV)
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

The greatest blessing lies in blessing someone else.

Have you ever experienced a time out of the blue when someone you weren’t even thinking about just popped in your mind? That may have been God putting that person on your mind because God wants you to pray for them. If we have never conditioned ourselves to pray for others then it’s more than likely that you never prayed for that person or situation when it came to you.

It’s ok to pray for our needs, but we shouldn’t make that the main focus of prayer. Let’s start interceding on the behalf of someone else.

Is your treasure consumed of the things of this world, or is your treasure in the heart of God?

God has placed on my heart to lift up President Obama in prayer. It doesn’t matter if you voted for him, or even agree with his policies. Let’s stand in agreement together that all his decisions come from God, and that he will not be deceived by wrong doers.

I Timothy 2:1-3 (KJV)
I exhort therefore that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

I pray this has been a blessing on your life.

Daryle Houston II
Kingdom Vizion Ministries

Pray for those who persecute you

Do you have people in your life or around you that have hurt you, that have persecuted you, that do things that are mean, hateful, or just plain unnecessary? Do you have people around that you have to constantly forgive over and over because they just keep doing wrong things to you, or to those around you?

I had been dealing with this recently and I didn’t like the feelings that I would get inside, and even though the world might say I was justified in my feelings, I know I don’t live according to the world system, I live according to the Kingdom and the Word of God and I am supposed to walk in love. So I went to the Father and asked Him what can I do to stop these feelings, and He told me to pray for that person for a week, and then He had me read Matthew 5:43-48…

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

So I began to pray, and at first in my mind I wanted to start praying selfish prayers, I wanted them to be changed so they wouldn’t act the way they were acting, but the Holy Spirit really took control, and all I begin to do was to bless this person, I began to speak the Word over their life, I began to speak increase, etc. I began to pray from a loving perspective, not a selfish perspective, and after 3 days when I would think about that person, no negative feelings came up, it was amazing, and it began to set me free.

I am sharing all of this with you because God has told me to pose the same thing to you all. If there is someone that you may have been having some difficulties with then take the next week and pray for them every day from a place of love and not selfishness. If you do you will see God move in your heart and it will truly set you free. God bless!

Tracy Houston
Kingdom Vizion Ministries

Significance in Prayer I

John 14:14 (KJV)
If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.

I think many of us have forgotten about the significance in prayer. God gave us dominion over this earth and if we want to see the power of God move on this earth we have to get back to praying. When we pray we are offering up petitions, and supplications to God to be answered. If there is something going on that needs to be changed we have the power to change it through prayer, but if we’re not praying than it’s not going to be changed. Whatever happens here on this earth, if it is allowed by us than it is allowed by God, if it is denied by us than it is denied by God.

Matthew 16:19 (NLT)
And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

I’m telling you this day, that if we all came together as one, like it is intended; through our prayers we have the power to transform cities, states, and nations. People, the Word of God is real, the principals are real, and the laws are real. We have to open our eyes and see. I’m tired of people giving the devil so much glory, every time something bad happens we blame it on the devil. Let’s start taking control of what God has given us. The problem doesn’t lie with the devil, it lies within us because we allow him to reek havoc across the earth. All we have to do is stand together as one and forbid it from happening.

Now, when we pray it is very imperative that we only send our petition to God one time, and use our faith to see it carried out.

Matthew 6:7 (KJV)
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

I’ll let you in on a little secret, GOD HEARD YOU THE FIRST TIME!! Imagine asking someone at work for a ride home 20 times before it was clock out time. Do you think that would be necessary to do if they already told you yes the first time? It’s the same thing with God, if your petition is according to his will and you asked in the name of Jesus, than it is done. If you don’t see an instant manifestation, don’t worry just give thanks to God for it being done, because he is not a man that he should lie.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV)
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

It’s time to take a stand and start transforming this world.

I pray that this has been a blessing on your life.

Daryle Houston II
Kingdom Vizion Ministries

Why Won’t It Work For Me?

Proverbs 16:3 (KJV)
Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.

There are many of us out there that have experienced more failure in life than success. It may be in your relationships, your finances, your educational experience, or your professional life. It seems like every time you try and get ahead you always end up at a road block or taking two steps back.

The reason why we sometimes experience so much stress and confusion in our activities in life is simply because we haven’t consulted with our Father concerning our affairs. We have gotten so intellectual and high-minded that we think we can do it on our own. We as human-beings were never created to do anything on our own; we were created to depend on God for all of our needs. (Philippians 4:19)

No, this doesn’t mean not to use your mind which God has given you to use in all your affairs, but sometimes we make it tough on ourselves going after something that we never asked our Father about. You were created to prosper, and if you commit all your ways and thoughts to God you will have no choice but to prosper, and you should experience nothing but peace in everything you do.

II Chronicles 26:5 (KJV)
…and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.

Joshua 1:8 (NIV)
Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Genesis 39:3 (KJV)
And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

I didn’t start to have success at anything until I applied those principals. So if you’re in a situation now that is not looking in your favor, ask God what He wants you to do. If you’re thinking about going back to school or opening up a business, ask God what He wants you to study or what kind of business he wants you to open. Don’t be afraid to ask because you think it will be something contrary to your plans, it may not be, and if it is I urge you to follow Gods plan because you don’t want to put yourself in a bad situation.

Everything you want in life, all the answers you seek lies within the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 6:33 (KJV)
But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

I pray this has been a blessing on your life.

Daryle Houston II
Kingdom Vizion Ministries

Are You Faithful?

Faithful- Strict or thorough in the performance of duty; true to one’s word, promises, vows, etc…; steady in allegiance or affection; loyal; constant, reliable, trusted or believed.

God has been putting this subject on my heart for the past couple of days, and it’s a question that we really need to ask ourselves. Are we giving back to God what He gives us, do we show Him the same allegiance that He shows us, do we trust Him like He trusts us, do we love him like He loves us, would you sacrifice for Him like He sacrificed for us? Or do we only show those qualities when we are feeling good about ourselves, or when our situations are favorable? There is no doubt that God is faithful to us:

Deuteronomy 7:9 (KJV)
“Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;”

And we know according to Numbers 23:19 that God cannot lie to us concerning anything. What about us, are we really that faithful or is it something that we just say because it’s been programmed in our minds that it’s a good thing to say. Where’s your proof? How about when you get an instruction from God that takes you way out of your realm of comprehension and thought process, will you be faithful to obey, or miss out on what God has for you as a result of your disobedience.

Noah was so faithful that he built an ark that took him over 100 years to build, with no sign of rain in sight. Moses was so faithful that he approached Pharaoh and commanded him to let Gods people go. David was so faithful that he faced a giant with a slingshot and five smooth stones, Mary was so faithful that she believed Gods word that she was going to conceive a child even though she was a virgin, and Abraham was so faithful that he was going to sacrifice is firstborn and only son at the time, just on God’s word. You are so faithful that________? (You fill in the blank)

I remember when I was in college in New York, and I was at church service one night. I had two bills in my pocket, a $50 dollar bill and a $5 dollar bill. This was all the money I had for an entire week, which in New York amounts to about a couple of dollars. When it was time to give offering, it’s not hard to imagine which bill I was going to put in the bucket. At a moment’s notice God spoke and said sow the $50 dollar bill into the offering. At first I was hesitant, my flesh was not agreeing at all, but at Gods will I obeyed. I put the $50 bill in the offering and I was very cheerful about it. I knew the law of sowing and reaping and I knew that God would not forsake me and have me hungry in the Big Apple.

The next day I woke up and God said look in your closet, and He said look up. On the shelf there were books that I had forgotten about from my previous courses. He said go and sell the books, that day I sold all the books and received three times as much as I had put in the offering bucket the night before.

Now I know it’s not a lot of money but at that time it came in handy, buts it’s not about the amount. When you carry out an instruction from God, the result that happens in the natural realm is just a by-product of what has taken place in the spiritual realm. At that moment of obedience you just moved into a higher spiritual level in God.

God is saying… My people it’s time to have your faithfulness in me move across the earth like never before. A time is coming that will test each and every one of you; don’t waver, don’t faint, just trust.

I pray that this has been a blessing on your life.

Daryle Houston II
Kingdom Vizion Ministries

Are You Fruitful?

Galatians 6:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, meekness, temperance, goodness, and faith: against such there is no law.

Today I want all of us to do a self-evaluation of ourselves. Let’s ask ourselves, are we fruitful? The above scripture lists the nine fruits of the Spirit. Are we walking in Spirit or flesh?

Galatians 5:16-17
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other…

As we are doing our self-evaluation today, we should be able to identify if were being fruitful or not. Look at your relationships, are they healthy and loving or filled with strife and anger? Evaluate your attitude toward your job, is it one of peace and patience or resentment and jealousy? If you are married, evaluate your marriage, are you experiencing all nine of the fruits of the Spirit, if not ask yourself what’s missing and then ask God what needs to be done to correct it. Lastly evaluate your relationship with the Father, is it intimate, or is it distant, is it trusting or wavering; are you faithful or do you just say you are?

It’s time Saints of God to start walking truly in the Spirit. It’s time for His people to turn heads and make notable impacts in this world.

It’s time to get back to God.

I pray this be a blessing on you today.

Daryle Houston II
Kingdom Vizion Ministries