C H O F Ministry

Tag: Love

“Loyal To Love”

Beloved, as a reconditioned man my moral dedication is to follow the Words of The Bible. Many of you that have followed me through the years know I’ve written a book, produced many Christian video slide presentations, I’ve posted thousands upon thousands of Christian devotions, inspirational readings, blogs, articles and I’ve even dropped a couple of albums and singles to help my followers and readers understand the people in our Spiritual Faith and how God desires the Believer to respond or react to daily living here on earth. I’ve tried to respectfully set a tone to always humbly display a heart (mind and emotions) of “Agape” love for the saved and unsaved people.

I dedicate my time and effort to reassure the people in the faith, help people who are struggling in (with) the faith or who has yet to transform their faith in Jesus. I hope that my brief daily dedication places a powerful desire for people to stay connected, reconnect or get connected to the Holy Spirit who directs to the pathway(s) God desires us to go.

I’m prayerfully asking God everyday for the day that we can worship Him together.

You know I’ve read so much of Paul’s work that (not realizing it) – I’ve pretty much adopted his kind of love. In Romans 9:2-3 (NLT) in Paul’s letter to the church in Rome says: “My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief,” he goes on to say, “for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ! —if that would save them.”

Beloved, Paul loved the Jewish people so much that he would have chosen separation from God if only they would accept Christ. He understood that by rejecting Jesus, his people were rejecting the one true God. This is what motivated him to appeal to his readers to share the good news of Jesus with everyone 10:14-15 (AMP) says: *14 But how will people call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how will they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher (messenger)? *15 And how will they preach unless they are commissioned and sent [for that purpose]? Just as it is written and forever remains written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”

Beloved today as you head to your local edifice, may we prayerfully dedicate ourselves to the love that aches for those close to us!!!

***Bishop Houston’s Perception About Today’s Scripture

You know, Paul’s concern that his Jewish brothers and sisters would come to Christ reverberates the mental, emotional and plan of the Father for both Jew and Gentile (saved and unsaved). Hebrews 2:9 tells us that Jesus “was made lower than the angels for a little while, [and is] now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.”

Beloved, God’s concern is for everyone to come to Him through the sacrifice of His Son. This idea resonates with Peter, who declared in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” Look at God’s huge concern for this wrecked, unruly world. Not only has He provided in Jesus a sufficient sacrifice, He also extends patient love to people who don’t know Him. Actually, John 3:16 says it best, this is evidence of a God who so loved this world that He would pay the greatest possible price to satisfy His desire to reach to us. Beloved, this is the great good news of the gospel!!

Let us Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, this morning we ask You to fill our hearts with Your love for others. We hold our family, friends and associates up to You and plead for them to see the truth about Your Son Jesus.

*Beloved, we must love those for whom Christ died as well as those in whom Christ lives.

March 10, 2019
“Don’t Be a Satisfied Runner-Up”

James 1:2-3
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

Praise the Lord Men and Women of the Christian Faith. It is cold here and the we have lots of snow. I hope all is pleasant in your nation.

Beloved, I’ll be the first to admit that it’s very difficult to be excited about going through tests and trials. But can you get excited about being absolutely complete in every way, in want of nothing? Well, according to the Word of God, if you’ll use your trials to mature in patience, you’re going to be in exactly that position!!!

You see, I’ve found that patience doesn’t mean what I thought it meant. It doesn’t mean being OK with being runner-up. It doesn’t mean standing humbly or quietly by while the devil runs all over you. The devil would love for you to make his job easy.

No!!! Patience is a powerful word!!! The New Testament meaning of it as translated literally from the Greek is “to be consistently constant or to be the same way all the time, regardless of what happens.”

To understand how much power’s involved in that, you have to understand that it’s one of the most outstanding attributes of God Himself. The Bible says He’s the same yesterday, today and forever.

Beloved, just think about that for a minute. The person who absolutely cannot be changed by anyone or anything is an extremely powerful person, wouldn’t you say? Obviously, God has that much power.

But you know what? So, do you!!!

By the power of the Holy Ghost working within you, you can be the same every day no matter what happens. If you’ll put your trust in the Word of God and let patience go to work, it won’t matter what happens. You won’t ever have to accept anything less than victory again.

“No person has the right to rain on your dreams.”

-Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Have a blessed Week Everyone. 😀

January 21, 2019
“Living the Copious Life”

“CHOF Ministry’s Expression for Today”

Proverbs 19:23 (AMP)

The fear of the Lord leads to life, o that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.

Praise the Lord Beloved!!! 😀

You know, one thing I’ve observed over the years is that so many people are walking around who aren’t really living to their full capacity the way God planed. Have you ever noticed that many people quit living around fifty, but they live to be eighty or more? Maybe they went through a disappointment or had some disappointments. Someone hurt them, and now they’ve lost their joy and now settle where they are. Well, if you’re in this position right now or you know someone that is, I want you to know, this isn’t what God desires for you or your life!!! God has another victory in store with you name all over it!!!! You wouldn’t be breathing unless God had something amazing in your future.

Beloved, it’s time to get your passion back and be determined to really live out your God-given days!!!

The scripture says that God wants to bring you to a copious finish, not a sluggish finish. Don’t let disappointment or unhappiness hold you back. God has promised that what was meant for your harm He’ll turn around and use for your good. Not only will He bring you out, but He’ll bring you out better off than you were before. I’m a living witness to this!!!

Beloved, today receive it by faith and press forward into a copious and rewarding life He has in store just for you!!! 😀

Have a blessed Tuesday Everyone. 😀

January 8, 2019
“Pure Spiritual Influence”

Praise the Lord Beloved, Happy Monday to you all.

You know Beloved, so many believers think of the fruit of the spirit as little more than a passive list of pleasant qualities that can help improve their personalities. But allow me to tell you, it’s far greater than that!!! It’s pure influence from on High.

Beloved, love is so influential, the scripture says, that it never fails. Patience is so influential it cannot be stopped. No matter what the conditions are, it won’t quit. Temperance is so influential it can master all the unruly desires of your flesh.

Beloved, the fruit of the spirit is not weak!!! It’s solid. So solid all the demons of hell can’t stop it. So solid that if you’ll let it flow out of you, it will correct the problems in your life. It will keep you unwavering when all the people around you are falling down or quitting on you. It’ll keep you on your feet when rules fail, people change, and when the storms of life come.

I’m sure we all realize we’re living in dangerous days. There’s only one way you can make it through with success. You must begin to release the influential fruit of the spirit God has placed inside you. Believe me, if you’re born again, it’s there.

Beloved, if you learn to yield to it, as 2 Peter 1:10 promised, you shall never fall!!!

Have a Blessed Monday and a wonderful Week Everyone. 😀

December 3, 2018
“Seek The Lord”

(1 Chronicles 22:19 AMP)
Now seek the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.

Beloved, what things do you consider a dynamic requirement in your life? In other words, what can’t you live without? Most people would immediately think of food, water and shelter. But in reality, we can’t really live unless our minds and hearts are set on seeking the Lord. Sure, you can exist without seeking Him, but you’re called to more than just mere existence, you’re called to live, to prosper, to enjoy your life abundantly!!!

Beloved, today and every day, set your mind and heart on seeking the Lord!!! Write down your favorite scriptures and commit them to memory. Whenever you can, think about those verses. Meditate on God and His infinite love. When you start to seek the Lord with all your heart, you’ll truly live and enjoy the abundant life He has in store for you!!!

Will you Pray with Me?

Let’s Pray:
Dear Heavenly Father, today I choose to set my mind on You. I seek You with my whole heart. Show me Your love and character today. Show me Your ways that I may walk and live closely with You. I love You in Jesus’ name I pray – Amen and Amen.

August 11, 2018
“God Is Good To Us Because”

Bishop, W. F. Houston, Jr. (CHOF Ministry)
WordPress Contributor

Many times we hear the phrase, “God is good.” It’s used in songs, sermons, praise and worship services and it’s sometimes used as a response when both good and bad things happen in our lives, for example: a person who avoids a disaster during a flood, hurricane, tornado or a vehicle accident. Other examples are good things that happen to people, like situations aligning perfectly for them to buy a home or replace their old truck or when a major surgery has been complete and previously things looked very bad for the home team. In all these things, we often say, “GOD IS GOOD.”

Now, according to Oxford Living Dictionaries, the definition of “God” is the creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority; the supreme being”. Now, there may be some of you out there asking: Bishop Houston, isn’t He more than this?

“WELL I’M GLAD YOU ASKED? Beloved, God is good in so, so, so many ways. The way He provides for us, the way He guides us, and the way He watches over us just to name a few. But it goes even deeper than that. God’s goodness is who He is, and we’re created in his image, so, consequently, we share His goodness. God’s goodness shows up in our lives every single day. Although many times we think of His goodness when something great occurs, His goodness proliferates all the time!!! During all hours, minute, and seconds of the day, even during the smallest things that are affecting our everyday life.

*Luke 18:19
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good”

*God is Good Because He Wakes Us Up

Beloved, each day that God wakes us up is an illustration of His goodness. This means we’re still working and walking on to correct path toward the purpose and gifts He has given us. It shows us that He isn’t finished with us yet and that we still have an assignment to complete. We shouldn’t moan and complain about getting out of bed and going to work. We should be happy that we’re still breathing and living for Him. Many people are in inferior conditions and situations than us who need to see our light glowing in the world every day.

Psalm 143:8
“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.”

*God is Good Because He Saturates Us with His Compassionate Love

On the days when we’re encircled by the minutest and maximum momentous blessings, we know that God is pouring His compassionate love on us. Beloved, this can be anything from your coworker bringing you your favorite coffee pastry to your supervisor calling you in their office to discuss a raise or promotion with you. We need to be vigilant to all the little things in our day, both large and trivial, that are a blessing to us. A lot of times, it’s the diminutive things that mean so much.

Ephesians 1:9
“God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ-which is to fulfill his own good plan.”

*God is Good Because He Safeguards Us

Beloved, we’ve all heard about a person who had car trouble and missed being in a huge pile-up on an interstate. We’ve all heard about the virus/cancer discovery that almost didn’t happen due to an appointment that was almost missed. These are the noteworthy ways He protects us, but He works in the lesser things too: for example, the gossip that’s going around that never reaches your ears or the coworker that’s trying to sabotage you but your boss, instead, sees the honest and hard work that you do. These are all ways He safeguards us every day.

Jeremiah 29:12
“Then you will call on Me and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear [your voice] and I will listen to you.”

*God is Good Because He Talks to Us When We Pray

Prayer is the best and strongest connection to God. It is how we acknowledged our appreciation and gratefulness, make our requests known, and intercede for others. Sometimes we get an answer of “yes,” sometimes, “no” and sometimes, “wait.”

Sometimes, He gives us specific instructions and, sometimes, He is silent. Other times, He speaks to us and provides us with an answer in the most surprising of ways. No matter what, He always answers, and we need to look for those answers every day. Regardless of the size of the issue He’ll often stimulate our hearts (mind and passion), attracting our attention toward the correct route.

Psalm 32:8
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you [who are willing to learn] with My eye upon you.

*God Is Good Because He’s Our Great Leader and Instructor

Beloved, we make a thousand diminutive choices every day, everything from determining whether we’ll do our job assiduously or whether to take on a client. Sometimes, we must determine whether an opportunity is correct for us and if we should follow a specific path. Beloved, it’s in these moments, God is leading and instructing us. We need to stop, inhale and exhale while we pay attention. Are we in the correct frame of mind? Do we have the proper desire? Do we have the intestinal fortitude?

Beloved, we need to be tranquil and listen to that small voice we know so well. Listen to Him whispering to our hearts (mind and passion) about what options are correct for us. Be very attentive to the signs He sends us. This is His way of leading, instructing us and stimulating us to desire to be our best selves, so that we may live in the gifts and blessings we have been given and the purpose He has for us.

Beloved, are you too busy and see the signs of God’s goodness in your life?
Let Us Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,
I thank You for allowing me to wake up once again. Please help me to slow down in the midst of my busy life. Allow me to see Your goodness every day, in every way no matter how big or small. Help me to acknowledge Your blessings immediately when they are poured out upon me. Thank You for Your protection and guidance. Help me to listen carefully and discern Your voice uttering to my heart (mind and passion) in answer to my prayers. Rejoice in my happiness when You say yes, help me see the reasons why You say, “no,” and give me the patience and wisdom I need for when you say, “wait.” Help me to walk in alignment to Your goodness and shine it into the world for all who need it. Allow me to see the abundance of Your goodness in my life, and others lives every day.

In Jesus name I pray,
Amen and Amen.

July 29, 2018
“A Confident Message”

Praise the Lord Beloved!!! Welcome to Wednesday’s CHOF Bible Fellowship Bible Study.

Our focal CHOF Bible Fellowship verse this morning comes from 1 Kings 17:1 (NLT)

Our focal verse reads this way:

(17) Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, “As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives—the God I serve—there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!”

Beloved, we find King Ahab’s first thought after encountering the prophet Elijah may well have been: “WHAT!!! This dude got some kind of nerve!!! Just who does this dude think he is? Blasting onto the scene out of nowhere, Elijah challenged Israel’s evil king with a message that would soon disturb life throughout the whole region.

To read the rest of today’s Morning Bible Study

click the link below.

http://www.facebook.com/chofministry/

July 25, 2018
“God Changes Conditions

Praise the Lord Beloved!!! Happy Monday to you all. I hope you had a marvelous Sunday.

You know Beloved, God takes His time developing us. You see, a small or slow beginning is just the introduction to a marvelous climax at the end!!! You’ll find that many of God’s work of genius were developed in small, slow incomprehensible conditions.Take for instance Moses. Moses was sent to the lost sheep of Israel. He was trained in leadership while shoveling sheep manure on the backside of the desert. Now granted his discipline was developed in the royal courts of Pharaoh’s house, but his disposition was shaped through failure and a desert kingdom with no one to lead but flies, gnats and sheep.

Beloved, who would have thought, looking at Moses’ church of goat deacons and gnats for choir members, that later he would lead the greatest movement in the history of the Old Testament theology?

So, Beloved, you or anyone else can’t tell what’s in you by looking at you. God is in the love, blessings and salvation business!!! God is establishing patience, character, and concentration in the school of “nothing seems to be happening.” Just because God promises to move in your life and anoints you to do a particular function doesn’t mean that your foundation will be immediately built, nor does it mean because you may have turned down ministry or slow to develop correct morals doesn’t mean God won’t create and develop a spiritual foundation that’s fit just for you. 😀

Have a blessed Monday and an awesome rest of your week.

July 23, 2018
“Generate Joy If You Can Discover It”

Praise the Lord. Happy Monday to you.

Apprehension. Arrogance. Monotony. Idleness. Overthinking. Crying. Feeling sorry, guilty, as if you’re not good enough. Hurting others with the truth or comforting them with a lie. Listening to a reply or trying to understand.

Beloved, life becomes increasingly complicated. But really, it’s not. It’s actually dang simple. It’s hard, but simple.

I believe there’s something that keeps everything in place so to speak. The Universe. Yes, it’s a work of art.

In the world of men and women, what keeps everything in place is love.

That’s because love is the only force on Earth that takes as many forms as fear does. Overthinking is a special form of fear. So is anxiety. Or shyness. Hope is a special form of love. You can feel it, don’t you? Even when nothing makes sense, even when your brain tells you to give up, there’s something inside you fighting to keep on going. Fighting because one day it will all make sense.

One day you will understand.

In life, we’re taught one lesson. How to love. Ourselves. One another. The world. What we do. What we have. What happened.

Compassion is a different form of love. So is patience. Or courage. This world will break you until you understand this one lesson. If you don’t love yourself, you’ll always be chasing after people who don’t love you either. If you don’t see magic and beauty in yourself, you won’t see it anywhere else.

You see what you are. You are what you love. You’re what you choose to be.

Beloved, in life it’s not so important what you are, what your qualities are, but what you see. What you’re looking at changes according to how you feel inside.

The world is but a mirror, showing us our soul. It’s also not important what you do, but why you do it.

Being kind to others because you want to be perceived as kind or because it’s expected of you or you will ultimately made to feel unwelcomed, an outsider or like a fraud. You’ll always be afraid that people will expose you I’m speaking of your weakness to love and be loyal. But be kind because that’s the right thing to do, even if no one’s ever going to repay you or even show you gratitude… And there’s a very good chance no one will ever even notice… Treat others not according to who they are or how they treat you. Treat others as a reflection of your character. Be who you want to be, not what others want you to be. Know that happiness is not a destination, but a way of travel.

And understand deeply that love is capable of conquering all. Sooner or later.

Have a Blessed Monday Everyone

June 25, 2018
Don’t Be So Eager To Quit”

For all of you so eager to call it quits and throw in the towel on your relationships because everything isn’t “perfect”…here is some food for thought. Lifelong commitment is not what most people think it is. It’s not waking up every morning to make breakfast and eat together. It’s not cuddling in bed until both of you fall asleep, peacefully, at night. It’s not a clean home filled with laughter and lovemaking, everyday. It’s someone who steals all the covers (and snores!).

It’s slammed doors and a few harsh words, at times. It’s stubbornly disagreeing and giving each other the silent treatment until your hearts heal…and, then…FORGIVENESS! It’s coming home to the same person, everyday, that you know LOVES and CARES about you in spite of (and because of) who you are. It’s laughing about the one time you accidentally did something stupid. It’s about dirty laundry and unmade beds WITHOUT finger pointing.

It’s about helping each other with the hard work of life! It’s about swallowing the nagging words instead of saying them out loud. It’s about eating the cheapest and easiest meal you can make and sitting down together at late to eat because you both had a crazy day. It’s when you have an emotional breakdown and your Love lays with you and holds you and tells you everything is going to be okay…and you BELIEVE them. It’s about still loving someone even though, sometimes, they make you absolutely insane. Living with the person you love is not perfect…sometimes it’s hard; but it’s amazing and comforting and one of the BEST things you’ll ever experience!

(The words are from the cover page of a Facebook friend).

June 12, 2018