C H O F Ministry

Tag: Probing

“Probing For Spiritual Answers”

Praise The Lord Beloved!!! ✝️❤️😊

This morning’s question was:

Bishop Houston when I was at home, my parents made us go to church. In my twenties, I slowed down, attending church. I’m in my mid-thirties married with children, and I want to go to church more consistently, but my spouse won’t let me go. Can you give me some advice?

Thank you for your question. And sure, I’ll assist you with some suggestions. 😊

Answer:

First, let me say, your aspiration to be a committed member of a local church is excellent. It’s a part of our new-found spiritual life in Christ that gives us the yearning to serve the Lord.

But complications can occur in a home where one spouse chooses to serve God enthusiastically, and the other doesn’t. It’s always complicated when there’s no agreement on an issue of significance to one spouse or the other. The impulse may be to give up and quit.

But quitting isn’t the answer. That’s just what Satan wants. He realizes your family could become one of his harshest adversaries, and he’ll try to demolish it rather than let that transpire. Contemplating separation, divorce, or abandoning your family in any way isn’t a choice for the believer who chooses to do God’s will. So, don’t battle with your spouse. Battle your real enemy. Begin envisioning your family working for the Lord together in a powerful way and stand on the verse I use for my house – Joshua 24:15, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Now, that doesn’t mean for you to lay down the old holier than thou or religious attitude. Just communicate it. In other words, show it. Your family is designed to be incorporated in the call God has for your life and the job you believe He wants you to do. God doesn’t break up families for the work of the ministry. Marriage and family life were God’s concept, and He wants us to respect our marriage vows and take care of our families (*1).

As long as your spouse wants to stay with you, it’s your opportunity to easily walk in the love of God and show by your illustration how fantastic it is to be a Christian (*2). Find all the scriptures on love and meditate on them. Keep in mind 1 Corinthians 13:8 “love never fails.” In other words, you have to create the charisma and spiritual characteristic that parallels the feature “to walk in love.” It’s a huge task, but in Jesus, it can be accomplished!!! CHOF & BWFHJr Ministry is, praying for you, believing, and celebrating with you. Amen? Aaamen. ✝️❤️😊

Probing For Spiritual Answers Cross-Reference Verses

*1. Malachi 2:16, 1 Timothy 5:8

*2. 1 Corinthians 7:12-14

March 11, 2020
“Probing For Spiritual Answers – Divorce”

Praise The Lord Beloved!!! ✝️❤️😊

This Mornings Question is:

Bishop Houston, I been taught that Christians can’t divorce. Can you tell me if a Christian can get a divorce?

😊

Answer: This is a great question. 😊 Thank you for asking.

There are lots of scripture that speaks on marriage and divorce in the Old and New Testament of the Bible. First, I want it to be clear that it’s important to know that God despises divorce-He hates separation. (*1). And even though we can’t say it’s constantly right or wrong for a Christian to want to get a divorce, or for a divorced Christian to marry again, what we can say is divorce is clearly an extremely unwelcome event.

I’m a product of divorced parents and I’ve been divorced, and I can tell you from experience that there’s pain that comes with fractured relationships and there’s a lot of tension divorce puts on family members—and it becomes more complicated when children have been born during the relationship. Everyone is affected by a divorce. The action of marriage realistically unites two people as one flesh. Divorce separates and ends the chapter and the book of this new life that was established.

The Law of Moses tackled the issue of divorce head-on with detailed guidelines. But when Jesus came, He established a new directive that has an even higher requirement. We’re no longer under the law of Moses, we’re now governed by the law of love. Jesus says in John 13:34 (AMP) “I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another.”

Beloved this rule is for “EVERY” situation: Romans 13:8, and verse 10 (NLT)says: 8 Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law – and verses 10 says: Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. Galatians 5:14 (AMP) says: For the whole Law [concerning human relationships] is fulfilled in one precept, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, you shall have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit].” Galatians 6:2 (AMP) says: Carry one another burdens and in this way, you will fulfill the requirements of the law of Christ [that is, the law of Christian love]. James 2:8 (NCV) says 8 This royal law is found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” If you obey this law, you are doing right.

So, when both partners enter the union of marriage makes every effort to walk in the love of God, their marriage will never fail. Now, if a believer is in a marriage in which this isn’t the case, he or she should seek the Lord for advice and permit the Holy Spirit to direct him or her in the direction of the truth (*3). Now I want to make it understood right that divorce is still not the best choice. The Lord may direct the person in several ways. Only he or she and God know if divorce is a choice.

Beloved, divorce is certainly not God’s good quality. But it’s also not the conclusion of a successful Christian life. As believers, we can anticipate to be led by the Spirit of God and know that He neither brings condemnation against us (Romans 8:1 (NLT) – So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.) nor eliminates anyone from a unique place in His plan (Romans 11:29 (NLT) – For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.) It’s only through Him, the divorced man or woman can walk in victory and achieve everything God has called them to accomplish!!!

Beloved, there’s no explicit biblical law for the Christian concerning divorce, other than they follow the law of love. The same law of love is valid when it comes to remarriage. The decision to remarry should be centered on the love of God and not on egotistical or materialistic desires. If a believer does get a divorce and he or she feels they’re genuinely prepared to move into a new union of marriage with another believer, he or she should do so with confidence that the Lord will bless that union. Bear In Mind, in Christ all things become new – 2 Corinthians 5:17 says: This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! Amen? Aaamen. ✝️❤️😊

Probing For Spiritual Answers Cross-Reference Verses:

*1. Malachi 2:14-16

*2. John 13:34

*3. Proverbs 3:5-6, John 14:26

February 12, 2020
“Probing For Spiritual Answers”

Praise The Lord Beloved!!! ✝️❤️😊

This Mornings Question is:
Bishop Houston, I’ve caught my spouse looking at Porn and in an immoral activity several times lately. I am frustrated! WHAT DO I DO?

This is an awesome question and a question that’s a very hot topic these days. Thank you for asking!!! 😊

Answer:
Beloved, at one-time pornography, wasn’t looked at as life’s everyday feature. If a person chose to look at porn, they had to go to the back of a convenience store (when no one was around) where the decadent magazines were located or go to an adult bookstore. Well, those days are long gone, morals have been kicked to the curb!!! Turn your T. V on and pornography in some form is wide open and it’s not just on cable or its applications. Did you watch the Super Bowl Sunday? Today sex and immoral activity are selling products everywhere. Sex, pornography, and immoral activity are on prime time. If you own a smartphone, tablet or computer pornography is just a click away. Every day good men and women are seduced by pornography and immoral activity. Pornography and immoral activity have spilled into today’s churches, ministries, and workplaces.

Beloved, if your spouse understands the unfavorable consequences of pornography and immoral activity use to his/her own spiritual good-life and the damage it does in his/her relationships, then it’s your obligation to have confidence in your spouse.

Pornography and immoral activity are one of Satan’s methods to deceive and ambush men and women to fulfill his greatest intent (John 10:10) “to kill, steal and destroy” lives.

Now your job is to Pray God’s Word over your spouse. 1 John 5:4-5 (AMP) says, “*4 For everyone born of God is victorious and overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has conquered and overcome the world—our [continuing, persistent] faith [in Jesus the Son of God]. *5 Who is the one who is victorious and overcomes the world? It is the one who believes and recognizes the fact that Jesus is the Son of God.”

Beloved, God wants to liberate your spouse from those things that would be an impediment to his/her life, and Jesus has made it viable to do so!!!

Prayer is essential. Here is a prayer template:
“Dear Heavenly Father, ________ (spouse’s name) has committed a sin against You and right now I’m standing in the gap on his/her behalf, proclaiming he/she desire to turn away from that immoral activity and unschedule it from their life’s choices. I thank You for Your compassion and pardon for this sin, and by faith, I stand in the gap for his/her purging from all sin by the blood of Jesus. I confess over him/her Your emancipation to live a holy life right now, in the name of Jesus I pray Amen and Aaamen!!!”

Beloved, according to Mark 11:22-25 the crucial element to your answered prayer, is when you stand praying, “YOU FORGIVE”. Your stance in faith must include forgiving your spouse for the sin against you and your relationship.

Now Let Go and Let God!!! 😊 It’s time to allow God to have His way in your spouse’s life. Your job is to daily thank Him for liberation according to the Word you have prayed and believed!!! Amen? Aaamen. ✝️❤️😊

February 5, 2020
Probing For Spiritual Answers”

Praise The Lord Beloved!!! ✝️❤️😊

This Mornings Question is:
Bishop Houston, why do some people’s optimistic confessions have positive outcomes and other peoples don’t?

This is an awesome question and thank you for asking!!! 😊

Answer:
Well, for one, you have to realize that words can be very influential and powerful. The Word of God doesn’t leave any room for skepticism about that. Now, there has been some confusion between believers about how we can put that energy to work in our lives.

For instance, some people have the impression that they can just jump up once and say, “I believe I’ll receive a million dollars today” and by some means become a millionaire by the end of the day. And that’s very irrational.

To establish the distinction between faith and idiocy where confession is concerned, we have to go straight to the Word of God. Mark 11:22-25 (AMP) says: 22 Jesus replied, “Have faith in God [constantly]. 23 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea!’ and does not doubt in his heart [in God’s unlimited power], but believes that what he says is going to take place, it will be done for him [in accordance with God’s will]. 24 For this reason, I am telling you, whatever things you ask for in prayer [in accordance with God’s will], believe [with confident trust] that you have received them, and they will be given to you. 25 Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him [drop the issue, let it go], so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions and wrongdoings [against Him and others].

Now, I want you to see several things about that passage of Scripture. It does say that you can have what you say. But it also defines some requirements you must meet:

*1. You must have faith in God.

*2. You must be willing to “say” something to your mountains (difficulties, desires, etc.)

*3. You can’t have any doubt.

*4. You must have confidence in your own words. You must believe in your mind that what you say will come to pass.

*5. You must believe you receive what you desire when you pray “Not When You See It Happen.”

*6. You must “speak” what you believe.

*7. You Must Forgive Everyone.

Now I want you to also know that there’s much more to true Bible-based confession than simply “identifying it and asserting it.” To release the true power, your words must have faith behind them. We see that principle function in the negative all the time.

Allow me to give you an example: someone will say, “Well, we’re organizing our annual trip in 6 months. But I can tell you right now, there’ll be someone that will get on this list and back out at the last minute. They do it every time we plan this trip.”

Without a doubt, this is going to happen just as they said it would. Now He didn’t mean to use his influence of confession, but he did. He freed faith with those words – Not Faith In God, He was saying what he truly believed, and he received it just like he spoke it.

Beloved, you can’t get around it. It’s a spiritual law. To put that spiritual law to work “FOR” you instead of “AGAINST” you, you must cultivate a different kind of faith. You have to create your faith in the Word of God. You have to build that Word inside you by hearing it and hearing it. Romans 10:17 (AMP) says: So, faith comes from hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the [preaching of the] message concerning Christ.

So, when that Word becomes a part of you, it’ll begin to come out of your mouth. You’ll say it almost without thinking. Matthew 12:34 (NLT) tells us: “…For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.” That’s when your words become influential, strong, and effective. The key is they have to agree with God’s Word and come from your heart. That’s because those words encompass the authority of God Himself.

Beloved, the power of optimistic confession can’t be worked like a gimmick – publicity stunt. Have you seen the post that says: “Share this post with X number of friends including me and you’ll receive X amount of money?” 😊

Optimistic confessions are a lifestyle. You have to conscientiously seek God. Hebrews 11:6(NLT) says: “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” You have to meditate in His Word day and night. Joshua 1:8 (NLT) says: “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” 😊 Once what He says, and what you say line up then you’ll see the power of His Words in your words!!! Your words will become very deep, profound.
Beloved, with complete faith and power, you can’t help but have what you say!!! Amen? Aaamen. ✝️❤️😊

January 29, 2020
“Probing For Spiritual Answers”

Praise The Lord Beloved!!! ✝️❤️😊

This Mornings Question is:

Bishop Houston, is there a special way Christians will be judged by God on Judgement Day?

Answer:

This is a great question and thanks for asking!!! 😊

Beloved, Jesus has already forgiven us of our sins when He went to the cross. When Judgement Day arrives, we’ll be evaluated and compensated for our moral actions, not for our transgressions. Now, don’t get me wrong here, I’m not saying sin doesn’t have an impact on us. While we’re here on earth when we sin, we give Satan the power (authorization) to open the door walk in and locate and attack us where we’re Spiritually weak, Spiritually uncovered, or Spiritually abandoned. In other words, when we don’t walk by faith, we’re saying to Satan: “Welcome Satan!!! Come right on in and destroy my life.” Romans 14:23 (AMP) says: “But he who is uncertain [about eating a particular thing] is condemned if he eats because he is not acting from faith. Whatever is not from faith is sin [whatever is done with doubt is sinful].” So, you see Beloved, it’s through sin we detach ourselves from God’s security.

First John 1:9 (NLT) says: “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” Forgiveness our pardon!!! 😊 It releases us and eradicates Satan’s legitimate right to our life. So, on Judgment Day, Christians will be evaluated by the works they did during their lifetime. We’ll be joyfully compensated according to what we’ve done. 2 Corinthians 5:10 (NLT) says: “For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.” 2 Timothy 4:8 (NLT) says: “And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.” 1 Peter 5:4 (NLT) says: “And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.” Revelation 11:18 (NLT) says: “The nations were filled with wrath, but now the time of your wrath has come. It is time to judge the dead and reward your servants the prophets, as well as your holy people, and all who fear your name, from the least to the greatest. It is time to destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth.” And Revelation 22:12 NLT says: “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds.”

I strongly recommend reading 1 Corinthians 3 and Romans 14. They are “BRILLIANT” cross-reference reading.

Beloved, God coordinates each of our lives to help us make the right choices, but at the end of the day, the choice is ours. Amen? Aaamen. ✝️❤️😊

January 22, 2020