"They Bowed Down and Worshiped Him!"(Matthew 2:11)

"11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh."(Matthew 2:11)

Merry Christmas Greetings,

I pray that we all focus on joy and peace of worshipping the Most High God.  We worship with thankfulness and a grateful attitude of a bowed humble spirit.  Enjoy Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Savior of the World! 

Challenge:  The gift to God is share His Son, Jesus!

Blessings from Seeds of Harvest,

Pastor Catisha

"Glory to God in the Highest!"(Luke 2:14)

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 
Luke 2:14

Christmas is time to celebrate Jesus.  Jesus is the salvation to all who believe.  God the Father has granted peace to all who call to Him in repentance and truth.  This is His favor.  He has given His only Son as a gift.  It is only to be received.

Challenge:  Make Christmas as much as possible about God's indescribable gift of Jesus Christ.  Make Christmas morning about getting up with the children to read from the Bible about Jesus' birth.  Make gatherings a time to bring Jesus as the focus.  He is the gift that is for all year long!

10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 
11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord."(Luke 2:10-11)

In His Service,

Pastor Catisha 
Seeds of Harvest Biblical Coaching

"I Will Be Their God!"(Ezekiel 37:27)

My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.”(Ezekiel 37:27)

God has spoken many promises to those who call on the name of the Lord Jesus.  He will be with His people.  One of them is that He will be their God.  He will never leave or forsake them.  People make promises that they may not keep, but God always delivers on His Word.  Great and wonderful is our God.  We are His people.

This great promise in Ezekiel is made throughout the Old Testament.  The New Testament speaks of a culmination of the promise.  The Holy Bible is quoted below:

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look!  God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.  They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”(Revelation 21:3)

Challenge:  Remember we are only in a temporary journey right now.  God will fulfill the above promise to dwell with us.  We are His and He is ours!

In His Service,

Pastor Catisha

Seeds of Harvest Biblical Coaching

"God Is Speaking!"(Hebrews 1:1-2)

Greetings Saints,

“From early times the prophets who preceded you and me have prophesied war, disaster and plague against many countries and great kingdoms.”(Jeremiah 28:8)

God is now speaking.  We can view the headlines.  Wars, disasters, and plagues are in the news.  How is else is God speaking?  He is sending His message of the Gospel into all nations.  He is speaking through His Son, Jesus Christ.  Salvation is for all who call on His name.  Now is the time to plant seeds and water them.  We are building God’s kingdom for His glory and praise. 

Challenge:

Let us be noble vessels laboring in the field and yielding a crop for Jesus!  Amen!

“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways. But in these last days he has spoken to us through his Son whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.”(Hebrew 1:1-2)

In His Service,

Pastor Catisha

Seeds of Harvest Biblical Coaching

"The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation!"(Ephesians 1:17)

Wisdom is spoken very highly of throughout the Scriptures.  It has a price value greater than gold.  It gives life, honor, wealth, etc.  Wisdom has its beginning in the fear of the Lord.  It is turning away from evil.  So much in today’s world is called good, but it is actually evil.  Now is the time to consider, pray, and seek the Lord Jesus.  Abiding in Christ Jesus and His word is like being immersed in wisdom.

Challenge: 

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”(Proverb 9:10)

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,”(Colossians 1:9)

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.”(Ephesians 1:17)

In His Service,

Pastor Catisha

Seeds of Harvest Biblical Coaching

"What is Good!"(Psalm 85:12)

"The Lord will indeed give what is good,
    and our land will yield its harvest."(Psalm 85:12)

Greetings People of God Most High,

It is the Lord God that gives us what we need.  He is our source.  He provides.  He does it and it is good.  All around us are those in need of salvation.  Salvation is in Christ Jesus.  No other name given under heaven by which man can be saved.  This is from God's love and goodness.  We are His vessels of honor to be His children and shine forth in the land to show others the way to Jesus.

Encouragement and Psalmist Prayer:

"May the favor[a] of the Lord our God rest on us;

    establish the work of our hands for us—

    yes, establish the work of our hands."(Psalm 90:17)

 " And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Colossians 3:17

In His Service,

Pastor Catisha

Seeds of Harvest Biblical Coaching

"May He Send You Help!"(Psalm 20:2)

Greetings Saints,

Serving Lord Jesus comes with obstacles and challenges within and without.  We face our own sin and those of others.  We must respond by seeking forgiveness from God and giving it to others .  Also, we have an enemy fighting us.  The battle is won on our knees in humility in prayer.  The psalmist wrote,

"1 May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. 3 May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. 4 May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed."(Psalm 20:1-4)

Challenge:  Remember in the thick of any battle that you are not alone.  We have Jesus as the Chief Intercessor, the Holy Spirit, and other saints of God.

"8 They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.  9 Lord Give victory to the king!  Answer us when we call!"(Psalm 20:8-9)

"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."(1 Corinthians 15:57)

In His Service,


Pastor Catisha
Seeds of Harvest Biblical Coaching

"Witnessed to at the Proper Time!"(1 Timothy 2:5-7)

"5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. 7 And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles."(1 Timothy 2:5-7)

Greetings Saints of God in Christ Jesus,

You and I have been appointed to take the Gospel message to the nations.  Jesus Christ has called us to please God in this way.  We begin with praying for all and follow the instructions given to be witnesses in this present age.  There are so many tools like the internet, radio, TV, etc. to be used for God's glory.  Let us persevere in preaching this good news to the world.  Jesus is soon to return!  Let us be found faithful and true!

Challenge:  

"8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing."(1 Tim. 2:8)

In His Service,

Seeds of Harvest Biblical Coaching
Pastor Catisha

"He Hears Us!"(1 John 5:14-15)

14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. (1 John 5:14-15)

Believers in Christ Jesus should have the confidence in seeking God in prayer!  His will is revealed in the Holy Bible.  The Holy Spirit is given as the Counselor and Advocate to pray through us with the goal of leading to the truth.  The importance of a private prayer life is being magnified in these last days.  Why?  More and more believers will need discernment.  They will need to take their responses to life to the Lord in prayer.  There is no other way to survive and keep one's faith grounded in the truth.  This is the truth, "He hears us."  God listens and responds.

Challenge:  

"13 I remain confident of this:

    I will see the goodness of the Lord

    in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the Lord;

    be strong and take heart

    and wait for the Lord."(Psalm 27:1-14)

"Like a Tree!"(Psalm 1:1-3)

"1 Blessed is the one

    who does not walk in step with the wicked

or stand in the way that sinners take

    or sit in the company of mockers,

2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,

    and who meditates on his law day and night.

3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,

    which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither—

    whatever they do prospers."(Psalm 1:1-3)

This Bible verse calls us blessed when we avoid evil and mockers, find joy in God's law, and think about Him continually.  There are results to follow these actions.  We are like trees strong and having much fruit.  We are people of His presence.  We have an awareness of the Lord Jesus because of the time spent with Him. Other results are: We are growing and prospering in faith in Jesus!

Challenge:  This is growth is meant to bring us closer to Jesus.  He is in charge of the results.  Jesus stated, "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."(John 14:12)

http://wallpaper4god.com/en/background_psalm-13-2/

"Victory by Faith!"(1 John 5:4)

“For we live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)

Greetings Saints of God,

Spiritual battles are being waged for the souls of family, friends, enemies…  It is our faith in God that will win the victory.  Faith is not relying upon the physical realities, but it is trusts in the One who is real in acting upon our prayers.  Jesus replied, “ Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”(Matthew 21:21-22)

Child of the Most High God, you must ask and believe.  If you must, keep asking, seeking, and knocking, your faith will be rewarded.  This is a promise of God.  Believers live by their faith.

Challenge:

“For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.”(1 John 5:4)

In His service,

Pastor Catisha

Seeds of Harvest Coaching

"The Weapons We Fight With!"(2 Cor. 10:3-5)

“Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”(Ephesians 6:12)

It is hard to remember the above verse when you are going through battles with people.  It is the truth.  Believers if not abiding in Christ Jesus and unbelievers under the enemy’s influence are at times coworkers with evil.  Their minds are blinded.  They have been taken captive to do the enemy’s will.  Addictions, gossip, evil plans, and habitual strongholds are devices being used.

What is one to do?  Fight!  How? 

“Though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.  The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.  On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.  We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”(2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

Christians living for God have the weapons of prayer, praise, giving, fasting, and living in obedience to God’s Holy Bible.

Challenge:  Live by faith and practice the above disciplines.  “Everyone born of God overcomes the world.  This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.”(1 John 5:4)

In His Service,

Pastor Catisha

Seeds of Harvest Biblical Coaching

"We Are Healed!"(Isaiah 53:5 and James 5:16)

 Greetings in Jesus Name!

Jesus did more than take our sins and nail them to the cross.  He conquered sin, hell, grave, and sickness.  He is Lord!  Everything and everybody is subject to the King of kings!  I give Him glory, honor, and praise!  The Holy Bible teaches:

"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed."(Isaiah 53:5)

We receive forgiveness ad healing through the Lord Jesus Christ!  Let us apply this verse and live by our faith.  Faith believes that God is the great I Am.  He is the Savior, Healer, and supplies every need.

Challenge:  "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."(James 5:16)

In His Service,

Pastor Catisha

Seeds of Harvest Biblical Coaching

http://wallpaper4god.com/en/background_bible-verse-jeremiah-3017/

"Heal Me, Lord!"(Jeremiah 17:14)

"Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard."(Isaiah 58:8)

Saints of God,

Let us respond to sickness with faith! God is the healer.  He sent Jesus, His only Son, to heal the sin sick soul.  Jesus proclaimed healing to the physical body as well.  It is by faith that we apply the Word of God to healing.  Faith believes that God will do what He said.

Jesus' ministry on Earth comprised of healing others.  He laid hands on them and even spoke a word.  "Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment."(Matthew 8:13)

Challenge: Let us believe in God's Word and understand that He means what is written. "Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise."(Jeremiah 17:14)

In His Service,

Pastor Catisha
Seeds of Harvest Coaching

http://wallpaper4god.com/en/background_luke-848/

"The Gift of Righteousness!"(Romans 5:17)

The Gift of Righteousness

“For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!”(Romans 5:17)

Believers in Christ Jesus have been given several gifts.  One is righteousness.  This does not come from one’s own right actions.  It comes from God.  He provided it through His only Son, Jesus Christ.  It is received by faith and simple believing.  God’s righteousness brings life while self-righteousness brings death.  The Scripture tells us that our self righteousness is as filthy rags to God.  In other words, anything perceived to exalt oneself or to think one is better than another is not acceptable or applauded by our Father in Heaven.

Every sin that is confessed and followed by repentance is covered by grace.  Grace is not a license to keep on sinning or to believe just because man approves that God approves.  God’s word is still the truth.  He will not accept any lie for the truth.  Sexual immorality, self righteousness, and any other sin will face God’s judgment unless the righteousness of Jesus Christ is accepted. Lets us remember God’s gift of righteousness and life are received by faith in Jesus.

Challenge: Let’s us resolutely preach repentance from sin and faith in Jesus Christ!  For the Scripture states, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”(Romans 6:23)

In His Service,

Pastor Catisha

Seeds of Harvest Biblical Coaching

http://wallpaper4god.com/en/background_bible-verse-1-john-18-9/

"Prayer:We Do Not Know!" (Romans 8:26-27)

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God."(Romans 8:26-27)

These past few weeks in this blog have been about prayer.  Prayer is obedience and a necessity to faith.  The prior posts have told us to do it and be persistent.  So many others have taught about it and preach on its place in the life of believers in Christ Jesus.  The above Scripture teaches us that our prayers are lacking in our greatest spiritual moments.  It plainly tells us that we do not know how to do it.  We are weak, and the asking is done amiss to what our prayers should contain in them.

God, the Father gives us the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit prays right on target every time. He does not miss the will of God.  Hallelujah!  Our weakness is overcome by God's provision of His Holy Spirit.  We may be weak but Jesus strength is made perfect!  Glory!

Challenge:  Saints of God, let the Holy Spirit work in the heart to intercede without words to obtain God's will!  Glory be to God most High!

In His Service,

Pastor Catisha
Seeds of Harvest Biblical Coaching

  Image offered free of charge. http://prayer-coach.com/2013/12/09/30-free-christian-wallpapers/

"Know Me!"(Jeremiah 9:24 and John 8:32)

Greetings Saints of God,

The Sovereign Lord has declared, "But let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord."(Jeremiah 9:24)

How to do we come to know the Lord?  It is through prayer and meditating on His Holy Word.  There are no short cuts or excuses that will work on the side of lacking a personal prayer life.  We come to the Father in the name the Lord Jesus Christ.  We should come boldly to God's throne of grace with a humble heart seeking to know Him.

Words of encouragement and counsel is found throughout the Scripture.  It is through the Holy Bible that we come to know the character of God and His Son, Christ Jesus.  This is where we go for truth.  Everything that is opposite of God's Word are lies and deception.  Jesus taught, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."(John 8:32)

Challenge:  Know God, the Father, and Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit by consistently praying and hiding God's Word in your heart!  Amen!  Then we are equipped to tell others that "Jesus is way, truth, and the life."

In His Service,


Pastor Catisha 
Biblical Coach, Seeds of Harvest Coaching

Used under the terms and conditions of crossmap.com for noncommercial use ministerial and education purposes.

"Come to Me!"(Nehemiah 8:10 and Matthew 11:28-30)

Greetings People of God!

The joy of the Lord is our strength.(Nehemiah 8:10)  A previous post mentioned prayer as a means to happiness.  Happiness for the believer in Christ Jesus is joy.  We have the joy of our salvation.  The world did not give it.  Let not the world and its cares take it away.  Joy is expounded when we are persistently seeking God through prayer and connecting to Him in the Holy Bible.  Prayer and God's Holy Word are priority.  Again let us not forget the Counselor, the Holy Spirit.  He helps us in our weakness.

We can take our joy and give solid advice to the unsaved.  We call tell them that God desires a relationship with them and will hear their prayer of repentance.  He says, "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near."(Isaiah 55:6)  Also, we can share the words of Jesus,

"28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."(Matthew 11:28-30)

Challenge:  Let us persevere in prayer and intercession for the unsaved!  God is able to save!   Let's help them claim salvation and the joy of the Lord!

In His Service,


Pastor Catisha
Seeds of Harvest Biblical Coaching

Prayer and Happiness!(Psalm 55:22 and 1 Peter 5:7)

 Life brings with it circumstances and situations that do cause anxiety, sorrow, fear, worry, etc.  Emotions can run very high and are even paralyzing at some points.  The loss of strength can happen due to carrying these situations around with you.  This is all the more reason to seek the only true and living God.  He cares and comforts believers in Christ Jesus.  He offers the following words:

"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; 

he will never let the righteous be shaken."Psalm 55:22

The New Testament confirms this word and states, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."(1 Peter 5:7)  Prayer allows the believer to enter into God's presence carrying their cares to leave them there.  The Holy Spirit helps our inability to do this effectively and prays for us with wordless expressions.  Glory to God for His help towards His beloved people.  He gives happiness/joy and peace to overcome circumstances.

Challenge:  31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:31-33)

In His Service,

Pastor Catisha

Seeds of Harvest Biblical Coaching

Are You Praying More or Less?(Jeremiah 314, Matthew 26:41)

14 “Return, faithless people,” declares the Lord, “for I am your husband. I will choose you—one from a town and two from a clan—and bring you to Zion."

One who prays often is full of faith. Faith is having hope in what is not seen.  It is seeking God and being firm in the belief that He will answer.  Of course, one who prays less is the opposite in faith.  God had called the Israelite faithless or as in the King James Version backsliding.  Backsliding is defined as the condition of "one who has fallen from a spiritual level they once had attained."1

Prayer is a number one priority to keep believers in Christ Jesus moving forward in their relationship with the Lord. It keeps them strong in the Lord and power of His might.  They are able to resist temptation and sin.  It is all about dependence upon God, the Father, Jesus, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

God gives grace and restores the believer!

Challenge:  "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.  The spirit is willing , but the flesh is weak."(Matthew 26:41)

In His Service,

Pastor Catisha
Seeds of Harvest Biblical Coaching

1 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backslide

"Seek Me and Find Me!"(Jeremiah 29:13)

13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."(Jeremiah 29:13)

The Lord promises that seeking Him ends in results.  The results are finding Him and knowing Him on a personal level.  It is getting to know the only God of the universe.  The believers' in Christ Jesus have prayer as the means of beginning and continuing a relationship with God.  A believer's private prayer life is the distinguishing difference.  Spending time with a holy God establishes holiness.  Holiness is a state of being that results in right thoughts and actions.

Jesus taught on prayer.  He told believers to be persistent in their prayer life.  He wanted His followers to know the Father and realize their relationship was to be pursued in prayer.  It is time to evaluate one's pursuits and how much time spent toward the Father.  The Holy Spirit is a present help!

Challenge:   “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."(Matthew 7:7)

Results: "For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." 

In His Service,

Pastor Catisha
Seeds of Harvest Biblical Coaching