http://venuslaney.com/news.html Venus Laney: Inspirationals Jannis' PHPRss class - http://www.jannis.to/ Sat, 19 May 2012 01:51:06 -0700 http://venuslaney.com/news.html#52 www.wjdw.net .
If you would like to be part of the prayer team for this television ministry, please send me an email. Would love to have you on the frontlines with us!!!]]> http://venuslaney.com/news.html#52 Thu, 24 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700 - Venus Laney - Inspirationals http://venuslaney.com/news.html#51
]]> http://venuslaney.com/news.html#51 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0800 - Venus Laney - Inspirationals http://venuslaney.com/news.html#49
To God be ALL the GLORY!!!

]]> http://venuslaney.com/news.html#49 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700 - Venus Laney - Inspirationals http://venuslaney.com/news.html#48 ]]> http://venuslaney.com/news.html#48 Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700 - Venus Laney - Inspirationals http://venuslaney.com/news.html#47
For those that are not aware, let me just recap my testimony a bit...

A year and a half ago, God directed me to leave my place of comfort and provision (meaning my job) to come home and prepare for full time ministry. I was given the blessing of enjoying my children and family in a new way and also granted the time to dig into His word as never before.

This was a GIANT step of faith since we were not financially prepared to become a one income home. But my husband and I agreed that if God said it, He would provide for us...He IS Jehova Jireh.

Many times along the way, I would wonder if we were in God's will. It is in the times of waiting that our faith is proven. Not only has God provided for us in amazing ways financially, but we have grown as a family in our faith and trust in God. Everything He has spoken to me is happening right now.

In October, I became part of Minister Judy Jacob's International Institute of Mentoring. Since that time, the Lord has done such a work within me. Layer after layer of bondages and misconceptions about myself have been removed. I feel more free than I ever have. At the last quarterly meeting, one of my mentors, Lisa Potter, prophetically declared "Venus is Dawning". For those who do not know, Dawn is my middle name. I had no idea the truth in what she was saying at that moment!!!

After returning home from that trip, I entered a season of spiritual battle as I had never experienced before. I describe it now as battling a spirit of lack. First it was my finances - thinking I didn't have enough to do what God was asking, then not enough support or affirmation from those around me, then thinking I didn't have enough talent or ability within myself. The last battle was my faith - did I really have enough to believe God could do ALL that He said He would do through this venture???

I am declaring this day - I DO HAVE ENOUGH!!! In every area because HE IS EL ELYON, GOD MOST HIGH! When I finally got the reality that God is MY SOURCE, in every area, that devil of lack was defeated. And my how God has moved since then!

John Waller has a song from his new cd called "Faith Is Living" that could honestly be my theme song for this last year and a half. Each step that I have taken in faith, God has provided me with every necessary resource and strength!

To God be ALL the glory! Please remember, God is no respector of persons. Whatever He has spoken to you for your life CAN and WILL come to pass if you only believe!!!!]]> http://venuslaney.com/news.html#47 Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 -0700 - Venus Laney - Inspirationals http://venuslaney.com/news.html#46 “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair” 2 Corinthians 4:8

As I write this today, I am torn between a broken heart in my flesh and a stirring in my spirit; having received news today that a precious teenager from our church family has just entered the Gates of Heaven. This news was a shock. Not because of the reports — doctors have been giving the worst prognosis for quite some time. But everything in my spirit was secure and resting in the knowledge that she was in God’s hands and that all of our prayers had already been answered. To the natural eye, this could not be further from the truth.

Immediately after hearing this news, disappointment and discouragement were knocking at the door, ready to be given permission to come in and set up camp. That’s when I remembered the words God has been speaking to me for weeks about the difference between these two enemy snares. I don’t know how many others are in need of hearing this important distinction, but if that could be you, please read ahead.

Let me start with a closer look at disappointment. For many of us today, this (in addition to grief) is where we are. Disappointment means our expectations were not fulfilled. It is defined as a hindrance or frustration of what we desire to see happen. In other words, what I had in my mind as an answer to those prayers did not seem to come to pass.

Now look at the definition of discouragement - to deprive of courage, hope or confidence; to depress the spirit. Can you see the danger in that definition? How much more damage it can do? Discouragement is not just a hindrance or roadblock as disappointment can be”¦it is straight from the enemy’s arsenal to steal, kill, and destroy the very spirit within you that causes you to move forward.

Disappointment, when handled correctly, will cause us to reevaluate our expectations. It is meant to be a brief pause in our forward motion and a possible redirection to reach our end goal. This is where the Spirit of the Lord was taking me in prayer this morning. Why did I think our prayers for Jennifer were not answered? What were those expectations that I thought would be fulfilled? I believed for her healing and the furtherance of her testimony in ministry.

That’s when God began to redirect my expectations and open my eyes to the truth in this verse. “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18. Looking at the answers of our prayers for Jennifer through the eye of faith, we can see that she has received TOTAL HEALING in the presence of our God!

Also, her testimony and the souls she is winning for the Kingdom of God has only just begun!!! I just received word that our pastor and youth pastor were actually invited to the High School to speak to over 200 students in their time of grief over Jennifer’s passing. How often does that door of opportunity open to share the gospel on what the devil has claimed to be his own personal territory? The will of God has not changed. His purposes have not been thwarted. What the enemy meant to harm and discourage God’s people from continuing on in Jesus’ name, will only spread the fire of God even further.

My heart still hurts for the loss of one of God’s precious saints on this Earth. Our thoughts and prayers will continue for her family and friends that remain. God alone can provide the peace and comfort that they will need to get through this season of grief. At the same time, we must resist the enemy in his desire to make us doubt the very nature and goodness of our Lord. When we can’t understand the circumstances of what we are seeing, we have got to run straight to God for the answers.

Don’t ever let the roadblock of disappointment take you into the dead end of discouragement. Let the Master give you direction and lead you on a path less traveled — it is one that only He can guide you through. Keep it on autopilot all the way because this will be a trip that truly is beyond your own understanding. If you will allow Him to take you there, the view along the way will be most amazing — beyond what our natural eye can behold. The awesomeness of this journey will only be outshined by the glory of the destination just ahead.

“Have not I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

She will be forever precious in our memories — we will miss you Jennifer!!!!]]> http://venuslaney.com/news.html#46 Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800 - Venus Laney - Inspirationals http://venuslaney.com/news.html#45 “To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish”¦.”

As I type the words, an image comes to mind — the blushing bride, a nervous groom. So excited about their future together. It’s everything she’s envisioned since she was a child. It’s everything he’s been warned about from “the guys” since he began dating ”¦and yet here they are — getting ready for the big “c” ”¦COMMITMENT! Ah yes, the one word that can make so many turn tail and run for their ever-loving, single lives!! :)

It’s a funny thought, but amazingly true. What is even more amazing to me is that God used this very analogy to bring home a very serious point to me recently — and it’s all about the “c” word.

So why the marriage vows? It’s the most present example we have to compare our commitment to Christ. There are many references to marriage in relation to our covenant with Christ in the Bible. When we receive His gift of salvation, we enter into a covenant where both parties are promising faithful commitment — marriage was the most logical way to bring these points to light.

Let’s revisit the vows from the beginning — to have and to hold. What does that really mean in practical terms? Definitions of the word hold include “to have a firm grasp on, to keep going, to continue.” Already, new revelation began to come from this thought of continuing. When we begin our commitment, it is with the understanding that it’s for keeps. Therefore, it makes total sense that the rest of the vows would continue to include the various ups and downs one might expect during a lifetime together — for better or worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer”¦etc.

As I started to really meditate on those down times and how prevalent they are in many of my own prayers, I could feel myself growing very aware of His point in this lesson. We are often tempted to “opt out” of our covenant with God during these very times. When we can’t see the manifestation of the answers to our prayers, we can be tempted to forsake our own promise to remain faithful.

Because of our experiences with others in this fallen world, it’s easy to become jaded with the idea of faithfulness and commitment. The danger of this is that it can influence how we respond to God in our commitment to Him. We can’t see the end from the beginning and so when we grow weary in the waiting and our faith begins to weaken, we think we are forgotten.

In the midst of the darkness, the enemy begins to whisper ”˜He has deserted you. He hasn’t heard your prayers. Neither does He consider your pain. If He had, surely you would be out of this by now. He hasn’t kept His part of the promise, so why should you? You were better off without Him.’ Sound familiar to anyone else? I feel despicable even typing the words. But, it’s time the devil was shamed in his place and exposed in the truth!

As God continued to reveal these truths, I cried out for forgiveness. But this revelation was not to bring condemnation — that is not in the nature of God toward His believers. Where He led me next in the word was proof. “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.” Hebrews 10:35.

I could hear so clearly in my Spirit after reading those words “Don’t give up on me! I will never leave you, nor forsake you. I am faithful that has made the promise! I am One that can be trusted. I work all things together for your good. My plans are to prosper you, not to harm you”¦to bring you to an expected end. Trust Me! Don’t quit!”

I was reminded once again of what seemed to be a most unfortunate timing of Jesus’ arrival at the tomb of Lazarus. Mary and Martha were understandably upset. Why did He not return at once upon the news of their brother’s illness? He was beyond help now. He had been in the tomb so long that there was even a stench! How and why could He let this happen?! That desperate and seemingly hopeless moment turned into one of the greatest, undeniable, God-could-only-do-this miracles of the whole bible.

How long do we have to wait? How far do we have to go? Praise God that only He knows and that He will not allow us to go even one step beyond that point! Only believe. Believe that He is the good husband! Believe that He is the faithful one! Believe that this too, will one day be one of your greatest testimonies.

Trust God. Read His word and let Him remind you of His faithfulness. Just a few of the promises He makes to each of His children include love (Romans 8:38), healing (1 Peter 2:24), provision (Phil 4:19), eternal life (John 3:16), and protection (Isaiah 43:2). Even when we can’t understand what is happening in the moment, God does! We cannot allow the enemy to convince us otherwise.

If you keep holding on, you will find that He won’t let you down.]]> http://venuslaney.com/news.html#45 Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800 - Venus Laney - Inspirationals http://venuslaney.com/news.html#44
]]> http://venuslaney.com/news.html#44 Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800 - Venus Laney - Inspirationals http://venuslaney.com/news.html#43 "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Mark 8:36

Is anyone else still just reeling in shock from last night's election??? It was so hard for me to accept that there were that many people completely blind and unconcerned for what Senator Obama represents concerning our faith and values. My husband summed it up when I commented on how so much of our nation can be unaware...he said "everyone is worried about the money". Sad, but true.

Someone promises change and a better financial future and he has them jumping up and down celebrating; but at what cost? The answer is the loss of a nation commited to the word of God. I was reading an article this morning that brought this very thing to mind...

Prior to World War I we had a group of intellectuals in England called Fabian Socialists. The red bearded man who gave us plays like Pygmalion and My fair lady, George Bernard Shaw, was one of the super intellectuals. Those men did not talk about redemption, they did not talk about sin, they were just rationalists, they were just humanists. Away back in 1912, two years before the 1914 war, H. G. Wells said, "It is possible for us to have a new race of people by intellectual and biological processes. We don't need the Bible, we don't need the church, we can pull down the hills of wealth, we can fill up the valleys of poverty."
He didn't talk about sin and redemption and wickedness.
He talked about the adequacy of materialism.
He talked about the inevitability of progress.
He talked about the sufficiency of man.
They were going to bring in a new millennium by their own genius.
And then a shadow came over the sky. We had the 1914-18 war. And at the end, H. G. Wells and the gang were not so sure about things.

In 1939 came the 2nd World War. Well, H. G. Wells had written his outline of history, but the last book he wrote, in the middle of World War II, was not this rosy optimism. His last book was Mind at the end of it's Tether. And he said, "There is no hope for humanity." And he said one more sensible thing, "There is a little cavity somewhere in the human breast which can be filled by God and only by God."

Copyright (C) 1994 by Leonard Ravenhill, Lindale Texas - http://www.ravenhill.org/


Eventually our nation will wake up to the same realization, but at what cost?? What must we endure first before blinded eyes can be opened???

Scriptures of judgement and repentance keep whirling through my mind. My desperate prayer now is "God, what would you have your children do now??? How are we to respond with our nation in such peril and moral depravation???"

I believe our answer lies in Joel 2:12-17

12Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

13And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

14Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?

15Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:

16Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

17Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?

Now is the time for the church to awaken and press in as never before! I will be the first to admit failure in not praying hard and long enough before reaching this point. I naively believed that all would work out for the best - resting on, among other things,
prophetic promises circulating through email concerning Sarah Palin
as our generation's Esther. But the hard lesson for me in this is that God called His people to fast and pray for a reason - we do have a responsibility to do our part (ALL OF IT) before He will respond...

"If My people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

May each one of us respond to the clarion call of the heavenlies to
awaken and arise...to be the spotless church and give Him no rest in pleading for the mercy and forgiveness of our fallen nation. The time is coming that we will no longer have this privilege - our
children and their futures are depending on us!!!]]> http://venuslaney.com/news.html#43 Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800 - Venus Laney - Inspirationals http://venuslaney.com/news.html#42 “He removed the high places, and broke the images, and cut down the groves, and broke in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made... He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.” 2 Kings 18:4-5

Are you desiring to go to a new level with God? Has your walk and prayer life seemed to plateau without the full manifestations that you know our mighty God is capable of??? It may be a question of God’s timing in your prayers. It could be that certain desires are not part of God's will for you”¦or, it may be that there are some “high places” in your life that the Lord is requiring you to remove.

What is a “high place”? In the Old Testament, the high places were described as altars that the children of Israel had set up to worship other idols. In our society, particularly as Christians, we are quick to say that we have no other Gods before Him”¦but let’s remember that an idol is anything that has been placed in priority over God. It can be anything from relationships, to money, a job, even personal goals in ministry”¦anything that has gotten out of balance in our lives that has become more important to us than God and His will for our lives.

The verses above describing King Hezekiah remind me that it is not enough to continue doing good if we allow the high places to remain. That is what set him apart in scripture. There were many kings described as doing good in the sight of the Lord. But what set this king apart was his attention to the high places that none before him would dare tackle.

The high places in our lives may not be as easy to identify as the bloodied altars in Hezekiah’s day, but they are still as real and just as important to remove. When something takes an idol position in our lives, it hinders our relationship with God and His ability to flow through us in ministering to others.

“Behold the Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy that it cannot hear, but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.” Isaiah 59:1-2

We serve an awesome, mighty, powerful God. No one that knows Him has any doubt about that. I was commenting to a friend the other day that knowing this to be true, and seeing a lack of the miracles of God and what we know He is capable of, makes me wonder where we, as a church body are falling short. This verse in Isaiah reminds me, it can never be that God has been limited in His abilities”¦the fault and limitations reside in us.

What I find so revealing about the high places in Hezekiah’s day was the fact that we know God could have sent fire from heaven destroying every one of those altars in the blink of an eye. But that was not His desire. Yes, He wanted them removed, but His true desire and what He waited to see was a man of God to rise up and take the authority that he had been given to tear down those high places.

We have been given the authority through Jesus Christ to do them same in our lives! “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:4-5

Let us each examine our lives and prayerfully ask “Lord, are there any high places in my life that need removed? Have I allowed anything to take priority over you and our relationship? Reveal to me any area that is out of balance and help me to tear it down from an idol position with the authority given to me through Jesus Christ!”

I believe the Lord’s true desire is to see each of us live the full life that He died for us to have”¦fulfilling our destiny in Christ COMPLETELY! Let us continue on with our full focus on God, reaching each new level avoiding the pitfalls of the high places!]]> http://venuslaney.com/news.html#42 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700 - Venus Laney - Inspirationals