Pining Away!

Before “He appeared”, my human spirit was “pining” away!  Yes, my spirit was a wasteland of darkness, gloom, and despair!  But then something happened!  Jesus, the Son of God was born on a Holy Night! Then hope was given to all.  Oh, that night when our Wonderful Saviour was born was indeed a very special night like no other.  After that night, a new day dawned.  Are you living in that new day?

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Is HE worth it?

“Am I worth it to you?”  “What is your suffering in comparison to Mine?”  Well, these questions resonated within my heart this morning right at the close of my devotional.  I was spending time not in prayer, but just spending time worshipping the Father.  I had troubled thoughts before I even attempted to enter His presence in order to given Him about an hour of uninterrupted time.  You know when we plan to spend intimate quality time with the Father, we will have those distracting thoughts but I wrestled and stayed with it.  Just when I was about to close out the hour, He spoke!  Yes, He spoke to me concerning my troubled thoughts regarding a message that I must deliver.  This message is not the usual “sunshine” that I am accustomed to.

When God gives us a message for ourselves and for others, it will not always be an easy and enjoyable task.  In my experiences as a Teacher and Minister of the Gospel, I have mostly had to deliver teachings and messages that were very encouraging and comforting.  But what happens when there is a message that exhorts the hearer to take action concerning some negative aspect of their character or to resolve some difficult painful incident that is still pending from the past?  What if YOU are included in the message?  Wow.  These are the times when fear of not being received, fear of rejection and ridicule, and the thought of suffering persecution for the sake of the word will flood your soul.  So the next question that challenged me at the end of my devotional this morning was this:  “IS HE WORTH IT?”  As I cried, i chose to say “YES!”  My Lord is worth the suffering.  Jesus was despised and rejected of men.  Jesus was acquainted with suffering and sorrows.  He shed His life blood as an atonement for my sins and yet in my struggle against sin, i have not yet resisted to the point of shedding any blood! (Isaiah 53:3, Hebrews 12:4).  So yes, my God is worth it all.  Of course I repented for feeling this way.  What a long-suffering and mighty God we serve!

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Minister Denise Cook-Godfrey

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A Place in the Distance-2018 is our Year!

Wow!  It is hard to believe that in just a couple of weeks this year will come to a close.  Yes, another chapter in our lives will be completed.  What are you anticipating in the new year?  Can we even know?  I do believe that some of us are pregnant, or expecting something out of this world!  For some of us, we will come to that place that we have only been seeing in a distance but unable to touch it!

Are you excited?  I sure am.  So what about that place in the distance?  If you are like me, you have been in a waiting room so to speak for some time now.  Don’t become weary in your well doing and for God’s sake, do not give up.  What God has shown you in visions, dreams, and through prophetic words will come to pass.  Renew your strength in your waiting according to Isaiah 40:31 and receive the strength that you need to give birth to that which you are expecting in 2018!

God bless you!

I am Denise Cook Godfrey, Minister/Author/Playwriter/Liturgical Dance Instructor

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It’s What’s Right About You!

Stop worrying and wondering what it is about you that causes some people to refuse to connect with you, celebrate you or respect you!  This is what the Lord revealed to me about a year and a half or so ago and today I am having to revisit this word and encourage myself with it.  This word actually came in the form of a post from an Anointed Woman of God.  I know that it was specifically for me because of the timing of it and also the prompt from the Holy Spirit as I read it.  Here it is:

“There is nothing “wrong with you” that causes people to reject you! In fact, it is “what’s right with you” that causes some people not to be able to connect with you! God is covering your purpose and rejection is just a part of your assignment! After all, Jesus was despised and rejected of man; when you truly belong to Him, that is also your lot!—“

You see, just a day or so prior to me reading the Word of the Lord from this Anointed Woman of God, I pondered within my heart..”why?”  Why do some reject me and just don’t like me for no apparent reason?  Why do they look at me hard, exclude me and treat me with contempt?  I even tried back tracking, just to see if I had said or did something offensively toward them…I could find nothing.  I prayed.  I cried.  I cried.  I prayed.  Then God spoke.  I am satisfied knowing that God is shaping my destiny.  God is covering me!  Even though from time to time I still go through bouts of hurt because of this issue, I quickly remind myself that It is not me…it is the enemy of my soul influencing others to reject me.  God is allowing this for my good.

So, if you can relate to this, stop worrying.  As long as you are not offensive to others and doing the will of God, just know that your purpose is covered by Him and you are on the right path to destiny, even though it is hard at times.  Take care and be strong during the seasons of alienation from others.  God is with you!

Denise Cook-Godfrey

Lover of my Soul

I’m satisfied with Jesus….I’m satisfied with Jesus, I’m satisfied with Jesus in my heart…this is a song that I used to hear the older folks sing at church when I was a little girl. They would go on to say…He’s my bread and water when I get hungry and thirsty and so on….I did not understand that song back then. It made no sense to my little creative and logical mind. Now, I know and realize that it is a dangerous thing to not allow Christ Jesus to bring satisfaction into our hearts….If we don’t…we will be prone to wander and run after other lovers! We will search for love in all the wrong places. We will do all we can to fill the void within by attaching our selves to Other gods……..So yes, I love my Spouse and my family but I love them in their rightful place….Jesus has a seat on the throne of my heart…I pray for the grace to keep it that way!

For the past week I have been seriously taking a look at my inner life.  My soul.  My thoughts.  My cravings.  My desires.  I invite you to do the same thing.  Spend those extra moments with the Lord and ask Him to show you YOU!  Examine your own thoughts and see how much is junk and how much is Godly and productive.  Pray and fast.  Seek change through entering into the presence of the Almighty God.  Let Him satisfy every void place and wait for Him to fulfill every promise to you.

Denise Cook-Godfrey

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When You Just Know You Haven’t Lost Your Praise!

Wow……the creative juices are flowing everywhere today as I am listening to a certain song, looking back over my life, and searching for lost things!!! Ahhhh yea….lost time, dreams, missed opportunities, loss of self esteem, loss of respect, loss of loved ones, etc.  Then I looked and contemplated all of the overwhelming challenges, the storms, the fire, etc.  One thing I can say is that I am overwhelmed as I see the incredible ability that God gives me to reach down within myself and realize that I have not lost my will to move ahead.  I still have my trust, even though I have had to look deep down within myself and find that trust and that awesome love that I still have for God no matter what.  With this, I know that I have not lost my praise even though I have lost so many other things.

Even when I was broken, misused, disrespected, unappreciated, and the like……and even when I said within my mind that I was done, through with it all…..nope, just couldn’t stop believing that the misplaced peace and discomfort will NEVER cause me to give up on my destiny.  Even though on this road to destiny there are so many road blocks and detours, I refuse to believe that God has given up on me.

So I will keep going and I am writing this to encourage someone right now.  Not looking for sympathy or a pity party.  Just want to reach out and encourage someone who is going through.  To the soul that is sunken down low, the broken heart, the one that can’t seem to catch a break…..just find a way within yourself to love and trust God no matter what.  Grab a scripture, a song, a sermon, whatever it takes and hold on!  Your change is coming after while.

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Ministers-Do You Really Know What You Are Carrying?

On yesterday after ministering in dance at an event in a nearby city, a very sweet young woman walked up to me, hugged me, and told me that I had an “anointing.”  Well I have heard this many times before from different people.  I have even had people to state that they experienced healing or could see me as if I am “floating” while dancing!  While I always endeavor to remain humble and respond by giving God the glory, honor and credit for the anointing upon my life, I was still reminded by the Lord that I am to never lose the essence of what I am carrying  on the inside!  In other words….”daughter, don’t ever just get used to hearing those compliments and lose focus on how important, serious, and precious it is!”  The same Spirit that rose Christ from the dead dwells within us, praise God!

A couple of years ago I wrote a book entitled, “The Day I Danced Under an Open Heaven.”  This book references the revelation that we are glory carriers.   In John 17:21-22, Jesus prayed to the Father and declared that He has given us the same glory that the Father gave to Him! (Read John 17:21-22) God wants to allow us to hear the heartbeat of heaven as we minister to people, as we walk along the pathway of life, and even as we sleep!  I pray that I will never lose sight of just how deep and honorable it is to have God’s anointing come upon me and live on the inside of me.  I long to see more of His glory so that He can be glorified and that people can truly experience His presence through me.  Lord teach us how to appreciate and how to handle the Holy things of You!

Minister Denise Cook-Godfrey

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Why is My Bruise Incurable?

So many today are walking around with pain from the past that has been suppressed and buried deep within their souls.  They smile on the outside, but inside, there is a whole different story book.  I know this to be so.  I have personally experienced this.

After becoming saved some twenty-three years ago, I never dreamed that a person could be saved, sanctified, filled with the Holy Ghost, and still have soul wounds that affect the quality of their spiritual lives as far as joy and contentment.  Think about it.  We are three part beings.  We are spirit (where our conscience of, communication with, and wisdom of God is stored), soul (that part of of us that holds our mind, will, and emotions), and body (blood, flesh and bones).  All 3 parts make up one being, just as God is one God but has three distinct personalities (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).  If we are not aware of these truths, we can walk around with past hurts that will affect us spiritually, emotionally, and even physically due to stress and depression.

I am convinced that one must ask God to heal their soul wounds, even if they have been born again.  These soul wounds will remain open, festering, foul, and diseased unless God’s power binds or closes them up. Read Psalms 147:3:

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds”

Cry out to God if you are experiencing sadness, dissatisfaction, and torment from past wounds and disappointments.  Do not hide them any longer.  Trust me.  These soul wounds will not heal on their own.  It may appear for some time that they are all better but just when you least expect it, something will trigger the pain and the bleeding will begin again.  Don’t place a bandage on your wounds.  Trust God to make you every bit whole!  You deserve it.

For more information or for prayer, contact Minister Denise Cook Godfrey via facebook or at denise@worshipfulministries.com

In other news, don’t forget to get your copy of Denise’s latest novella entitled:  “Unequally Yoked-the Pleasures of Sin Lasts for a Season” on amazon at amazon.com/sherryl-Denise-Cook-Godfrey/e/B00B8KDHH4

 

Who is this MAN?

Mark 4:41: the disciples were terrified.  “Who is this man?”  they asked each other.  “Even the wind and waves obey Him!”  God, through the mouth of His prophet said that we could enjoy perfect peace when we focus our thoughts on HIM!  (Isaiah 26:3) This promise was spoken to Israel during a very dark time in their history.  Are you experiencing perfect peace?  What is it anyway?  Perfect peace is a condition and state of being within the soul!  It is a state of being undisturbed, at rest, and confident even through the worst storm.  It is a state of complete serenity.

Today, I will evaluate my mind and soul so that no matter what comes upon me, I will focus my thoughts on God’s Word.  I want to identify with the Man that got up and rebuked the storms, the waves, and the winds!  I want to live in that supernatural peace of God no matter what is going on.  We cannot avoid troubles and difficulties, but we can control how we respond.  Let us practice living in the peace and comfort of who we are in JESUS CHRIST!

 

Minister Denise Cook-Godfrey

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Blessings to you! (leave a reply or comment below)

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Delayed Desire

] Proverbs 13:12 says “Hope Deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire has come, it is a tree of life!”  Well, it is a fact and reality that life brings on disappointments.  All of us will face a delay in some desire that even God Himself has placed in our hearts!  At times we are disappointed by the circumstances of life, the faithfulness of people, and yes, even in God!  Disappointments make the heart sink down low.  Sometimes it is temporary and passing, but sometimes disappointments can affect almost every phase of our lives.

How do we handle the pain of disappointment?  First, we must go to God and tell Him!  Yes.  Although the Almighty already knows it, we must go to Him and vent!  Then we much draw near to Him and continue to hope in His word and in His faithfulness.  We must continue to believe that there is a purpose for our pain.  Once we progress in this, we will soon experience the desire that comes from trusting God.  Our scripture passage says that when the desire comes, it is a tree of life!  That means that the desire is restoration and healing from the pain.  Sometimes, the desire is not what we originally desired, but the desire in trusting God’s serenity when we hope in His love and faithfulness to always know what is best for us.

 

Many blessings to you!

Minister Denise Cook Godfrey

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