Mighty to Save


“This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5)

The Apostle John avidly affirms that within this declaration is contained the entirety of the Gospel. Certainly this concise account is by divine revelation, as it perfectly conveys the redemption message.  The image created by the picture of light versus darkness is a meaningful one. It encompasses all that our Saviour is.  

If darkness represents sin, oppression, disease and the like, then light symbolizes salvation, deliverance and healing.  Are not the latter included in the gift of salvation?  

When Christ died on the cross and rose again, He ascended as the Conqueror of Satan, the Redeemer of the suffering and Vanquisher of all that is evil.  Yes indeed, our Jesus is Light and light supreme!   

Such a message should surely propel a sinner into the arms of our Saviour and Lord.

May the testimony below richly bless you.  This story is of a young woman who was delivered from the kingdom of darkness into the embrace of the Light of Life. 

FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT

Mthandayo, a 22-year-old single mother of one, was caught in a demonic spiral of destruction. Dabbling more and more in ancestral worship and witchcraft, her future loomed dark and ominous. Lost and without purpose, she attended our crusade in Mount Fletcher.  

It started with a simple flyer given to her by a fellow classmate.  Mthandayo took one look at the piece of paper and a warm sensation flooded her heart.  Could this be the Jesus she had heard so much about?  Could this be the time and place to come face-to-face with the Saviour of this world?  Expectantly, she walked a great distance to the crusade venue.

Mthandayo grew up in a family that practiced witchcraft and she naturally followed the same path. Filled with confusion, she found herself caught in a tug-of-war.  

“I wanted so badly to be saved,” she explained.  “Even though I went to church, I was not saved and longed to have Jesus in my life.”  

Hesitant, she did not go forward during the altar call to receive salvation.  Deep inside however, her heart was crying out to God.  

Then, the most glorious thing happened.  Having ministered briefly on the baptism of the Holy Spirit, I (Tamryn) began to pray for the crowd.

"I cried while the evangelist was praying.”  Mthandayo said.  “I felt a rush of wind blowing through my head, a cool breeze flowing through my mind.  I heard a voice saying 'Do you want to be like that woman who is worshipping on stage?'”  
The Holy Spirit had posed a life-altering question.  

Would she worship Jesus or continue worshipping the devil?  

In awe, she responded, “Yes!  I say yes to Jesus!”  Instantly, she felt a weight lifting off of her, the light of Christ breaking the chains, driving the darkness away.  At first opportunity, she jumped on the stage when it was time to share testimonies, after which one of our ushers led her in the salvation prayer.

More than anything, Mthandayo wants to serve and love Jesus.  

“I wish to live a prayerful life and to know more about God,” she says.  

Overwhelmed by so many warm emotions she has never felt before, Mthandayo is finally free.  

Certainly, no matter how deep a pit we are in, we know that we always have a Lord who is mighty to save, if we call upon His name.

Amen…



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About the Author :

Tamryn Klintworth is the founder of In His Name Ministries an evangelistic organization devoted to winning Africa and the world for Jesus, through the holding of mass crusades. She resides in Cape Town, South Africa.

The Road of Preparation



The beginning of a new year can bring with it a gamut of emotions. Some feel a renewed sense of hope as they anticipate new opportunities. Others may feel discouraged as they look back at things unaccomplished, setbacks, and disappointments. Some may even feel fear; fearful that the upcoming year will simply be a repeat of the previous year, which left them bruised, broken and even bitter.

For those who may feel hopeless or have feelings of anxiety as you look toward a new year, remember that nothing is ever wasted with God. Even the difficult places and circumstances that He allowed you to walk through in your previous seasons were still filled with purpose.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Romans 8:28 NLT)

God is still at work in your life, even in the midst of the difficult seasons. He never stops working in your life. He allows us to experience tests and trials that cause us to see Him and experience His grace in an amazing way.

Let us reflect on the life of Joseph (Genesis 37-50). Joseph was his father's favorite, but his own brothers hated him. He had vivid dreams, in which he was always exalted above his brothers. Joseph was not shy about sharing these dreams with his family, either. Because of this, Joseph's brothers hated him even more. As a matter of fact, his brothers hated Joseph so much that they sold him to traders, who, in turn, sold him as a slave in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard. And although Joseph was in the position of a lowly slave, God was still with Him.

The LORD was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. Potiphar noticed this and realized that the LORD was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. (Genesis 39:2-4 NLT)

Joseph had favor, even as a lowly slave. Ladies, the favor of God upon your life is not dictated by circumstances. God allows even the hard things to work for your good, just as we see with Joseph.

Joseph served faithfully until Potiphar's wife falsely accused him of assaulting her. Then, he was placed in prison. Yet, even in that dark cell gate of forced solitude, God was still with him.

But the LORD was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the LORD made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The LORD was with him and caused everything he did to succeed. (Genesis 39:21-23 NLT)

While Joseph was still a prisoner, God used him to interpret Pharaoh's dreams regarding Egypt. No one else was able to interpret them. And, because Pharaoh saw that Joseph was wise and discerning, he placed him in a position in which he ruled over the entire land of Egypt. This made Joseph second only to Pharaoh.

You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours. Pharaoh said to Joseph, I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and placed it on Josephs finger. He dressed him in fine linen clothing and hung a gold chain around his neck. Then he had Joseph ride in the chariot reserved for his second-in-command. And wherever Joseph went, the command was shouted, Kneel down! So Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of all Egypt. (Genesis 41:40-43 NLT)

Pretty amazing promotion, right?  When Joseph was seventeen years old, God showed him through dreams and visions that he would be raised up. However, he never showed him what it would cost and what he would have to go through. God also showed him purpose, but He did not show Joseph his personal road of preparation.

I know that God has given all of us awesome visions and dreams, but if we knew the road of preparation that God has prepared for us, some of us would without a doubt turn around. We would choose less bumpy paths or even the more scenic route.

After we travel the paths prepared for us, they prepare us for a greater purpose- a purpose that we do not always see at the beginning. The God who sees the end from the beginning sees your expected end.

God allowed Joseph to walk through difficult places, and worked all of it together for Joseph's good. Joseph had to be in Egypt because it was part of a much bigger plan, which he even shares with his brothers. (Please read Genesis 45:5-8)


Though you cannot see the end now, know that God does. Even in the difficult places of life, God's favor is causing all things to work for your good. Trust Him as you walk along your road of preparation. The Lord Himself goes before you.





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About the Author :

Pastor Pamela Bell is a passionate, lover of God, who desires to see God's people walk in the knowledge of who they are in Christ. She resides in Mobile, AL and serves as an Elder at her church, Gulf Coast Christian Center. Pastor Pamela enjoys reading, spending time with friends and all things chocolate.

The Risk Taker


Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. (1 Thessalonians 5:24 NASB)

Every Christian's life is marked by windows of opportunity that call for a profound step of faith in order to follow Christ and fulfill His agenda for their life. Whenever you take a risk, God is jumping at the opportunity to be there for you. He wants to use the risks you take with faith in order to benefit you. God uses your struggles to help you.

Taking risks can be terrifying simply because we have no idea what is going to happen. It is like walking into a storm blindfolded; you are not sure where things are headed, and that scares you. None of us are supposed to be comfortable with taking risksbut if there is no risk, there is no faith. And where there is no faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).

If your walk with Christ is easy and comfortable, something is wrong. The journey includes hardships, and the obstacles you face and the risks you take are not supposed to be scarce. These things should be prominent in your life.

As believers, sometimes I get the feeling that we are getting a bit too comfortable in our walk. It sounds crazy, but our walk with Him is supposed to be taken with risk, not leisure. There is nothing better than taking a large leap of faith and discovering that God had you in His hands the entire way.

When we take a leap of faith, it is important that we do not take that leap carelessly. We must take our leaps with a demeanor of courage and fearlessness. We must also acknowledge that it is through God and God alone that we can develop an attitude that reflects our confidence in our Father. God is the only one who can properly equip us for the storm. We are sinnersweak ones at thatand the boldness required to take a risk is given to us from God. Such strength cannot simply be found within ourselves- only God can deliver it.

One of my favorite stories in the Bible takes place in Matthew 14, when Peter and the disciples are on the boat in the midst of a horrific storm and they see Jesus walking on water.

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone,  and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret.  And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him  and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed. (Matthew 14:22-36 NASB)

Two major things occur in Matthew 14. First, we see that Peter takes a risk by stepping out onto the water when he had no knowledge of what would happen. We also discover Peter's little faith in the Lord when he starts to sink rather than stay on top of the water. The second thing we learn is what fascinates me the most about this story, and it is this: Regardless of the little amount of faith Peter had, Jesus would have been there for him either way.

God did not punish Peter for having little faith; He rewarded him for simply taking a risk.

God reveals different things to His believers as they study His Word. Something the Lord taught me after studying Matthew 14 repeatedly is this: God does not care if you are struggling or not. He will be there for you regardless of your state of mind. When you are at your lowest, He is there for you. When you are at your highest, He is there for you.

Ladies, take risks. God will never be able to fully reveal Himself if you are not willing to step out on a limb for Him. Yes, trust is hard, and many Christians struggle with it- myself included. However, when we take a deep breath and lunge in to the air with a leap of faith for the One who took the ultimate risk for us, we find ourselves inching closer to a refreshing sense of freedom.


The more you step out of the box, the more God will reveal Himself to you. Be a risk taker.

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About the Author :

Haley Phelps is an energetic, care-free girl with a tremendous heart for Jesus and open arms that welcome everyone. She is the Vice President of Hope 4 Tomorrow, an organization aimed towards helping youth in Africa using The Gospel. She aspires to spread the love and light of Jesus everywhere she goes to everyone she meets through her everyday actions. Her time is typically spent baking, watching Disney movies, obsessing over kittens and studying that Bible.

Retire the Red Cape: How to Help People Who Are Hurting


I remember when I was four years old and received a pair of superhero pajamas (yes, girls can be superheroes too). It came with a cape attached to the back of the shirt.  I glided around the house while making whooshing sounds until I tried to “fly” off my bed and ended up hurt and crying on the floor, only to realize I was not a superhero and I had no real superpowers. 

Have you ever really wanted to save someone? The dear friend dealing with depression; the family member who is battling cancer; the loved one who cannot seem to catch a break. When we see others hurting, many of us tend to have a desire to swoop in and somehow or some way save the day Instead, however, we must retire the red superhero cape. There is only one Savior, after all, and it is not you.

Salvation comes no other way; no other name has been or will be given to us by which we can be saved, only this one. (Acts 4:12 MSG)

Watching the people we love suffer can stir up many emotions within ourselves.  I cannot stand it; I lose sleep and end up racking my brain for a solution and, when a solution does not come, I become sad and frustrated for my loved one. It is during such times that I cannot help but wonder, "What do you do when someone you love is hurting, suffering, and fighting a seemingly relentless battle?"
You can't save people, you can only love them. -Anais Nin
Love peopleLet people know they are loved and shine God's light into their lives, even when it is difficult or it does not seem to be sinking in.

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6 NIV) 

In addition to loving people, it is also important to be mindful of your emotions. Our emotions can be a challenge when we love someone, but being mindful of our emotional state is vital. Our presence should be calming instead of anxious or overly emotional; it should bring peace instead of chaos. Do not minimize or magnify someone's experience or suffering.  Know when to be there and when to leave.

Speak the truthSpeak love and life into those who are hurting and speak it gently (Proverbs 15:4, ESV).


You can't save people from themselves. You can only try to wake them up. -Karen Marie Moning

Allow God to work in the lives of His children. Often times, people must face emotional things one on one with God. Do not impede the process by trying to make a shortcut that God never intended for someone to take. People may need to face their hurts directly with God and, often times, this is an extremely difficult process. With this in mind, what you may think is helping someone may actually be harming them. God sees the future and we only see the present, so allow God to do what He does best; heal, love and direct. God reminds us that He has those we love, those we are worried about, those that we cannot help but desperately want to. Leave the end results to Him. 

Focus on listening instead of fixing. You can be there for someone without actually trying to control or fix their situation or circumstances. You know you are fulfilling the role of the listener when you do not feel emotionally drained by listening and loving them. Loving and listening to someone should not leave you feeling drained. There will certainly be times where we become a witness to another’s pain and battles, but when we are secure in who God is and what He can do, we will not become entangled in their pain or circumstances. 

Pray for them. Intercessory prayer is the act of praying to God on behalf of others. We are called and needed to stand in the gap. If possible, pray with multiple people.


Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. (Matthew 18:19 NIV)


The older I become, the more I realize that I must retire the red superhero cape I once wore. In my times of weakness and impatience, I try and pull the cape out and put it back on, only to fall when I try to fly. I am thankful that I do not have the responsibility of saving people. Because of this, my life is more freeing and safe.

"Not all superheroes wear capes...mine wore a cross."




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About the Author :

Leilani is a single mom to a beautiful 4 year old little girl. She is in love with the Creator of the stars. Her mission is simple yet so big, to encourage and bring Jesus to all in need. To bring hope by loving people, writing, photography, music, poetry/spoken word and meeting people right where they are. God's Grace is her air.

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