Learning How to Rebuild Your Life “Regaining Your Faith”/0 Comments/in /by

Today Is a Day of New Beginnings!

We are about to enter into a new season. We are in a new time change and a new process of time. I believe God has been preparing us for the winter season, to embrace another level of faith in Him.
Do you believe God is challenging you? Is He stretching you to trust Him, like never before? I truly believe that God is up to something GREAT, and it includes us! I feel the Spirit of Increase in the atmosphere, and God is not only shifting you into purpose, but favor has been multiplied upon the saints. (I Kings 17)
I Kings 17 represents a transition of faith; both for the prophet and the widow woman. I want to encourage you that God has no respect of person. When you give out of obedience, God will always cover you and bless you. God is directing you to your place of abundance. His blessings also come with instructions.

God gave Elijah three instructions:
1. “Get thee hence”. Your next blessing will require movement, God will challenge you to leave some comfort zones.
2. “Go Eastward”. God is going to give you Divine Direction to your opportunity.
3. “Hide thyself by the brook”. There are times when isolation is only a temporary place for God to build your faith. God will hide you, so that you will not take the wrong people into your next place of greatness.

These 3 minor steps challenged the prophet. Through his obedience, we can glean that our perception of God must be greater than our circumstances. God is challenging you to Believe in His Word.

The Prophet would drink from a brook, but God would provide food from ravens. This is so encouraging when you see God and man working together. God is going to supply your needs through unfamiliar channels. I believe that even in your tight places, God is commanding resources to come to you. The brook and the ravens represent temporary provision. In this season of trusting God, do not allow yourself to become comfortable or make a temporary place of sustainability stunt your expectation for greater. After that season was over, Elijah had to be shifted again to leave and go find a widow woman, who God had already instructed to bless him.

In this next season of your life, people, places, and connections have already been assigned to you. This is not a season that you have to fight to be blessed. God is rewarding your faith and how you trusted Him in tough times. Tough times do not outlast tough individuals! This is a season that the momentum of believing God and the Word that He spoke to you is coming to pass; suddenly! God is connecting you to bring you into a lifetime of favor. Not only will your blessing increase, but the avenues that bless you will also experience the Hand of God. We are entering a realm of blessings that we’ve not experienced before.

Amos 9:13 declares, “Behold, the days come, saith The Lord , that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.”

Rebuild your faith, regain your expectation, do not get stuck in your transition, and see and confess that things are turning in your favor. My prayer for you is that you will not be moved by what you see, neither by what you feel, but only by what you Believe.

We Believe God!
Pastor Clinton House

Black History Month & Sickle Cell Anemia/0 Comments/in /by

Although September is recognized as Sickle Cell Awareness Month; MFM shines light upon Sickle Cell Anemia (specifically the sickle cell trait) in recognition of Black History Month.  Sickle cell trait is an inherited blood disorder that affects between 90,000 – 100,000 Americans and approximately 8-10 percent of African Americans. About 1 in 13 African American babies is born with the sickle cell trait. Sickle cell trait can also affect Hispanics, South Asians, Caucasians from southern Europe, and people from Middle Eastern countries. More than 100 million people worldwide have sickle cell trait.

Unlike sickle cell disease, in which patients have two genes that cause the production of abnormal hemoglobin (the substance in red blood cells that helps carry oxygen), individuals with sickle cell trait carry only one defective gene and typically live normal lives without health problems related to sickle cell. Sickle cell trait is not a disease; it means that he or she carries or has inherited a single copy of the gene that causes sickle cell disease.

It is very important for couples desiring to have children to make sure they ask each other important health questions; including, but not limited to, do you have sickle cell or the sickle cell trait? For me this is a personal testimony, as I was already married and did not ask my spouse any health questions.  I was pregnant when our doctor asked my husband and I did we have any form of sickle cell.  I vaguely remembered as a little girl my mother telling me I had sickle cell trait but I never understood what it meant until I became pregnant. I never asked my husband if he had any form of sickle cell nor did I tell him I had the trait.  If my husband and I both had sickle cell trait, it was possible that our child would have sickle cell. Upon testing, he did not have any form of sickle cell.

Sickle cell anemia symptoms can begin by four months of age; early diagnosis is critical.  All newborns in the United States are now tested for the disease.

It is important for you to talk to your doctor, especially if you believe you may have sickle cell anemia.  If you carry the sickle cell trait, make sure you tell your doctor before getting pregnant as well.

Information taken from: http://www.hematology.org/Patients/Anemia/Sickle-Cell.

 

So You Want to File for Bankruptcy?/0 Comments/in /by

Bankruptcy is the legal process that gives a debtor acting in good faith a “fresh financial start” by eliminating most of the debtor’s debts, and repays creditors in an orderly manner to the extent the debtor has available property.

The filing of a bankruptcy petition triggers an “automatic stay” that prevents creditors from collecting debts. Most creditors cannot take any action during the course of an open bankruptcy without permission of the court. Notably, filing bankruptcy will:

* Stop bill collectors from calling.

* Stop wages from being garnished.

* Stop most pending civil court proceedings.

* Temporarily stop foreclosures and possibly delay evictions.

Once a bankruptcy is successfully completed, most of a person’s debt is permanently erased (“discharged”). This means creditors cannot collect on the discharged debt.   Once you’ve decided that bankruptcy is the right solution for your financial situation, you will need to decide which type of bankruptcy if most beneficial.  If you are an individual or small business owner, then your most obvious choices are Chapter 7 “liquidation’ bankruptcy or Chapter 13 “wage earners” or “reorganization” bankruptcy.

A Chapter 7 bankruptcy is often referred to as a “liquidation” bankruptcy. This type of bankruptcy cancels most ordinary consumer debt and allows the debtor to keep certain “exempt” property.  However, you may have to surrender some property.  A bankruptcy trustee may collect and sell your nonexempt money and assets, and then use the proceeds to pay your creditors. Any remaining balances owed to those creditors are discharged.  People who file Chapter 7 are usually low income earners with few assets to protect.  Chapter 7 is designed primarily to help eliminate overwhelming debt. Chapter 7 will not permanently stop a pending foreclosure or car repossession. To keep a car or house in Chapter 7, you must be able to keep making the regular payment. Chapter 7 can be helpful for car owners who want to stop paying a car loan and surrender the car. It also helps homeowners by eliminating the balance due on their mortgages after foreclosure.

A Chapter 13 bankruptcy provides a “reorganization” of debts by allowing the debtor to either partially or fully repay debts through a three- to five-year repayment plan. Chapter 13 allows you to keep some or all of your property. In exchange, you must pay the trustee all of your monthly disposable income for three to five years, and the trustee in turn pays your creditors. Upon successful completion of a Chapter 13, your remaining dischargeable debts are eliminated.  The total of payments over the three to five years must be enough to pay at least the full amount of all mortgage arrears, back taxes, payments for retained secured items, child support and spousal support arrears, and a trustee fee.

Tanika M. Capers, Esq. 

Disclaimer:  This information is provided for general purposes only and is not meant to constitute legal advice.  Legal advice is dependent upon the specific circumstances of each situation and provides an analysis of the last commensurate with the facts of the situation.  MFM accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided herein.

Money Matters-Can You Really Afford It?”/0 Comments/in /by
J.D. Rockefeller, one of the wealthiest men that every lived, once said, “I believe that every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a duty.”
This is how we need to look at money; with purpose, with possibility, and with function.  Money has three basic roles.  We should use it to save, invest, and everybody’s favorite, to spend.  Spending money is fun and there is nothing wrong with having fun spending money……..as long as it is healthy spending!  And a person that has healthy spending habits stays within their means and knows what they really can afford.  Do you know what you can afford?  What does it really mean when people say, “…I can afford it!”
A lot of times, when we say or hear the words, “I can afford it,” what they really mean is, “I can make the payments.”  But the two things are not the same!  In fact, they are in opposition.  First of all, when one chooses to make payments, they are creating an obligation for themselves.  Or in other words, a debt is created!  How can you become debt-free if you keep accumulating debt?  You can’t! Secondly, most of the time people choose to make payments because they can’t afford to make the purchase with cash.  Next time you’re faced with the option, test yourself and ask, “If I can really afford it, why do I need to make payments?  Why don’t I just pay cash for it and own it?”  The ugly truth is we have come to believe that if we can make the payments we can afford it (whatever “it” is) and the world of marketing does everything in its power to reinforce this false belief.  For example, have you ever been to a car dealership and regardless of what you tell the salesman about how much you intend to spend you were asked, “What kind of payments are you looking for?”  There is a reason for this.  It is because when you opt to make payments, you will pay for that “convenience”.  And how much you pay for the “convenience” of making payments, many times, shows up in the interest rates and the terms on the financing.  That is how finance companies make a profit; by conveniently selling you debt!  Isn’t that so nice of them?!
I know what some of you are thinking. “But what if I can make payments at 0% interest?”  I have two responses for you.  First, you are probably over paying for the item!  That is why you can buy a brand new car and get financing at a 0% interest rate.  It is because depreciation and obsolescence have not taken affect and eroded the value of the car (nor the profits for the seller).  The profit from selling a car reduces as the car ages.  That’s why you can’t buy a used car at 0% interest!  Since money is not made from initial pricing, it has to be made from the financing and fees.  Secondly, if your 0% interest rate is for a limited time, financiers know that the chances are the balance will not be cleared in time and the borrower will be charged interest.  Otherwise, it wouldn’t be profitable and they would be losing money.  And they are not in the business to lose money!
Biblically speaking, wealth is gained by working hard over time (Proverbs 10:4), and we work too hard for our money to spend it unwisely or frivolously.  And over paying for items and exercising poor spending habits work against our ability to build wealth.  We really can’t afford to be unwise with our money!  The wealthy and wise are careful not to overspend, and avoid payments even if it looks like they can “afford the payments.” Dave Ramsey once said, “If you exercise rich people habits long enough, you will eventually build wealth like rich people.”  So why don’t we start doing the same and watch our net worth accumulate?
Reset, Refresh, Refocus/0 Comments/in /by

He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up
with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Isaiah 40:29-31 kjv
My prayer is that you will allow God to minister to your hearts,  help build your faith, motivate your desire and push you into your purpose. In a time and season where it appears that the world’s systems are divided and chaotic, we the people of God must be determined to keep our eyes on the True and Living God. I believe this year will be the beginning of great things to come.
This year we will RESET, REFRESH and REFOCUS.
As I look into Mark 8, I see seeds of encouragement that I hope will empower you to hold on to your confession, for whatever God has spoken in your life. Often times we are in such emotional despair that we fail to recognize that God has already set the atmosphere for our Miracle. Timing and placement are two vital strategies that we must discern. In Mark 8, Jesus was moved with compassion, and as a result, worked miracles, fed a multitude of over 4,000, and ministered to an abundance of people who his disciples advised to send away.  Just as those in the multitude, Jesus is providing you a hidden treasure in the midst of your desert!
In 2017, your hunger will be fed and God is going to move upon your little and multiply it into much.
Your miracle is hidden in unexpected resources. The bible says, “The people ate and were satisfied and afterward the disciples picked up seven baskets full of broken pieces that were left over!” God will continue to provide more than enough, increases, overflow, open windows, open doors and open opportunities.
This will be the season of your life that you will not look like what you have been lacking!
RESET and change the way you think. REFRESH and allow God to renew your strength to walk into your miracle and REFOCUS your desires to align with God’s promise for your life.
He is opening our eyes to see again!
This is the season of healing; arise to your wholeness! Your eyes will be opened and your sight will be restored. You’ve just entered into a year that will not be empty! Nothing will be wasted, limited or delayed! RESET your confession, REFRESH your determination and REFOCUS on what you know God has promised you. He has set before you an Open Heaven; nothing in your life will ever be blind again!
2017 will be our year of Full Restoration.
Refresh, Reset, Refocus!
 
A fresh supply of power
An increase of strength
Raising your expectation 
Soaring with eagles
Running, walking and soaring in the strength of the Lord
We Believe God!
Pastor Clinton House
Rest In the Lord/0 Comments/in /by

The Bible declares in Matthew 11:28,

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

 

Often times we become so overwhelmed with business, stresses of family, work, bills, and other life issues that we become wearied and exhausted. It is imperative that we center ourselves in Christ; practically, physically, mentally, and emotionally. When we operate out of balance, we operate in a fashion which is not our best. Operating in a state of imbalance causes our health to fail, relationships to suffer, and ultimately we lose more than we gain. We must humble ourselves enough to seek God; not only in times of travail, but also in times of great joy and peace. As life throws curve balls and we have ups and downs we must ask ourselves, “What is in my spiritual bank account?” You have to stir up the blessings of God, the favor of God, and the mercy of God, so that when the storm hits you can reach back into your reserve praise and declare victory in the midst of the trial.

 

Revive yourself by going back to the source which is Jesus Christ. Recharge yourself like a cell phone in His Love. We Believe God!!!

Apostle Dexter James – 3 Powerful Services/0 Comments/in /by

Jeans & Jersey’s Sunday/0 Comments/in /by

A Mind Is a Terrible Thing To Waste

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Every year, New Year resolutions are made. And every year, losing weight is one of the top five on the list. We desire to be fit or to stay fit; so, we start the new year off with health & wellness. As we exercise, our body begins to tone and muscles begin to take shape and form. Bodily exercise is a good resolution; but, does anyone think about exercising their mind as a resolution? The mind needs to be conditioned just like the body. “A mind is a terrible thing to waste,” is an educational slogan derived from the United Negro College Fund that should be a fact of life for everyone.

How a person thinks, remembers, and understands has a huge impact on their lives.  As we age, our brain begins to weaken. We need to keep our memory sharp and train our brain with regular exercises as well. Simple things such as reading, listening to music, and basic mind games can help stimulate different areas of our brain. A person can do math in their head, take cooking classes and learn a foreign language to help stimulate their brain as well.

We all need to work-out our mind daily to keep it in tip-top shape. Here are some additional tools that will help exercise the mind:

  • Crossword puzzles
  • Memorize scriptures
  • Play chess
  • Use Memory/Brain fitness apps
  • Tweak routines
  • (involve other senses like touch/smell)
  • Learn new things
  • Use the opposite hand throughout the day
  • Talk to yourself
  • Get vital sleep
  • Create word pictures
  • Take vitamins
  • (omega-3 fats, coconut oil, vitamin B12, vitamin D, probiotics),
  • and of course… Good ‘ole meditation

All of these exercises will strengthen your brain cells, sharpen your motor skills, and improve your decision-making abilities.

So for your 2017 New Year’s resolution, just don’t think about working out the body; but, work out your mind as well. Then, your soul will be strengthened in Jesus name.

 

 

Nevada Revised Statute (NRS 33.018), defines domestic violence as:

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  1. Domestic violence occurs when a person commits one of the following acts against or upon the person’s spouse or former spouse, any other person to whom the person is related by blood or marriage, any other person with whom the person is or was actually residing, any other person with whom the person has had or is having a dating relationship, any other person with whom the person has a child in common, the minor child of any of those persons, the person’s minor child or any other person who has been appointed the custodian or legal guardian for the person’s minor child:

(a) A battery. (b) An assault. (c) Compelling the other person by force or threat of force to perform an act from which the other person has the right to refrain or to refrain from an act which the other person has the right to perform. (d) A sexual assault. (e) A knowing, purposeful or reckless course of conduct intended to harass the other person. Such conduct may include, but is not limited to:

  1. Stalking.
  2. Arson.
  3. Trespassing.
  4. Larceny.
  5. Destruction of private property.
  6. Carrying a concealed weapon without a permit.
  7. Injuring or killing an animal.

(f) A false imprisonment. (g) Unlawful entry of the other person’s residence, or forcible entry against the other person’s will if there is a reasonably foreseeable risk of harm to the other person from the entry.

If you find yourself faced with any of the above scenarios, an order for protection may be for you or someone you love.  An order for protection is a written court order that is designed to stop violent and harassing behavior and to protect you and your children from the abuser. Orders for protection can also be known as protection orders or restraining orders.

There are three types of orders in Nevada: An emergency protective order is an order that you can request by telephone if you are the victim of domestic violence, and the abuser is arrested and put into jail. It lasts for up to one week until a court hearing can be held. To get an emergency protective order, you must call within 12 hours of the abuser’s arrest. Emergency protective orders are convenient because you do not have to appear in court. You can call a justice of the peace court or district court and they will issue the order over the phone and have the police serve the abuser with the order while s/he is in jail. A judge should be available 24 hours/day, 7 days/week in counties whose population is 52,000 or more; in a county with less than 52,000 people, it is optional (not mandatory) for the county to make judges available 24 hours per day.*

A temporary order for protection is an order that can be granted based on your testimony or any evidence you present to the court in your application for a temporary or extended order for protection. If a judge finds that you or your family are in danger of being harmed, s/he can grant a temporary order within 1 judicial day of receiving your application.  A temporary order can last up to 30 days.  However, if you file for an extended order at the same time that you file for the temporary order (or at any time while the temporary order is in effect), the temporary order will last until the date of your hearing for an extended order (which could be up to 45 days from the date you file for the extended order.

An extended order for protection is awarded by a judge only after a hearing in which you and the abuser each have an opportunity to present evidence and tell your different sides of the story.  An extended order lasts for up to one year.  The expiration date should be on the first page of the order.

Oftentimes, it is confusing understanding the differences between civil and criminal cases regarding domestic violence.  In a civil domestic violence action, you are asking the court to protect you from the person abusing you.  You are not asking the court to send that person to jail for committing a crime.  However, if the abuser violates the civil court order, he may be sent to jail for the violation.  In a civil case, you are the person bringing the case against the abuser and (in most circumstances), you have the right to withdraw (drop) the case if you want to.

The criminal law system handles all cases that involve violations of criminal law such as harassment, assault, murder, theft, etc.  A criminal complaint involves the abuser being charged with a crime.  In a criminal case, the prosecutor (also called the district attorney) is the one who has control over whether the case against the abuser continues or not.  It is the county/state who has brought the case against the abuser, not the victim.  It is possible that if you do not want the case to continue (if you do not want to “press charges”), the prosecutor might decide to drop the criminal charges but this is not necessarily true.  The prosecutor can also continue to prosecute the abuser against your wishes and could even issue a subpoena (a court order) to force you to testify at the trial.

To obtain an Order of protection, the correct forms must be filed with the appropriate Court. A Judge reviews the application for the Protective Order and does one of three things; the Judge 1) Signs the Order granting protection; 2) Denies the Order and does NOT grant protection; or 3) Orders a hearing to determine whether the Order should be granted.  Once a Judge signs an Order of protection and dependent upon the type of Order granted, the Adverse Party may need to be notified before the Order goes into effect.

For additional assistance please contact an attorney, The Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada or the Family Division of the District Court where you reside.