LaNora Means Ministries
Stories develop over a lifetime. From the moment we get up in the
morning to the time we go to bed at night, there are countless
possibilties that could occur. That is why a person definitely needs
to be in The Lord’s care everyday. It is so important to give your
whole life in surrender to the way of Jesus that you may be in the
protection that He offers.
In my sermon, “Reaching For The Master’s Hand”, My heart was
touched to discuss faith and healing in such a way to help those
realize that no matter what is going on in the body, God’s Hand
of mercy is there with our faith reaching out to Him in such a way
of desperation acknowledging that He alone can intervene in a
seemingly hopeless situation. The Spirit of The Lord moved upon
me in such a way to bring out the fact that it is not truly things or
even ideas that has any power other than The mighty move of the
Holy Spirit Who has all authority for a Divine Touch of His grace
offered and His mercy extended to us in such a time of need.
I relate my life to a time when I almost would have died had not
The Lord brought a healing in such a way that kept me tightly in
His care to live and share His wonderful news of healing and
restoration beyond what anyone could have imagined. I praise
God to the fact that His purposes in my life to preach and teach
His Word gave me hope to go on.
It is important to know that God loves you no matter what you
have faced. He gives strength beyond human reasoning.
Trust in Him for healing today!
As I was praying for the leading of The Holy Spirit for my next
sermon, I began to think about the structure of our lives and
how The Lord wants to work within our hearts in such a way
that we would have a renewed outlook giving us a chance to
live a more victorious life that is more pleasing in His sight.
In order for us to desire a closer walk with Him, we much first
pray for His guidance to help us make better decisions for the
upcoming year.
In times of grief, it may seem that God doesn’t care about our
situation; but even in that state of mind, God not only cares, He
also understands the frail heart. In knowing His Word, imagine
how grieved He feels, when we don’t put our full trust in His
promises. In my sermon, “WE SHALL COME FORTH!”, I felt led
to express, that even when delays make us feel that all is
hopeless, God , in His ultimate control, gives us our hope
through the reassuring Words Jesus gave us.
He made us alive now by His grace in salvation to live by
that kindness in the believing faith; that, even if we would not
see the fullness of a complete healing in this life (due to
death of this earthly body as we know it), He will give us
a translated body to live forevermore with Him!
The Sincere Word of God spoken is truth. That truth received
brings life through His Spirit. That life lived in His Spirit brings
hope for eternal life. In that eternal life, we will forever rejoice
in His presence.
God gave us His best, Jesus. Give Him your best, your life, by
living for Him. You will then be truly blessed with eternal life
to come.
In the first part of “Fruitfruits”, the expression God provided
was one of realization of The Holy Spirit’s true work, transforming
lives to be lived seriously and completely before Him, so that
we may partake of all His Goodness that He alone bestows!
The giving of ourselves in what we do in the work of The Lord
should be of an attitude of humbleness. For one day we will
give an account of just how well we handled what He gave us.
Watch my second part of “Firstfruits”. Listen closely of how
God deals with a heart to offer Him the fullest of obedience
in every area. Then take a close look at “Living Today In Christ
Jesus”. Watching and listening attentively and entirely to the
whole thing (Song, Sermon, Prayers). You may notice how
transforming a life in total obedience in every area brings a
greater victory to one’s life. Always realize that intercessory
prayer is an act of reconciliation that brings a true mediation
that God brings to settle our broken hearts in a mending
process on to an even greater victory ahead!
Living our lives in The genuine love of Christ Jesus our Lord
guarantees a secure standing in not only peace by The Holy
Spirit’s presence; but also, it enables us to have a firm stead-
fastness to remain faithful to Him in this race of life we run.
With each passing day we are closer to finishing this race of
life. In “Run The Race Well”, God dealt with my heart to realize
that although there is fraility in our lives, we need to determine
to persevere through every trial. God gives us the ability by The
Holy Spirit’s comfort to continue to persevere in a steadfast
manner that we may continue to mature in a pleasing way,
keeping the love of Jesus deep inside that we may be blame-
less before God to radiate His love in sincerity without
hypocrisy in The truth of The Gospel.
No victories gained in this life could be lasting apart from what
The Lord Jesus did for us. God’s plan through Jesus gave us every
reason to walk in victory! How? We are overcomers by the
assurance that living in Him gives us our hope, that no matter
what befalls us in this life, it doesn’t tear apart His love towards us.
Although the crushing blows in a world full of turmoil, His unfailing
love remains intact. With all the pressures we face today, our
committment should be to a faithful work and reliance upon
God for His help. Having an unshakable faith gives us stabiltiy
and grows us into a maturity to understand His extraordinary
forgiveness. In “Nothing Can Separate”, Realizing Jesus Christ’s
love in our hearts by The Holy Spirit’s presence within and the
cleansing work He does in our lives by His forgivesness grows us
into His grace that we may therefore also show an example of
forgiveness to others. We also will someday see a surpassing
victory ahead standing in God’s presence. Thank God for The
Holy Spirit’s work within lives today! “Therefore, my dear
brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling
in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the
Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58 CSB)
Have you ever questioned your efforts as to what you desire
to see in result of the energy you put out to complete something
in your life? Although this question may seem somewhat complex,
due to the fact that everyone has different goals, the answer differs
from person to person. One thing is certain for true success in a
life that can be genuinely fulfilled, and that is a reliance on the strength
that comes from God alone. With a hope filled expectation in a future
God has planned, and an active faith by waiting upon God, you should
give Him the best you can with what you have deep inside of yourself.
With The Holy Spirit’s presence upon your life, one could never go wrong
by giving Him all The Glory for everything He does within a heart
and life in the excitement that the outcome will be to forever
rejoice in His presence someday all together giving praise to His
Name! Watch “Courageous And Expectant Endurace”.
Disobedience to trust in God’s promises of His grace hinders the ability to
enter into that rest He provided. Then, if it is that vital to acquire the blessings
by listening to His Word, how much more important it is to heed that
Word promptly, by realizing God’s power to the very breath of His Spirit
that He places within, that sees to the very deepest part of our nature.
The good news of His grace needs to be heeded in order to someday
enter into that perfect rest. I pray that my sermon entitled, “God Knows All”,
will help with an awareness that He places the very breath in our bodies;
by believing in Him with acceptance to what He gave us, His Spirit
resides in our lives to use in a skilful way to live our lives pleasing Him
in order that we will someday enter into that everlasting rest.
In Matthew chapter twelve verse thirty-six, Jesus says, “…every idle word
that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of
judgment.” In the New American Standard Version, the word “idle” is
rendered “careless”, “Careless” words. Just think, what is grown in the
heart with the cultivation of thought produces either good or bad words
spoken that could lead to action taken. Those words will either free one
from guilt or else will bring condemnation upon. Being aware of how
serious this is before God, should make one decide to think carefully
before saying anything. A person walking in the trueness of The Holy
Spirit through the grace of Jesus will not only never want to bring a
reproach to His Name, that person would never want to use the type
of filthy language that has the meaning or jestures that denotes
immoral conduct or lifestyle unbecoming to a Christian life. Therefore,
it is of utmost importance that one take a serious amount of time in
prayer, asking God to examine one’s heart before Him, allowing Him
to search through and through to bring a conviction of heart and mind
to be centered on pleasing Him. Then, whenever one is pricked by
conscience to really want to make a change, God gives the added
strength needed in times of distress to persevere in the trying times
to watch one’s tongue and use it with thankfulness and the heart of
love in order that all glory and honor goes to Him as testimony of the victory
He has given. Then one can expect every blessing of His love that He has
bestowed for a fruit filled life and expectant hope with Him forever!
Take the time to watch my sermon entiltled, “Watch Your Words”.
Over the centuries GOD’s people have suffered much for what is held
fast in the WORD of His promises. When there was rebellion that hindered
the blessings that He intended, there was a sure punishment; that, instead
of enjoying His blessings in those promises, the rebellion caused conflict
that often resulted in hinderances that lasted quite a long time, including
the captivity which lasted as long as it did according to what the Scriptures
stated. The innocent was affected along with the guilty; but, that did not
shake the faith of those firmly trusting in prayer and assurance that GOD
would strengthen, help, and deliver them. (for they knew His Word
and the promises contained in it.) Repentance for evil, petition to Him to
answer prayer, and desperation coupled with anguish in the struggle to
receive awareness was answered with assurance that GOD hears and
answers according to what He had already promised.
The ones taken captive, who stood strongly in the truth of GOD’s
prophetic Word did not waver in committment to serve Him and Him
alone. With reliance upon GOD and not worldly ways, they were
delivered from the evils even at the possibilty of losing their lives in
the process; for, they trusted in that greater hope to come in the
plan GOD has in the resurrection of the body that could only be
possible through what JESUS did to extend eternal life in His true
kingdom that far exeeds earthly expectation.
So it is with the child of GOD today to have that assurance that GOD
hears and answers those who believe, knowing that greater hope to come
in that WORD of promise given through the shed blood of JESUS CHRIST,
(Who gave us greater victory ahead in the resurrection of the body that we
will forever live in the presence of the ONE WHO gave His life for us), Who
arose from the grave giving us our hope that we could not be taken
captive in sin’s grip and the enemy could never cause any separation
that would exile us from The Presence of GOD and His Kingdom that
will forever exist while all the earthly kingdoms of this world and their
systems crumble. Let us therefore put our full trust in The Holy Spirit
that comforts our hearts in that blessed hope to come, knowing that we
will reunite with those who have trusted and already went on before us,
acknowledging that we will forever rejoice in His Presence together!
I pray that not only this I wrote will bless your heart; but the sermon
compatible that GOD layed upon my feeble frame of existence to preach
in “The Sovereignty of GOD!” will bring a deeper blessing in how GOD
helps and strengthens in every way.
The times that we wait for answers from the Lord may often seem
prolonged, due to some unseen circumstance; but, God hears us the
first time that we cry out to Him in the sincerity of our petition to Him
and is actually working things out beyond ways that our human mind
could fully comprehend at that particular time. Even through special
revelation that GOD has showed throughout His Word is proof enough
that we are to trust and believe Him for what He says. For He has shown
time and time again that He is faithful to His promises. We could not
fully understand His Holiness in light of our fraility and unworthiness.
It is very important to learn from the Holy Scriptures how that iniquity
and rebellion lead to bondage in turn hindering one living in those
sinful practices from experiencing the blessings that God wants to
pour out in the abundance of His mercy. It is when an acknowledgment
is made and a determination set, (that brings not only a full awareness to
the sinful consequences, but true repentance to turn away from what
is wrong and trust in what is right) that one is assured of the hope to
come in the healing and blessings bestowed that is not desevered in
the first place.
The LORD our FATHER, WHO IS above all, Whom we seek,
answers according to His timing not our own, and by abiding in the
nourishment of the love He gave us through His SON, (JESUS CHRIST
our Lord and Savior), we grow into maturity and can petition Him
by the name of Jesus . With The Holy Spirit residing in our hearts,
we know that what we ask is assured of in the blessings that He
wants to bestow. Watch “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS”
and be blessed!
What one might call in terms of a “friend” in this life may not
always be as close as one would expect; because, there is failure
and fraility in human nature that is often disappointing and even
to some point heartbreaking when losses occur. But, turning to JESUS
as the dearest friend that one could have brings not only the peace
we need, but also the greater expectation of the hope within, that
brings about a deeper relationship than anything that this world
could extend through the good times, when all goes well for us, and
through the bad times, when our lives seem to take a turn for the
worst. Whenever we commit ourselves to His trust, we will want to
wholeheartedly have our thoughts centered in His Ways, and by
getting acquainted with His Word, that makes it possible for
us to get to know Him better, as His Spirit speaking to our hearts
leads the way to our thoughts to pattern our lives after His example.
As His Word going forth in the spreading of the Gospel, so the
lingering in His Presence is vital for the Christian life through The
HOLY SPIRIT doing the work so as for us to realize the deepest
friendship is the life lived before GOD that brings about the love
of JESUS shown in our actions to others and in turn reflects His
goodness to those who need the comfort that only His mighty
love could show in the pleasing way He would have us to be.
Then looking again at our attitude before a Just and Holy
GOD, we can conclude that our friendship is to be understood
as in union as what He gave us through CHRIST JESUS our LORD!
And we are to respect Him in the light as what He gave, as His
Word brought forth that we are to proclaim is not ourselves or
of ourselves but of GOD’s precious SON, JESUS in whom we have
our answer of friendship in respect of His goodness to us. As clear
as GOD spoke into existence light, (see Genesis 1:3) He has lighted
the way for us by illuminating our hearts with the knowledge of His
glory “in the face of Jesus Christ.” (see 2 Corinthians 4:6). Therefore,
we ought to have the behavior as befitting to a Christian in reverence
to GOD in all due respect to CHRIST JESUS that we may be prepared to
give an answer to those who inquire of that reason of the hope we
have in Him. (see 1 Peter 3:15-16) all the while exhibiting a demeanor
that bears the quality that displays Christian character.
In everything GOD gave to us, we are to acknowledge His greatness
and be thankful for His grace. And as we respect Him in service to His
authority, we should trust Him as our dearest friend who holds every
answer to every question we could ever think to ask, for He alone holds
everything by His mighty power! Watch, “Face to Face With GOD’s Presence”,
and be blessed and let the glory of GOD’s Love transform your life!
The seasons of life may leave one feeling disheartened and empty
of meaning; whether by actual circumstances or thought, it happens
to everyone at various points of life. It is in these times that our faith
is put to the greatest test in trust to GOD to intervene. He alone is the
One Who can extend the greatest peace. With a mindset to focus on
what JESUS has done, the countenance should portray the victory of
meaning given by the hope that He works everything for the good of
our lives. We can be assured the direction of The HOLY SPIRIT holds all
the comfort to follow His work of love that should reflect off the heart
in truth and sincerity in order to be a blessing to others. Then along
life’s way, we may see the benefit of our labors, reaping a bountiful
reward of maturity that grows and flourishes into a refreshing
abundance with a continual love that is pleasing in GOD’s sight!
So be reminded that in the bleakest and darkest of any night season
of turmoil, the light of the love of JESUS shining forth from the heart
gives the radiance of glow of goodness that holds the greatest blessing
of a better future awaiting. Watch “Don’t Take The Grace Of GOD Lightly”,
and see how GOD can transform your mind in a renewed way!
There are giant-sized problems in this life that affect the whole being.
The acknowledgment that GOD can protect and keep, defending lives
from injustice, should stimulate a prayer life with continued victory and
thankfulness in what JESUS did to make it all possible. By petitioning
GOD’s help, He fights the battles, even dealing with persecution. Drawing
on His WORD of hope, He is willing to defend against those attacks by arising
to rescue through The HOLY SPIRIT’s guidance and comfort. JESUS interceded
giving the greatest deliverance in a freedom beyond what is even deserved
anyway, so worry should be out of the question, when trust in Him is applied.
He strengthens in a solid and stable way all the while contending with rivals
who have mind-sets of destruction. For all that is faced in this life, with an
earnest appeal made before The Just and Holy ONE to intervene, there is
reassurance that He takes notice of every situation and knows just what to
do in every circumstance! Watch “GOD FIGHTS ALL OUR BATTLES! “ and
shout in victory with response to His help.
It may seem hard to put up with the testings that we go through
here in this life, but as the progression of time opens up toward the
the rapture of the church, the events to come will be unbearable for
those who are left to deal with the extreme horrifying events of the
Tribulation period, especially the Great Tribulation where tragedies
are at the worst that anyone has ever seen before. GOD’s Word of
justice certainly stands correct to the entirety of truth. It is especially
important to listen and learn the principles GOD has set for us to
live the life we should before Him in JESUS. The HOLY SPIRIT gives
the ability for us to be guided by His Spirit and heed the words
of JESUS in order for our lives to flourish and mature into the right
lifesyle that is becoming of a Christian. While reading and studying
The Holy Bible, you will notice throughout what others have went
through involving persecution that GOD’s people endured and
even those who have given their lives for the sake of the Gospel
of JESUS CHRIST.
Oh, it is worth it all to one day stand before GOD, praising Him
for everything that He has done for us, that we might rejoice in His
presence forevermore! Watch “THE TRYING OF YOUR FAITH” and
thank GOD for His prompting to obey Him with your life!
The evils that pervade this earth is frightening. That is why it is
important to acknowledge how necessary it is to stay in tune with
GOD’s Word. In this, we see all throughout Scripture what His
prophets warned about and those events that took place escalating
today to even a greater intensity due to the approaching day of
Christ’s return in judgment upon the earth. We need to have our
minds alert and our hearts open to what JESUS has done for us by
knowing that in First Thessalonians 5:9, it states “For God hath not
appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus
Christ.” Even with the atrocities we see happening and hear about,
those in JESUS need to take courage, pray for GOD’s mercy, and
remind those in GOD to stay true to His Word, seeking Him for help
and strength to persevere in these terrible times.
There are those right now facing devastation in ways that is
incomprehensible as to how such demonic activity would get into
minds to do the most evil and cruel acts of violence. For those
suffering right this very moment over losses, the grieving is
unbearable and prayer is needed continuously for those involved
with devastation to turn to GOD and what He did in JESUS for the
comfort that only the HOLY SPIRIT can bring to those broken of heart
through what they are deaiing with. There are often no words of
comfort, for the agonizing events are beyond comprehension.
It is especially important in this time to understand that JESUS is
that Rock of safety and in Him we are to trust! Standing strong
upon the firm foundation of JESUS in Whom the chief cornerstone
holds all the weight of every care you may be dealing with this very
moment. Hide in Him, for He knows exactly what you are going
through this very moment, and His very tears of love for you to seek
Him in your distress are there that you may trust Him in ways of
deliverance beyond what your human reasoning can discern of at
this time. It is important to remember the words of JESUS and the
comfort of His Spirit that reminds us of what He stated about the
temple of His body (See John 2:19-22). In accordance to this is the
promise of “…being raised incorruptible..”, and so looking at a
passage in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, and in focus of verses 51-55.
Take the time to watch “His Warnings Are Clear!”, and may GOD
stir your heart to see and understand what all is taking place
right before our eyes! LaNora G. Means
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