Do You Want a Reward?

by Tonya Ruiz

As I listened to the conference speaker encourage us to serve the Lord by picking up after our spouses, I wondered if my husband had secretly paid her. Upon arriving home, I immediately noticed his shoes lying on the living room floor.

Knowing I was being tested, I swooped down, gathered them in my arms and deposited them where they belonged. Six months and hundreds of trips to the closet later, I asked my husband, “Have you noticed that I’ve been picking up your shoes without complaining?” With an astonished look on his face he questioned, “When have I ever left my shoes out?” I laughed out loud and said, “It’s a good thing I was serving the Lord, and not you, or I’d be hopping mad.”

How often do our good deeds go unnoticed? Sometimes, it seems our lives are right out of the movie “Groundhog Day,” where the same events are lived over and over again. We just get the house reasonably clean, catch up on the mountain of laundry, and wash the endless dishes, only to wake up the next morning and start all over again. I don’t expect a pat on the back, or special recognition for everything I do, but it’s comforting to know that God sees my efforts. He knows our hearts, and He is the one we should seek to please. Whatever you are doing, no matter how mundane the task, pray that God will give you the strength to do it to His glory.

Have you ever watched the Academy Awards? The movie stars step out of their stretch limousines and onto the red carpet. Beautiful evening gowns designed by legendary fashion designers such as Dior, Valentino and Armani hang on the beautiful actresses. Winners are announced, and with surprised looks on their faces, they accept their Oscars, and tearfully say “Thank You” to an endless list of people.
My chances of ever winning an Oscar are about the same as my becoming a rocket scientist. It’s just not going to happen. However, there is an award I might win; perhaps I watched too much Twilight Zone growing up, but imagine with me, if you will, an Eternal Awards ceremony in Heaven…

Standing on the curb, broadcasting live, the announcer says, “This doesn’t seem to be the usual flashy crowd, not much glitz or glamour, but the faces do seem to have a certain glow. The nominees are walking down the red carpet, not in designer dresses, but in garments of salvation and robes of righteousness. White seems to be the trend this year.”

Inside the theater, a hush falls over the audience as the sealed envelopes are opened.

And the winners are…

“Best Visual Performance Award goes to: the Sunday School teachers who make Bible stories come alive to millions of young children through the use of songs, stories and flannel boards.”

“Best Art Director Award goes to: the mother, who encourages her young kids to color within the lines, keep the finger paint on the paper and the play-dough out of the carpet.”

“Best Supporting Actress Award goes to: the employee who smiles and laughs at her boss’ boring stories and corny jokes, week after week, and year after year.”

“Best Costume Design and Make-up Award goes to: The crew in charge of the annual Christmas pageants. They turn wiggling children into a beautiful living nativity scene.”

“Best Foreign Language Award goes to: the missionaries and Bible translators who diligently serve God far away from the comforts of home and family.”

“Best Circus Performance goes to: the mother who juggles a baby on her hip, while making spaghetti sauce for dinner, talking on the phone and disciplining a toddler.”

“Best Musical Score goes to: the worshipper, who will never be famous or make a CD, but in the confines of her car, sings praises to the Lord, with wholehearted devotion.”

“Special Achievement Award goes to: those who make extraordinary efforts to serve God. Through illness, persecution and pain, they march on toward the high calling of Christ.”

“Honorary Award goes to: Christians who glorify God in their ordinary, daily lives by showing the love of Jesus to others in their offices, schools, homes and neighborhoods.”

As the ceremony ends and God presents each winner with their bejeweled golden crowns, He says, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

I Corinthians 9:25 – “And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.”

-Tonya Ruiz

Basic Introduction to Soul Ties

Home > Basic Introduction to Soul Ties
What a soul tie is

The Bible speaks of what is today known as soul ties. In the Bible, it doesn’t use the word soul tie, but it speaks of them when it talks about souls being knit together, becoming one flesh, etc. A soul tie can serve many functions, but in it’s simplest form, it ties two souls together in the spiritual realm. Soul ties between married couples draw them together like magnets, while soul ties between fornicators can draw a beaten and abused woman to the man which in the natural realm she would hate and run from, but instead she runs to him even though he doesn’t love her, and treats her like dirt. In the demonic world, unholy soul ties can serve as bridges between two people to pass demonic garbage through. I helped a young man not too long ago break free from downright awful visitations from demons, all due to an ungodly soul tie he had with a witch. The man was a Christian, and the only thing that allowed her to send demonic torment his way, is through the soul tie. Other soul ties can do things such as allow one person to manipulate and control another person, and the other person is unaware to what is going on or knows what is going on, but for no real reason, allows it to continue.

How soul ties are formed

I believe there are other ways which soul ties are formed, but here are some that I am aware of.

Sexual relations: Godly soul ties are formed when a couple are married (Ephesians 5:31, “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.”, and the Godly soul tie between a husband and the wife that God intended him to have is unbreakable by man (Mark 10:7-9). However, when a person has ungodly sexual relations with another person, an ungodly soul tie is then formed (1 Corinthians 6:16, “What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.”. This soul tie fragments the soul, and is destructive. People who have many past relationships find it very difficult to ‘bond’ or be joined to anybody, because their soul is fragmented.

Close relationships: King David and Jonathan had a good soul tie as a result of a good friendship (1 Samuel 18:1, “And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.”, but bad soul ties can form from bad relationships as well. Idolizing somebody can cause a bad soul tie.

I have heard too that you can create a soul tie with a rock group by becoming obsessed with their music. Which explains the strong pull towards certain music that seems almost irresistible.

Vows, commitments and agreements: Vows are known to bind the soul (Numbers 30:2), marriage itself consists of vows and binds the two people together (Ephesians 5:31), therefore I have little reason to overlook the concept of vows or commitments as being a means to create a soul tie.

How to break a soul tie

1. If any sins were committed to cause this soul tie, repent of them! Fornication is perhaps one of the most common ways to create nasty soul ties.

2. If gifts were given to you by the other person in connection with the sin or unholy relationship, such as rings, flowers, cards, bras, etc. I would get rid of them! Such things symbolize the ungodly relationship, and can hold a soul tie in place. If you are still friends or in a relationship (just now it’s no longer an ungodly relationship), like say a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship, except you’ve repented of and forsaken the unholy practices you used to do in your relationship, then I don’t feel it is necessary to destroy all the gifts and things that you have been given. I would still encourage you to get rid of anything that symbolizes the ungodly practices in the relationship though, such as if a guy gives a girl a bra and panties with his initials on them during fornication. I wouldn’t encourage you to hang on to such things that symbolize sin or that are wrong to give each other before marriage. Things such as flowers and love letters given during an adultery should be destroyed.

3. Any rash vows or commitments made that played a part in forming the soul tie should be renounced and repented of, and broken in Jesus’ name. Even things like “I will love you forever”, or “I could never love another man!” need to be renounced. They are spoken commitments that need to be undone verbally. As Proverbs 21:23 tells us, “Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.” The tongue has the ability to bring the soul great troubles and bondage.

4. Forgive that person if you have anything against them.

5. Renounce the soul tie. Do this verbally, and in Jesus’ name. Example, “In Jesus’ name, I now renounce any ungodly soul ties formed between myself and ______ as a result of _______________ (fornication, etc.).”

6. Break the soul tie in Jesus’ name! Do this verbally using your authority in Jesus. Example, “I now break and sever any ungodly soul ties formed between myself and _________ as a result of ______________ (fornication, etc.) in Jesus’ name.”

Additional recommended reading

Seductions Exposed – The spiritual dynamics of relationships (Dr. Gary L. Greenwald)
AWESOME book that takes you behind the scenes of soul ties, transferring of spirits, and how the enemy can use various things to gain a ‘bridge’ into our souls.

DAH LIKKLE GYAL DEH HAVE NOOOOOOOOOOOO BEHAVIOR …IS WHEY DEM GET HAR FRAM?

Vaz Files Defamation Suit Against Rowe
Published: Thursday | April 19, 2012 13 Comments

Daryl Vaz
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United States-based Jamaican law professor David Rowe has been slapped with a defamation suit in connection with a series of emails making allegations against several prominent Jamaicans.

The lawsuit was filed in a Circuit Court in Florida last week by Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Daryl Vaz.

But lawyers representing Rowe have filed a motion urging the court to throw out the case.

Rowe’s attorneys have also signalled that they would be prepared to settle the matter through mediation.

According to attorneys representing Vaz, their client was defamed through email transmissions sent by Rowe hiding behind pseudonyms.

The emails, which contain damning allegations against senior members of the local political and business communities, have led to scores of people trying to distance themselves and issuing responses, urging the sender not to send them any more.

Documents allegedly fabricated

This has prompted Vaz’s attorneys to claim that Rowe “fabricated and published a document, which purported to be an official US law enforcement memo … which made direct accusations of bribery, money laundering, corruption and close affiliations with a notorious convicted drug lord”.

The attorneys representing Vaz also argue that the allegations are “false, defamatory and unconscionable”.

They have asked the court to find that Rowe “has engaged in a vicious smear campaign to defame reputable prominent Jamaican officials and businessmen”.

“Defendant Rowe, a lawyer, has often and unjustly targeted members of the Jamaica Labour Party with whom his political interests are not aligned,” the lawsuit claims.

“While defendant Rowe has a long history of attacking the Jamaican Government, he has now crossed all boundaries of permissible conduct by sending a fictional government document to individual members of the general public through anonymous email correspondence,” added the attorneys representing Vaz.

On Tuesday, attorney-at-law David Brown, who is representing Rowe, told The Gleaner that his client has been served with the lawsuit and has filed a motion urging the court to dismiss it.

According to Brown, Rowe has no malice towards Vaz and would prefer to resolve the matter amicably through the mediation process.

Brown told The Gleaner that the emails in question were sent to Rowe from the US Homeland Security and were not originated by him.

“Professor Rowe has been a commentator on several issues in Jamaica and we need to put politics aside and recognise that he can bring something that could transform the Jamaican society,” Brown told The Gleaner.

Motion filed for dismissal

In documents filed in court yesterday, Brown argued that the complaint should be dismissed with prejudice.

“Plaintiff (Vaz) fails to state a cause of action on which relief may be granted, fails to establish subject matter jurisdiction and fails to incorporate or attach to the pleading document(s) upon which action may be brought … ,” stated the motion to dismiss.

“Plaintiff’s claim of defamation per se is baseless and simply a red herring in an effort to silence the defendant and prevent the defendant’s effective commentaries and advocacy.”

Brown further argued that, as Rowe was not the author of the documents, the Florida-based court has no jurisdiction in the matter.

Rowe was one of the witnesses called to testify in the dual-citizenship case against Vaz in 2009 which resulted in the West Portland MP losing the seat he had won in the 2007 general election.

Vaz subsequently increased his majority in a by-election.

A 19-year-old Ohio native, was arrested Monday (April 16) after brutally assaulting another young girl over a Twitter beef. A video of the incident, filmed by Edwards’ friends, was posted to WorldStar Hip-Hop on Wednesday (April 18), and the girls received internet fame instantly. With over 2 million views by the afternoon, the entire ordeal has been a trending topic on the social network.In the one-minute clip, Edwards arrives to the victim’s house, brings up the Twitter argument and proceeds to drag, stomp and beat the girl from her door to the sidewalk. The scene is quite graphic and is a sad realization of how seriously things can be taken over “disrespectful” behavior on the internet.Honestly, the images these young girls absorb from watching reality TV don’t help. These acts are celebrated and praised, which is clearly seen by several of the Twitterverse reactions. Without placing too much blame solely on others, watching grown women bicker, fight and attempt to kill one another over blog posts or what they perceive to be slick comments is seemingly affecting the minds of the youth.Throw a blow over a blog? Drag a girl from her home over an e-shot? What’s next?!