Forgiveness and Faith...What a combination!

Hello friends!!!
It has been a while since I have made a post in Live by Arrogant Faith In God. God has been so WONDERFUL and FAITHFUL to me and the band. We have traveled to Illinois and back safely. We performed three shows, passed out a Bible at one of our shows and enjoyed some great food! God provided everything we needed for the tour and kept us safe. We have a few gigs coming up this fall and I will keep you all posted. Make sure to check us out on www.faithmonah.com for updates!


While on tour, we all had some stress and pain. During this time, I have had to seek God and pray for the strength to forgive those who have caused me pain and stress. I have also had to seek God and ask for forgiveness for me if I caused pain to others. We can all have good intentions but if we hurt someone, we need forgiveness as well. Its is forgiveness circle in which I know I need to be forgiven!

In my quiet time, God revealed to me that it takes faith in Him to forgive. I have to trust that once I cast my concerns over to God, He will handle the situation/people that have caused me pain. When we seek our own revenge on the people that have caused us pain we set ourselves up for judgement. Our unforgiving heart demonstrates to the Lord that we don't trust that He will defend us. I will have arrogant faith in God and FORGIVE.....will you join me?

Walking in faith and forgiveness,

Faith Monah

Scripture Reading: Romans 8:28 (The Message)
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.

Explosive Faith in God!

Hello Family and Friends!

I am sitting here and I am wishing, dreaming, hoping and excited about where the Lord is moving me and the band. There are so many people who have heard of Jesus but yet to experience a relationship with Him. His Grace and Power is so massive and I have this explosive faith in Him that I want to share with the world! I want to share with the world that cultivating this relationship with God is so rewarding and liberating!

I use to be in bondage! I am no longer living in fear. I am not living with my head hanging down. I am going to Praise my Sweet Merciful, Powerful, Strict, and Loving God! There is no putting a lid on my faith. Guess what? You can be a risk taker using Godly wisdom! Go ahead, what area of your life are you currently using 50% faith? Well, let's pump it up to 100% faith in God's Wisdom and Power. Let's walk in Victory-not defeat!

Walking in faith,

Faith Monah
www.faithmonah.com

Scripture Readings:
1 Corinthians 1:31 (The Message)   
That's why we have the saying, "If you're going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God."  

Jeremiah 9:24 (The Message)  
If you brag, brag of this and this only: That you understand and know me. I'm God, and I act in loyal love. I do what's right and set things right and fair, and delight in those who do the same things. These are my trademarks." God's Decree.

MIA...faith.Missed me?

Yes, I have been missing in action. I'm making my way back from being ill, running a CD project campaign and a busy tour schedule. It has been a world wind! The doctors are planning for surgery towards the end of this month. Now through it all my faith has had some highs and lows. I have to admit that I have drawn even closer to the Lord. He has shown me His love over and over again. He has revealed to me that as I walk through the "fire", His Word never fails. God's Word in the Book of Psalm tells us that as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we should not fear no evil. None, zilch, Nada! Zero fear....100% faith in God! Yes!

You see, we all have our fires. Some or gigantic and some minute to others but regardless of the size of it all, God has assured us that His rod and staff will comfort us. We can boldly in faith stand on His Powerful Word and command fear to leave! Each and every day, we make a choice to live in faith and have victory or live and die by fear. I want to encourage you all to walk with me and chose to live in faith through the fire.

So, here are some of my fires: I was recently diagnosed with having a gall bladder disease which can be corrected with surgery. The doctors believe it is a result of a drastic change in my daily eating habits and exercise routine. Next fire: I had an unexpected change in my staff and this shift has changed the direction of my company. I just recently completed a music campaign that some would call a failure. I was unable to collect all the funds needed to complete the 100% faith CD project. Those are just a few of my fires. My plan of attack....the armour of God. That is the best defense!!!  I plan to guard my faith and salvation starting with my mind! What I speak and think, I will be! How about that?


Scripture Readings:
Isaiah 59:17 (The Message)   
He dressed in Righteousness, put it on like a suit of armor, with Salvation on his head like a helmet, Put on Judgment like an overcoat, and threw a cloak of Passion across his shoulders.

Pressing through in faith,

Faith Monah
www.faithmonah.com

Prayer with a Pure Heart

 

Prayer With A Pure Heart



I recently signed up for a website that will allow you to launch a campaign to raise funds to start or complete a project that is related to the arts. The website, www.kickstarter.com  allows your friends, family or strangers to make a pledge towards your artistic goal. I was so excited when my husband found this website.

For years, people would always ask if I have a CD recorded and my response has always been, " No, not yet....pray for me." or "Waiting on money to come through." So, you can imagine how excited I was that I finally had a platform to ask people for their financial support to get my CD project started. Now don't get me wrong, verbal support is great too however in order for me to complete the project, a sister needs mucho dinero! LOL

As I sat back and watched various people make the pledge to or like the status button on facebook, I began to thank the Lord for His blessings. I am not close to my goal at all but I decided to keep strong in my faith and the best way I know how to do that is through the Word of the Lord and by prayer.

As I talk to the Lord, I always want to check my heart. What are my motives for wanting to record this Jazz Gospel CD? Am I being selfish in wanting to do so? What is the bottom line? What am I trying to accomplish? Will it bring Glory to God or will I gain fame and fortune? With these questions, I feel confident in asking the Lord to bless me with the finances to record 100% Faith Jazz Gospel CD. I have a clear conscience believing in the impossible-seeing the final results as a victorious one!

The next time we seek ye first the Kingdom of God for something, we need to make sure to check ourselves if not, God surely will. Once we have inspected our hearts, our faith will ever be strong in the power of God and His ability to stand for us!

I leave you all with this scripture reading for this week.

Scripture Reading: Psalm 139:23-24  23 Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I'm about; 24 See for yourself whether I've done anything wrong - then guide me on the road to eternal life.  

Hallelujah!

Faithfully Yours,


Faith Monah
www.faithmonah.com

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/faithmonah/100-faith-jazz-gospel-cd-recording-project-2012?ref=category

In Trying Times....My Faith in God Grows!

Decisions, Decisions, and more Decisions!

During trying times in our lives, we are faced with two choices that will determine the potential outcome of the daunting situation set before us. We can chose to walk in fear; being afraid asking questions such as what if this happens? What will people think? What will happen to my future? What if it doesn't happen in time? What if I just can't do it? Whew! So many thoughts can make the strongest runner tire quickly! Instead, we can make that decision to trust God like never before.
  

The feelings of hopelessness and the uncertainty of it all can consume our hearts and minds bringing us to a lonely place of depression and insecurities. This doubt can create what some call, a pity party. Well, one day I was having one of those pity parties all by myself; beating myself up over past events and I was not sure of where God was leading me in my career. Well, I was just fed up with trying to come up with the answers to those previous "wh" questions which were at this point driving me crazy!



I wrote a song titled, Brand New and I remembered the Word of the Lord granting His people the promise to give us brand new mercies each morning! (Lamentations 3: 22-23) Praise God for brand new mercies! 



Now if I can muster up the faith to believe in this very promise God gave me, I can wake every morning knowing that God loves me incredibly more than I love myself. I chose to believe that His love is so wide and so deep that if I can't think of a way out of my current situation, I will decide that God's plan is so much better and He has the power to deliver me from any negative situation. His protection is infallible! HALLELUJAH!!!! 
 

I want to encourage us all to continue to read God's Word and take an ARROGANT stand of faith on God's Word. His Word tells us that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6) and it is because of this along with witnessing His saving power from past events in our lives, we can boldly take on the world and the problems that come to test our faith.



So today, as our celebration continues of God's power to raise Jesus from the grave, let us believe in that same power delivering us from life's ailments and evils.  

Scripture Reading:  1 Peter 5:10 NASB 
After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.


Faithfully yours,

Faith Monah
www.faithmonah.com

http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_12651739

Critique Plus Faith Equals What?

I recently participated in a vocal competition in where I infused  two styles of music I enjoy the most; jazz and Gospel. Now merging two obviously different but similar styles together is not a new concept. It has been done very well by various artist such as Kim Burrell, Ledisi, and Jill Scott to name a few. However, this is not what most people consider mainstream music. Taking elements of jazz such as scatting and adding lyrics from the Holy Scriptures is not new.

So back to the competition. As I threw myself, my emotions, and my soul into the song I preselected to sing, I was asked to stop midway. It was later explained that my style of vibrant execution of rhythms and syncopation wasn't clear to the listener. It was also stated that my execution of the song was not convincing. After all, I WAS singing about Heaven. That would provoke a smile on most faces right? Well, after much thought and prayer, I was convinced that people in general critique what they do not understand. Verbalizing  thoughts to formulate an opinion of something you do not comprehend truly displays ignorance.

A current example of this would be facebook. There are those who make excuses why they don't utilize these modern social avenues. They say it's complicated, invasive, impersonal, and the list goes on and on. So I wonder, with the criticism pouring in for an unfavorable vote for facebook; will that diminish the confidence in this modern technology with those who are current users? Do we stop using these tools in which we have come to enjoy and use daily; sometimes hourly due to those foolish thoughts? The answer is no. The same answer would apply to the notion that I would cease using the marriage of jazz and Gospel together to proclaim Jesus to those who don't know Him. Regardless if the critique was unfavorable, my faith is indeed increased. It fuels me even more to go out into the world to decrease the ignorance to the vast faces of Gospel music. Some of the many variations of Gospel music is Country Gospel and Contemporary Gospel! How exciting to know that Gospel music can't be boxed in by hearing or receiving it one way. It reminds me of the hymn- "Lift Him Up" where it says "How to reach the masses, men of every birth.... (God says,) If I be lifted up, I'll draw all men unto me. Lift the Savior up." That is exactly what we all should... do by any means necessary... lift Jesus up to glorify Him.

Although this competition will be a distant memory soon, the thought of knowing that this competition has no bearing or contribution to my success in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ through a jazzy style, that thought will last forever! So I encourage you all to take on critics and allow those opportunities to increase your faith in God. Those misunderstood critiques coupled with your strong faith in God will provide a chance to draw more men to God! 

Scripture Reading: Job 11:7-8 (The Message Version)
God is far higher than you can imagine, far deeper than you can comprehend.

-Faithfully yours,

Faith

Welcome to Arrogant Faith

        

Arrogant Faith

 Not knowing who I am or by my tone of voice, you can assume that either I am describing myself as arrogant or that I am in fact describing my faith in God as arrogant. Well, not to dissappoint anyone but I am speaking of the latter. My faith in my Lord, Savior Jesus Christ is arrogant. I believe in His Power. I have seen His Power and I currently take multiple risks everyday in which my faith is exercised. Now, now, I am not perfect but God has allowed me to go through fifty million storms to strengthen my faith in Him. The songs I write are about His love, faith, and mercy He grants us each and everday. We have to believe in Him. He is God!

I want to use this blog for so many things. I want to share God's Holy Word from my perspective. I want to speak about my arrogant faith. Sharing my life's experiences through music will hopefully open your eyes to the unlimitless Power of the Most High God! I also want to share my experiences with balancing family life, the music world, and my professional career. It is imperative that I have faith after all that! What do you think?

Thank you for sharing your time to stop by and visit with me. My prayer for you on today is,

Father God of Heaven and Earth,the Lord of our salvation. God, You are so gracious and merciful. We thank You for Your Son Jesus and the sacrifice He made for us. My prayer oh Lord is that someone will be touched by the words you give me. May they be touched by the music I sing so that their hearts be moved to draw closer to You. They may have tiny steps of faith now but I believe for them that they will have ARROGANT faith in You my Lord! I ask this in Your precious Jesus Name. Amen.

Faithfully Yours,

Faith Monah

Scripture Reference: Isaiah 7:9(b): If you don't take your stand in faith, you won't have a leg to stand on.

(The Message)

www.faithmonah.com