Author: Anneta Pinto-Young

I am a trained Social Worker who currently provides professional leadership on a programme to support Social Work students and Newly Qualified Social Workers entering the Social Work Profession. Born and raised in Jamaica in a Christian family where my father is an ordained Pastor and Deacon who has served for over 50 years in the ministry. My father is also a trained musician and our family can be described as a musical family. I grew up in a small farming community in St. Peter’s, St. Andrew and my parents also have a small farm. I credit my gift of writing to my father who I watched and listened to over the years as he wrote sermons, poems and other recitals in his capacity in ministry. English has always been an easy subject for me and over the years I have developed an increased interest in writing. I am a Trainer, I sing and have a passion for worship, the spoken word and the free flow of the prophetic anointing. I am married to my best friend Andrew Christopher Young who is an advanced Musician and whose music you can find on YouTube and Facebook. I am a trained Coach and Mentor and I love experimenting with food so I love cooking. I enjoy trying cultural dishes from across the world and I view food as an entry into cultures and languages.

Continue in Prayer

At times we may feel like we have exhausted our prayers and that we already know how we should be praying. However, with the many problems and challenges that we face, there is always something to pray about. I sometimes write down my prayers because I like writing and I have stumbled upon lists of prayers that I have written down, after a few years and I am generally amazed at how God met every one of my requests. Life can be overwhelming and at times we can feel like a failure or feel that there is no end in sight to our difficulties. This is why God instructs us to take every single worry to him and to rest in his assurance that he has it all in control. “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (I Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬).

I certainly wake up some days feeling overwhelmed and wanting to start the night again, to get another 12 hours before moving ahead. On these days God reminds me that he sits ready for me to hand the worries and anxieties to him and trust him to resolve every single difficulty. There are times when we don’t even know where to begin with praying and we can feel worried about finding the correct words. This is where the Holy Spirit steps in and supports us when we are completely surrendered to him. “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26).

Not only does the Holy Spirit pray on our behalf, but Jesus also sits at the right hand of God making daily intercession for us (Romans 8:34). This is why prayer is such a powerful tool for believers, because within our prayers is the supernatural activity of praying through the Holy Spirit and Jesus himself praying on our behalf. There are also angels encamping around us to deliver us out of every difficulty and they are busy producing the answers to our prayers and at times doing war in the heavens on our behalf (Daniel 10)

Continue in prayer even when it is difficult because great things happen when we pray. Our prayers are powerful and effective (James 5:16).

A.P.-Y.

Refined for His Glory

“The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the Lord tests the hearts” ‭‭(Proverbs‬ ‭17‬:‭3‬).

Peter wrote an epistle to the elect pilgrims about their heavenly inheritance in Christ, who called them to live in the hope of his resurrection from the dead. We are called to an eternal inheritance in heaven, which is incorruptible and undefiled. We are being preserved by the power of God, through our faith, for our salvation that is to be revealed on the last day. Peter said that the church should rejoice that they were experiencing some brief trials. This was so that their faith could be tested by fire, being more precious than gold to be found to give glory when Christ returns. Although we have not seen Jesus in the flesh, we rejoice in the hope for the salvation of our souls. The prophets of old testified of the grace that would be available to us. They also testified of how Christ would suffer and then be exalted. The things revealed to the prophets and to us as the church, even the angels longed to know of. 

“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you” (‭‭I Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭12). Peter also spoke about trials by fire and urged the church not to consider this a strange thing. He encouraged us to rejoice that we were sharing in Christ’s suffering, so that his glory would be revealed in us. He called us blessed who were persecuted for the sake of Christ, as the glory of Christ would rest on us. He warned that our suffering should not be because we had been a murderer, a thief, an evil doer or a busybody in other people’s business. If we suffer for being Christians, we rejoice and glorify God. The time has come for judgement to begin in the house of God. If judgement starts in the church, what will happen to those who don’t serve God? 

“Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear”” (‭‭I Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭18‬)? There were also Old Testament parallels to refining and purifying, when God promised to refine with fire and purify with soap. He promised to sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver and to purify the sons of Levi (Malachi 3:2). God would purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering of righteousness. Then the offering unto the Lord would be pleasing as in the former days of old. God will come near his people to bring about judgment swiftly, against the wicked. He desired for his people to return to him as they had turned away from his ordinances. Isaiah also spoke about the refining fire of God as He refined Isreal for his glory. The people had turned away from God, so he tested them in the furnace of affliction and refined them as silver (Isaiah 48:10).

The fire of God serves to purify the church so that we reflect his image and likeness. Fire does not sound pleasant to anyone and trials are not appealing. If we consider when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace, the fire consumed the men who tossed them in. This happened while the three Hebrew men were alive, walking around in the fire. A fourth man joined them in the fire whose likeness was as the son of God (Daniel 3:16-18). God is with us in the fire, so that we will not be consumed. Instead, the fire of affliction will serve to purify and refine us for the glory of God. Gold, silver and precious metals are refined through heat and fire, until they are pure enough to reflect the refiner’s image. Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we are able to survive situations that would destroy others, because of the greater one who is with us. 

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you” ‭‭(Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭2‬).

A.P.-Y. – Anneta Pinto-Young

Episode 5 is live

The ARC Logos Podcast went live on YouTube and Spotify on the 17th September 2024. Click on the link below to watch, share, comment and subscribe.

In this episode we discussed how we navigate faith and spirituality in the workplace.

https://youtu.be/jlONr-Lwnj4?si=O9tR6w5aReuV0hJm

You can also catch snippets and learn more about our wellbeing podcast on all social media handles.

Anneta Pinto-Young – A.P.-Y.

No More Oppression!

“I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, And they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine. All flesh shall know That I, the Lord, am your Savior, And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob”(Isaiah‬ ‭49‬:‭26‬).

In Isaiah 49, the Lord spoke through Isaiah to his people, concerning the restoration of Zion. This was after Isreal’s captivity in Babylon, because of the disobedience and hardness of heart of the people. Their captivity was prophesied of and the people experienced its fulfilment. Yet, in their captivity, God was rendering justice, restoration and judgement for their oppressors. In verse 14, Zion felt forgotten and forsaken by God. In the next verse, Isaiah negates this by asking, “Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you” ‭‭(Isaiah‬ ‭49‬:‭15). He went on to say that God had inscribed his people in the palm of his hands and the walls of Zion are always on the mind of God. 

God then promised that their children would return and those who plundered them would go away from them. Those who return would become like an ornament to Jerusalem and the land would again become inhabited. Zion would be amazed at the number of her children who return, since so many of her children were taken away in captivity. At the time of Isreal’s restoration, God would command the nations to give up her children. Kings were commanded to care for the children of God and Queens became their nurses. They would also bow down before the children of God and humbly show their respect. Then we will know that He is God and no one who waits for His help will be disappointed. Isaiah then asked, “Can the spoils of war be taken from the mighty man, Or the captives of a tyrant be rescued” ‭‭(Isaiah‬ ‭49‬:‭24‬)?

The resounding response from God is that, even those held captive by the mighty shall be taken and the tyrant’s spoils of war will be rescued. Moreover, God will fight against those who fight with us and he will save our children. God will cause anyone who oppresses his children to feed on their own flesh, or to destroy themselves through war and destruction. They will also be drunk with blood as when someone is drunk with wine. Then all nations will know with full assurance that God is our saviour and redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob. God is a jealous God. He is loving, merciful, caring and kind, but he can also be a great and terrible God (Nehemiah 1:5). He is a God of justice and judgement and he hates oppression and wrong doing. There are seasons when God allows affliction, to refine and purify his children. 

Sometimes affliction can also arise from disobedience or ignorance. Nevertheless, God is faithful and just to forgive us of all our sins and the cleanse is from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Once we confess our sins to God, then we are in right standing and we can come before him with boldness. Once we cry out to God, he will rouse himself and defend us, he will rise up to plead our cause (Psalm 35:23). Our God is a great defender, he is a mighty man of war and he executes judgement for his children. We will continue to lift up our eyes unto the hills from where our help comes from. God will plead our cause against infirmity, against poverty and inequality, against affliction and oppression. The wicked will be brought to shame and destruction for pursuing us. “I have done justice and righteousness; Do not leave me to my oppressors. Be surety for Your servant for good; Do not let the proud oppress me” (Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭121‬-‭122‬).

A.P.-Y. – Anneta Pinto-Young

Episode 4 is live

The ARC Logos Podcast went live on YouTube and Spotify on the 17th September 2024. Click on the link below to watch, share, comment and subscribe.

In this episode we had a guest who is someone who I’ve coached and mentored. I supported him around 6 years ago at the start of his career and encouraged him to create his five year plan. He completed it and his plan was to become a Manager. Not only did he become a Manager, he also started his own company.

https://youtu.be/ZzSMuxfKhhM?si=w0oaJaG6-M3e9pp5

You can also catch snippets and learn more about our wellbeing podcast on all social media handles.

Anneta Pinto-Young – A.P.-Y.

Loving the things of God

“Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” (Hebrews 11:25).

Moses was born into a Jewish family who were enslaved in Egypt. The Pharaoh at the time was threatened by the rapid expansion of the Jewish community. He commanded that all the male children should be killed. Moses’s mother hid him when he was born and after 3 months, put him in a basket and he was found and raised by Pharaoh’s daughter (Exodus 1-2).

The time came when Moses had to choose between, living like an Egyptian and enjoying the luxury of the palace, or admit his heritage and work to free his people. Why would Moses give up the “easy” life of luxury, in the palace to suffer with the people of his origin? How many of us would give up the chance to live in wealth in order to own up to our true identity.

This would not have been an easy choice for Moses, but God knew ahead of time the kind of person that Moses was destined to be. No wonder Moses is considered as one of the greatest prophets, who spoke to God and heard him audibly.

“And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses”” (Numbers 12:6-8)?

So intimate was God’s relationship with Moses, that he confronted his siblings Miriam and Aaron when they spoke against him. God honours obedience and he places value in those who are willing to deny themselves to do his will. “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).

A.P.-Y.

5785 – Establishment & Advancement 

“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭12‬).

The 2nd October marked the beginning of the Jewish New Year and the celebration of Rosh Hashanah, until the 4th October, 2024. Rosh Hashanah symbolises and celebrates the birth of the universe and the creation of Adam and Eve. As the Jewish calendar is different from the western calendar, the 2nd of October 2024 marks the Jewish Year 5785. In the Jewish Calendar or in Judaism, numbers have spiritual significance and help to interpret times and seasons. In the Old Testament, there is mention of the sons of Issachar who could interpret the times and seasons. “of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command” ‭‭(I Chronicles‬ ‭12‬:‭32‬). Solomon also spoke of the importance of moving in correct times and seasons and understanding a time to plant and a time to reap, for example. 

The sons of Issachar were possibly the first meteorologist who could predict weather patterns such as rain, storms or droughts. Another dimension of it could be that they had the spiritual capacity, to interpret what God was about to do in the earth. The Wise Men in the New Testament also seem to point to the practice of studying the stars to know the time of Jesus’s birth. In our modern times this is known as astronomy, which can sometimes be confused with astrology. While astronomy is a natural scientific study of the stars and the solar system, astrology seeks to predict events on earth using spirit guides and mediums and ventures into occult practices. Going back to the Jewish New Year 5785, I want to attempt to explain some of the biblical meaning behind the numbers in this Hebrew year. 

Biblical numerology is the use of numbers in the bible to try to provide the meanings and context of particular seasons and years. The number 5 represents grace, goodness and favour. The number 7 means perfection, completion, rest and fullness. The number 8 represents new beginnings, resurrection & renewal. In the case of 5785, where the 5 appears twice, this means a double portion of grace, goodness and favour. You may ask what is the significant of the Jewish year and people who live in other parts of the world. I believe that God created the Jewish numerical system to convey the meanings and observations of special occasions, such as feasts and to commemorate significant happenings in Jewish history. The numbers also reflect the significance of things to come in the future, related to aspects of bible prophecy, concerning the end times. 

For this time, we can sense a shift in the realm of the spirit which signals a move of God or a new dispensation. I believe that the church is gathering momentum for the end time harvest and the advancement of God’s kingdom. We are in a season, where God is doing a new thing and he wants us to forget the former things. “Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert” ‭‭(Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭19‬). In Matthew 12, John the Baptist sent messengers to Jesus to ask if he was the Coming One, or if there was another one to come. Jesus’s response was for them to convey to John of the things which they saw and heard. “The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them” (Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭5‬).

Before his ascension, Jesus gave his commission to the church to go into the world and preach the gospel. He also named the signs that would follow believers; casting out demons, speaking in tongues, picking up serpents and if we drink anything deadly, it will not harm us, we will lay hands on the sick and they will recover (Mark 16:17-18).

A.P.-Y. – Anneta Pinto-Young