Our REWARDS Program

 Happy Sunday!

"You can never please God without faith, without DEPENDING on him. Anyone who wants to come to God MUST believe that there is a God and that he REWARDS those who sincerely look for him."(Hebrews 11:6 TLB).

Most retailers have a rewards program.  My daughter's and I make it easy.  We all use the same phone number for these loyalty programs.  We share in the discounts and benefits and likely get more because all of our purchases are combined.  Did you know God has Rewards? Yes, He does!  Deuteronomy 28:1-7 says, “If you FULLY OBEY the Lord your God and CAREFULLY KEEP all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God:

Your towns and your fields will be blessed.

Your children and your crops will be blessed.

The offspring of your herds and flocks will be blessed.

Your fruit baskets and breadboards will be blessed.

Wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be blessed.

The Lord will CONQUER your enemies when they attack you. They will attack you from one direction, but they will scatter from you in seven!"(NLT).

Colossians 3:23-24 says, "Work hard and cheerfully at all you do, just as though you were working for the Lord and not merely for your masters, REMEMBERING that it is the Lord Christ who is going to pay you, giving you your full portion of all he owns. He is the one you are really working for."(TLB).

Proverbs 19:17 says, "Mercy to the needy is a loan to God, and God pays back those loans in full."(Message).

Just in case you think that you can or will miss out on a Reward, Hebrews 6:10 says, "For God is not unrighteous to forget or OVERLOOK your labor and the love which you have shown for His name’s sake in ministering to the needs of the saints (His own consecrated people), as you still do."(AMPC).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

GOD is Love!

 Happy Sunday!

"Dear friends, let us practice loving each other, for LOVE comes from God and those who are loving and kind show that they are the children of God, and that they are getting to know him better.  But if a person isn’t loving and kind, it shows that he doesn’t know God—for God is love."(1 John 4:7-8 TLB).

Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful, loving, caring, and responsible fathers out there! I pray you enjoyed the day and were acknowledged and appreciated.

God made us in his image and his likeness.  Have you ever heard someone say, "That child is the spitting image of their father"?  Of course you have.  And if the child doesn't resemble the father at all, the old folks would say, "there must be a dead cat on the line".  LOL!  It's funny, but it's true.  We should resemble our father.  1 John 4:16 says, "God is love." (KJV).  Logically, if God is love and he created us we were made by love.  Love is not a fuzzy feeling. Love is a lifestyle. When we understand fully the love God has for us, we will be able to share that love with the world.

1 John 4:18 from the Phillips Translations says, "Love contains no fear—indeed fully-developed love expels every particle of fear, for fear always contains some of the torture of feeling guilty. This means that the man who lives in fear has not yet had his love perfected".   Did you get that?  Fully developed love contains no fear! There are so many things happening in the world to cause us to fear.  But the Word of God is encouraging us and commanding us to love and assuring us "Perfect", mature love dispels fear.

How can I get this love?  So glad you asked!  Romans 5:5 says, "And hope will never fail to satisfy our deepest need because the Holy Spirit that was given to us has flooded our hearts with God’s love." (Voice).  Isn't that incredible! God tells you to love, then gives you His love to love with!  All you have to do is cooperate with the Holy Spirit! 

When someone mistreats you and you want to retaliate, the Holy Spirit reminds you..."Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord." (Romans 12:19 NLT).  When your money is shorter than your month and you are tempted to worry and fret, the Holy Spirit encourages you..."And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19 NL).  When the doctor tells you there is nothing that can be done to help you, the Holy Spirit assures you..."He forgives all my sins and heals ALL my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies." (Psalm 103:3-4 NLT)  

One last thing that always amazes me, Revelation 21:8 lists the people who will be thrown into the Lake of Fire. It says, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." (KJV).  OUCH!  The fearful?  What's so bad about being afraid? Good question!  Being afraid that your enemy will not get what's coming to him will cause you to be angry.  That anger can cause you to sin.  Being afraid that you will never meet Mr. or Mrs. Right could cause you to settle for Mr. or Mrs. Right Now.  This could be devastating to your purpose and your future.  Being afraid that God's Word is not true could cause you to neglect it, devalue it, and ignore it.  This will lead you to trust in yourself, your education, or your money..."He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; but the righteous shall flourish as a branch." (Proverbs 11:28 KJV). "He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered." (Proverbs 28:26 KJV).  "Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord." Jeremiah 17:5 (KJV)

Working on perfecting my love walk!

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Rest

 Happy Sunday!

"Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, but the Lord your God brought you out with his strong hand and powerful arm. That is why the Lord your God has commanded you to REST on the Sabbath day." (Deuteronomy 5:15 NLT).

Bishop Alexis A. Thomas once said, "One of the purposeful and intentional designs of God in our lives and his acts in our lives is to REMOVE all boasting!  We work hard to take the credit, while God works to let us know HE deserves all the credit."  

The Apostle Paul agreed, "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it." Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT).

No matter how intelligent and capable you are, no matter how beautiful and talented you are, and no matter how many zeros behind your bottom line or letters behind your name, it is the mercy and grace of God that has brought you through. The psalmist wrote, "Hard times may well be the plight of the righteous—they may often seem overwhelmed—but the Eternal RESCUES the righteous from what oppresses them." (Psalm 34:19 Voice).   And Jeremiah lamented, "My soul has them continually in remembrance and is bowed down within me. But THIS I recall and therefore have I HOPE and expectation: It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:20-24 AMPC).

Feel free to glance back over your life to see how far you’ve come, but don’t gaze at it longingly!  Remember you were once a slave to sin and foolishness, but God delivered you.  He delivered you so that you can REST. The Sabbath represents rest. God intends for you to realize he gives you the strength, the courage, and the ability to do everything you must do.  When you trust him, you can rest every day of your life. Matthew 11:28-30 says, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real REST. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Message).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Guarded

 Happy Sunday!

"Above all else, watch over your heart; diligently guard it because from a sincere and PURE HEART come the good and noble things of life."(Proverbs 4:23 Voice).

Life can be hard.  We each have our own trials and tribulations. It's so easy to focus inward and forget about the other people Jesus gave his life to save.  During hard times, I remember my mother saying she hated people.  Everyone that knew her knows she was a people person.  How could she hate people?  I didn't fully understand then, but I can see now how it can be possible to hate.  People who are without God's Real Love are harsh, cruel, deceptive, conniving, vindictive, selfish, inconsiderate...and the list could go on and on.  Sometimes even the people who profess to know Jesus as Lord and Savior are amazingly despicable.  BUT God didn't command us to love the LOVABLE, he commanded us to love them ALL just like he did. 

Jesus said it best, in Matthew 5:44-48, "But I tell you, LOVE your enemies. Pray for those who treat you badly.  If you do this, you will be children who are TRULY like your FATHER in heaven. He lets the sun rise for all people, whether they are good or bad. He sends rain to those who do right and to those who do wrong.  If you love only those who love you, why should you get a reward for that? Even the tax collectors do that.  And if you are nice only to your friends, you are no better than anyone else. Even the people who don’t know God are nice to their friends. What I am saying is that you must be PERFECT, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."(Easy-to-Read Version).

Perfect means mature.  We have to mature in this walk of faith.  Jesus said our Father God is our example to follow. We must ensure our hearts don't become harden because of things that have happened to us.  Yes, stuff happens, but don't let that stuff change you!  

Love and Prayers, Cynthia

Hate What God Hates

 Happy Sunday!

"These six things doth the Lord HATE: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren."(Proverbs 6:16-19 KJV).

God is so clear in the Bible when it comes to things he approves or disapproves of. If you have any doubt, search the scriptures.  In Job 1:8 it says, "Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant, Job? He is the finest man in all the earth—a GOOD man who fears God and will have NOTHING to do with EVIL.” (TLB).  Don't miss this!  Job reverenced God, meaning he acknowledged God and treated him with deep respect.  Ecclesiastes 12:13 says, "And, when all is said and done, here is the last word: worship in reverence the one True God, and keep His commands, for this is what God expects of every person."(Voice).

Why is it important to reverence God and keep his commandments?  I'm so glad you asked!  Deuteronomy 28:1-7 is just the beginning, "If you fully obey all of these commandments of the Lord your God, the laws I am declaring to you today, God will TRANSFORM you into the greatest nation in the world. 

These are the BLESSINGS that will come upon you:

Blessings in the city,

Blessings in the field;

Many children,

Ample crops,

Large flocks and herds;

Blessings of fruit and bread;

Blessings when you come in,

Blessings when you go out.

The Lord will defeat your enemies before you; they will march out together against you but scatter before you in seven directions!"(TLB).

Now before you say that this scripture doesn't apply to us, and it is only for the Jews, let's hop over to the New Testament.  Galatians 3:13-14 says, "Now Christ has REDEEMED us from the curse of the Law’s condemnation, by himself becoming a curse for US when he was crucified. For the scripture is plain: ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.’  God’s PURPOSE is therefore plain: that the BLESSING promised to Abraham might REACH the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, and the Spirit might become AVAILABLE to US ALL by faith."(Phillips).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Have You Received?

 Happy Sunday!

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."(Acts 1:8 KJV).

"And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

He said unto them, have ye received the Holy Ghost SINCE ye believed? And they said unto him, we have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

And he said unto them, "Unto what then were ye baptized?" And they said, "Unto John's baptism".

Then said Paul, "John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus".

When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

And all the men were about twelve.

And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God."(Acts 19:1-8 KJV).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

GOOD News!

 Happy Sunday!

"But LIFE is worth nothing unless I USE it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of TELLING OTHERS the Good News about God’s mighty kindness and love."(Acts 20:24 TLB).

In 1974, Chaka Khan and Rufus sang a song written by Stevie Wonder entitled, "Tell Me Something Good".  They weren't singing about the Good News of Jesus Christ, but everyone will agree we prefer good news!  There are enough negative things happening in the world and our lives to keep every news outlet busy.  

We have some really Good News to share!  Jesus said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; he has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted and to announce that captives shall be released and the blind shall see, that the downtrodden shall be freed from their oppressors, and that God is ready to give blessings to all who come to him.”(Luke 4:18-19 TLB).  Now that's GOOD News!  

Romans 10:13-17 says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be SAVED. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not HEARD? and how shall they HEAR without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of GOOD THINGS!  But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So, then FAITH cometh by hearing, and hearing by the WORD of God."(KJV).

Love and prayers, Cynthia