You Gotta Be Anointed

Happy Sunday!

 ”You Gotta Be Anointed!” was Bishop Alexis Thomas’ topic today.  He used Luke 24:49, and Ezekiel 37:1-9, as his scripture references.

 Bishop said,"When we endeavor to do GOD’s work in our own strength failure is guaranteed!” “God’s work is too much to handle without his strength!”  So what is GOD’s work?  Is it just preaching, teaching, and working in an auxiliary of the church?  Is it witnessing? Is it feeding the hungry and clothing the naked?  Yes, God’s work is all these things and more.  It’s parenting, it’s being in relationships, it’s marriage, it’s singleness, it’s being a good employee, and it’s being a good boss.  We can’t do any of the tasks set before us without God’s power and strength.  The old church ladies used to sing,” Father I stretch my hand to thee, no other help I know, if thou withdraw thyself from me whether shall I go?” We are helpless and hopeless without his love, power, and strength. 

Bishop used the familiar chapter in Ezekiel. Some of the most charismatic sermons I have ever heard were preached from that text.  The prophet is lead out to see a valley full of dry bones (Skeletons).  God ask him a question.  Note: God never asks a question to get the answer for him self, he’s omniscient.  He asks questions to help us learn something about him or ourselves.  He asked the prophet, “Can this situation change?  Can this dry lifeless circumstance turn around? Can I start over after a failure?  Can things ever change? Will my life ever get better? (I’m paraphrasing)  Well, Ezekiel was a smart man. He answered, “You know Lord”.  So GOD told Ezekiel, you do your part…speak.  Speak to this seemingly hopeless situation.  Read it for your self, all the parts came together and the bones stood up and came alive.

 What can we use from this today?  No matter how bad it looks, things can change!  Don’t give up even when the going gets rough.  One of my favorite poems is “Don’t Quit”.  One stanza is so appropriate for this topic: 

Success is failure turned inside out-- 

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

Have wonderful week! Love Cynthia