Count Your Blessings!

Happy Sunday!
Everyday is a day of Thanksgiving! I hope you enjoyed the Thanksgiving Holiday and I am so thankful for you!

I had the awesome priviledge to worship at Faith Family Church in Shiloh, Illinois today. Pastor Rick Hufton encouraged us to "Count Our Blessings" and reminded us of a few blessing we sometimes overlook.

God Qualified Us! Have you ever applied for a job or a loan and were told that you didn't qualify? Rejection is a hard thing to deal with. But think about this, Jesus was "Good" enough to pay the price for our sin, and he did it! Colossians 1:12-13 says, "Giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." (New International Version) We are qualified to recieve the blessings of the Lord. What are some of those blessings? Glad you asked!

All these blessings will come down on you and spread out beyond you because you have responded to the Voice of God, your God:

God’s blessing inside the city,
God’s blessing in the country;
God’s blessing on your children,
the crops of your land,
the young of your livestock,
the calves of your herds,
the lambs of your flocks.
God’s blessing on your basket and bread bowl;
God’s blessing in your coming in,
God’s blessing in your going out.

God will defeat your enemies who attack you. They’ll come at you on one road and run away on seven roads.
God will order a blessing on your barns and workplaces; he’ll bless you in the land that God, your God, is giving you.
Deuteronomy 28:1-8 (Message Translation)

God Rescued Us! Pastor Rick mentioned how we use the word "redeemed" so often and we may not appreciate the true meaning of the word. Redeemed means to buy or pay off. Jesus' death on the cross paid the price for our sin. Galatians 3;13 says, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us," (New International Version) He rescued us from eternal damnation.

God Purchased Our Freedom! We have been qualified, and rescued, and now our freedom has been purchased. We have an opportunity to live a meaningful and fulfilled life. We can experience joy, peace, and love! We can prosper and succeed! Ephesians 3:20 says, "Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." (New Living Translation)

We have so much to be thankful for. I hope that you have time to consider all your many blessings.

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Living Beyond Yourself

Happy Sunday!
Bishop Alexis A. Thomas preached, "Living Beyond Yourself".  He used Mark 8:31-9:1 as his reference scripture.

Bishop mentioned seeing a commercial that claimed to answer the question, "Who is the Most Important Person?"  The commercial insinuated that the individual is the most important person.

Jesus set another example.  In this passage of scripture, Jesus tells his disciples that he will have to suffer many things and be killed.  This was traumatic news for the disciples.  They had seen the miracles, and the healings, and they couldn't believe that Jesus would have to die.  But from the beginning of time Jesus was preparing to come and be the sacrifice for our sins. Old Testament scriptures even prophesied of the things Jesus the Messiah would suffer.  For example, Isaiah 53:5 says, "But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed." (New Living Translation)

Jesus didn't come to Earth to be a Super Star!  He came to be the Ultimate Servant.  "Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?" Mark 8:34-36 (Message Translation)

In this Holiday Season, and every day of our lives we need to "Live Beyond Ourselves".  We need to follow the example of Jesus.  "I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You’ll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we’re at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind. Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don’t condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you’ll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.” Luke 6:35-38 (Message Translation)

Enjoy the week...Live Beyond Yourself,

Love and prayers, Cynthia


Matthew 6:6(b)..."Your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you in the open."
 

How To Handle A Dying Situation

Happy Sunday! Happy Veterans Day Weekend!
 Today we celebrated our pastor's 28th Pastoral Anniversary and his 45th Birthday.  Our guest speaker was Bishop Darryl S. Brister from Beacon Light International Cathedral in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Bishop Brister used Luke 8:40-56.  His subject for the message was, "How To Handle A Dying Situation".
 

^"On his return, Jesus was welcomed by a crowd. They were all there expecting him. A man came up, Jairus by name. He was president of the meeting place. He fell at Jesus’ feet and begged him to come to his home because his twelve-year-old daughter, his only child, was dying. Jesus went with him, making his way through the pushing, jostling crowd.

In the crowd that day there was a woman who for twelve years had been afflicted with hemorrhages. She had spent every penny she had on doctors but not one had been able to help her. She slipped in from behind and touched the edge of Jesus’ robe. At that very moment her hemorrhaging stopped. Jesus said, “Who touched me?”

When no one stepped forward, Peter said, “But Master, we’ve got crowds of people on our hands. Dozens have touched you.”

Jesus insisted, “Someone touched me. I felt power discharging from me.”

When the woman realized that she couldn’t remain hidden, she knelt trembling before him. In front of all the people, she blurted out her story—why she touched him and how at that same moment she was healed.

Jesus said, “Daughter, you took a risk trusting me, and now you’re healed and whole. Live well, live blessed!”

While he was still talking, someone from the leader’s house came up and told him, “Your daughter died. No need now to bother the Teacher.”

Jesus overheard and said, “Don’t be upset. Just trust me and everything will be all right.” Going into the house, he wouldn’t let anyone enter with him except Peter, John, James, and the child’s parents.

Everyone was crying and carrying on over her. Jesus said, “Don’t cry. She didn’t die; she’s sleeping.” They laughed at him. They knew she was dead.   Then Jesus, gripping her hand, called, “My dear child, get up.” She was up in an instant, up and breathing again! He told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were ecstatic, but Jesus warned them to keep quiet. “Don’t tell a soul what happened in this room.”
(Message Translation)

In order to handle a dying situation...

1)   Find Jesus - Jairus realized he couldn't do anything to help his daughter.  He needed "Super Natural" Power and assistance so he went to find Jesus.  Psalm 61:2 says, "From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety," (New Living Translation)
2)   Fall Down -  Jairus fell at Jesus' feet in verse 41, he humbled himself before Jesus.  The Word says, "Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you," - 1 Peter 5:6 (Amplified Version)
3)   Take Jesus Home With You - There's an old Gospel song that says, "Take the Lord along with you, Everywhere you go!"  If we are going to handle dying situations we have to take Jesus with us everywhere in every situation.  Ephesians 2:1-5 says, "It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ."  (Message Translation)
4)   Keep on Walking - When the messenger from Jairus' house said the girl was dead, he could have given up and given in.  But Jesus told him, “Don’t be upset. Just trust me and everything will be all right.”  If we want to handle a dying situation we have to keep moving forward no matter how bad it looks.  We have to trust Jesus and believe that nothing is impossible with GOD.  Luke 1:37, "For with God nothing shall be impossible." (King James Version)

Praying that you have everything you need, spiritually, emotionally, physically, and financially!

Love and Prayers, Cynthia
 

How Giving Benefits You

HAPPY SUNDAY!

Yes, I am yelling! LOL!  It's was an awesome service!  Praise and Worship was excellent and we had a guest speaker.  Our guest speaker was Pastor Kerwin B. Lee from Berean Christian Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia.  He used 2 Kings 4:8- as his reference.  His topic was "How Giving to the Man of God Benefits You!"

I love it when Pastor Lee comes to visit us.  He is a Preacher Teacher.  He teaches the Word and makes it relevant for our daily lives.  Maybe you remember the story.  The Prophet Elisha would travel a lot.  When he happened to be in a certain city a woman and her husband would allow him to stay in their home.  The woman was prosperous and perceptive. “I’m certain,” said the woman to her husband, “that this man who stops by with us all the time is a holy man of God. Why don’t we add on a small room upstairs and furnish it with a bed and desk, chair and lamp, so that when he comes by he can stay with us?"   So they added on the room and furnished it and the prophet stayed there each time he was in the area.  The Prophet Elisha appreciated what the woman had done.  One day he said to her, “You’ve gone far beyond the call of duty in taking care of us; what can we do for you? Do you have a request we can bring to the king or to the commander of the army?”
She replied, “Nothing. I’m secure and satisfied in my family.”  Elisha conferred with Gehazi: “There’s got to be something we can do for her. But what?”  Gehazi said, “Well, she has no son, and her husband is an old man.” “Call her in,” said Elisha. He called her and she stood at the open door. Elisha said to her, “This time next year you’re going to be nursing an infant son.” (Message Translation)

Long story short, she had the son, he grew up, one day he was in the fields working with his father and collapsed.  His father told the servants to take him to his mother.  He died in her arms.  She laid his body on the prophets bed and went to see the prophet.  You will have to read the rest of the story for yourself...but here are some important points.

When you give...it leads to the ARRIVAL of blessings!  The woman didn't have any ulterior motives for giving to the prophet.  She gave without expecting anything in return.  The Word says, "When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself. You’ve seen them in action, I’m sure—‘playactors’ I call them—treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that’s all they get. When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out." - Matthew 6:2-4 (Message Translation)

When you give...it leads to the REVIVAL of blessings!  The woman received the gift of a child and she knew it was a blessing from God.  When the child died, she went to the prophet.  The prophet eventually came and the child was brought back to life.  She stayed positive!  In verse 26, Elisha's servant asked her how was everything and everyone...she said, "Everything is Fine!"  She exhibited FAITH.  Hebrews 11:1, "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." (New Living Translation)

When you give...it leads to a SURVIVAL of blessings!  Years passed, the woman's husband died, and she fell on hard times.  2 Kings Chapter 8 says, that after the famine the woman and her son returned to their home.  When Elisha and his servant recognized her they spoke with the King and he restored everything that she had lost, including the value of the crops that had been harvested while she was away!  Galatians 6:7 sums it all up, "Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life."

Have a Blessed Week!  Love and prayers, Cynthia