Emotions

Happy Sunday!

One of my daughters had to work today at 1pm, so we went to Pilgrim Rest East Campus service at 9:15am. It's so wonderful to have options. There is really no good reason for us to miss worship services.

Minister Joanne White preached about managing our emotions. She was following the theme that Bishop Alexis A. Thomas has been using.

In 2013 our goal is to be a W.E.L.L. church, Walking Examples of Liberated Lives. We are moving toward being well spiritually, emotionally, physically, and financially.

Minister White used Exodus 17:4-6 and Numbers 20: as her reference scriptures. In Exodus 17:4-6, the Children of Israel were in the wilderness. They were thirsty, and they were murmuring and complaining. "Moses cried out in prayer to God, “What can I do with these people? Any minute now they’ll kill me!” God said to Moses, “Go on out ahead of the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel. Take the staff you used to strike the Nile. And go. I’m going to be present before you there on the rock at Horeb. You are to strike the rock. Water will gush out of it and the people will drink.” Moses did what he said..." (Message Translation)

Now read what Numbers 20:2-12 says happened on another occasion, "There was no water there for the community, so they ganged up on Moses and Aaron. They attacked Moses: “We wish we’d died when the rest of our brothers died before God. Why did you haul this congregation of God out here into this wilderness to die, people and cattle alike? And why did you take us out of Egypt in the first place, dragging us into this miserable country? No grain, no figs, no grapevines, no pomegranates—and now not even any water!” Moses and Aaron walked from the assembled congregation to the Tent of Meeting and threw themselves facedown on the ground. And they saw the Glory of God. God spoke to Moses: “Take the staff. Assemble the community, you and your brother Aaron. Speak to that rock that’s right in front of them and it will give water. You will bring water out of the rock for them; congregation and cattle will both drink.” Moses took the staff away from God’s presence, as commanded. He and Aaron rounded up the whole congregation in front of the rock. Moses spoke: “Listen, rebels! Do we have to bring water out of this rock for you?” With that Moses raised his arm and slammed his staff against the rock—once, twice. Water poured out. Congregation and cattle drank. God said to Moses and Aaron,“Because you didn’t trust me, didn’t treat me with holy reverence in front of the People of Israel, you two aren’t going to lead this company into the land that I am giving them.” (Message Translation)
Did you get that? Moses let his emotions get the best of him. He did not obey God in front of the people and he missed out on entering the Promised Land!

What does that have to do with us? I'm glad you asked. Jesus told his followers, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:16 (King James Version) What we do and how we live is extremely important. We are the only Bibles some people will ever read. Your co-workers, business contacts, in-laws, and neighbors may never enter the doors of a church. And they don't have to! When we live our lives the right way in front of them, the WORD says they will ask us what makes the difference. Paul and Silas were in jail. They had been beaten and mistreated, but they did not react in anger, bitterness, or resentment. While in the jail praising God, an earthquake shook the jail. The jailer assumed they had escaped and he would be killed for letting them escape. "Then he(jailer) called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Acts 16:29-30 (King James Translation)

Minister Joanne White reminded us that everything in the Bible is connected. Even in Genesis, there are scriptures that prophetically mention Jesus. There are hundreds of prophecies in the Old Testament that tell of events that happened hundreds of years later in the New Testament. Our lives are designed by God! He has a great purpose and plan for each of us. Moses missed out on entering the promised land. What will we miss out on? What blessings have we forfeited because of our emotions and our responses?

Romans 5:18-19 says, "Here it is in a nutshell: Just as one person did it wrong and got us in all this trouble with sin and death, another person did it right and got us out of it. But more than just getting us out of trouble, he got us into life! One man said no to God and put many people in the wrong; one man said yes to God and put many in the right." (Message Translation)

Each day is a new opportunity to get it right! The past is the past, get past it! Start fresh.

Have a wonderful week! Love and prayers, Cynthia

Bitterness

Happy Sunday!

Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful fathers!

Bishop Alexis A. Thomas continued his series, "The Seven Deadly Emotions", with emotion number two, "Bitterness". He used Genesis 50:19 as his reference scripture.

What a fitting emotion to cover on a day that can be very painful for some of us. God designed the family! He intended for the godly father and mother to rear godly sons and daughters. Sadly, the family has been under attack for thousands of years. It is a demonic strategy of the enemy. Jesus said, "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)". John 10:10 (Amplified Version)
OUR enemy wants us to fail! OUR enemy wants us to miss out on the blessings of GOD. Our enemy wants us to be filled with bitterness and unforgiveness, because he knows the Word. God's Word says, “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you." Matthew 6:14 (New Living Translation)

God's Word is TRUE! Every story comes alive, and can be compared to our daily life to give us guidance and reassurance. The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, "Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us." 2 Timothy 3:16 (Message Translation)

You have probably heard the story of Joseph preached many times. Bishop made us laugh by saying, "It's better than Scandal!" The Bible is full of real life drama.

Joseph was his father's favorite son. His brothers were bitter about it. They plotted to kill him. Instead they threw him in a pit, sold him into slavery, and lied to their father about what happened to him. Years later there was a famine in their country. They went down to Egypt to buy food. When they arrived in Egypt they were reunited with their younger brother Joseph. That same young man that they treated so badly was now the second in command in Egypt and in charge of the food supplies! When Joseph revealed to them that he was their brother, they fell on their faces. They thought he would surely have them all killed. "But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them." Genesis 50:19 (New Living Translation)

Maya Angelou said, "Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host". Sure, you have good reason to be angry and bitter! They should never have treated you like that! But you have no right to be bitter! The part of Genesis 50:19 that sticks with me is the part that says,"Am I God, that I can punish you?" Joseph understood that we cannot punish others for the way they have treated us. God must do that! Being bitter only hurts us. Humans are human. They are frail and flawed. All of their experiences have made them who they are. Dr. Phil, Oprah, and even your best psychiatrist will never be able to explain "why". We have to trust GOD! We have to believe the WORD. "Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.” Romans 12:19 (Message Translation)

Your assignment for this week, if you choose to accept it, is to..."Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior." Ephesians 4:31 (New Living Translation)

Don't let the enemy block your flow of blessings with bitterness. Release forgiveness in prayer, ask God to help you and he will!

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Who Created God

Happy Sunday!

Dr. G. Thomas Turner, Sr., Pastor of the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio was our guest speaker today. He preached, "The God I Know". He used Genesis 1:1, John 1:1, and 2 Timothy 1:12 as reference scriptures.

Dr. Turner recounted a conversation with a young member of his congregation. The young person asked him, "Who Created God?"

Genesis 1:1 says, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." The Hebrew word used for God in this scripture is "ELOHIM". Elohim means Creator and Sustainer of all. Elohim is plural and masculine, and represents eternal existence. John 1:1-3 says, "In the beginning was the Word(Jesus), and the Word(Jesus) was with God, and the Word(Jesus) was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made." (King James Version)

In Exodus 3:14, Moses asked God what he should say to Pharaoh, "God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am." In the New Testament, after a spirited discussion with the Jewish Leaders, Jesus said, " Before Abraham was, I AM." John 8:58 ( King James Version) This comment caused the crowd to pick up stones and attempt to stone Jesus to death, but he disappeared into the crowd.

Our relationship with God is based on faith. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, "For we walk by faith, not by sight." Hebrews 11:1 says, "The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd." (Message Translation)

Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." John 4:24 says, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (King James Version)

Dr. Turner told a story about a young man returning home after finishing college. His mother fell to her knees and began to pray and thank God for all he'd done for her son. The son told his mother, he didn't believe in God and he didn't believe in anything he couldn't see. His mother was heartbroken. Later that night, the mother heard the son crying in pain. She went to his room and asked what was the matter. He cried, "I have a toothache!" She said, "Son, are you sure it's a toothache? Can you see it?" Psalm 14:1 says, "The wicked and foolish man truly believes there is no God." (Voice Translation)

Dr. Turner said, "In Nature, God is above man. In providence, God is beyond man. In Law, God is against the sin of man. In Grace, God is for man."

Love and prayers, Cynthia

8 Year Old

THIS IS FABULOUS!!!

It was written by an 8-year-old  named Danny Dutton, who lives in Chula Vista, CA. He wrote it for his third  grade homework assignment, to 'explain God.' I wonder if any of us could have  done as well ?  

(And he had such an assignment,  in   California , and someone  published it...

I guess miracles do happen!)

EXPLANATION OF GOD: 'One of  God's main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so  there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn't make  grownups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That  way he doesn't have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk.  He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.'

'God's second most  important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some  people, like preachers and things, pray at times beside bedtime. God doesn't  have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because he hears  everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in his ears, unless he has  thought of a way to turn it off.'

'God sees everything and hears  everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn't go  wasting his time by going over your mom and dad's head asking for something they  said you couldn't have.'

'Atheists are people who don't believe in God. I  don't think there are any in Chula Vista . At least there aren't any who come to  our church.'

'Jesus is God's Son. He used to do all the hard work, like  walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who  didn't want to learn about God. They finally got tired of him preaching to them  and they crucified him. But he was good and kind, like his father, and he told  his father that they didn't know what they were doing and to forgive them and  God said O.K.'

'His dad (God) appreciated everything that he had done and  all his hard work on earth so he told him he didn't have to go out on the road  anymore. He could stay in heaven. So he did. And now he helps his dad out by  listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care  of and which ones he can take care of himself without having to bother God. Like  a secretary, only more important.'

'You can pray anytime you want and  they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on  duty all the time.'  

'You  should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there's  anybody you want to make happy, it's God!

Don't skip church to do  something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong. And  besides the sun doesn't come out at the beach until noon anyway.'

'If you  don't believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because  your parents can't go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good  to know He's around you when you're scared, in the dark or when you can't swim  and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids.'

'But...you  shouldn't just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here  and he can take me back anytime he pleases.

And...that's why I believe in  God.'

Worry

Happy Sunday!

Bishop Alexis A. Thomas is starting a series called "7 Deadly Emotions". The first deadly emotion is "Worry". He used Matthew 6:25-34 as his reference scripture.

“If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss (WORRY) about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body.

Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.

Has anyone by fussing(WORRYING) in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.

If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works.

Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." - Matthew 6:25-34 (Message Translation)

None of us are immune to "WORRY". Jesus was preaching to Believers. Even Believers worry! I know that's hard to believe, but its true! The Apostle Peter encouraged his readers by writing, "Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately andcares about you watchfully." 1 Peter 5:7 (Amplified Version)

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians, "Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life." Philippians 4:6 (Message Translation)

Worry is defined as "tormenting oneself with or suffering from disturbing thoughts". The enemy uses "Worry" to choke, strain, suffocate, and distract us.

Don't worry about things you can change! If you can change it, change it!

Don't worry about things you cannot change! God's "mercies begin afresh each morning". Lamentations 3:23 (New Living Translation) Take life one day at a time!

Praying for you! Love, Cynthia