Happy Sunday!
Hope your Thanksgiving Holiday was Grand! Just thinking about Black Friday, and the unofficial beginning of the Christmas Holiday Shopping Season. Supposedly, Black Friday marks the time when retailers financial books go from red to black, and they make a profit! What? You mean to tell me you haven't made a profit all year? That's horrible! It made me think of how many times the Word of God mentions the word, "reconcile". It's one of many financial terms used in the Bible. Bet you missed that in Sunday School! The Bible speaks of finances more times than it speaks of love! Research it for yourself! Why are finances important to God? Great question! Because debt enslaves us and finances the war against us. You did realize we are at war, didn't you? Jesus came to destroy the works of the enemy! We are the Body of Christ! We are here to take back everything the enemy has stolen.
No need to fear! I have good news for you! When you are born again into the Family of God, you stepped into a new economy! The Economy of the Kingdom of Heaven has no shortages. The Law of Sowing and Reaping guarantees that when you sow a seed it will always multiply. Once you sow a seed in the kingdom it is registered in Heaven. Proverbs 19:17 says, "When you help the poor you are lending to the Lord—and he pays wonderful interest on your loan!"(Living Bible).
Dr. Bill Winston continued the series, "Receiving Your Inheritance" with the subtitle, "Debt Release". The Blessing is designed to remove and reverse the Curse. Debt is a curse! I know, I know...some well meaning relative told you there is good debt and bad debt! Don't believe the hype! When has your debt ever been a blessing to you? When has not having enough been the thing that made you happy? There are proven ways to experience debt freedom. First, you must understand that the Bible is God speaking to you. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 says, "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. BUT God hath REVEALED them unto US by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God."(KJV). Don't miss this! People say you never know what God is going to do. They say that God works in mysterious ways, as if to say we are wandering around in life without direction. God did not put you on this planet without instructions for life! If you have a question, see what the Word has to say about it!
Second, revelation gives restoration. When you see the Word as a guide book, and not just a good book you will see things you never saw before. The carnal believer only has faith in this world's reality. Do you realize that most of what you see is not always as it seems? In the Word, to be Blind means to have no revelation. In 2 Kings 6:17, the prophet prayed that the young man's eyes would be opened. His physical eyes were already open, weren't they? There is another realm, the spirit realm. When his eyes were open he saw that there were more with them than were with the entire Syrian Army! Third, be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only! James 1:22-25 says, "Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. ACT on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like. But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life!—even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action."(Message). In Another scripture it says, "Brothers and sisters, it doesn’t make any sense to say you have faith and act in a way that denies that faith. Mere talk never gets you very far, and a commitment to Jesus only in words will not save you."(James 2:14, Voice).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, November 27, 2016
Sunday, November 20, 2016
The Best for NOW
Happy Sunday!
It's been a great week! Excited to start a new week of Thanksgiving! So thankful for this beautiful life in Christ. I was talking to my daughter, Crystal. We were talking about how our lives have changed in so many ways. On the outside, others may not see the changes but they are, as she said, "small but epic"! Simple things, like how we handle stress, offenses, and trials. Being able to walk in love in the mean world is a must! Being able to identify the enemy at work through people to get you off track, and winning battles by not falling for the "okie doke". The Word says, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"(Mark 8:36, KJV). The Message Translation is always so poignant! It says, "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 8:36, Message).
During the Increase Message, Dr. Bill Winston reminded us of the Wedding at Cana! Do you realize the first miracle Jesus performed was a to multiply wine? Not feed the hungry children on TV late at night, but multiply something that was not a necessity! God is the God of overflow! He wants us to have more than enough of everything. The Scripture proves it! 1 Timothy 6:17(b) says, "fix your hope on God, the One who richly provides everything for our Enjoyment.”(Voice). Don't over spiritualize this! Even Proverbs 5:18 says, "BE HAPPY, yes, rejoice in the wife of your youth." God is not mad! He loves you and he pours out his love and mercy on us daily! Ok, back to the wedding! We love weddings! Crystal and I watched, "Say Yes to the Dress" Saturday! Too much drama, but we enjoy the preparation for the big day! Weddings in Bible times could go on for weeks! Yes, this American one day tradition falls short! LOL!
So after days of celebrating, Jesus and the disciples arrive on the scene. It may have been a relatives wedding, because his mother came to him about the lack of wine! Some of my African friends have explained that in their culture the family is responsible to provide almost everything for the invited guests. I even have a Native American friend, when his family member passed away he had to kill one of his cows to ensure there was enough meat for the repass. It's the opposite of our African American culture during the death of a loved one, the family is not required to do the work. The community, the church, the friends, and even the motorcycle club come together to show their love and support. But let's get back to the wedding! John Chapter 2 tells the story. Mary tells Jesus they have run out of wine, which would be very embarrassing for the family. Jesus says, "Mom, why are bothering me with this? It's not my time for miracles." Mary, like any good mother, ignores his statement and turns to the servants and says, "Whatever he tells you to do, do it!" The Easy-to-Read Version says, "There were six large stone waterpots there that were used by the Jews in their washing ceremonies. Each one held about 20 or 30 gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them to the top. Then he said to them, “Now dip out some water and take it to the man in charge of the feast.”(John 2:6-8). WOW, what faith on the part of the servants! Just do what Jesus tells you! Of course, you know the rest of the story. The Master of Ceremonies was so amazed by the quality and taste of this wine that he said, "“Everybody I know begins with their finest wines and after the guests have had their fill brings in the cheap stuff. But you’ve saved the best till now!”(John 2:9-10, Message).
What does this have to do with you? So glad you asked! God is the God of Abundance! Stop limiting God to your small thinking, and your paycheck! The pots each held 20 to 30 gallons of water. There are 4 quarts in a gallon. So each pot contained at least 120 quarts of wine. A bottle of wine contains a little less than a quart. One bottle of Chateau Margaux from 1875 costs $225,000, we can rest assured the Jesus brand was more valuable. Let's do the math: 120 quarts times 6 waterpots equals 720 quarts. 720 quarts times $225,000 equals $162,000,000. Even if my math is off, you should get the point. God is not against enjoyment, and prosperity...he's against selfishness and greed. When your heart is toward God, he never has to worry about you heaping it up for yourself. He wants to use you to bless others! He wants to get it through you, more than just getting it to you!
Love and prayers, Cynthia
It's been a great week! Excited to start a new week of Thanksgiving! So thankful for this beautiful life in Christ. I was talking to my daughter, Crystal. We were talking about how our lives have changed in so many ways. On the outside, others may not see the changes but they are, as she said, "small but epic"! Simple things, like how we handle stress, offenses, and trials. Being able to walk in love in the mean world is a must! Being able to identify the enemy at work through people to get you off track, and winning battles by not falling for the "okie doke". The Word says, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"(Mark 8:36, KJV). The Message Translation is always so poignant! It says, "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 8:36, Message).
During the Increase Message, Dr. Bill Winston reminded us of the Wedding at Cana! Do you realize the first miracle Jesus performed was a to multiply wine? Not feed the hungry children on TV late at night, but multiply something that was not a necessity! God is the God of overflow! He wants us to have more than enough of everything. The Scripture proves it! 1 Timothy 6:17(b) says, "fix your hope on God, the One who richly provides everything for our Enjoyment.”(Voice). Don't over spiritualize this! Even Proverbs 5:18 says, "BE HAPPY, yes, rejoice in the wife of your youth." God is not mad! He loves you and he pours out his love and mercy on us daily! Ok, back to the wedding! We love weddings! Crystal and I watched, "Say Yes to the Dress" Saturday! Too much drama, but we enjoy the preparation for the big day! Weddings in Bible times could go on for weeks! Yes, this American one day tradition falls short! LOL!
So after days of celebrating, Jesus and the disciples arrive on the scene. It may have been a relatives wedding, because his mother came to him about the lack of wine! Some of my African friends have explained that in their culture the family is responsible to provide almost everything for the invited guests. I even have a Native American friend, when his family member passed away he had to kill one of his cows to ensure there was enough meat for the repass. It's the opposite of our African American culture during the death of a loved one, the family is not required to do the work. The community, the church, the friends, and even the motorcycle club come together to show their love and support. But let's get back to the wedding! John Chapter 2 tells the story. Mary tells Jesus they have run out of wine, which would be very embarrassing for the family. Jesus says, "Mom, why are bothering me with this? It's not my time for miracles." Mary, like any good mother, ignores his statement and turns to the servants and says, "Whatever he tells you to do, do it!" The Easy-to-Read Version says, "There were six large stone waterpots there that were used by the Jews in their washing ceremonies. Each one held about 20 or 30 gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them to the top. Then he said to them, “Now dip out some water and take it to the man in charge of the feast.”(John 2:6-8). WOW, what faith on the part of the servants! Just do what Jesus tells you! Of course, you know the rest of the story. The Master of Ceremonies was so amazed by the quality and taste of this wine that he said, "“Everybody I know begins with their finest wines and after the guests have had their fill brings in the cheap stuff. But you’ve saved the best till now!”(John 2:9-10, Message).
What does this have to do with you? So glad you asked! God is the God of Abundance! Stop limiting God to your small thinking, and your paycheck! The pots each held 20 to 30 gallons of water. There are 4 quarts in a gallon. So each pot contained at least 120 quarts of wine. A bottle of wine contains a little less than a quart. One bottle of Chateau Margaux from 1875 costs $225,000, we can rest assured the Jesus brand was more valuable. Let's do the math: 120 quarts times 6 waterpots equals 720 quarts. 720 quarts times $225,000 equals $162,000,000. Even if my math is off, you should get the point. God is not against enjoyment, and prosperity...he's against selfishness and greed. When your heart is toward God, he never has to worry about you heaping it up for yourself. He wants to use you to bless others! He wants to get it through you, more than just getting it to you!
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, November 13, 2016
No Blurred Lines
Happy Sunday!
We made it! We made it through the week! And here we are on our way into a fresh new week, full of God's Mercy! Lamentations 3:23 says, "Great is his faithfulness; his loving-kindness begins afresh each day."(Living Bible). Not long ago, a judge ruled that Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams and T.I. were guilty of using some of the Late Marvin Gaye's intellectual property without permission. Now, I admit I don't know enough about the case to speak intelligently, or to debate the validity of the claims, or the affect this case will have on the music industry. But what I do see is a lot of "Blurred Lines" in our society. Is everything really black and white? How can we know who's wrong and who's right? I trust we can find the answer in the Word of God!
Dr. Bill Winston continued the series, "Receiving Your Inheritance", with the subtitle, "Back to the Garden". God gave man dominion and planned for him to take the Garden of Eden throughout the whole earth. You know the story, the first Adam messed things up, and the second Adam came to set things in order! 1 Corinthians 15:45-49 says, "We follow this sequence in Scripture: The First Adam received life, the Last Adam is a life-giving Spirit. Physical life comes first, then spiritual—a firm base shaped from the earth, a final completion coming out of heaven. The First Man was made out of earth, and people since then are earthy; the Second Man was made out of heaven, and people now can be heavenly. In the same way that we’ve worked from our earthy origins, let’s embrace our heavenly ends."(Message). For thousands of years, and even today man has tried to fix the worlds ills by his own strength and intelligence. But the Word tells us, "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). Did you get that? Cursed is the man that trusts a man to solve all his problems! Another translation of this same scripture says, "The Lord says: Cursed is the man who puts his trust in mortal man and turns his heart away from God."(Living Bible). OUCH! Here we are trying to learn all we can about the Blessing and something as simple as this could be causing the Blessing to short-circuit.
My Aunt Theaha always says, "You have to know that you know that you know!" You have to be confident that what you believe, what you stand for, and what you live by are solid Biblical Truths! 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, "We must all stand before Christ to be judged. Everyone will get what they should. They will be paid for whatever they did—good or bad—when they lived in this earthly body."(Easy-to-Read Version). We've got this wonderful life and an opportunity to spend eternity with God, let's live it with purpose! If we have a question, the answer can be found in the Word! God hasn't changed, and he doesn't lie. He can be trusted with the most difficult situations and circumstances. Dr. Bill Winston said, "You must be satisfied that God cannot mismanage your life!" When you trust him, it won't be hard to make good decisions! Never make permanent decisions based on temporary emotions. Even if it doesn't feel good, doing things God's way will pay off! Galatians 6:7 says, "Don’t be misled; remember that you can’t ignore God and get away with it: a man will ALWAYS reap just the kind of crop he sows!"(Living Bible).
The Word of God is not "Blurred" or hard to understand! There will be no excuse for us in this age of technology! We have numerous translations, and Bibles at a our finger tips. There is no reason, or excuse except laziness, and complacency for not knowing the Word for yourself. Dr. Myles Munroe said, "The law itself judges the law-breaker." If you violate the law of gravity and step off the top of the Sears(Willis) Tower, God did not kill you! Your ignorance of the law of gravity or your blatant disregard for the law judged you, and sentenced you to death. If you choose to be selfish, the law of sowing and reaping cannot operate in your life. By refusing to obey the law, you have inadvertently chosen poverty over wealth! Proverbs 22:9 says, "Generous hands are blessed hands because they give bread to the poor."(Message). If you choose to speak negatively over your life and your situation, you are putting a law into motion! Mark 11:23(b) says, "If you don’t doubt, but trust that what you SAY will take place, then it will happen."(Voice). Bet you didn't know that that scripture worked in the reverse! Watch your mouth!
Love and prayers, Cynthia
We made it! We made it through the week! And here we are on our way into a fresh new week, full of God's Mercy! Lamentations 3:23 says, "Great is his faithfulness; his loving-kindness begins afresh each day."(Living Bible). Not long ago, a judge ruled that Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams and T.I. were guilty of using some of the Late Marvin Gaye's intellectual property without permission. Now, I admit I don't know enough about the case to speak intelligently, or to debate the validity of the claims, or the affect this case will have on the music industry. But what I do see is a lot of "Blurred Lines" in our society. Is everything really black and white? How can we know who's wrong and who's right? I trust we can find the answer in the Word of God!
Dr. Bill Winston continued the series, "Receiving Your Inheritance", with the subtitle, "Back to the Garden". God gave man dominion and planned for him to take the Garden of Eden throughout the whole earth. You know the story, the first Adam messed things up, and the second Adam came to set things in order! 1 Corinthians 15:45-49 says, "We follow this sequence in Scripture: The First Adam received life, the Last Adam is a life-giving Spirit. Physical life comes first, then spiritual—a firm base shaped from the earth, a final completion coming out of heaven. The First Man was made out of earth, and people since then are earthy; the Second Man was made out of heaven, and people now can be heavenly. In the same way that we’ve worked from our earthy origins, let’s embrace our heavenly ends."(Message). For thousands of years, and even today man has tried to fix the worlds ills by his own strength and intelligence. But the Word tells us, "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). Did you get that? Cursed is the man that trusts a man to solve all his problems! Another translation of this same scripture says, "The Lord says: Cursed is the man who puts his trust in mortal man and turns his heart away from God."(Living Bible). OUCH! Here we are trying to learn all we can about the Blessing and something as simple as this could be causing the Blessing to short-circuit.
My Aunt Theaha always says, "You have to know that you know that you know!" You have to be confident that what you believe, what you stand for, and what you live by are solid Biblical Truths! 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, "We must all stand before Christ to be judged. Everyone will get what they should. They will be paid for whatever they did—good or bad—when they lived in this earthly body."(Easy-to-Read Version). We've got this wonderful life and an opportunity to spend eternity with God, let's live it with purpose! If we have a question, the answer can be found in the Word! God hasn't changed, and he doesn't lie. He can be trusted with the most difficult situations and circumstances. Dr. Bill Winston said, "You must be satisfied that God cannot mismanage your life!" When you trust him, it won't be hard to make good decisions! Never make permanent decisions based on temporary emotions. Even if it doesn't feel good, doing things God's way will pay off! Galatians 6:7 says, "Don’t be misled; remember that you can’t ignore God and get away with it: a man will ALWAYS reap just the kind of crop he sows!"(Living Bible).
The Word of God is not "Blurred" or hard to understand! There will be no excuse for us in this age of technology! We have numerous translations, and Bibles at a our finger tips. There is no reason, or excuse except laziness, and complacency for not knowing the Word for yourself. Dr. Myles Munroe said, "The law itself judges the law-breaker." If you violate the law of gravity and step off the top of the Sears(Willis) Tower, God did not kill you! Your ignorance of the law of gravity or your blatant disregard for the law judged you, and sentenced you to death. If you choose to be selfish, the law of sowing and reaping cannot operate in your life. By refusing to obey the law, you have inadvertently chosen poverty over wealth! Proverbs 22:9 says, "Generous hands are blessed hands because they give bread to the poor."(Message). If you choose to speak negatively over your life and your situation, you are putting a law into motion! Mark 11:23(b) says, "If you don’t doubt, but trust that what you SAY will take place, then it will happen."(Voice). Bet you didn't know that that scripture worked in the reverse! Watch your mouth!
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, November 6, 2016
Focus...
Happy Sunday!
I love you and I'm praying for you! Encouraging you to vote if you are a United States citizen this week, if you haven't already! I voted early. Whatever the outcome, as citizens of the Kingdom of God we are Blessed, Protected, and Healed. Based on the Word of God, we will have everything we need according to God's riches in Glory by Christ Jesus. Focusing on the many, many benefits we can and do enjoy will comfort us in good times and bad times. Have a wonderful week! Remember, Romans 8:28 says, "That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good."(Message).
The Power of Focus by Barry Bennett
Anything you focus on gains influence in your life. If your focus is a hobby and you spend great amounts of time on that hobby, the hobby will determine how much time you give to other things around you. If your focus is on a person, that person can become an obsession. Focusing on a fear can paralyze you. The same could be said for focusing on sickness, money or entertainment.
FAILURE is a result of broken focus. When we fail to give enough time and attention to certain aspects of our lives, those areas begin to suffer. Marriages have suffered due to a lack of focus. We are all focused on different things, but are we focused on the right things? Can you pull yourself away from the TV long enough to play with your children or take a walk with your spouse?
Anything that consumes our time consumes our focus. Perhaps that is why Jesus admonished us to “seek first His kingdom and righteousness.” Rather than focusing on the things we need for life, focusing on Life Himself will open the doors of His provision. The right focus is a source of peace.
Anything that keeps your attention has mastered you. “For by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.” (2 Pet. 2:19) It could just as easily say, “by what a person is overcome….”
Energy is generated by focus. We make time for that which we consider important. A scattered focus will determine your destiny just as much as a singular focus. “Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:13-14) Paul understood the need to leave the past in the past and focus on his purpose in God.
Determine in your heart to whom or what you will give your time and attention. Do those people, pursuits and things give life or steal it? Are you managing your focus or are you being driven? If peace and joy in your marriage, family and surroundings doesn’t describe your life, you are probably focused on the wrong things.
Love and prayers, Cynthia
I love you and I'm praying for you! Encouraging you to vote if you are a United States citizen this week, if you haven't already! I voted early. Whatever the outcome, as citizens of the Kingdom of God we are Blessed, Protected, and Healed. Based on the Word of God, we will have everything we need according to God's riches in Glory by Christ Jesus. Focusing on the many, many benefits we can and do enjoy will comfort us in good times and bad times. Have a wonderful week! Remember, Romans 8:28 says, "That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good."(Message).
The Power of Focus by Barry Bennett
Anything you focus on gains influence in your life. If your focus is a hobby and you spend great amounts of time on that hobby, the hobby will determine how much time you give to other things around you. If your focus is on a person, that person can become an obsession. Focusing on a fear can paralyze you. The same could be said for focusing on sickness, money or entertainment.
FAILURE is a result of broken focus. When we fail to give enough time and attention to certain aspects of our lives, those areas begin to suffer. Marriages have suffered due to a lack of focus. We are all focused on different things, but are we focused on the right things? Can you pull yourself away from the TV long enough to play with your children or take a walk with your spouse?
Anything that consumes our time consumes our focus. Perhaps that is why Jesus admonished us to “seek first His kingdom and righteousness.” Rather than focusing on the things we need for life, focusing on Life Himself will open the doors of His provision. The right focus is a source of peace.
Anything that keeps your attention has mastered you. “For by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.” (2 Pet. 2:19) It could just as easily say, “by what a person is overcome….”
Energy is generated by focus. We make time for that which we consider important. A scattered focus will determine your destiny just as much as a singular focus. “Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:13-14) Paul understood the need to leave the past in the past and focus on his purpose in God.
Determine in your heart to whom or what you will give your time and attention. Do those people, pursuits and things give life or steal it? Are you managing your focus or are you being driven? If peace and joy in your marriage, family and surroundings doesn’t describe your life, you are probably focused on the wrong things.
Love and prayers, Cynthia
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