Happy Sunday!
Pastor Carlos T. Brown, pastor of Word of Life Ministries in Collinsville, Illinois preached a message entitled, "Giving Thanks". Before you tune me out, it was a refreshing message that actually put a twist on what we should be thankful for! Thanksgiving ushers us into the Holiday season. We rush past it on our merry way to Christmas. Many times we are consumed with "me". What will I get? What will I buy? What will I cook? What ugly sweater will I wear to the company Christmas Party? It can all produce quite a bit of anxiety. Philippians 4:4-7 says, "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with THANKSGIVING let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."(KJV),
The Message Translation of this passage says, "Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute! 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". Don't miss this! "It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life". The Lord Jesus Christ can displace worry, anxiety, and fear. Pastor Brown said, "Hope pulls us in one direction, and fear pulls us in another direction". It's possible to be pulled apart by life, and in this life! But God wants us to be changed from within.
Thankfulness is being "courteously respectful" to God! When we respect God and come to him in modesty and gratefulness he can change us, and change our circumstances. The Word says, "in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established."(Matthew 18:16b, KJV). On our way home, we heard another pastor on the radio using the same scriptures and saying almost exactly what the Holy Spirit had given Pastor Brown. He also spoke about being thankful for the unusual. Do you have a sink full of dirty dishes? Be thankful that you have food to eat. Are there beds to be made, and clothes to be washed? Be thankful that you have a place to live and comfortable bed. Be thankful that you have numerous choices and are not limited to the clothes on your back. Does your child run out of the house leaving the door wide open? Be thankful your child can run, play, and is growing! Do your parents need extra help, and care in their homes? Be thankful that they are still with you, and that you have the opportunity to bless them! Do you have to leave early in the morning to fill up the gas tank? Be thankful that you have a car, and that you have the funds to fill the tank. Be thankful that you have a job to go to!
I could go on and on...but I think you get the point. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."(KJV). The Living Bible says, "No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus".
No matter what happens, I'm giving thanks!
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, November 26, 2017
Sunday, November 19, 2017
Me too!
Happy Sunday!
2 Corinthians 4:8-10 is a poetic and familiar scripture, "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body."(KJV). You know I love the Word, and can always find scripture application for life occurrences. When you have time, read this scripture in other translations. The Living Bible says it this way, "We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed and broken. We are perplexed because we don’t know why things happen as they do, but we don’t give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going. These bodies of ours are constantly facing death just as Jesus did; so it is clear to all that it is only the living Christ within who keeps us safe".
The last portion of verse 10 in the Living Translation is key, "so it is clear to all that it is only the living Christ within who keeps us safe". Don't miss this! The Apostle Paul knew all about struggles and trauma! He wasn't just giving out cliches, or cute quotes. He was speaking from life experience. He'd been beaten, stoned with rocks, left for dead, and shipwrecked three times(2 Corinthians 11:25). He would live under house arrest for years, and eventually be put to death. But even when he considered death he was positive..."For to me, living means opportunities for Christ, and dying—well, that’s better yet!"(Philippians 1:21, Living Bible). Don't misunderstand, he was not suicidal, but he was aware that we win, even if we die.
I've mentioned before, that I did not get to meet my biological father. I'm still processing lots of life events, and it's easier because I have connected with some of my siblings on my father's side. We had an opportunity to get together this weekend in Minnesota. Conversations generally go back to the "why" behind all that we have experienced. We will never know all of the details, but as we grow closer more of the pieces are put together and make more sense. We do not make excuses for our father, but we do realize that he experienced trauma in his young life that undoubtedly affected him and his decision making processes. What do you do with trauma? How do we move on after painful experiences? How do we live without fear? Great questions! I'm so glad you asked! The Psalmist wrote, "From the end of the earth will I cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed and fainting; lead me to the rock that is higher than I [yes, a rock that is too high for me]."(Psalm 61:2, Amplified). The Voice Translation says, "You are the One I will call when pushed to the edge"(Psalm 61:2). When we are pushed to the edge emotionally, physically, and financially our only hope is the Love of God and our confidence and trust in Him.
Before you discount my understanding of hard things and trauma, let me tell you a story that very few people know. At five years old I was molested by a cousin. It was horrendous and made worse when another male family member, was told about it and said, "You let him do that, why didn't you let me?" For decades, this event clouded my opinion of my self worth. I thought it was my fault and that I was the evil one, and that I was to blame. Fast forward many years, and it was revealed that other family members had suffered similar events. One cousin even asked me if I'd had this experience too. I lied and said I did not. I apologize, and I hope that she will forgive me. I even had a pastor who made a derogatory comment in response to Joyce Meyers testimony of abuse. Since this woman never dealt with anything like this, she refused to believe it was true and said she believed it was an attention getting plot. I assure you this is not the kind of attention any person, young or old is seeking. Coping is not enough, healing is necessary. I've been healed and am being healed daily. I have forgiven my cousin, and I understand that he may have been a victim at some point himself. Before one of my great-aunts passed away, she shed light on periods in his life where he was vulnerable because of bad decisions his mother made.
Deuteronomy 22:15-27 says, "In this way you will reduce crime among you. But if this deed takes place out in the country, only the man shall die. The girl is as innocent as a murder victim; for it must be assumed that she screamed, but there was no one to hear and rescue her out in the field."(Living Bible). This scripture talks about rape and our responsibility to "scream" or tell someone. Our nation is buzzing about so many women in all walks of life finally revealing what they have endured. I'm not against them in any way, but because I can relate I say it's important that we encourage others to tell someone immediately! Don't wait decades! Until these people are healed and delivered themselves, they will continue to hurt others. When we bring their deeds out into the light, we can prevent them from doing more damage. The enemy is a liar. When we tell the truth, we shut his mouth! In conversation with family several years ago, this cousin was mentioned, and it was revealed that he exposed himself and wanted that person to touch his genitals. They refused. I don't think you can imagine how I felt, knowing that perhaps I could have stopped this by telling someone back in the 70's.
God is merciful! He takes our mess and gives us a message. We have to be willing to tell the story.
Love and prayers, Cynthia
2 Corinthians 4:8-10 is a poetic and familiar scripture, "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body."(KJV). You know I love the Word, and can always find scripture application for life occurrences. When you have time, read this scripture in other translations. The Living Bible says it this way, "We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed and broken. We are perplexed because we don’t know why things happen as they do, but we don’t give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going. These bodies of ours are constantly facing death just as Jesus did; so it is clear to all that it is only the living Christ within who keeps us safe".
The last portion of verse 10 in the Living Translation is key, "so it is clear to all that it is only the living Christ within who keeps us safe". Don't miss this! The Apostle Paul knew all about struggles and trauma! He wasn't just giving out cliches, or cute quotes. He was speaking from life experience. He'd been beaten, stoned with rocks, left for dead, and shipwrecked three times(2 Corinthians 11:25). He would live under house arrest for years, and eventually be put to death. But even when he considered death he was positive..."For to me, living means opportunities for Christ, and dying—well, that’s better yet!"(Philippians 1:21, Living Bible). Don't misunderstand, he was not suicidal, but he was aware that we win, even if we die.
I've mentioned before, that I did not get to meet my biological father. I'm still processing lots of life events, and it's easier because I have connected with some of my siblings on my father's side. We had an opportunity to get together this weekend in Minnesota. Conversations generally go back to the "why" behind all that we have experienced. We will never know all of the details, but as we grow closer more of the pieces are put together and make more sense. We do not make excuses for our father, but we do realize that he experienced trauma in his young life that undoubtedly affected him and his decision making processes. What do you do with trauma? How do we move on after painful experiences? How do we live without fear? Great questions! I'm so glad you asked! The Psalmist wrote, "From the end of the earth will I cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed and fainting; lead me to the rock that is higher than I [yes, a rock that is too high for me]."(Psalm 61:2, Amplified). The Voice Translation says, "You are the One I will call when pushed to the edge"(Psalm 61:2). When we are pushed to the edge emotionally, physically, and financially our only hope is the Love of God and our confidence and trust in Him.
Before you discount my understanding of hard things and trauma, let me tell you a story that very few people know. At five years old I was molested by a cousin. It was horrendous and made worse when another male family member, was told about it and said, "You let him do that, why didn't you let me?" For decades, this event clouded my opinion of my self worth. I thought it was my fault and that I was the evil one, and that I was to blame. Fast forward many years, and it was revealed that other family members had suffered similar events. One cousin even asked me if I'd had this experience too. I lied and said I did not. I apologize, and I hope that she will forgive me. I even had a pastor who made a derogatory comment in response to Joyce Meyers testimony of abuse. Since this woman never dealt with anything like this, she refused to believe it was true and said she believed it was an attention getting plot. I assure you this is not the kind of attention any person, young or old is seeking. Coping is not enough, healing is necessary. I've been healed and am being healed daily. I have forgiven my cousin, and I understand that he may have been a victim at some point himself. Before one of my great-aunts passed away, she shed light on periods in his life where he was vulnerable because of bad decisions his mother made.
Deuteronomy 22:15-27 says, "In this way you will reduce crime among you. But if this deed takes place out in the country, only the man shall die. The girl is as innocent as a murder victim; for it must be assumed that she screamed, but there was no one to hear and rescue her out in the field."(Living Bible). This scripture talks about rape and our responsibility to "scream" or tell someone. Our nation is buzzing about so many women in all walks of life finally revealing what they have endured. I'm not against them in any way, but because I can relate I say it's important that we encourage others to tell someone immediately! Don't wait decades! Until these people are healed and delivered themselves, they will continue to hurt others. When we bring their deeds out into the light, we can prevent them from doing more damage. The enemy is a liar. When we tell the truth, we shut his mouth! In conversation with family several years ago, this cousin was mentioned, and it was revealed that he exposed himself and wanted that person to touch his genitals. They refused. I don't think you can imagine how I felt, knowing that perhaps I could have stopped this by telling someone back in the 70's.
God is merciful! He takes our mess and gives us a message. We have to be willing to tell the story.
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, November 12, 2017
For Profit
Happy Sunday!
God is not Non-Profit! I'll give you a moment to process this revelation. From the very beginning, he intended for humankind to be productive. Genesis 1:27-28 says, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."(KJV). Don't let your religious mind diminish the weight of this mandate. God wants man to be profitable in every area of his life and existence.
Jesus picked up on this and told the parable of the talents. Matthew 25:14 says, "For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called HIS own servants, and delivered unto them HIS goods."(KJV). The next few verses in the Living Bible translation are very interesting. "He gave $5,000 to one, $2,000 to another, and $1,000 to the last—dividing it in Proportion to their Abilities—and then left on his trip. The man who received the $5,000 began immediately to buy and sell with it and soon earned another $5,000. The man with $2,000 went right to work, too, and earned another $2,000. But the man who received the $1,000 dug a hole in the ground and hid the money for safekeeping."(vs 15-17). Every time I read these scriptures, I hear Billie Holiday in my head. "Them that's got shall get, them that's not shall lose. So the Bible says, and it still is news. Mama may have, Papa may have, but God bless the child that's got his own". Ok, ok...pray for me! I generally can find a song to fit most life events.
Matthew 25:29-30 says, "For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."(KJV). OUCH! Don't miss this! The Unprofitable Servant was to be banished from the Kingdom. This is so different from what our society promotes. Jesus is not against helping the poor, but he is totally against laziness. In vs 26, the Master described the servant as, "wicked and slothful servant".(KJV). The Easy-to-Read Version says, "You are a bad and lazy servant!" The Message Version says it best, "The master was furious. ‘That’s a terrible way to live! It’s criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest".
What does this have to do with us? Great question! I'm so glad you asked! Psalm 90:12 says, "Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to SPEND them as we should."(Living Bible). Our days are a gift, they are currency. God has invested life in you. When he returns for you, or when he returns for us all...we will give an account of what we did with this gift. Jesus said that we will even be required to give an account of our words spoken. Matthew 12:36 says, "I tell you that men will have to answer at the day of judgment for every careless word they utter—for it is your words that will acquit you, and your words that will condemn you."(Phillips). The unprofitable servant told the Master, "I was afraid."(Matthew 25:25, KJV). Don't let fear cause you to miss out on God's Best!
Love and prayers, Cynthia
God is not Non-Profit! I'll give you a moment to process this revelation. From the very beginning, he intended for humankind to be productive. Genesis 1:27-28 says, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."(KJV). Don't let your religious mind diminish the weight of this mandate. God wants man to be profitable in every area of his life and existence.
Jesus picked up on this and told the parable of the talents. Matthew 25:14 says, "For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called HIS own servants, and delivered unto them HIS goods."(KJV). The next few verses in the Living Bible translation are very interesting. "He gave $5,000 to one, $2,000 to another, and $1,000 to the last—dividing it in Proportion to their Abilities—and then left on his trip. The man who received the $5,000 began immediately to buy and sell with it and soon earned another $5,000. The man with $2,000 went right to work, too, and earned another $2,000. But the man who received the $1,000 dug a hole in the ground and hid the money for safekeeping."(vs 15-17). Every time I read these scriptures, I hear Billie Holiday in my head. "Them that's got shall get, them that's not shall lose. So the Bible says, and it still is news. Mama may have, Papa may have, but God bless the child that's got his own". Ok, ok...pray for me! I generally can find a song to fit most life events.
Matthew 25:29-30 says, "For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."(KJV). OUCH! Don't miss this! The Unprofitable Servant was to be banished from the Kingdom. This is so different from what our society promotes. Jesus is not against helping the poor, but he is totally against laziness. In vs 26, the Master described the servant as, "wicked and slothful servant".(KJV). The Easy-to-Read Version says, "You are a bad and lazy servant!" The Message Version says it best, "The master was furious. ‘That’s a terrible way to live! It’s criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest".
What does this have to do with us? Great question! I'm so glad you asked! Psalm 90:12 says, "Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to SPEND them as we should."(Living Bible). Our days are a gift, they are currency. God has invested life in you. When he returns for you, or when he returns for us all...we will give an account of what we did with this gift. Jesus said that we will even be required to give an account of our words spoken. Matthew 12:36 says, "I tell you that men will have to answer at the day of judgment for every careless word they utter—for it is your words that will acquit you, and your words that will condemn you."(Phillips). The unprofitable servant told the Master, "I was afraid."(Matthew 25:25, KJV). Don't let fear cause you to miss out on God's Best!
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, November 5, 2017
No Fear
Happy Sunday!
Praying that you had a great day, and are ready for the new week!
Luke 18:7-8 says, " And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find FAITH on the earth?"(KJV). Don't miss this! Jesus is speaking here, using a parable to get his point across. Then he asks will there be anyone who really believes when he returns. 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."(KJV). In the coming days, Faith will be more precious than gold. Faith is a requirement. As Dr. Bill Winston said today, "Faith is a mandatory course in our Christian Education". Faith is the opposite of fear. Revelation 21:8 tells us what will eventually happen to the fearful. "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). I've always thought that this was so extreme! But in light of the fact that it's impossible to please God without faith, being fearful would mean that you never pleased God.
You may be thinking, "How can we live this life without fear?" Great question! So glad you asked! There are so many things happening in our world that can entice us to fear! It seems that there are no places that can really be considered safe. Hurricanes, tornadoes, typhoons, and evil people are just a few of the things the enemy uses to cause fear to grip our hearts. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For God hath NOT given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."(KJV). The best way to fight fear is to trust God! The safest place in the world is in the will of God. The Word of God is the will of God. He would be unjust to put us in this world and leave us unprotected and at the mercy of an enemy that wants us dead! People lie and say, "You never know what God will do!" Don't believe the hype! You can go to the Bible and find out exactly what God will do! First, He will never lie! Numbers 23:19 says, "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?"(KJV). Second, His Word will stand forever, "This, beloved, is the truth: until heaven and earth disappear, not one letter, not one pen stroke, will disappear from the sacred law—for everything, everything in the sacred law will be fulfilled and accomplished."(Matthew 5:18, Voice).
No natural man can defeat Satan! That's why we need Christ in Us. With Jesus in us and with us we overcome, "Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."(1 John 4:4, KJV). When we know without a shadow of a doubt that we are loved by God, we can live fearlessly. When we know that he will never leave us or forsake us, we can trust that he is with us wherever we go. When we take the time to study His Word, we will learn that he has a great plan for us and wants us to thrive, and enjoy life! Our trust should be in the living God who always richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.(1Timothy 6:17, Living Bible).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Praying that you had a great day, and are ready for the new week!
Luke 18:7-8 says, " And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find FAITH on the earth?"(KJV). Don't miss this! Jesus is speaking here, using a parable to get his point across. Then he asks will there be anyone who really believes when he returns. 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."(KJV). In the coming days, Faith will be more precious than gold. Faith is a requirement. As Dr. Bill Winston said today, "Faith is a mandatory course in our Christian Education". Faith is the opposite of fear. Revelation 21:8 tells us what will eventually happen to the fearful. "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). I've always thought that this was so extreme! But in light of the fact that it's impossible to please God without faith, being fearful would mean that you never pleased God.
You may be thinking, "How can we live this life without fear?" Great question! So glad you asked! There are so many things happening in our world that can entice us to fear! It seems that there are no places that can really be considered safe. Hurricanes, tornadoes, typhoons, and evil people are just a few of the things the enemy uses to cause fear to grip our hearts. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For God hath NOT given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."(KJV). The best way to fight fear is to trust God! The safest place in the world is in the will of God. The Word of God is the will of God. He would be unjust to put us in this world and leave us unprotected and at the mercy of an enemy that wants us dead! People lie and say, "You never know what God will do!" Don't believe the hype! You can go to the Bible and find out exactly what God will do! First, He will never lie! Numbers 23:19 says, "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?"(KJV). Second, His Word will stand forever, "This, beloved, is the truth: until heaven and earth disappear, not one letter, not one pen stroke, will disappear from the sacred law—for everything, everything in the sacred law will be fulfilled and accomplished."(Matthew 5:18, Voice).
No natural man can defeat Satan! That's why we need Christ in Us. With Jesus in us and with us we overcome, "Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."(1 John 4:4, KJV). When we know without a shadow of a doubt that we are loved by God, we can live fearlessly. When we know that he will never leave us or forsake us, we can trust that he is with us wherever we go. When we take the time to study His Word, we will learn that he has a great plan for us and wants us to thrive, and enjoy life! Our trust should be in the living God who always richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.(1Timothy 6:17, Living Bible).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)