Happy Sunday!
You can forfeit, abandon, and go to the grave without having seen what God saw, and intended for your life. - Dr. Matthew L. Stevenson III
You may want to read that again, and again. Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us that God has a good plan us, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."(KJV). How will I know what that good plan is? Great question! I'm so glad you asked! Jeremiah 29:13 gives us the answer, "You will find me when you seek me, if you look for me in earnest."(Living Bible). When we earnestly seek the Lord, he will give us the instructions, directions, and steps to live out the good plan he has for us.
I live on the South Side of Chicago. In order to get a Green Line Train going North toward the city center, I must go to the Green Line Station near me. My intended destination could be the Magnificent Mile. I could really want to get there, even know that it's God's will for me to get there, but never get there unless I leave my home, and make my way to the right station, and move in the right direction. It sounds so simple, but for some reason the enemy has convinced us that this does not apply in the things of the Spirit. I told you that my prayer for you is that you would always be in the right place, at the right time, with the right information, and the right understanding. It's my prayer, but you have the power. God blessed us with free will. He didn't want to force us to love him, so he gave us the option to choose. We get to choose Life or Death, Blessing or Curses, and Success or Failure. He's a good, good father and He's the best educator. He gave the test, but provided the answer..."I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore CHOOSE LIFE, that both thou and thy seed may live:"(Deuteronomy 30:19, KJV).
Dr. Bill Winston continued his series, "Christ in You" with the subtitle, "The Greater Works". He said, "You will never rise any higher than what you are willing to confess". Don't miss this! Mark 11:23 says, "For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he SAITH."(KJV). Proverbs 18:21 says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."(KJV). Another translation of this scripture says, "Those who love to talk will suffer the consequences. Men have died for saying the wrong thing!"(Living Bible). OUCH! Our words have creative power, we are made in the image of God. We must speak good things, if we want good things to happen. Matthew 12:35 says, "A good man’s speech reveals the rich treasures within him. An evil-hearted man is filled with venom, and his speech reveals it."(Living Bible). Part of living out the good plan God has for our lives is obedience. When we obey, all the pieces of this puzzle called life will begin to fit.
Dr. Winston encouraged us to Expect Miracles. The Hebrew definition of expectation includes this description..."the stretching forth of the head toward an object that is anticipated". Hebrews 11:1 says, "What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead."(Living Bible). It reminded me of waiting for a train, and leaning out a bit toward the track to see if it is getting closer. Your movement and progress in life are greatly dependent on being in the right place, at the right time, with the right information, and the right understanding. Are you at the right station in order to get your Destiny train?
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, January 28, 2018
Sunday, January 21, 2018
Unannounced and Unexpected
Happy Sunday!
Matthew 24:44-51 says, "So you can avoid trouble by always being ready for my unannounced return. Are you a wise and faithful servant of the Lord? Have I given you the task of managing my household, to feed my children day by day? Blessings on you if I return and find you faithfully doing your work. I will put such faithful ones in charge of everything I own! But if you are evil and say to yourself, ‘My Lord won’t be coming for a while,’ and begin oppressing your fellow servants, partying and getting drunk, your Lord will arrive unannounced and unexpected, and severely whip you and send you off to the judgment of the hypocrites; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."(Living Bible).
Unannounced and unexpected...don't miss this! This month several people that I know, have lost loved ones. For us these deaths were "unannounced and unexpected". That's just the way the Word describes the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. But the scripture passage we just read identifies a specific group of people that will be shocked by the Lord's return. Those that are wise and faithfully doing their work, have nothing to fear. The scripture says that Blessings will be upon them. But the other group that assumes they have plenty of time to get ready, will be surprised and punished. Which group are you in?
If you have been reading Happy Sunday from it's inception, you will know that Bishop Alexis A. Thomas was the inspiration for many of them. I started the Happy Sunday emails when I lived in Minnesota, by the time I arrived in Arizona I had almost vowed never to attend church again. Oh, I wasn't mad at God, but I was tired of some of the folks that claim to represent God. I Googled churches in Phoenix, and researched them a bit never really thinking I'd attend. A few friends in the area, told us not to go to Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church. One person even called it "Club Pilgrim". Now, don't get me wrong...everything was not perfect or done perfectly. But Bishop Thomas never disappointed. He was funny, encouraging, charismatic, and compassionate. He'd been preaching since he was 7, and the Pastor at Pilgrim Rest since he was 16. The messages always blessed me, and I have shared so many with you. He also passed away this week.
The first stage of grief is denial. I saw posts about Bishop's death on Facebook, and Instagram. I disregarded them, and waited for more concrete verification. Some of my loves emailed me and texted me...and I quickly moved past anger, bargaining, and depression and came to acceptance. Acceptance? Yes, I understand that if the Lord Jesus delays his return we may die as well. But death is nothing to fear when you know where you will spend eternity. The Apostle Paul wrote, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."(Philippians 1:21, KJV). The Apostle went on to say, "As long as I’m alive in this body, there is good work for me to do. If I had to choose right now, I hardly know which I’d choose. Hard choice! The desire to break camp here and be with Christ is powerful. Some days I can think of nothing better. But most days, because of what you are going through, I am sure that it’s better for me to stick it out here. So I plan to be around awhile, companion to you as your growth and joy in this life of trusting God continues."(Philippians 1:22-25, Message).
What I want people to know is that the number of years we live on this earth does not determine the impact we can have. There are people in their 90's that can't say that they have touched people and changed the world like Bishop Thomas who died at 50 years old. Capital One Credit Cards had a catchy slogan, "What's in your wallet?" I believe we should modify that slogan and say, "What's in your Life?" What have you done with this precious life you were given? What is your purpose here on earth? Do you know who Jochebed was? Were you paying attention in Sunday School at all? She was Moses' mother. She is mentioned in Numbers 26:58 and Exodus 2. During that time, the King of Egypt commanded the midwives to kill all the baby boys born to the Israelite mothers. Jochebed knew that there was something special about Moses, and she refused to allow him to be killed. She made a little vessel for him, and at just the right time floated him by the King's daughter. The very river that he was supposed to be killed in, was used to float him to destiny.
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Matthew 24:44-51 says, "So you can avoid trouble by always being ready for my unannounced return. Are you a wise and faithful servant of the Lord? Have I given you the task of managing my household, to feed my children day by day? Blessings on you if I return and find you faithfully doing your work. I will put such faithful ones in charge of everything I own! But if you are evil and say to yourself, ‘My Lord won’t be coming for a while,’ and begin oppressing your fellow servants, partying and getting drunk, your Lord will arrive unannounced and unexpected, and severely whip you and send you off to the judgment of the hypocrites; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."(Living Bible).
Unannounced and unexpected...don't miss this! This month several people that I know, have lost loved ones. For us these deaths were "unannounced and unexpected". That's just the way the Word describes the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. But the scripture passage we just read identifies a specific group of people that will be shocked by the Lord's return. Those that are wise and faithfully doing their work, have nothing to fear. The scripture says that Blessings will be upon them. But the other group that assumes they have plenty of time to get ready, will be surprised and punished. Which group are you in?
If you have been reading Happy Sunday from it's inception, you will know that Bishop Alexis A. Thomas was the inspiration for many of them. I started the Happy Sunday emails when I lived in Minnesota, by the time I arrived in Arizona I had almost vowed never to attend church again. Oh, I wasn't mad at God, but I was tired of some of the folks that claim to represent God. I Googled churches in Phoenix, and researched them a bit never really thinking I'd attend. A few friends in the area, told us not to go to Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church. One person even called it "Club Pilgrim". Now, don't get me wrong...everything was not perfect or done perfectly. But Bishop Thomas never disappointed. He was funny, encouraging, charismatic, and compassionate. He'd been preaching since he was 7, and the Pastor at Pilgrim Rest since he was 16. The messages always blessed me, and I have shared so many with you. He also passed away this week.
The first stage of grief is denial. I saw posts about Bishop's death on Facebook, and Instagram. I disregarded them, and waited for more concrete verification. Some of my loves emailed me and texted me...and I quickly moved past anger, bargaining, and depression and came to acceptance. Acceptance? Yes, I understand that if the Lord Jesus delays his return we may die as well. But death is nothing to fear when you know where you will spend eternity. The Apostle Paul wrote, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."(Philippians 1:21, KJV). The Apostle went on to say, "As long as I’m alive in this body, there is good work for me to do. If I had to choose right now, I hardly know which I’d choose. Hard choice! The desire to break camp here and be with Christ is powerful. Some days I can think of nothing better. But most days, because of what you are going through, I am sure that it’s better for me to stick it out here. So I plan to be around awhile, companion to you as your growth and joy in this life of trusting God continues."(Philippians 1:22-25, Message).
What I want people to know is that the number of years we live on this earth does not determine the impact we can have. There are people in their 90's that can't say that they have touched people and changed the world like Bishop Thomas who died at 50 years old. Capital One Credit Cards had a catchy slogan, "What's in your wallet?" I believe we should modify that slogan and say, "What's in your Life?" What have you done with this precious life you were given? What is your purpose here on earth? Do you know who Jochebed was? Were you paying attention in Sunday School at all? She was Moses' mother. She is mentioned in Numbers 26:58 and Exodus 2. During that time, the King of Egypt commanded the midwives to kill all the baby boys born to the Israelite mothers. Jochebed knew that there was something special about Moses, and she refused to allow him to be killed. She made a little vessel for him, and at just the right time floated him by the King's daughter. The very river that he was supposed to be killed in, was used to float him to destiny.
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, January 14, 2018
Voice Activated
Happy Sunday!
Romans 10:8 says, "But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy MOUTH, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;"(KJV). Dr. Bill Winston said, "We are moving rapidly toward using words to get things done!" I'm sure you are already aware of this. Ok, Google! Hey, Siri? "Alexa, turn off the bathroom light." These are all examples of modern technology that allows us to simply speak to make things happen. You probably get in your car and make voice commands..."Call Joe" and the car uses the connection to your cellular phone to make the call. Ecclesiastes 1:9 says, "Everything that happens has happened before; nothing is new, nothing under the sun."(CEV). Did you know that the Kingdom of God has always been "Voice Activated"? In Genesis, nothing happened until God said, "Let there be...". He could have snapped his fingers, or clapped his hands and turned on the heavenly lights, but he didn't! He spoke, and we must speak also in Faith if we want to see results in our lives.
Mark 11:23-24 says, "For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall SAY unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he SAITH shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he SAITH. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye PRAY, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."(KJV). Don't miss this! Even our prayers need to be audible. When we speak things happen! You told little Johnny if he kept being bad he'd end up in jail. Where is Johnny now? You said, "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong." Why are you mad that things went sour? You said, "They never promote people like me." Are you confused about why they promoted the other man? Even popular culture encourages positive confessions, affirmations, and mantras. Wonder where they got that idea?
Our inheritance is vitally connected to our identity. If you know that you own the property, and you accept your identity as Owner, you have no qualms about kicking squatters out! John 1:12 says, "Yet wherever men did accept him he gave them the power to become sons of God. These were the men who truly believed in him, and their birth depended not on the course of nature nor on any impulse or plan of man, but on God."(Phillips). Don't miss this! When you accepted Jesus, you became a child of God. All rights, and privileges of Sonship are yours. Is it any wonder that the world wants us to believe that every person is a child of God? We are all God's creation, but we are not all God's Children. If there is no clear cut difference between the benefits of believers compared to unbelievers, what big difference does it make to be saved? Don't be fooled! Our identity is everything! Colossians 1:27 says, "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:"(KJV). One translation of this scripture says, "Christ in your hearts is your only hope of glory."(Living Bible).
We have HOPE! Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."(KJV). Charles Capps, the great Faith Teacher gave his testimony about using the Word to change his life and situation. I may have shared it before, but it's always good. He says he was "head over heels in Debt". He was sick in his body, and drinking Maalox daily to relieve his stomach issues. He was a farmer, so every morning he would go out on his property and make positive confessions based on the Word of God. He would say, "I am far from oppression and fear does not come near me. No weapon that is formed against me will prosper, but whatever I do will prosper! I boldly declare that I will walk in prosperity. I will walk in health, and peace of mind, for Your Word causes me to prevail". One day he heard a voice saying, "You're just lying!" He thought about it. At that specific moment, nothing had changed. It appeared that he was still in debt, and he was still sick. But then he asked God. God said, "How can you lie when you are saying what I said?" Don't miss this! Speak the Word no matter what it looks like! Within a year, what he said was manifested. He was out of debt, and his body was healed.
Get in the Word, and start using the original technology to change your life. Faith is the original technology, and it's Voice Activated.
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Romans 10:8 says, "But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy MOUTH, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;"(KJV). Dr. Bill Winston said, "We are moving rapidly toward using words to get things done!" I'm sure you are already aware of this. Ok, Google! Hey, Siri? "Alexa, turn off the bathroom light." These are all examples of modern technology that allows us to simply speak to make things happen. You probably get in your car and make voice commands..."Call Joe" and the car uses the connection to your cellular phone to make the call. Ecclesiastes 1:9 says, "Everything that happens has happened before; nothing is new, nothing under the sun."(CEV). Did you know that the Kingdom of God has always been "Voice Activated"? In Genesis, nothing happened until God said, "Let there be...". He could have snapped his fingers, or clapped his hands and turned on the heavenly lights, but he didn't! He spoke, and we must speak also in Faith if we want to see results in our lives.
Mark 11:23-24 says, "For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall SAY unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he SAITH shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he SAITH. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye PRAY, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."(KJV). Don't miss this! Even our prayers need to be audible. When we speak things happen! You told little Johnny if he kept being bad he'd end up in jail. Where is Johnny now? You said, "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong." Why are you mad that things went sour? You said, "They never promote people like me." Are you confused about why they promoted the other man? Even popular culture encourages positive confessions, affirmations, and mantras. Wonder where they got that idea?
Our inheritance is vitally connected to our identity. If you know that you own the property, and you accept your identity as Owner, you have no qualms about kicking squatters out! John 1:12 says, "Yet wherever men did accept him he gave them the power to become sons of God. These were the men who truly believed in him, and their birth depended not on the course of nature nor on any impulse or plan of man, but on God."(Phillips). Don't miss this! When you accepted Jesus, you became a child of God. All rights, and privileges of Sonship are yours. Is it any wonder that the world wants us to believe that every person is a child of God? We are all God's creation, but we are not all God's Children. If there is no clear cut difference between the benefits of believers compared to unbelievers, what big difference does it make to be saved? Don't be fooled! Our identity is everything! Colossians 1:27 says, "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:"(KJV). One translation of this scripture says, "Christ in your hearts is your only hope of glory."(Living Bible).
We have HOPE! Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."(KJV). Charles Capps, the great Faith Teacher gave his testimony about using the Word to change his life and situation. I may have shared it before, but it's always good. He says he was "head over heels in Debt". He was sick in his body, and drinking Maalox daily to relieve his stomach issues. He was a farmer, so every morning he would go out on his property and make positive confessions based on the Word of God. He would say, "I am far from oppression and fear does not come near me. No weapon that is formed against me will prosper, but whatever I do will prosper! I boldly declare that I will walk in prosperity. I will walk in health, and peace of mind, for Your Word causes me to prevail". One day he heard a voice saying, "You're just lying!" He thought about it. At that specific moment, nothing had changed. It appeared that he was still in debt, and he was still sick. But then he asked God. God said, "How can you lie when you are saying what I said?" Don't miss this! Speak the Word no matter what it looks like! Within a year, what he said was manifested. He was out of debt, and his body was healed.
Get in the Word, and start using the original technology to change your life. Faith is the original technology, and it's Voice Activated.
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, January 7, 2018
Soundtrack
Happy Sunday!
I believe there is a soundtrack to our lives. We often laugh at home and work when things happen and we are automatically able to think of a song that fits the situation. You may do it as well. Marketing experts take advantage of our connection to music. Every time I ask a customer, "How long has this been going on?", I hear the 1974 song by Ace in my mind. This week at work, something happened and I automatically said, "Red and Yellow, Black and White". One co-worker caught on, laughed and quoted the chorus of this old song. Another much younger co-worker looked at us with a blank stare. I said, "You've never heard this song?" I was flabbergasted! It hadn't crossed my mind in a very long time, that there are really people in our lives, in our world, and in our sphere of influence that know nothing about Jesus, God, Church, or organized Religion.
Do you know this song? When I thought about why I know it, I was thankful to remember my upbringing. I was Blessed to be reared in a Christian Home with Bible Reading, Bible Studying, and Bible Believing parents. We attended church regularly. My Daddy is still a deacon at First Baptist Church of Chesterfield in Chesterfield, Missouri. As a child, we were generally the first to arrive, and the last to leave the church. We attended Sunday School, we attended Vacation Bible School, and we memorized Christmas and Easter speeches that would overwhelm the average child today. I bet you are waiting for the name of the song? LOL! Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world! Red and Yellow, Black and White, they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world. Songs like this were easy ways to minister the Gospel to children.
Today during Praise and Worship in Children's Church, I thought about how blessed these children are and what an awesome responsibility we have to minister to them. Their parents are allowing them to become familiar with the things of God. They are familiar with the Word, Worship, and Giving. Who knows what they will experience in this life? We may not, but God knows. Isaiah 46:9-10 says, "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:"(KJV). Don't miss this! God declares the END from the beginning. Jeremiah 29:11 echoes this same truth, "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."(Living Bible).
God has a plan for the entire world! John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the WORLD, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."(KJV). God wants everyone to enjoy an abundant life. That's why he commanded us to GO! Matthew 28:19-20 says, "Therefore go and make disciples in all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and then teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you; and be sure of this—that I am with you always, even to the end of the world."(Living Bible). What will I do for those around me daily? I can't give them a crash course in Child Evangelism or all the things I learned over the years. But the I can live my life in front of them in a manner that glorifies God. Matthew 5:16 says, "Let your LIGHT so shine before men, that they may SEE your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."(KJV). The world needs to see God alive in you! When the world sees Jesus living through you, they will come like the jailer and say, "What must I do to be saved?”(Acts 16:30, Easy-to-Read Version).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
I believe there is a soundtrack to our lives. We often laugh at home and work when things happen and we are automatically able to think of a song that fits the situation. You may do it as well. Marketing experts take advantage of our connection to music. Every time I ask a customer, "How long has this been going on?", I hear the 1974 song by Ace in my mind. This week at work, something happened and I automatically said, "Red and Yellow, Black and White". One co-worker caught on, laughed and quoted the chorus of this old song. Another much younger co-worker looked at us with a blank stare. I said, "You've never heard this song?" I was flabbergasted! It hadn't crossed my mind in a very long time, that there are really people in our lives, in our world, and in our sphere of influence that know nothing about Jesus, God, Church, or organized Religion.
Do you know this song? When I thought about why I know it, I was thankful to remember my upbringing. I was Blessed to be reared in a Christian Home with Bible Reading, Bible Studying, and Bible Believing parents. We attended church regularly. My Daddy is still a deacon at First Baptist Church of Chesterfield in Chesterfield, Missouri. As a child, we were generally the first to arrive, and the last to leave the church. We attended Sunday School, we attended Vacation Bible School, and we memorized Christmas and Easter speeches that would overwhelm the average child today. I bet you are waiting for the name of the song? LOL! Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world! Red and Yellow, Black and White, they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world. Songs like this were easy ways to minister the Gospel to children.
Today during Praise and Worship in Children's Church, I thought about how blessed these children are and what an awesome responsibility we have to minister to them. Their parents are allowing them to become familiar with the things of God. They are familiar with the Word, Worship, and Giving. Who knows what they will experience in this life? We may not, but God knows. Isaiah 46:9-10 says, "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:"(KJV). Don't miss this! God declares the END from the beginning. Jeremiah 29:11 echoes this same truth, "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."(Living Bible).
God has a plan for the entire world! John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the WORLD, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."(KJV). God wants everyone to enjoy an abundant life. That's why he commanded us to GO! Matthew 28:19-20 says, "Therefore go and make disciples in all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and then teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you; and be sure of this—that I am with you always, even to the end of the world."(Living Bible). What will I do for those around me daily? I can't give them a crash course in Child Evangelism or all the things I learned over the years. But the I can live my life in front of them in a manner that glorifies God. Matthew 5:16 says, "Let your LIGHT so shine before men, that they may SEE your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."(KJV). The world needs to see God alive in you! When the world sees Jesus living through you, they will come like the jailer and say, "What must I do to be saved?”(Acts 16:30, Easy-to-Read Version).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)