Happy Sunday!
"Every time you criticize someone, you condemn yourself. It takes one to know one. Judgmental criticism of others is a well-known way of escaping detection in your own crimes and misdemeanors. But God isn’t so easily diverted. He sees right through all such smoke screens and holds you to what you’ve done.
You didn’t think, did you, that just by pointing your finger at others you would distract God from seeing all your misdoings and from coming down on you hard? Or did you think that because he’s such a nice God, he’d let you off the hook? Better think this one through from the beginning. God is kind, but he’s not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change.
You’re not getting by with anything. Every refusal and avoidance of God adds fuel to the fire. The day is coming when it’s going to blaze hot and high, God’s fiery and righteous judgment. Make no mistake: In the end you get what’s coming to you—Real Life for those who work on God’s side, but to those who insist on getting their own way and take the path of least resistance, Fire!
If you go against the grain, you get splinters, regardless of which neighborhood you’re from, what your parents taught you, what schools you attended. But if you embrace the way God does things, there are wonderful payoffs, again without regard to where you are from or how you were brought up. Being a Jew won’t give you an automatic stamp of approval. God pays no attention to what others say (or what you think) about you. He makes up his own mind.
If you sin without knowing what you’re doing, God takes that into account. But if you sin knowing full well what you’re doing, that’s a different story entirely. Merely hearing God’s law is a waste of your time if you don’t do what he commands. Doing, not hearing, is what makes the difference with God."(Romans 2:2-13, Message).
Selah.
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, June 30, 2019
Sunday, June 23, 2019
A More Excellent Way
Happy Sunday!
1 Corinthians 12:28-31 says, "And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? BUT covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a MORE EXCELLENT way."(KJV).
Today, Dr. Matthew L. Stevenson III reminded us that 1 Corinthians is a letter. Generally, we don't write letters in chapter and verse. This practice was done supposedly to make Bible reading easier. But this can cause confusion especially when the new chapter begins and the thought from the previous chapter was not completed. Don't miss this! The Apostle Paul is telling the readers to covet the best gifts, and that he will show them a more excellent way in Chapter 12. Do you really think he stopped at that point and did not tell them about the better way? Of course not! He tells them about the more excellent way in what we have come to know as 1 Corinthians 13.
In 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 the Apostle Paul refers back the ministry assignments he spoke about in Chapter 12:28-31. He says, "What if I speak in the most elegant languages of people or in the exotic languages of the heavenly messengers, but I live without love? Well then, anything I say is like the clanging of brass or a crashing cymbal. What if I have the gift of prophecy, am blessed with knowledge and insight to all the mysteries, or what if my faith is strong enough to scoop a mountain from its bedrock, yet I live without love? If so, I am nothing. I could give all that I have to feed the poor, I could surrender my body to be burned as a martyr, but if I do not live in love, I gain nothing by my selfless acts."(Voice).
The more excellent way is LOVE! The Beatles sang, "All we need is Love". Burt Bacharach and Hal David wrote, "What the world needs now, is Love, Sweet Love". Stevie Wonder wrote and sang, "Love's in Need of Love Today". It's not a new concept, but perhaps we should go back to the Bible to see what this more excellent LOVE looks like.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a says,
"Love is patient;
Love is kind.
Love isn’t envious, doesn’t boast, brag, or strut about.
There’s no arrogance in love; it’s never rude, crude, or indecent—it’s not self-absorbed.
Love isn’t easily upset.
Love doesn’t tally wrongs or celebrate injustice; but truth—yes, truth—is love’s delight!
Love puts up with anything and everything that comes along; it trusts, hopes, and endures no matter what.
Love will never become obsolete."(Voice).
Whatever God has called you to do, whatever your purpose, and whatever your life goal...do that task with Love. President Theodore Roosevelt said, "Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care".
Love and prayers, Cynthia
1 Corinthians 12:28-31 says, "And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? BUT covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a MORE EXCELLENT way."(KJV).
Today, Dr. Matthew L. Stevenson III reminded us that 1 Corinthians is a letter. Generally, we don't write letters in chapter and verse. This practice was done supposedly to make Bible reading easier. But this can cause confusion especially when the new chapter begins and the thought from the previous chapter was not completed. Don't miss this! The Apostle Paul is telling the readers to covet the best gifts, and that he will show them a more excellent way in Chapter 12. Do you really think he stopped at that point and did not tell them about the better way? Of course not! He tells them about the more excellent way in what we have come to know as 1 Corinthians 13.
In 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 the Apostle Paul refers back the ministry assignments he spoke about in Chapter 12:28-31. He says, "What if I speak in the most elegant languages of people or in the exotic languages of the heavenly messengers, but I live without love? Well then, anything I say is like the clanging of brass or a crashing cymbal. What if I have the gift of prophecy, am blessed with knowledge and insight to all the mysteries, or what if my faith is strong enough to scoop a mountain from its bedrock, yet I live without love? If so, I am nothing. I could give all that I have to feed the poor, I could surrender my body to be burned as a martyr, but if I do not live in love, I gain nothing by my selfless acts."(Voice).
The more excellent way is LOVE! The Beatles sang, "All we need is Love". Burt Bacharach and Hal David wrote, "What the world needs now, is Love, Sweet Love". Stevie Wonder wrote and sang, "Love's in Need of Love Today". It's not a new concept, but perhaps we should go back to the Bible to see what this more excellent LOVE looks like.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a says,
"Love is patient;
Love is kind.
Love isn’t envious, doesn’t boast, brag, or strut about.
There’s no arrogance in love; it’s never rude, crude, or indecent—it’s not self-absorbed.
Love isn’t easily upset.
Love doesn’t tally wrongs or celebrate injustice; but truth—yes, truth—is love’s delight!
Love puts up with anything and everything that comes along; it trusts, hopes, and endures no matter what.
Love will never become obsolete."(Voice).
Whatever God has called you to do, whatever your purpose, and whatever your life goal...do that task with Love. President Theodore Roosevelt said, "Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care".
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, June 16, 2019
The Perfect Father
Happy Father's Day!
On my way in to church today, I encountered a man who exclaimed out loud, "I hope they do something for the Fathers! They always do something for the Mothers on Mother's Day". I was thrilled to pass the many tables of food and beverages in the atrium, and the Father's Day backdrop for picture taking. It's true that we do dote on our mothers, and many times fathers get left out. Perhaps, it's cultural and evidence of the many broken homes, and broken people. Perhaps, it reveals our disconnection from our Father God.
It's refreshing to know that every father is not a "rolling stone". There are fathers that have been faithful to their wives and their families. There are dedicated fathers who are living examples; serving, loving and living for God. There are fathers that have made mistakes in the past, corrected their behavior, and changed for the good. We applaud them! We celebrate them! We pray for them!
God is the perfect father. Even if you never met your biological father, or lost your father early in life, you can become a part of God's family. John 3:16 says, "For God expressed His love for the world in this way: He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not face everlasting destruction, but will have everlasting life."(Voice). The Bible encourages us with this promise, "Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you.”(Deuteronomy 31:6, Message).
Father God loves you! Don't forget to wish him a Happy Father's Day, and don't forget to thank him for the earthly fathers, grandfathers, step-fathers, and god-fathers he blessed us with.
Love and prayers, Cynthia
On my way in to church today, I encountered a man who exclaimed out loud, "I hope they do something for the Fathers! They always do something for the Mothers on Mother's Day". I was thrilled to pass the many tables of food and beverages in the atrium, and the Father's Day backdrop for picture taking. It's true that we do dote on our mothers, and many times fathers get left out. Perhaps, it's cultural and evidence of the many broken homes, and broken people. Perhaps, it reveals our disconnection from our Father God.
It's refreshing to know that every father is not a "rolling stone". There are fathers that have been faithful to their wives and their families. There are dedicated fathers who are living examples; serving, loving and living for God. There are fathers that have made mistakes in the past, corrected their behavior, and changed for the good. We applaud them! We celebrate them! We pray for them!
God is the perfect father. Even if you never met your biological father, or lost your father early in life, you can become a part of God's family. John 3:16 says, "For God expressed His love for the world in this way: He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not face everlasting destruction, but will have everlasting life."(Voice). The Bible encourages us with this promise, "Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you.”(Deuteronomy 31:6, Message).
Father God loves you! Don't forget to wish him a Happy Father's Day, and don't forget to thank him for the earthly fathers, grandfathers, step-fathers, and god-fathers he blessed us with.
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, June 9, 2019
Say, say, say what you want!
Happy Sunday!
"Never acknowledge for one moment that God's ability and power can't put you over. God is greater than any force that can come against you!" - Brother Kenneth E. Hagin.
So often we need to be reminded that we serve the True and The Living God. God created the Universe with His words. He's all powerful, and he's on our side. When the Psalmist was going through a rough patch, he reminded himself, "From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I."(Psalm 61:2, KJV). He knew that God was on a higher level, a higher plain. He knew that no matter where he was, or what he was going through he could call on God.
We have to be reminded as well. We tend to forget so easily. That's why it's good to read and meditate on the Word of God daily. The world seems to be spinning out of control. People are doing dastardly things. Just a few minutes watching the news, and I'm asking myself, "What were they thinking?" For sure, they are not thinking about loving one another, they are not thinking about being unselfish, and they are not thinking with confidence that God will provide. So people are killing, stealing, lying, and hurting others. The Apostle Paul warned us, "If you continue hurting each other and tearing each other apart, be careful, or you will completely destroy each other."(Galatians 5:15, Easy-to-Read Version).
Brother Kenneth E. Hagin also said, "No person ever rises above the confession of their faith". Again, another exhortation to watch what we are saying. Speak only what you want to see in your life. Speak only what you want to see in your children, your business, your relationships, and your environment. Philippians 4:6-9 says it best, "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. Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies."(Message).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
"Never acknowledge for one moment that God's ability and power can't put you over. God is greater than any force that can come against you!" - Brother Kenneth E. Hagin.
So often we need to be reminded that we serve the True and The Living God. God created the Universe with His words. He's all powerful, and he's on our side. When the Psalmist was going through a rough patch, he reminded himself, "From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I."(Psalm 61:2, KJV). He knew that God was on a higher level, a higher plain. He knew that no matter where he was, or what he was going through he could call on God.
We have to be reminded as well. We tend to forget so easily. That's why it's good to read and meditate on the Word of God daily. The world seems to be spinning out of control. People are doing dastardly things. Just a few minutes watching the news, and I'm asking myself, "What were they thinking?" For sure, they are not thinking about loving one another, they are not thinking about being unselfish, and they are not thinking with confidence that God will provide. So people are killing, stealing, lying, and hurting others. The Apostle Paul warned us, "If you continue hurting each other and tearing each other apart, be careful, or you will completely destroy each other."(Galatians 5:15, Easy-to-Read Version).
Brother Kenneth E. Hagin also said, "No person ever rises above the confession of their faith". Again, another exhortation to watch what we are saying. Speak only what you want to see in your life. Speak only what you want to see in your children, your business, your relationships, and your environment. Philippians 4:6-9 says it best, "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. Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies."(Message).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, June 2, 2019
Watch Your Mouth
Happy Sunday!
You know I love the Word. I was reading James again, and ran up on some favorites. It's always fun for me to read passages in different translations and get more clarity. James 2:19-20 says, "Are there still some among you who hold that “only believing” is enough? Believing in one God? Well, remember that the demons believe this too—so strongly that they tremble in terror! Fool! When will you ever learn that “believing” is useless without doing what God wants you to? Faith that does not result in good deeds is not real faith."(Living Bible).
Don't miss this! The Easy-to-Read Version says this in verse 20, "You fool! Faith that does nothing is worth nothing". OUCH!
James goes on to talk about being a teacher. My ears perked up. He said, "Don’t be in any rush to become a teacher, my friends. Teaching is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to the strictest standards. And none of us is perfectly qualified. We get it wrong nearly every time we open our mouths. If you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you’d have a perfect person, in perfect control of life."(James 3:1-2, Message). Verse 2 in the Voice says, "We all stumble along the way. If a person never speaks hurtful words or shouts in anger or profanity, then he has achieved perfection. The one who can control his tongue can also control the rest of his body". This hit home...if I can control my tongue, I will be able to control the rest of my body. Sounds like a better plan than Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers!
Talk is not cheap. Jesus said, "...every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment."(Matthew 12:36, KJV). We use our tongue to speak words. Words that can kill or heal, words that can bless or depress. Don't you remember being told, "If you can't say something good, don't say anything at all?" The Psalmist prayed, "Help me, Lord, to keep my mouth shut and my lips sealed."(Psalm 141:3, Living Bible).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
You know I love the Word. I was reading James again, and ran up on some favorites. It's always fun for me to read passages in different translations and get more clarity. James 2:19-20 says, "Are there still some among you who hold that “only believing” is enough? Believing in one God? Well, remember that the demons believe this too—so strongly that they tremble in terror! Fool! When will you ever learn that “believing” is useless without doing what God wants you to? Faith that does not result in good deeds is not real faith."(Living Bible).
Don't miss this! The Easy-to-Read Version says this in verse 20, "You fool! Faith that does nothing is worth nothing". OUCH!
James goes on to talk about being a teacher. My ears perked up. He said, "Don’t be in any rush to become a teacher, my friends. Teaching is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to the strictest standards. And none of us is perfectly qualified. We get it wrong nearly every time we open our mouths. If you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you’d have a perfect person, in perfect control of life."(James 3:1-2, Message). Verse 2 in the Voice says, "We all stumble along the way. If a person never speaks hurtful words or shouts in anger or profanity, then he has achieved perfection. The one who can control his tongue can also control the rest of his body". This hit home...if I can control my tongue, I will be able to control the rest of my body. Sounds like a better plan than Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers!
Talk is not cheap. Jesus said, "...every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment."(Matthew 12:36, KJV). We use our tongue to speak words. Words that can kill or heal, words that can bless or depress. Don't you remember being told, "If you can't say something good, don't say anything at all?" The Psalmist prayed, "Help me, Lord, to keep my mouth shut and my lips sealed."(Psalm 141:3, Living Bible).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
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