Happy Sunday!
It's been a good week. I hope you will agree. I watched several YouTube videos during my commute and listened to more at work last week. They were the testimonies of Dr. Lester Sumrall. If you've never heard of him he's worth reading about. He started preaching at 17 years old. He didn't like churches or church people so he went out into the country and began his ministry in one room schoolhouses. He recalled the first time he preached the farmers laughed. They came back the next night with more people with them. They were all coming to hear what they thought were lies. Of course, they weren't lies. It was true that he had been given up to die by doctors and miraculously healed by God from tuberculosis.
One night he had a vision of people of all nationalities moving toward a cliff. He realized that no matter how beautiful, intelligent, or prosperous they were, he was seeing people moving toward a cliff and falling into Hell. He vividly described how at the last minute they appeared to try to turn back, but the others behind them moving forward pushed them over the edge. He was horrified and wept over the lives that were lost. He also repented for not caring about the fate of those around him. He changed and spent many years on the mission field ministering all around the world.
Jesus said, "Do for others what you would want them to do for you. This is the meaning of the Law of Moses and the teaching of the prophets. You can enter true life only through the narrow gate. The gate to Hell is very wide, and there is plenty of room on the road that leads there. Many people go that way. But the gate that opens the way to true life is narrow. And the road that leads there is hard to follow. Only a few people find it."(Matthew 7:12-14, Easy-to-Read Version). I always remind my students that God doesn't send anybody to Hell. People choose Hell when they reject Jesus.
Today Dr. Bill Winston continued his series, "Reaching the World" with the subtitle, "Replenishing the Earth". We are commanded to be fruitful. Some have tried to limit this to childbearing, but Jesus wanted us to understand the broader meaning. He said, "I am the vine itself, you are the branches. It is the man who shares my life and whose life I share who proves fruitful. For the plain fact is that apart from me you can do nothing at all. The man who does not share my life is like a branch that is broken off and withers away. He becomes just like the dry sticks that men pick up and use for the firewood. But if you live your life in me, and my words live in your hearts, you can ask for whatever you like and it will come true for you. This is how my Father will be glorified—in your becoming fruitful and being my disciples."(John 15:5-8, Phillips). A fruitful life is a an unselfish life. It's a life that is prosperous in every area, and that prosperity is used to bless others.
Before he left the earth, Jesus commanded us to, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."(Matthew 28:19-20, KJV). I may never become a missionary in the Philippines and I'm Ok with that, but I can support ministers and ministries that do go to the ends of the earth. If I never travel to Africa I can minister to the African-Americans I see everyday. A kind word, a good deed, a listening ear, and even a smile are ways to be fruitful right where I am.
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, February 23, 2020
Sunday, February 16, 2020
Puzzled
Happy Sunday!
"Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us."(2 Timothy 3:16-17, Message).
My daughter Christina loves puzzles. She can quietly enjoy hours of putting all the tiny pieces together. What a sense of accomplishment she has when the pieces finally resemble the picture on the box. One time a piece was missing. For months she would sadly speak of the missing piece. We pride ourselves on being very organized. So we couldn't even imagine what happened to the piece. Blame that organizational gene on my mother, Vera B. Woods. When she found the missing piece in her room under the bed behind a storage container, she rejoiced!
I thought about this when reading this translation of the scripture above. "Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us." Our lives are like puzzles. Things happen, pieces get lost. But God has a good plan for us. He told us about it in the Word. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Eternal, “plans for peace, not evil, to give you a future and hope—never forget that."(Voice). We may step away from the plan or puzzle for a while, but we can come back and finish it with God's Grace.
Don't procrastinate. Don't be too hard on yourself either while you work on finding the missing pieces. 1 Peter 5:10 says, "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you."(Amplified).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
"Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us."(2 Timothy 3:16-17, Message).
My daughter Christina loves puzzles. She can quietly enjoy hours of putting all the tiny pieces together. What a sense of accomplishment she has when the pieces finally resemble the picture on the box. One time a piece was missing. For months she would sadly speak of the missing piece. We pride ourselves on being very organized. So we couldn't even imagine what happened to the piece. Blame that organizational gene on my mother, Vera B. Woods. When she found the missing piece in her room under the bed behind a storage container, she rejoiced!
I thought about this when reading this translation of the scripture above. "Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us." Our lives are like puzzles. Things happen, pieces get lost. But God has a good plan for us. He told us about it in the Word. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Eternal, “plans for peace, not evil, to give you a future and hope—never forget that."(Voice). We may step away from the plan or puzzle for a while, but we can come back and finish it with God's Grace.
Don't procrastinate. Don't be too hard on yourself either while you work on finding the missing pieces. 1 Peter 5:10 says, "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you."(Amplified).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, February 9, 2020
Even While We Sleep...
Happy Sunday!
Praying that you had a great week last week, and a ready to embark on another wonderful week.
The Word can always speak for itself. No wonder the Psalmist described it like this, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."(Psalm 119:105, KJV). The Word is everything we could ever need. Enjoy.
"If it is not the Lord who builds a house,
the builders are wasting their time.
If it is not the Lord who watches over the city,
the guards are wasting their time.
It is a waste of time to get up early and stay up late,
trying to make a living.
The Lord provides for those he loves,
EVEN while they are sleeping.
Children are a gift from the Lord,
a reward from a mother’s womb.
A young man’s sons
are like the arrows in a soldier’s hand.
The man who fills his quiver with sons
will be very blessed.
He will never be defeated
when he opposes his enemy at the city gates." (Psalm 127, Easy-to-Read Version).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Praying that you had a great week last week, and a ready to embark on another wonderful week.
The Word can always speak for itself. No wonder the Psalmist described it like this, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."(Psalm 119:105, KJV). The Word is everything we could ever need. Enjoy.
"If it is not the Lord who builds a house,
the builders are wasting their time.
If it is not the Lord who watches over the city,
the guards are wasting their time.
It is a waste of time to get up early and stay up late,
trying to make a living.
The Lord provides for those he loves,
EVEN while they are sleeping.
Children are a gift from the Lord,
a reward from a mother’s womb.
A young man’s sons
are like the arrows in a soldier’s hand.
The man who fills his quiver with sons
will be very blessed.
He will never be defeated
when he opposes his enemy at the city gates." (Psalm 127, Easy-to-Read Version).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, February 2, 2020
No Comparison
Happy Sunday!
Happy Black History Month in the USA!
Did I tell you that there is only one race? The Human Race. Acts 17:26 says, "Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him."(Message). Yes, for centuries mankind has categorized groups by skin color and other characteristics for purposes of domination, but that was never God's intent. Disenfranchisement, segregation, murder, rape, theft, lynching, police brutality, and so many other things suffered by people of color were and are motivated by our enemy Satan. Jesus said, "The thief approaches with malicious intent, looking to steal, slaughter, and destroy; I came to give life with joy and abundance."(John 10:10, Voice). God never wanted division, He wanted a happy family.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians about the issue of comparison. "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise."(2 Corinthians 10:12, KJV). You know I love to read scriptures in various translations. Listen to this one in the Voice, "For we would never dare to compare ourselves with people who have based their worth on self-commendation. They check themselves against and compare themselves with one another. It just shows that they don’t have any sense!" OUCH! Don't miss this! Comparing ourselves to others may make us feel really good especially if they are not as beautiful, prosperous, spiritual, or wonderful as we envision ourselves. BUT the true measurement, the real comparison is with Jesus. How do we stack up against his example?
The Apostle Paul, the one that made a major impact on what we now call the Bible said, "Yet, my brothers, I do not consider myself to have “arrived”, spiritually, nor do I consider myself already perfect. But I keep going on, grasping ever more firmly that purpose for which Christ grasped me. My brothers, I do not consider myself to have fully grasped it even now. But I do concentrate on this: I leave the past behind and with hands outstretched to whatever lies ahead I go straight for the goal—my reward the honour of being called by God in Christ."(Philippians 3:14, Phillips).
The Apostle Paul also wrote, "Follow my example, just as I follow the example of Christ."(1 Corinthians 11:1, Easy-to-Read Version).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Happy Black History Month in the USA!
Did I tell you that there is only one race? The Human Race. Acts 17:26 says, "Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him."(Message). Yes, for centuries mankind has categorized groups by skin color and other characteristics for purposes of domination, but that was never God's intent. Disenfranchisement, segregation, murder, rape, theft, lynching, police brutality, and so many other things suffered by people of color were and are motivated by our enemy Satan. Jesus said, "The thief approaches with malicious intent, looking to steal, slaughter, and destroy; I came to give life with joy and abundance."(John 10:10, Voice). God never wanted division, He wanted a happy family.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians about the issue of comparison. "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise."(2 Corinthians 10:12, KJV). You know I love to read scriptures in various translations. Listen to this one in the Voice, "For we would never dare to compare ourselves with people who have based their worth on self-commendation. They check themselves against and compare themselves with one another. It just shows that they don’t have any sense!" OUCH! Don't miss this! Comparing ourselves to others may make us feel really good especially if they are not as beautiful, prosperous, spiritual, or wonderful as we envision ourselves. BUT the true measurement, the real comparison is with Jesus. How do we stack up against his example?
The Apostle Paul, the one that made a major impact on what we now call the Bible said, "Yet, my brothers, I do not consider myself to have “arrived”, spiritually, nor do I consider myself already perfect. But I keep going on, grasping ever more firmly that purpose for which Christ grasped me. My brothers, I do not consider myself to have fully grasped it even now. But I do concentrate on this: I leave the past behind and with hands outstretched to whatever lies ahead I go straight for the goal—my reward the honour of being called by God in Christ."(Philippians 3:14, Phillips).
The Apostle Paul also wrote, "Follow my example, just as I follow the example of Christ."(1 Corinthians 11:1, Easy-to-Read Version).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
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