Unusual Thanks

 Happy Sunday!

"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 everything 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."(Philippians 4:4-7 KJV).

Thanksgiving Day ushers us into the Holiday season.  We rush right past it on our merry way to Christmas.  Sometimes we are thoroughly 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.  

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".(Philippians 4:4-7).

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.  Dr. Carlos T. Brown once 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! God wants us to be changed from within not pulled apart.

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.  We must remember to be 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 everything 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!  I'm so thankful for you!  Thanks for receiving, reading, and responding to these messages for more than 12 years!

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Honor

Happy Sunday!

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth."(Ephesians 6:1-3 KJV).

This scripture does not say, "Honor your good father and your sweet mother" or "honor your supportive, loving father or encouraging mother".  God just says honor them so that things will go well for you, and you will have a long life.  Don't miss this!  It's not really about them, it's about US and our children after us.

Dr. Hart Ramsey once said, "We expect people to give us what they don't have”.  Think about it!

Do you realize that there are no perfect fathers in the Bible?  Do you need time to think back to Sunday School lessons?  Take as much time as you need.  Jacob played favorites, and gave Joseph a coat of many colors.(Genesis 37:3).  Lot was willing to give his virgin daughters to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah that wanted to rape the two visitors(angels) that came to rescue he and his family.(Genesis 19:8).  Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, that the first person to meet him when he returned safely from battle would become a sacrifice.  Sadly, his only daughter was the first one to come out of the house to meet him.(Judges 11:30-31).  God is the ONLY perfect father, and the perfect PARENT.  He is the example that we all should follow.

It's important that we allow the Holy Spirit to help us process what we have experienced.  God knows what we really need to be all that we can be.  He can use everything that our parents were, are, and are not to benefit us in this life.  When we honor our parents, we honor the choice that God made in order to get a special gift into the world...you are that GIFT. 

Love and prayers, Cynthia 

Don’t Worry!

 Happy Sunday!

"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."(Philippians 4:6 Message).

It's comforting and refreshing to know that God cares for us and he has our lives in his hand.  There is so much happening right now in our lives and in our world.   If we aren't cautious, we can become overwhelmed.

2 Kings 4:1-44 is full of life applications.  A certain woman comes to the prophet with a problem.  Her husband has died and left her with massive debt.  The creditors are coming to take her sons away to be slaves.  The prophet asks her, "What do you have in your house?"  What a great question to ask today?  What do you have in your house?  Do you realize God has given you everything you need to succeed?  It's in your house!  It's in the unique person he created you to be.  Acts 10:34 says, “It’s God’s own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from—if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open." (Message).

All the woman had was a container of oil, the prophet gave her these instructions.  "Here’s what you do,” said Elisha. “Go up and down the street and borrow jugs and bowls from all your neighbors.  And not just a few—all you can get. Then come home and lock the door behind you, you and your sons. Pour oil into each container; when each is full, set it aside.  She did what he said. She locked the door behind her and her sons; as they brought the containers to her, she filled them. When all the jugs and bowls were full, she said to one of her sons, “Another jug, please.  He said, “That’s it. There are no more jugs.” Then the oil stopped. (Message). The woman was able to sell the oil, pay her debts, and live off the rest. 

What can we get from this?  Glad you asked.  Do what GOD told you!  No need to explain to your neighbors.  Keep the process secret, lock the door to naysayers, critics, and haters!  There will be plenty of time for testimonies when God brings you out!  Don't think small!  The prophet instructed her to get lots of pots or vessels.  Do you realize that she determined the size of her blessing by the number of vessels she was willing to collect?  We quote it all the time..."exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think".(Ephesians 3:20).  Exceeding means to surpass others; excel or be superior.  Abundantly means plentiful, profuse, and numerous.  Selah.

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Don't Feel Sorry For Yourselves

 Happy Sunday!

"In this all-out match against SIN, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed! So DON'T FEEL SORRY for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children?

My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline,

    but don’t be crushed by it either.

It’s the child he loves that he disciplines.

    The child he embraces, he also corrects.

God is EDUCATING you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training, the normal experience of children. Only IRRESPONSIBLE parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for TRAINING and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can TRULY LIVE? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s HOLY BEST. At the time, discipline isn’t much fun. It always feels like it’s going against the grain. Later, of course, it PAYS OFF big-time, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves MATURE in their relationship with God.

So don’t sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet! Clear the path for long-distance runners so no one will trip and fall, so no one will step in a hole and sprain an ankle. Help each other out. And run for it!

Work at getting along with each other and with God. Otherwise, you’ll never get so much as a glimpse of God. Make sure no one gets left out of God’s generosity. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time. Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God’s lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God’s blessing—but by then it was too late, tears or no tears."(Hebrews 12:11-17 Message).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Destroy The Works of the Devil

 Happy Sunday!

"We’re not waging war against enemies of flesh and blood alone. No, this fight is against tyrants, against authorities, against supernatural powers and demon princes that slither in the darkness of this world, and against wicked spiritual armies that lurk about in heavenly places."(Ephesians 6:12 Voice).

Our enemy, Satan, tries to keep people IGNORANT.  Every area that you lack knowledge in, is an area that the enemy can overtake you. Don't miss this!  Knowledge PROTECTS us. Now, don't confuse knowledge with intellect. Education is great. MD, PhD, DDS and all the other letters behind your name are wonderful. I applaud your diligence, and hard work BUT intellect is not light. There are millions of educated fools in the world. Psalm 14:1 says, "The fool hath said in his heart, "There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good."(KJV)  

Do you know any educated people that deny there is a god? Sure, you do! Do you know any educated people living in poverty? Sure, you do!  Do you know any educated people dealing with depression or mental illness? Sure, you do! Do you know any educated people suffering with sickness and disease? Yes, you do and so do I!  What is missing? Knowledge, understanding, and enlightenment are missing.  Psalm 119:130 says, "As people UNDERSTAND your word, it brings LIGHT to their lives. Your word makes even simple people wise." (Easy-to-Read Version).  The Word of God provides the answers to all of our human issues. Proverbs 4:7 says, "Getting WISDOM is the most important thing you can do! And with your wisdom, develop common sense and good judgment."(Living Bible).

Jesus came to equip us and empower us. His purpose through us is to overcome the world. 1 John 3:8 says, "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might DESTROY the works of the devil."(KJV).   The works of the devil are the works of darkness.  Darkness and light cannot coexist.  Jesus said, "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let YOUR light so shine before men, that they may see your GOOD WORKS, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."(Matthew 5:16 KJV).  The enemy is called the Prince of Darkness. The enemy seduces men and women to do evil. Have you ever watched the news and wondered how a person could commit murder? The enemy uses the power of suggestion. The comedian Flip Wilson used to say, "The Devil made me do it!" No, the devil didn't make you do it, but he gave you the IDEA and you FELL for it!  Don't cooperate with the enemy!  Don't be deceived and don't be afraid!  

How can we identify the works of darkness? How can we destroy the works of the devil?  Great questions.  So glad you asked! The best way to identify the works of darkness is to study the Word.  As you study the Word, you can compare what the WORD says to what you see in your life and in your world. If it contradicts the Word of God, you should not be doing it! Ephesians 5:11 says, "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."(KJV).  The best way to destroy the works of the devil is to be a doer of the Word that you have studied. "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." James 1:22 (KJV)

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Psalm 27

Happy Sunday!

Light, space, zest—that’s God!
So, with him on my side I’m fearless, afraid of no one and nothing.

When vandal hordes ride down ready to eat me alive, those bullies and toughs fall flat on their faces.

When besieged, I’m calm as a baby.
When all hell breaks loose, I’m collected and cool.

I’m asking God for one thing, only one thing:
To live with him in his house my whole life long.
I’ll contemplate his beauty; I’ll study at his feet. 

That’s the only quiet, secure place in a noisy world, the perfect getaway, far from the buzz of traffic.

God holds me head and shoulders above all who try to pull me down.
I’m headed for his place to offer anthems that will raise the roof!
Already I’m singing God-songs; I’m making music to God.

Listen, God, I’m calling at the top of my lungs: “Be good to me! Answer me!”
When my heart whispered, “Seek God,” my whole being replied, “I’m seeking him!”
Don’t hide from me now!

You’ve always been right there for me; don’t turn your back on me now.
Don’t throw me out, don’t abandon me; you’ve always kept the door open.
My father and mother walked out and left me, but God took me in.

Point me down your highway, God; direct me along a well-lighted street; show my enemies whose side you’re on. Don’t throw me to the dogs, those liars who are out to get me,
filling the air with their threats.

I’m sure now I’ll see God’s goodness in the exuberant earth.

Stay with God! Take heart. Don’t quit. 

I’ll say it again:
Stay with God.

Psalm 27 (Message Translation)

Love and prayers for a wonderful week, Cynthia

I Want it ALL!

 Happy Sunday!

"Then, knowing what lies ahead for you, you won’t become bored with being a Christian nor become spiritually dull and indifferent, but you will be anxious to follow the example of those who receive ALL that God has promised them because of their strong faith and patience."(Hebrews 6:12, Living Bible).

Because of their strong faith and patience the people in the previous scripture received all that God had promised them.  Don't you want everything you are promised?  Of course you do!  You don't go in and order a fully loaded vehicle, and then accept a stock model with manual windows.  You want what you were promised, what you ordered, or what you paid for.  Jesus paid it all!  He paid for your life, healing, well being and prosperity.  Isaiah 53:5 says, "But he was hurt because of us; he suffered so.  Our wrongdoing wounded and crushed him. He endured the breaking that made us whole.  The injuries he suffered became our healing."(Voice).  

Psalm 78:41 sheds some light on why the Children of Israel missed out on the Promises of God, "Again and again they turned away and tempted God to kill them, and limited the Holy One of Israel from giving them his blessings."(Living Bible).  WOW!  What were they doing that made God so angry?  I'll tell you what they were doing, and we sometimes do these things as well.  Murmuring and complaining, speaking against their leaders, and doubting if God would provide for them.  

The Apostle Paul offers a bit of encouragement for us, "Let us not grow tired of doing good, for, unless we throw in our hand, the ultimate harvest is assured. Let us then do good to all men as opportunity offers, especially to those who belong to the Christian household."(Galatians 6:7, Phillips).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Right Place, Right Time!

 Happy Sunday!  

One of my prayers for you and myself, is that we are always in the right place at the right time with the right information and the right understanding.  Not only is being in the right place important for us, but it could be a matter of life and death for another person.   God created each of us to be a blessing.  Even the smallest kind gesture may be enough to change someone's life.  I'm reminded of the period of time my uncle, Staff Sergeant Wallace Williams Jr. served in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.  When he returned home we asked about the events.  He informed us that every big news worthy event happened before or after his team left those locations.  I believe the angels of God made sure he was always in the right place at the right time.   It doesn't have to be war, simply  leaving your home each morning requires inside information.

Where can we get this inside information?  I'm so glad you asked!  Jesus said, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come."(John 16:13, KJV).  Another translation of this scripture says, "The Spirit of truth will come and guide you in all truth. He will not speak His own words to you; He will speak what He hears, revealing to you the things to come and bringing glory to Me. The Spirit has unlimited access to Me, to all that I possess and know, just as everything the Father has is Mine. That is the reason I am confident He will care for My own and reveal the path to you."(vs 13-15, Voice).  Don't miss this!  The Holy Spirit is available to show us the right path.  One of my favorite scriptures is Psalm 16:11..."Thou wilt shew me the PATH of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."(KJV).  

How does the Holy Spirit show us the right path?  Great question!  In 1 Kings 19:10-12, the Prophet Elijah complained that he was the only person left truly serving God.  God told him to go to a certain place and wait there.  A great wind passed by, and earthquake rumbled, and a fire blaze up, but God was not in those events.  Then he realized that God was in the "still small voice".   It makes me think of our ancestors saying, "I should have listened to my first mind!"   What they were saying was the first thought that was drowned out by the noise of other thoughts, was the right thought.  Have you ever noticed how loud the world is?  Why do we want to vacation in peaceful places with the beauty of nature?  Everyone has an opinion.  In the past, we may never have known about their opinions.  Now with media and Social Media, we are bombarded everyday with opinions.  Do you realize that your opinion really doesn't matter?  Take a moment to think it through, and put that stone down.  LOL!   Jesus said, "Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I say are NOT my own but are from my Father who lives in me. And he does HIS work through me."(John 14:10, Living Bible).  What we believe, and what we say should line up with the Word of God.  What we live should not contradict what we see in the Word of God.  God will not ask us about our political affiliations.  But he will ask us about what we did with the life he gave us and how we treated others.  Jesus said, “Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?" Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me."(Matthew 25:37-40, Message).

Our recent lessons in Children's Church are geared toward teaching the children to recognize the Voice of the Lord.  In one lesson example the teachers used a traffic signal to demonstrate how to hear God's voice.   The Green light is that soft peaceful feeling that it's Ok to go ahead.  My Aunt, Pastor Theaha McClendon always says, "The Peace of God, is the Yes of God".   The Yellow light represents that iffy feeling we sometimes have.  The thing we want to do may not be bad, but the timing may be bad.  I recently saw a quote that said, "Some people are good people, but they are not good for you". The Red light means stop!  Stop and pray about it!  Stop and get wisdom about it!  Stop and wait.   If we are truthful with ourselves, we can retrace our steps and see when and where we missed a Yellow or Red signal.   Thank God for forgiveness, and mercy.  

The Bible is our handbook, our guidebook, and our Love Letter from our loving father.  Have you ever had a letter or card you read over and over again?  After a while you learn the writing style of the sender.  If you ever get a letter and the style changes, you are likely to say, "He or she couldn't have written this!  They would never say this!"   That's how familiar we need to be with the Word of God.  When we know Him, we will know his voice and that voice will lead us to success,

Love and prayers, Cynthia

What are you expecting?

 Happy Sunday!

“So, my dear brothers and sisters, BE STRONG and immovable. Always WORK enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever USELESS.”(1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT).

Don't miss this!  God knows what you've done for the Kingdom, and others!  He doesn't miss anything!  He's a Giver and as the old song said, "You can't beat God giving, no matter how you try!"

What are you expecting?  Psalm 62:5 says, "My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my Expectation is from him."(KJV).  The psalmist acknowledged that his expectation was from God.  Well then, what is God's expectation for you?  Jeremiah 29:11 gives us an idea, "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).  God wants the best for you, and you should want the same.  

1 Peter 5:7 says, "You can throw the whole weight of your anxieties upon him, for you are his personal concern."(Phillips).  Isn't that a beautiful translation and reminder?  You are HIS personal concern.  He's thinking about you right now, and he's got plans to take good care of you.  He's constant like the seasons, and he's faithful to His Word!  The Apostle Paul gave us the key, "Don’t worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have."(Easy-to-Read Version).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Focus

Happy Sunday!

"Yes, everything else is WORTHLESS when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my LORD. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could GAIN Christ and become ONE with him. I no longer count on my OWN righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through FAITH in Christ."

"For God’s way of making us RIGHT with himself depends on FAITH. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty POWER that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will EXPERIENCE the resurrection from the dead!"

"I don’t mean to say that I have ALREADY achieved these things or that I have already REACHED perfection. But I PRESS on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. NO, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved IT, but I FOCUS on this one thing: Forgetting the PAST and looking forward to what lies AHEAD, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us."(Philippians 3:8-14 NLT).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Rehearse, Repeat, and Memorize the Promises of God

 Happy Sunday!

"I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart, so I won’t sin myself bankrupt." (Psalm 119:11 Message Translation).

It is so beneficial to Rehearse, Repeat, and Memorize the Promises of God. 

So often we can be blinded by our personal needs, our personal problems, and the trials of our life.  All the while there are others in the world who would love to have the blessings and opportunities that we enjoy. There are others that could use what we have been given to excel and succeed. Luke 12:48 says, "The servant who knows what his master wants and ignores it, or insolently does whatever he pleases, will be thoroughly thrashed. But if he does a poor job through IGNORANCE, he’ll get off with a slap on the hand. Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities!" (Message Translation).  Don't miss this!  The KJV version says it this way, "For unto whomsoever much is GIVEN, of him shall be much REQUIRED: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more."

The Apostle Peter wrote, "His divine power has given us EVERYTHING we need to experience life and to reflect God’s true nature through the knowledge of the One who called us by His glory and virtue. Through these things, we have received God’s great and valuable promises, so we might escape the corruption of worldly desires and share in the divine nature." 2 Peter 1:3-4 (Voice Translation). God has given us GREAT and VALUABLE PROMISES! 

Romans 8:16-17 says, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ." (King James Version).  When we accepted Jesus as our Personal Savior we became the children of God, and joint heirs with Christ. All of the PROMISES and blessings given to Christ are now available to us. We accept all of this by Faith. SEARCH the Word for yourself, FIND those promises and STAND on them by Faith. Remember, "God is not a man—He doesn’t lie. God isn’t the son of a man to want to take back what He’s said, or say something and not follow through, or speak and not act on it." Numbers 23:19 (Voice Translation).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

How To Be Happy and Enjoy Life

 Happy Sunday!

"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:"(1 Peter 3:18 KJV).

The Word of God is more than enough!  Any circumstance or situation has already been addressed in the Bible!  When you have questions, God has answers.

1 Peter 3:8-17 says, "FINALLY, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a BLESSING. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant YOU his blessing. 

For the Scriptures say,

“If you want to ENJOY life

    and see many HAPPY days,

keep your tongue from speaking evil

    and your lips from telling lies.

Turn away from evil and do good.

    Search for peace and work to maintain it.

The EYES of the Lord watch over those who do RIGHT,

    and his EARS are open to their PRAYERS.

But the Lord turns his face

    AGAINST those who do EVIL."

NOW, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good?

BUT even if you suffer for doing what is RIGHT, God will REWARD you for it. 

So don’t WORRY or be afraid of their threats. 

Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your HOPE as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way.

Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a GOOD LIFE you live because you belong to Christ.  REMEMBER, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!

Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit."(NLT).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Do you really believe? - by Barry Bennett

Happy Sunday! 

It's a good day to have a good day!   Hope you are well and enjoying life.  You know I love to share lessons from Barry Bennett.  He always blesses me and gets me thinking.  What we BELIEVE and what we SAY are the foundation of our lives.  The Bible says, " DEATH and LIFE are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."(Proverbs 18:21 KJV).   Hope this encourages you too!

Do you really believe? - by Barry Bennett

Do you really believe that God wants you to have an abundant life? (John 10:10)

Do you really believe that God rejoices in your prosperity? (Ps. 35:27)

Do you really believe that God wants you to have enough to provide for your family? (1 Tim. 5:8)

Do you really believe that you should have more than enough to send missionaries around the world? (Rom. 10:15)

Do you really believe that God has enough for you to pay your taxes? (Mt. 22:21)

Do you really believe that God wants to give you good things? (Mt. 7:11)

Do you really believe that God wants you to help the poor? (Prov. 19:17)

Do you really believe that righteousness brings increase to your life? (Ps. 84:11)

Do you really believe that God loves a cheerful giver and will multiply his seed sown? (2 Cor. 9:6-11)

Do you really believe that God wants your needs to be met? (Mt. 6:33)

Do you really believe that God wants to do exceeding, abundantly more than you ask or think according to the power that works in you? (Eph. 3:20)

Many MISS OUT on God’s abundance because they simply don’t believe that He is THAT GOOD! Rather than concentrating on the evil, lack and pain in the world, focus on God and His LIMITLESS provision. There is seed in your life that is waiting to multiply. Will you sow it? If Christians would sow God’s grace into the world there would be less evil, lack and pain.

Your words, thoughts, actions, talents and resources are seeds that can transform lives. Do you really believe it? - by Barry Bennett

Love and prayers, Cynthia

No Excuses

Happy Sunday!

"Since earliest times men have seen the earth and sky and all God made and have known of his existence and great eternal power. So, they will have NO EXCUSE when they stand before God at Judgment Day.  Yes, they KNEW about him all right, but they wouldn’t ADMIT it or WORSHIP him or even THANK him for all his daily care.  And after a while they began to think up silly ideas of what God was like and what he wanted them to do. The result was that their FOOLISH minds became dark and confused. Claiming themselves to be wise without God, they became utter fools instead. And then, instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they took wood and stone and made idols for themselves, carving them to look like mere birds and animals and snakes and puny men."(Romans 1:20-23, Living Bible).

Don't miss this!  Even the earth and sky declare that God is real, and that He should be given our worship and praise.  I love to attend worship services in person, and I know the Word instructs us "not forgetting to gather as a community, as some have forgotten, but encouraging each other, especially as the day of His return approaches."(Hebrews 10:25, Voice).  But I'm also so thankful that I can get the Word on radio, television, YouTube, Facebook, podcasts, CDs, DVDs, and so many other ways.  If I have question, I can Google it.  Everything we read on the Internet is not true, but so very much is.  If I'm reading something and don't understand a word, I can look it up.  I can also read another Bible translation to get a better understanding. 

Jesus described the Kingdom of Heaven as, "a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey."(Matthew 25:14-15, KJV).  Another translation says it this way, "It’s also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities. To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left."(Message).  The first two servants were conscientious and managed the master's money well.  But the last servant, "the man who received the $1,000 dug a hole in the ground and hid the money for safekeeping."(Living Bible).  

You've heard the story before, the master rebuked the last servant and said, "You wicked and LAZY and idle servant! Then you should have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received what was my own with interest."(vs 26-27, Amplified). 

Don't be like that lazy servant.  Take advantage of every opportunity you have to manage, steward, and increase what God has given you.

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Worry Is Always Future

Happy Sunday!

I love to share messages from ministers that bless me.  The message is from Brother Bob Yandian and it's entitled, Worry Is Always Future".  I first heard Brother Bob in the 1990's.  A dear friend, Pat Smith shared a box of ministry cassette tapes with me.  Those tapes encouraged, strengthened, and exposed me to some of the greatest bible teachers past, and present. Of course, in our technological world you don't have to rely on cassette tapes.  You have the privilege of YouTube, Podcasts, Blogs, and so many other ways of getting the Word.  I hope you enjoy this one.

Worry is Always Future by Brother Bob Yandian

"And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?"(Exodus 17:3, NKJV).

The children of Israel had only been in the wilderness a few days when they came to a place where there was no water to drink. They began to complain to Moses, blaming the situation on him. They also decided that they had God’s plan all figured out. God had brought them to this spot to kill them!

Let’s examine the stupidity of this argument. The Israelites had been in captivity for four hundred years in Egypt. Despite the oppression, their population continued to increase. When Moses returned to Egypt to deliver the children of Israel, God protected them from ten plagues and death while the Egyptians suffered, and many died. God parted the Red Sea for them to travel across safely and even drowned the Egyptian army behind them. And God did all this to bring them to this one spot and kill them?

You have probably done the same thing. You have looked at your bills, your lack of food in the cupboard, and your overdue mortgage bill and cried, “I’m going to die right here!” Stop and think about what you have just said. God saved you many years ago, filled you with His Holy Spirit, healed your body, performed miracles for you and your family many times, and supplied all of your needs on more than one occasion. Has God done all these wonderful things in your life to bring you to this spot and watch you die?

When facing a tragedy or trial, it is easy to lose sight of all of God’s blessings that have brought us to this point. WORRY is always future. When you worry, you are saying that even though God has taken care of you every moment of every day, somehow tomorrow He will fail because His grace ran out today. But the truth is that the God Who has always taken care of you will not fail you tomorrow, next week, or next year. He will continue to walk with you and provide until Jesus comes.

David said, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread” (Psalm 37:25). Why wait until you are old to look at God’s faithfulness in hindsight? Look forward now in faith and expectancy knowing that God will continue to provide for you and will never fail.

Yours in Jesus Christ, 

Brother Bob Yandian

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Don't Be Scared!

 Happy Sunday!

"They hated the heavenly Light because they wanted to sin in the darkness. They stayed away from that Light for fear their sins would be exposed and they would be punished. BUT those doing RIGHT come gladly to the Light to let everyone see that they are doing what God wants them to.”(John 3:20-21, Living Bible).

Even though I don't do scary movies, when I read this scripture I thought of the movie, Poltergeist and the phrase, "Carol Ann come to the light".  LOL!  I must have heard it somewhere, because I have never seen the movie.  I watched the clip from this portion of the movie today, and it was actually comical.  In the shadows, and in darkness there is fear and uncertainty.  But in the light there is understanding and clarity.  Have you ever laid in bed and thought you saw a figure in the room with you?  Then you turn on the light to see that it was just your coat hanging on the door.  I have.  I felt really silly for laying there in the dark contemplating what I would use to defend myself from the imagined intruder.

2 Timothy 1:7 tells us, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."(KJV).  God doesn't want us to live in fear.  No fear of the past, present, or future.  He wants us to know who we are in Christ, and that we have authority in the Name of Jesus. 

Hebrew 2:14-15 says, "Since the children are made of flesh and blood, it’s logical that the Savior took on flesh and blood in order to rescue them by his death. By embracing death, taking it into himself, he destroyed the Devil’s hold on death and FREED all who COWER through life, SCARED to death of death."(Message).  Don't miss this!  Jesus' perfect work fixed things!  We don't have to worry!  We don't have to fear!

OK, so you don't think this applies to you?  I know it does!  You don't have to fear starting your own business.  You don't have to fear moving to another city.    Your don't have to fear telling the truth.  You don't have to fear making a mistake.  Life goes on even after mistakes.  Each day comes with new mercies, and fresh opportunities.  Pastor Randy Morrison always says, "If you don't die, you are going to live".  Sounds so simple, and it is.  Decide to live.  Decide to make each day count.  Decide to live fearlessly.

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Time Is Life

Happy Sunday!

Psalm 90:12 says, "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."(KJV).  

Have you ever stood in front of the microwave complaining about 3 minutes taking so long?  I have!  But I can remember life before microwaves.  My mother-in-law, Minnie Pruitt would cook her whole Sunday dinner on Saturday. Then after church, we didn't head over to Applebee's.  We went home and waited for the food to be warmed in the oven, or on the stove top.  Have you ever thought you didn't have time to complete a task but spent hours on social media before you even knew it?  I have!  Yes, I also remember the time before social media.  If I wanted to see the pictures from your vacation in Kokomo, I'd have to wait at least a week for you to get them developed at the Foto Mat, then come to your home to view them.  Have you ever put off something that could have easily been done today, only to find that it was more difficult later?  Yes, I have.  Breakups, dishes, laundry, and exercise all come to mind.  Even though we have so much technology to make things faster, we still don't value time as we should.  And we waste precious time and spend it unwisely.

Psalm 90:12 encourages us to number our days.  Another translation says, "Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to spend them as we should."(Living Bible).  Don't miss the last part, "help us to spend them as we should".   Time is money, but more importantly time is LIFE.  We are spending our time, our days, and our lives as currency.  

Ephesians 5:11-16 says, "Don’t waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. It’s a scandal when people WASTE their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ.

Wake up from your sleep,

Climb out of your coffins.

Christ will show you the light!

So, watch your step. Use your head. MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY CHANCE YOU GET. These are desperate times!"(Message).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

LIONS Plural!

 Happy Sunday!

This is a Re-Post from August 2019!  Enjoy!

Years ago, and for a period of time, I stopped listening to Gospel music after I heard a soloist proclaim that Daniel put his foot on the neck of the lion in the lion's den.  I can't find that in scripture.  Can you?  But what I do find in scripture is this, "Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of LIONS. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee."(Daniel 6:16, KJV).  Don't miss this!  There were lions plural.  So if it was as the soloist sang, what were the other lions doing while Daniel had his foot on the one singular lion?

Ok, so you think I'm being unreasonable, and nit-picking.  I most certainly am not!  The visual of one lion diminishes the significance of the true miracle that occurred for Daniel.  God delivered Daniel from an impossible situation.  This was so serious the scripture says the king couldn't sleep that night.  The Bible says, "Then King Darius went back to his house. He did not eat that night. He did not want anyone to come and entertain him. He could not sleep all night."(Daniel 6:18, Easy-to-Read Version).  Daniel was not a lion tamer.  He was a good man falsely accused and sentenced to death for praying.  

It happens all the time, are you guilty?  Do you lose sight of the tremendous MIRACLE WORKING POWER of our God?  Are you disappointed because things didn't work out like you thought they would, so you secretly stop trusting God?  Our God is an AWESOME God!  He has not changed!  He is still TRUSTWORTHY.  

What really happened?  So glad you asked!  Let's read Daniel 6:19-23.  "At daybreak the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. As he approached the den, he called out anxiously, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve so loyally, saved you from the lions?” “O king, live forever!” said Daniel. “My God sent his angel, who closed the mouths of the LIONS so that they would not hurt me. I’ve been found innocent before God and also before you, O king. I’ve done nothing to harm you". When the king heard these words, he was happy. He ordered Daniel taken up out of the den. When he was hauled up, there wasn’t a scratch on him. He had TRUSTED his God.”(Message).

In case you were wondering if those lions were vicious, "The king gave yet another order; this time he demanded that those who accused Daniel of wrongdoing be captured and thrown into the lions’ den—but not only them—their wives and children too. As they were being pushed into the den, before they even hit the bottom, the lions jumped on them, overpowered them, and crushed their bones in their powerful jaws."(Daniel 6:24, Voice).  Ouch!

Don't let unbelief creep in in any way, not even in a seemingly harmless song.  Our Powerful God specializes in miracles, signs, and wonders!  His Word is truth!

The Psalmist proclaimed, "Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven."(Psalm 119:89, KJV).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Hell? NO!

 Happy Sunday!

" I am amazed that you are turning away so soon from God who, in his LOVE and MERCY, invited you to share the eternal life he gives through Christ; you are already following a different “WAY TO HEAVEN,” which really doesn’t go to heaven at all. For there is NO OTHER WAY than the one we showed you; you are being FOOLED by those who twist and change the truth concerning Christ."(Galatians 1:6-7 TLB).

I'm very observant.  I often see things and wonder why it is as it is.  I recently noticed a street called, Brimstone in a nearby subdivision.  When I think of brimstone, I think of the judgement that fell on Sodom and Gomorrah in the Old Testament.  I would never expect to see it as a street name in a quiet neighborhood.  But perhaps, it's a subtle reminder that Hell is real and it's a destination we should avoid at all costs.  

Jesus spoke of Hell many times.  In Matthew 25:41-43 He said, "Then I will turn to those on my left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal FIRE prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry and you wouldn’t feed me; thirsty, and you wouldn’t give me anything to drink; a stranger, and you refused me hospitality; naked, and you wouldn’t clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’(TLB).  Don't miss this!  Jesus said, Hell was not made for humans!  It was prepared for the Devil and his bunch!  But if we refuse Jesus, we will be doomed to a place that was never prepared for us!

Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in HELL.  What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.  And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more VALUABLE to God than a whole flock of sparrows."(Matthew 10:28-30 NLT)

Jesus said, "Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires TOTAL attention."(Matthew 7:13-14 Message).  The Good News Translation of that same scripture says it this way, "Go in through the narrow gate, because the gate to HELL is wide and the road that leads to it is easy, and there are many who travel it. But the gate to LIFE is narrow and the way that leads to it is hard, and there are few people who find it."

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Signed, Sealed, and Delivered

Happy Sunday!

"Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the ONE who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust." (2 Peter 1:3-4 Message)

We become the sons and daughters of God when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. John 1:12 says, "Even in his own land and among his own people, the Jews, he was not accepted. Only a few would welcome and receive him. But to all who received him, he gave the right to become children of God. All they needed to do was to trust him to save them." (The Living Bible)  

Now that we have accepted Jesus three things happened.  

1)  God has Signed for you - Just like we sign for packages or new car leases, God signed for us with the precious blood of Jesus.  1 Peter 1:18-19 says, "God paid a ransom to save you from the impossible road to heaven which your fathers tried to take, and the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver as you very well know. But he paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God." (The Living Bible)

2)  God has Sealed you - You have God's seal of approval!  Not because you are good, but because he is GOOD! Ephesians 1:13-14 says, "It’s in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what’s coming, a reminder that we’ll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life." (Message)

3)  God has Delivered you - God delivered you from a life of sin! Galatians 1:3-4 says, "Jesus Christ rescued us from this evil world we’re in by offering himself as a sacrifice for our sins. God’s plan is that we all experience that rescue. Glory to God forever! Oh, yes!" (Message)

What's going on in heaven? So glad you asked.  All the focus is on Jesus!  The elders, and the creatures and the angels are all in awe of him.  Revelation 5 says, they worship Jesus continually and fall on their faces in reverence and say "Amen".  Amen means "so let it be".  It's a simple but effective prayer.  Until we get to heaven, we can worship Jesus right here on earth and we can agree with the Word of God and say AMEN.  Amen to health and healing, because the Word says, "by whose stripes ye were healed." 1 Peter 2:24 (KJV)  Amen to prosperity and abundance, because the Word says, "God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:" 2 Corinthians 9:8 (KJV)  Amen to faith and wholeness, because the Word says, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)

Yes, and Amen!  Love and prayers, Cynthia

EVIL and UNBELIEVING

 Happy Sunday!

"Well, Moses did a fine job working in God’s house, but he was only a SERVANT; and his work was mostly to ILLUSTRATE and suggest those things that would happen later on. But CHRIST, God’s faithful Son, is in COMPLETE charge of God’s house. And WE Christians are God’s house—HE LIVES IN US! —if we keep up our courage firm to the end, and our joy and our TRUST in the Lord.

And since Christ is so much SUPERIOR, the Holy Spirit warns us to listen to him, to be careful to hear his voice TODAY and not let our hearts become set against him, as the people of Israel did. They steeled themselves against HIS LOVE and complained against him in the desert while he was testing them. But God was PATIENT with them forty years, though they tried his patience sorely; he kept right on doing his mighty miracles for them to SEE.  “But,” God says, “I was very angry with them, for their hearts were always LOOKING somewhere else instead of UP to me, and they NEVER found the paths I wanted them to follow.”

Then God, full of this anger against them, bound himself with an oath that he would never let them come to his place of rest.

BEWARE then of your own hearts, dear brothers, lest you find that they, too, are EVIL and UNBELIEVING and are leading you away from the living God. Speak to each other about these things EVERY day while there is still TIME so that none of you will become hardened against God, being BLINDED by the glamor of sin. For if we are FAITHFUL to the end, trusting God just as we did when we first became Christians, we will SHARE in all that belongs to Christ.

But NOW is the TIME. Never forget the warning, “Today if you hear God’s voice speaking to you, do not harden your hearts against him, as the people of Israel did when they rebelled against him in the desert.”(Hebrews 3:5-15 TLB).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

You Choose

Happy Sunday!

"And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, CHOOSE for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; but as for ME and my house, WE will SERVE the LORD."(Joshua 24:15 AMPC).

Moses was dead, and Joshua was the new leader.  He didn't tiptoe around the issues with the Children of Israel.  He reminded them that God has given us free will, we get to choose.  He doesn't force us to serve, honor, love or obey Him.  We get to choose.  After all that God has done for us, you would think the choice would be easy.  Romans 2:4 says, "Don’t you realize how PATIENT he is being with you? Or don’t you care? Can’t you see that he has been waiting all this time without punishing you, to give you time to turn from your sin? His KINDNESS is meant to lead you to repentance."(TLB).

I ran across this poem, and it's so fitting.

"You are the person who has to decide.

Whether you'll do it or toss it aside;

You are the person who makes up your mind.

Whether you'll lead or will linger behind.

Whether you'll try for the goal that's afar.

Or just be contented to stay where you are.” - Edgar A. Guest

Have a positive, powerful, and prosperous week!

Love and prayers, Cynthia