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