Presentable

 Happy Sunday!

"So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re PRESENTABLE inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He ALWAYS keeps his Word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching."(Hebrews 10:22-25, Message).

Life is precious.  Time is valuable.  As we are becoming more like Christ, we must remember to be wise in our dealings.   We are representing our Father, God!  My daughters enjoyed the Disney movie, Mulan.  I have never watched it but I'm familiar with the theme and many of the quotes from the movie because we jokingly repeat them.  One quote we frequently use is, "Dishonor on you, dishonor on your cow, dishonor on your whole family!"  We use it when someone does something that we don't approve of.  But think about it. There was a time when our parents would warn us about going out in public and embarrassing the family!   We cared about having a good family name.  We realized that we were representing our family!  How much more should we work to represent Jesus Christ? Proverbs 22:1 says, "Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold."(NLT).

Dr. Bill Winston told a story about a guest minister arriving at the airport in another city. He waited for an hour, then called the church.  The pastor assured him the driver was already at the airport to pick him up.  Another hour passed, and a man walked up to the guest minister.  He asked if he was the man. The guest minister replied, and asked what took so long.  The driver replied, "You don't look like your picture!"  The guest minister had provided a photo that was many, many years old.   In this world of social media, and AI, where photos can be manipulated, do we look like our picture? 

As believers, do we look like the picture painted of us in the Word of God?  Are we always triumphing?(2 Corinthians 2:14).  Are we always abounding, do we always have sufficiency in all things?(2 Corinthians 9:8).  Are we in health, and prospering in every area of our lives?(3 John 2).  Are we bold as a lion?(Proverbs 28:1).  Are we the lenders and not the borrowers?(Proverbs 22:7).  Do we have an excellent spirit, are we 10 times better than our co-workers?(Daniel 5:12, 6:3).  Are we a Blessing to those around us and those we meet?(Genesis 12:2).   Do we Love our enemies, bless them that curse us, do good to them that hate us, and pray for them which despitefully use us, and persecute us?(Matthew 5:44).  Ouch!  If you are like me, there is still more work to be done.

Love and prayers, Cynthia

"How to Handle a Dying Situation"

 Happy Sunday!

"Jesus said, “Daughter, you took a risk trusting me, and now you’re HEALED and WHOLE.  Live WELL, live BLESSED!” (Luke 8:48 Message).

This scripture may seem unfamiliar in the Message Translation, but it's from the familiar Bible story of the "Woman with the Issue of Blood".  Luke 8:43-35 tells us, "In the crowd that day there was a woman who for twelve years had been afflicted with hemorrhages. She had spent EVERY penny she had on doctors but not one had been able to help her. She slipped in from behind and touched the edge of Jesus’ robe. At that very moment her hemorrhaging stopped. Jesus said, “Who touched me?” (Message).  Twelve Years, Ya'll! That's a long time!  She heard that Jesus was healing the sick, and she decided even if it meant dying by breaking the Jewish laws, she would go and touch the hem of Jesus' garment.  I wonder if she felt that she had nothing to lose.  Until that moment nothing else had worked.

In 2012, the guest speaker at our church was Bishop Darryl S. Brister from Beacon Light International Cathedral in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Bishop Brister used Luke 8:40-56.  His subject for the message was, "How to Handle a Dying Situation".  When I read his points again, I knew it would be a good repost.

How to Handle a Dying Situation...

1)   Find Jesus - When the woman touched Jesus, he was on his way to home of Jairus.  Jairus' daughter was at the point of death.  Jairus realized he couldn't do anything to help his daughter.  He needed "Supernatural" Power and assistance, so he went to find Jesus.  Psalm 61:2 says, "From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety," (New Living Translation).

2)   Fall Down - Jairus fell at Jesus' feet in verse 41, he humbled himself before Jesus.  The Word says, "Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you," - 1 Peter 5:6 (Amplified Version).

3)   Take Jesus Home with You - There's an old Gospel song that says, "Take the Lord along with you, everywhere you go!"  If we are going to handle dying situations we have to take Jesus with us everywhere in every situation.  Ephesians 2:1-5 says, "It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in MERCY and with an incredible LOVE, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us ALIVE in Christ."  (Message Translation).

4)   Keep on Walking - When the messenger from Jairus' house said the girl was dead, he could have given up and given in.  But Jesus told him, “Don’t be upset. Just trust me and everything will be all right.” (Luke 8:50 Message).  If we want to handle a dying situation, we have to keep moving forward no matter how bad it looks.  We have to trust Jesus and believe that nothing is impossible with GOD.  Luke 1:37 says, "For with God nothing shall be impossible." (King James Version).

Praying that you have everything you need, spiritually, emotionally, physically, and financially!

Love and Prayers, Cynthia

Enemies

 Happy Sunday!

"Tell them, “As I live,” says the Eternal Lord, “I don’t enjoy watching the wicked die; I want the wicked to stop doing what they’re doing and live! Repent! Turn from your wicked ways. Why would you choose to die instead of live, people of Israel?” (Voice). 

Sometimes as Christians, we falsely believe that everything will be perfect and there will be no struggles.  This is a lie!  When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, we simultaneously denounce the Devil and the old way of life. As we grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord we become more and more like Him.  Throughout the Bible, God instructed His people about how to deal with their enemies.   An enemy is defined as anyone that sets themselves as an opponent to your PROGRESS.  Don't miss this!  In Psalm 3:1, David said..."O Lord, so many are against me. So many seek to harm me. I have so many enemies."(Living Bible).  In Psalm 23:5 he also says, "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over."(KJV).   God did not move the psalmist away from his enemies.  He BLESSED him right in front of his enemies.  This is exactly what he intends to do for you!       

God doesn't hate your enemy!  He loves them, and he sent his son to die for them too!  BUT the Day of Vengeance has come...God intends for us to live far above the world and its limitations.  Anything or anyone standing in the way of our progress and prosperity is in grave danger.  You know the story of Daniel.  Daniel 6:3 says, "Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an EXCELLENT spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm."(KJV).   Then his enemies began to search for a way to accuse him of wrongdoing.  Of course, they found no reason to accuse him but decided to use his prayer life against him.  They encouraged the King to establish a law that no one could pray to anyone but the king for a period of time.  Daniel 6:10 says, "But though Daniel knew about it, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs bedroom, with its windows open toward Jerusalem, and prayed three times a day, just as he always had, giving thanks to his God."(Living Bible).  He was arrested and thrown in the lion's den.  God caused the lions mouths to be shut and Daniel survived.  But do you know what happened to his enemies and accusers?  Daniel 6:24 says, "Then the king issued a command to bring the men who had accused Daniel and throw them into the den along with their children and wives, and the lions leaped upon them and tore them apart before they even hit the bottom of the den."(Living Bible).  OUCH!  

Shift your thinking!  Trust that the Word of God is True, and Truth!  See your enemies in a positive light.  See them as an opportunity to be better!  You have no successful enemies!   Isaiah 54:17 says, "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord."(KJV).

Love and prayers, Cynthia