SASH = Separating from All Strong Holds!

 Happy Sunday!

"And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold SASH across his chest."(Revelation 1:13 NLT).

I'm BACK! Did you miss me?  Did you miss Happy Sunday?  I was traveling last week and arrived home too late, and too tired to send Happy Sunday!  Next time, I'll get it together before the trip!

My Pastor referred to this scripture today.  He was reminding us that Jesus is not like the weak pitiful depictions in artwork, and on jewelry!  He is no longer on the cross.  He is Risen and seated at the right hand of the Father. (1 Peter 3:22).  It made me think of the children's song from years ago, it was entitled, "Jesus Ain't a Baby No More!"  Do you remember that song?  LOL! When the Apostle John described Jesus in the Revelation, he is strong, bold and powerful!  That's what Jesus wants for US!  In Ephesians 6:10, The Apostle Paul said, "Finally, my brethren, be STRONG in the Lord, and in the power of HIS might."(KJV).   2 Peter 1:3-4 says, "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."(Message).

Revelation 1:3 says that Jesus is wearing a gold sash across his chest.  This reminded me of the message Pastor Zorina Ann Brown shared with us last Saturday!  We've seen sashes.  Miss America, Miss Universe, The Black Student Union, and so many other groups wear sashes to represent their accomplishments, teams and nations.  Jesus is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, and the Alpha and Omega.  We Believers are a part of the Body or Christ and have the authority to use the Name of Jesus but so often we are living beneath our privilege and hiding the unique gifts God has given us through Christ.  Some snagged tooth people from our past told us that a certain thing was impossible for us, or going to a certain place or level was not meant for you!  You are a woman, or you are Black, you're too tall, or you are too short!  The Devil has probably whispered to you that you can't recover from that mistake, or that divorce, or the loss of a loved one!  Pastor Brown encouraged us to use SASH as an Acronym.  SASH = Separating from All Strong Holds!  We must detach ourselves from all negativities and ask, "What does the Word say?"  Then we must determine to allow the WORD of God to be the FINAL Word!

The BIBLE says, "Let the weak say, I am STRONG."(Joel 3:10 KJV)

The BIBLE says, "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye WERE HEALED."(1 Peter 2:24 KJV).

The BIBLE says, "Always remember what is written in that book of law. Speak about that book and study it day and night. Then you can be sure to OBEY what is written there. If you do this, you will be WISE and SUCCESSFUL in everything you do."(Joshua 1:8 Easy-to-Read Version).

The BIBLE says, "I shall not die, but LIVE, and declare the works of the Lord."(Psalm 118:17 KJV).

The BIBLE says, "Seek the Kingdom of God above ALL else, and LIVE righteously, and he will give you EVERYTHING you need."(Matthew 6:33 NLT).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

FOLLOW the Instructions!

 Happy Sunday!

I don't know about tomorrow,

I just live from day to day.

And I don't borrow from its sunshine,

For its skies may turn to gray.

And I don't worry about my future,

For I know what Jesus said,

And today He walks beside me

For He knows what lies ahead

Many things about tomorrow I don't seem to understand

But I, I know, I know, I know who holds tomorrow

And I know who holds, who holds my hand - Ira Stanphill

Do you remember this song?  Or songs like it, that remind us of what the Word of God tells us!  It's so 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.  Uprisings, wars, violent attacks, political campaigns, and I-Phone 17's.  If we aren't cautious, we can become overwhelmed.

That's probably why the Word says, "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).

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.  Above reminds me of Deuteronomy 28, "The head and never the tail!"

Selah.

Love and prayers, Cynthia

At All Times

Happy Sunday!

Psalm 34...

"I will praise the Lord NO MATTER what happens. I will constantly SPEAK of his glories and grace.  I will boast of all his KINDNESS to me. Let all who are discouraged take heart. Let us praise the Lord together and exalt his name.

For I CRIED to him and he ANSWERED me! He FREED me from all my fears.  Others too were radiant at what he did for them. Theirs was no downcast look of rejection! This poor man cried to the Lord—and the Lord HEARD him and SAVED him out of his troubles.  For the Angel of the Lord guards and RESCUES all who reverence him.

Oh, put God to the test and see how KIND he is! See for yourself the way his mercies shower down on all who trust in him. If you belong to the Lord, REVERENCE him; for everyone who does this has EVERYTHING he needs.  Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those of us who reverence the Lord will NEVER LACK any good thing.

Sons and daughters, come and listen and let me teach you the IMPORTANCE of trusting and fearing the Lord. Do you want a long, GOOD life? Then watch your tongue! Keep your lips from lying. Turn from all known sin and spend your time in doing good. Try to live in peace with EVERYONE; work hard at it.

For the EYES of the Lord are intently watching all who live good lives, and he gives ATTENTION when they cry to him. But the Lord has made up his mind to wipe out even the memory of evil men from the earth. Yes, the Lord HEARS the good man when he calls to him for help and saves him out of all his troubles.

The Lord is close to those whose hearts are BREAKING; he rescues those who are humbly sorry for their sins. The good man does not escape ALL troubles—he has them too. But the Lord HELPS him in each and every one. Not one of his bones is broken.

Calamity will SURELY overtake the wicked; heavy penalties are meted out to those who hate the good. But as for those who serve the Lord, he will REDEEM them; everyone who takes refuge in him will be freely pardoned". (Living Bible).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Our REWARDS Program

 Happy Sunday!

"You can never please God without faith, without DEPENDING on him. Anyone who wants to come to God MUST believe that there is a God and that he REWARDS those who sincerely look for him."(Hebrews 11:6 TLB).

Most retailers have a rewards program.  My daughter's and I make it easy.  We all use the same phone number for these loyalty programs.  We share in the discounts and benefits and likely get more because all of our purchases are combined.  Did you know God has Rewards? Yes, He does!  Deuteronomy 28:1-7 says, “If you FULLY OBEY the Lord your God and CAREFULLY KEEP all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God:

Your towns and your fields will be blessed.

Your children and your crops will be blessed.

The offspring of your herds and flocks will be blessed.

Your fruit baskets and breadboards will be blessed.

Wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be blessed.

The Lord will CONQUER your enemies when they attack you. They will attack you from one direction, but they will scatter from you in seven!"(NLT).

Colossians 3:23-24 says, "Work hard and cheerfully at all you do, just as though you were working for the Lord and not merely for your masters, REMEMBERING that it is the Lord Christ who is going to pay you, giving you your full portion of all he owns. He is the one you are really working for."(TLB).

Proverbs 19:17 says, "Mercy to the needy is a loan to God, and God pays back those loans in full."(Message).

Just in case you think that you can or will miss out on a Reward, Hebrews 6:10 says, "For God is not unrighteous to forget or OVERLOOK your labor and the love which you have shown for His name’s sake in ministering to the needs of the saints (His own consecrated people), as you still do."(AMPC).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

GOD is Love!

 Happy Sunday!

"Dear friends, let us practice loving each other, for LOVE comes from God and those who are loving and kind show that they are the children of God, and that they are getting to know him better.  But if a person isn’t loving and kind, it shows that he doesn’t know God—for God is love."(1 John 4:7-8 TLB).

Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful, loving, caring, and responsible fathers out there! I pray you enjoyed the day and were acknowledged and appreciated.

God made us in his image and his likeness.  Have you ever heard someone say, "That child is the spitting image of their father"?  Of course you have.  And if the child doesn't resemble the father at all, the old folks would say, "there must be a dead cat on the line".  LOL!  It's funny, but it's true.  We should resemble our father.  1 John 4:16 says, "God is love." (KJV).  Logically, if God is love and he created us we were made by love.  Love is not a fuzzy feeling. Love is a lifestyle. When we understand fully the love God has for us, we will be able to share that love with the world.

1 John 4:18 from the Phillips Translations says, "Love contains no fear—indeed fully-developed love expels every particle of fear, for fear always contains some of the torture of feeling guilty. This means that the man who lives in fear has not yet had his love perfected".   Did you get that?  Fully developed love contains no fear! There are so many things happening in the world to cause us to fear.  But the Word of God is encouraging us and commanding us to love and assuring us "Perfect", mature love dispels fear.

How can I get this love?  So glad you asked!  Romans 5:5 says, "And hope will never fail to satisfy our deepest need because the Holy Spirit that was given to us has flooded our hearts with God’s love." (Voice).  Isn't that incredible! God tells you to love, then gives you His love to love with!  All you have to do is cooperate with the Holy Spirit! 

When someone mistreats you and you want to retaliate, the Holy Spirit reminds you..."Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord." (Romans 12:19 NLT).  When your money is shorter than your month and you are tempted to worry and fret, the Holy Spirit encourages you..."And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19 NL).  When the doctor tells you there is nothing that can be done to help you, the Holy Spirit assures you..."He forgives all my sins and heals ALL my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies." (Psalm 103:3-4 NLT)  

One last thing that always amazes me, Revelation 21:8 lists the people who will be thrown into the Lake of Fire. It says, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." (KJV).  OUCH!  The fearful?  What's so bad about being afraid? Good question!  Being afraid that your enemy will not get what's coming to him will cause you to be angry.  That anger can cause you to sin.  Being afraid that you will never meet Mr. or Mrs. Right could cause you to settle for Mr. or Mrs. Right Now.  This could be devastating to your purpose and your future.  Being afraid that God's Word is not true could cause you to neglect it, devalue it, and ignore it.  This will lead you to trust in yourself, your education, or your money..."He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; but the righteous shall flourish as a branch." (Proverbs 11:28 KJV). "He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered." (Proverbs 28:26 KJV).  "Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord." Jeremiah 17:5 (KJV)

Working on perfecting my love walk!

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Rest

 Happy Sunday!

"Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, but the Lord your God brought you out with his strong hand and powerful arm. That is why the Lord your God has commanded you to REST on the Sabbath day." (Deuteronomy 5:15 NLT).

Bishop Alexis A. Thomas once said, "One of the purposeful and intentional designs of God in our lives and his acts in our lives is to REMOVE all boasting!  We work hard to take the credit, while God works to let us know HE deserves all the credit."  

The Apostle Paul agreed, "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it." Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT).

No matter how intelligent and capable you are, no matter how beautiful and talented you are, and no matter how many zeros behind your bottom line or letters behind your name, it is the mercy and grace of God that has brought you through. The psalmist wrote, "Hard times may well be the plight of the righteous—they may often seem overwhelmed—but the Eternal RESCUES the righteous from what oppresses them." (Psalm 34:19 Voice).   And Jeremiah lamented, "My soul has them continually in remembrance and is bowed down within me. But THIS I recall and therefore have I HOPE and expectation: It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:20-24 AMPC).

Feel free to glance back over your life to see how far you’ve come, but don’t gaze at it longingly!  Remember you were once a slave to sin and foolishness, but God delivered you.  He delivered you so that you can REST. The Sabbath represents rest. God intends for you to realize he gives you the strength, the courage, and the ability to do everything you must do.  When you trust him, you can rest every day of your life. Matthew 11:28-30 says, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real REST. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Message).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Guarded

 Happy Sunday!

"Above all else, watch over your heart; diligently guard it because from a sincere and PURE HEART come the good and noble things of life."(Proverbs 4:23 Voice).

Life can be hard.  We each have our own trials and tribulations. It's so easy to focus inward and forget about the other people Jesus gave his life to save.  During hard times, I remember my mother saying she hated people.  Everyone that knew her knows she was a people person.  How could she hate people?  I didn't fully understand then, but I can see now how it can be possible to hate.  People who are without God's Real Love are harsh, cruel, deceptive, conniving, vindictive, selfish, inconsiderate...and the list could go on and on.  Sometimes even the people who profess to know Jesus as Lord and Savior are amazingly despicable.  BUT God didn't command us to love the LOVABLE, he commanded us to love them ALL just like he did. 

Jesus said it best, in Matthew 5:44-48, "But I tell you, LOVE your enemies. Pray for those who treat you badly.  If you do this, you will be children who are TRULY like your FATHER in heaven. He lets the sun rise for all people, whether they are good or bad. He sends rain to those who do right and to those who do wrong.  If you love only those who love you, why should you get a reward for that? Even the tax collectors do that.  And if you are nice only to your friends, you are no better than anyone else. Even the people who don’t know God are nice to their friends. What I am saying is that you must be PERFECT, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."(Easy-to-Read Version).

Perfect means mature.  We have to mature in this walk of faith.  Jesus said our Father God is our example to follow. We must ensure our hearts don't become harden because of things that have happened to us.  Yes, stuff happens, but don't let that stuff change you!  

Love and Prayers, Cynthia