"Get your Angels out of the Unemployment line!"

 Happy Sunday!

"Don’t forget to be kind to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!"(Hebrews 13:2 Living Bible).

What is the ministry or assignment of Angels?  Great question! I'm so glad you asked!

Angels are assigned to PROTECT us.   Psalm 91:11-12 says, "For he orders his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will steady you with their hands to keep you from stumbling against the rocks on the trail." (Living Bible).  Do you remember the story of Daniel?  Targeted by haters, thrown in the lion's den. The next morning when the king ran out to see what had become of Daniel, Daniel replied, "My God sent his ANGEL and shut the lions’ mouths so that they couldn't hurt me. He did this because he considered me innocent. Your Majesty, I haven’t committed any crime.”(Daniel 6:22 God's Word Translation).  Don't take this story for granted.  Those same lions devoured Daniel's accusers.

Another time the King of Syria was out to get the Prophet Elisha. Elisha's servant went out and discovered they were surrounded by the Syrian Army.  Elisha told his servant, "Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them."(2 Kings 6:16 KJV).   He prayed that the servant's eyes be opened. The servant looked again and saw, "The whole mountainside full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha!"(2 Kings 6:17 Message).

Angels RESPOND to the Word of God.  A pastor once said, "Get your angels out of the unemployment line!"  Angels respond to prayers that line up with the Word!  When you speak the WORD you give the angels something to work with. Proverbs 18:21 says, "Words have power in matters of life and death, and those who love them will savor their fruit."(Voice).   

Angels are sent to MINISTER to you.  Did you hear that?  These are not little fat babies with wings! The normal response to seeing an angel was fear and dread. Every time an angel appeared to a person in the Bible the angel had to say, "Fear not!"  The prophets saw angels and fainted or fell as dead men.  Angels are fully equipped, capable, and strong enough to do what must be done! Hebrews 1:14 says, "Did God ever say to any of the heavenly messengers, "Sit here, at My right hand, in the seat of honor; and I’ll put all Your enemies under Your feet?" No, of course not. The heavenly messengers are only spirits and servants, sent out to minister to those who will certainly inherit salvation."(Voice). 

How can I put my angels to work?  Great question! Get the WORD in your mouth and speak it OUT LOUD.  If you are experiencing financial difficulty, don't moan and complain about how broke you are! Speak out loud..."The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack."(Psalm 23:1 AMPC).  Are you having problems at work or in your business? Speak the Word...Psalm 1 says, "those who follow the Lord and obey..."Everything they do is successful."(Psalm 1:3 Easy to Read Version).  Are you sick? Speak the Word to your body...“Through His wounds, you were healed.”(1 Peter 2:24 Voice). 

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Time Sensitive

 Happy Sunday!

The Word of God is Time Sensitive.  If you ever search your Bible App or Google for the word "now" you will be amazed at the number of scriptures that advise us and encourage us to do things now!  Hebrews 3:15 says, "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.”(Living Bible).  Even our ancestors encouraged us to "not put off for tomorrow what you can do today".   They harvested their fruits and vegetables and immediately did the work to preserve them for later use. The recycling and conservation groups would have you think that caring about the earth is something new, but our ancestors never wasted anything.  They even found a use for the scraps. What do you think chitterlings are?  LOL! It's proof that they used that pig, from the rooter to the tooter.  I remember shelling or hulling peas and butter beans with my grandmother in Macon, Mississippi.  The regular pea hulls could be given to the pigs, but the butter bean hulls would be poured in the road to disintegrate.

God is not wasteful!  When he gives us something he expects us to use it.  It's the enemy the coerces us to procrastinate.  He already knows that there are times and seasons.  He even knows that his time is running short.  Revelation 12:12(b) says, "for the devil has come down to your spheres, and he is incredibly angry because he knows his time is nearly over."(Voice).  Jesus stressed the urgency in a parable in Luke 12.  The rich man was having a conversation with himself.  Selfishly he plotted on how to build bigger barns and store up more treasure for himself.  But in verses 20 and 21, it says, "Then God interrupted the man’s conversation with himself. “Excuse Me, Mr. Brilliant, but your time has come. Tonight, you will die. Now who will enjoy everything you’ve earned and saved?”  This is how it will be for people who accumulate huge assets for themselves but have no assets in relation to God."(Voice).  In the King James Version, it calls this man a fool!  That's pretty harsh considering Jesus commanded us to never call anyone a fool.  Matthew 5:22 says, "But here is the even harder truth: anyone who is angry with his brother will be judged for his anger. Anyone who taunts his friend, speaks contemptuously toward him, or calls him “Loser” or “Fool” or “Scum,” will have to answer to the high court. And anyone who calls his brother a fool may find himself in the fires of hell."(Voice).  That's strong but think about it from God's viewpoint...every human was created in the image and likeness of God.  So everyone, even the ones that get on your last nerve, have purpose and destiny.  Of course, some people will never live out their God given destiny, but it's not our place to judge their relevance or capabilities.  To call them a fool is to pronounce a curse on them and that is not allowed.  Now don't go too far to the left or right on this.  The Bible provides numerous examples of what fools do.  You have to be able to recognize foolishness in order to avoid it.  Psalm 14:1 says, "That man is a fool who says to himself, “There is no God!” Anyone who talks like that is warped and evil and cannot really be a good person at all."(Living Bible).

We must recognize the facts but believe the truth.  The fact may be that you have no money in your wallet, but the truth is God supplies all your needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19).  The fact may be that you have been diagnosed with a life-threatening disease, but the truth is you have already been healed by Jesus' stripes. (1 Peter 2:24).  The fact may be that you feel lonely and alone, but the truth is God will never leave you or forsake you, and he puts solitary people in families. (Hebrew 13:5, Psalm 68:6).

Pablo Picasso said, "Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone".   It's time to get what belongs to us!  We have suffered long enough without it. Galatians 3:13-14 describes it like this, "the Anointed One, the Liberating King, has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. It was stated in the Scriptures, “Everyone who hangs on a tree is cursed by God.” This is what God had in mind all along: the BLESSING He gave to Abraham might extend to all nations through the Anointed One, Jesus; and WE are the beneficiaries of this promise of the Spirit that comes only through faith."(Voice).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

RAISED from the DEAD

 Happy Resurrection Sunday!

"But IN FACT, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the FIRST of a great harvest of all who have died."(1 Corinthians 15:20 NLT).

The Word speaks for itself.  I could never say it better.  

"I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ DIED for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.  He was BURIED, and he was RAISED from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve.  After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles.  Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.  For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.

But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.  So it makes no difference whether I preach or they preach, for we all preach the SAME message you have already believed.

But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either.  And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is USELESS, and your faith is useless.  And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead.  And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised.  And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is USELESS, and you are still GUILTY of your sins.  In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost!  And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world."(1 Corinthians 15:3-19 NLT).

"So you see, just as DEATH came into the world through a man, now the RESURRECTION from the dead has begun through another man.  Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.  But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then ALL WHO BELONG TO CHRIST will be raised when he comes back."(1 Corinthians 15:21-23 NLT).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

ARE YOU AN HEIR, OR A SERVANT? - By Barry Bennett

 Happy Sunday!

"So hear my final words, my friends. Now that I have warned you about what’s ahead, keep up your guard and don’t let UNPRINCIPLED people PULL you away from the sure ground of the TRUTH with their lies and misunderstandings. INSTEAD, GROW in grace and in the true KNOWLEDGE of our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Anointed, to whom be glory, now and until the coming of the new age. Amen."(2 Peter 3:17-18 Voice).

ARE YOU AN HEIR, OR A SERVANT? - By Barry Bennett

The heir, as long as he is a child, differs nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all. (Gal. 4:1).

Redemption has recreated us, transformed us and translated us! We are a new creation seated with Him in heavenly places. We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ! We are heirs of the kingdom, heirs of salvation, heirs according to the promise and heirs of the grace of life!

Even the most recent believer is an heir. However, it is possible to be an heir and not have a clue about being ‘lord of all.’ We must GROW in the grace of God and LEARN how to live in the Kingdom. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby.” (1 Pet. 2:2).

Telling a babe that he is an heir doesn’t have much meaning. A newborn prince will one day be king, but right now he is a baby just like every other baby in the kingdom. His future is SETTLED but his present is ordinary. He needs to grow. He needs to learn and be educated in the workings of his kingdom.

So it is in the Kingdom of God. While the gospel has made us lords of all, very few ever grow into an understanding of what that means. Some remain babes their entire lives. The incredible potential of their new identity is never discovered or released into the world. They differ nothing from a servant.

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, (Eph. 4:13-14).

It’s time we LEARN, GROW and STEP into our role in Christ. Babes (though they be heirs) will never reign in life. Make up your mind to grow into all that Jesus has created you to be!  - By Barry Bennett

Love and prayers, Cynthia

"I Got to Go on Without You"

 Happy Sunday!

I hope you don't mind another Re-post!  This one was from April 2016!  I updated the first sentence and changed the title! 
 
This April 17th will be my mother's 80th Birthday.  Of course, it is still her birthday, but she is not here in the earth realm to share it and enjoy it with us.  She made sure we experienced music in every area of our lives.  Saturdays were cleaning days, and cleaning days included music.  One song that I was reminded of recently is entitled, "I Got to Go on Without You".  If you Google it, there are several renditions.  The one my mother liked was performed by Shirley Brown.  The song tells the story of a person who finally realizes their relationship is not working, and a change has got to come.  In another sense, many of our loved ones have had to go on without us.  The Apostle Paul wrote about the dilemma, "If I continue living here on earth, I will be able to work for the Lord. But what would I choose—to live or to die? I don’t know.  It would be a hard choice. Sometimes I want to leave this life and be with Christ. That would be much better for me; however, you people need me here alive. I am sure of this, so I know that I will stay here and be with you to help you grow and have joy in your faith."(Philippians 1:22-25, Easy-to-Read Version).  He unselfishly thought of his children in ministry and determined there was still more work to be done.

Someone is following YOU!  What legacy are you leaving?  If you had to go on without them today, how would they respond?  Would they have fond memories of music, fellowship, and worship?  Or would they be happy you were gone because of the lies, inconsistencies, and abuse?  Galatians 6:7 warns us, "Make no mistake: God can’t be mocked. What you give is what you get. What you sow, you harvest."(Voice).  Surprisingly, people often seem to be amazed when they and others REAP exactly what they have SOWN.  The old folks used to say, "The apple don't fall far from the tree!"  This was just another way of saying our children will follow our example.  The harvest, however, is always greater than the seed.  If we lie about being home when a bill collector calls, the harvest could be that the child lies about a felony offense.  If we hate our neighbor for throwing trash in our yard, the harvest could be that the child hates a whole race of people and seeks to destroy them.  If we speak disrespectfully of a pastor, policeman, or someone in authority, the harvest could be that the child disrespects authority and loses their life because of it.  Where am I going with this?  So happy you asked.  Make the most of the time you have on EARTH!  Realize that if Jesus delays his coming, we may have to go on without some people too!  How are you preparing them?  Are you setting them up for success or failure?

Jesus had three years to prepare his disciples for world changing ministry. He spent time teaching them and showing them how to live by example. He sowed seeds of faith, and love, and reaped an enormous harvest of souls.  After spending quality time with Jesus, this is how the people described the Apostles, "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,"(Acts 17:6, Amplified).  Won't it be nice to one day meet people in heaven and find that your life was a blessing to them?  Can you imagine hearing the stories of how your kindness changed lives?  Or will your legacy be one of selfishness, self-seeking, and self-serving? Jesus said, "What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?"(Matthew 16:26, Message).

In another light, I plan to go on without a few other things.  I plan to go on without unbelief!  If God said it, I will stake my life on it!  I plan to go on without envy and strife, the Word says its most deadly!  James 3:16 says, "Any place where you find jealousy and selfish ambition, you will discover chaos and evil thriving under its rule."(Voice).  I also plan to go on without regret.  I have repented, I have been forgiven, and I'm moving forward with wisdom.

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Don't Take the Bait!

Happy Sunday!

I hope this Happy Sunday finds you well!  This is a Repost from December 2015, BUT it's so appropriate for today!  Enjoy!

Pastor David Winston preached, "Don't Take the Bait!  Overcoming Offense with Forgiveness!"  His father, Dr. Bill Winston has been preaching on receiving our inheritance and enjoying the Blessing of Abraham.  Do you know when Matthew 5:11 says you are truly blessed?  Just in case you missed it, here it is!  "BLESSED are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake."(KJV).   What?  Doesn't being blessed mean no more hard times?  Doesn't BLESSED mean everything is perfect?  No, when Abraham was BLESSED it caused others to envy him and want to destroy him!  It won't be any different with you!  When you are blessed spiritually, physically, emotionally, and financially their will be enemies sent to take you out!  God is your protector, you never have to fear externally...BUT you must be cautious internally!  Makes sense that Proverbs 4:23 says, "Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life."(Amplified).  Just as Love keeps the Blessing active in our lives, offense can lead to unforgiveness that can stall, delay, or stop our breakthrough.

Pastor David said, "Offense is an event, but being offended is a position!"  Let that sink in for a moment!  Even Jesus said, it is impossible to get through this life without something or someone giving us the opportunity to be offended!(Luke 17:1).   But you don't have to take the BAIT!  You can repel offense with Love!  Quickly forgive those that offend you because it is the strategy of the enemy to keep you from progressing.  John 10:10 says, "The thief’s purpose is to steal, kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness."(Living Bible).

There are three steps to forgiveness...

1)  Repentance  -  The word repent means to turn away from.  When we repent we stop doing what we are doing and return to God's way of doing and being right.  God's way is always love!  1 John 4:8 says, "But if a person isn’t loving and kind, it shows that he doesn’t know God—for God is love."(Living Bible).  We are not discounting the fact that you have been wronged, but we are identifying the source and strategy of the enemy.  We are short-circuiting his ability to block our blessings by choosing to forgive.  Unforgiveness is sin!  1 John 1:9 was written to Christians, it says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."(KJV).

2)  Decide to Forgive and Release It -  Colossians 3:12-13 says, "Since you are all set apart by God, made holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a holy way of life: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  Put up with one another. Forgive. Pardon any offenses against one another, as the Lord has pardoned you, because you should act in kind."(Voice).  Matthew 18:21-22 says, "At that point Peter got up the nerve to ask, “Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?”  Jesus replied, “Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven."(Message).  Jesus said we must forgive the same person for doing the same thing 490 times!  It's a decision...a life or death decision...choose life!

3)  Receive Healing for any Pain Suffered - There is a reason we should forgive and forget!  I know what you are thinking, I've thought it myself!  You say, "I can forgive them, but I will never forget!"  That's the trap the enemy wants to get you tangled up in!  Our minds are the battleground!  If you think you have forgiven, you may have said you have forgiven, but the moment the enemy can get you THINKING about the event again...he's got you!  If you don't believe me, do me a favor...tell me what emotions you feel when you think about that event, hurt, or offense?  Does remembering how they treated you bring you joy?  Does remembering what they did to you cause you to love them more?  Does recounting the event and the hurtful words make you want to pray for their well-being?  Be honest!  Pastor David used the example of a woman that has been hurt in a relationship.  That hurt colors the interactions she has with others.  Even though she is happy for a friend that is getting married, she still inserts bits of her offense in the conversation.  She may say, "Girl, all men are dogs!  You can't trust anybody!  You better protect yourself!"   NO, ALL men are not dogs!  If you don't like dogs, don't be a dog catcher! Stop looking for a man where dogs live and play!  NO, you can trust godly people and you can definitely trust God!  NO, you cannot protect yourself!  The Word says, "Unless the Lord builds a house, the builders’ work is useless. Unless the Lord protects a city, sentries do no good."(Living Bible).

When will you know you have truly forgiven?  Great question, so glad you asked!  Pastor David said, "Your Love Assignment is not fulfilled until you can PRAY FOR YOUR ENEMY!"  Not a quick, God bless them prayer...but a prayer you would pray for your closest friend!  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "We must develop and maintain the capacity to FORGIVE. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies."

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Get On With It!

 Happy Sunday!

"And these men of faith, though they trusted God and won his approval, none of them received all that God had promised them; for God wanted them to wait and share the even BETTER rewards that were prepared for us."(Hebrews 11:39-40 Living Bible).

Hebrews 11 and 12 are great chapters to read and read again!  Not only do they remind us of how important Faith is, they also give us examples of people just like us that were approved of by God.  Hebrews 11:6 says, "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."(Living Bible).

Hebrew 12:1-3 says, "Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better GET ON WITH IT.  Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your EYES on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. STUDY how he did it. Because he never lost SIGHT of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with ANYTHING along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!"(Message).

Hebrews 12:12-13 says, "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!"(Message).

Love and prayers, Cynthia