God is Love

Happy Sunday!

Praying that you enjoyed the last week and are ready to embark on the next week.  Several weeks ago, I shared scriptures from Matthew 6.  They are very familiar scriptures that talk about worry and being concerned about daily necessities.  These words are written in red, that means they are statements made by Jesus himself.  Jesus said, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33 (KJV) Hopefully, you know me well enough by now.  I immediately began to examine myself and my situation.  If Jesus said, ALL these things would be added to me if I seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and I don't have some of the things he described in the previous scriptures...then something is off.  My lightning fast mind was able to deduce that the problem must be with me because Jesus is perfect and trustworthy.

In my quest to seek first the kingdom of God and his way of being and doing right, I have found even greater comfort and encouragement from the Word.  It's also good to hear great men and women of faith preaching and teaching on things I have read during the week.  Dr. Bill Winston continued his series, "The Power of Love" with the subtitle, "Climbing Without Compromise".  God intends for us to WIN!  In every circumstance, situation and arena!  He is our father.  Good fathers don't set their children up for failure.  Good fathers make sure their children are well provided for. God has given us everything we need to succeed..."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." 2 Peter 1:3 (Message)

The true power of love is God, because God is love.  We are created in his image and love should be an integral part of everything we do.  Knowing how much God loves us should comfort us and inspire us to love others. Romans 2:4 says, "Are you, perhaps, misinterpreting God’s generosity and patient mercy towards you as weakness on his part? Don’t you realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?" (Phillips)  And in Ephesians 4:32 it says, "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." (KJV) 

In Deuteronomy 7, the Children of Israel were getting some last minute instructions before entering the promised land. The land was inhabited by seven groups that were physically and naturally more powerful.  One of the groups were the Jebusites.  Their name means to stomp on.  The Jebusite spirit that still exists is a spirit that encourages caste systems, racism, and inferiority complexes.  The Children of Israel were commanded to enter, conquer, and possess the land. We are given similar instructions.  We must go into our promised lands and conquer the enemy and possess the territory for the kingdom of God.  We cannot go in our own strength, just as the Children of Israel could not take the land in their own strength.  We need the supernatural assistance of God the Holy Spirit to empower us and enable us to succeed. Even our faith that can move mountains, only works by LOVE.  Love can change the atmosphere.

Seeking first...love and prayers, Cynthia

Cultivate

Happy Sunday on Monday!

Praying that you enjoyed the weekend!

Dr. Bill Winston continued his series, "The Power of Love", with the subtitle, "Climbing Without Compromise".  God wants you to succeed!  He has planned for you to reach the top of whatever field, business, art, or endeavor he has gifted you and created you to accomplish.  However, you must rise to prominence without compromise.  Watch the national news and you will hear of famous men and women that have risen to great heights only to be stripped of that respect and admiration when it is found that they have compromised in some area.

Dr. Winston referred to the definition of "culture".  The word culture is defined as the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, defined by everything from language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts.  It is also closely related to the word, "cultivate".  Genesis 2:15 says, "Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it." (NASV)  We have been strategically placed in the world to expose others to our Christian Culture.  Our culture is a culture of LOVE.  True love may sometimes involve hate.  Ok, wait a minute before you delete this e-mail.  Let me explain.  If someone you love is being attacked by a pit bull terrier.  You may love animals and never want to hurt them, but your love for that individual will cause you to decide...the dog may have to die for my loved one to live.  True love wants what is best for you. If drugs and alcohol are destroying your loved one, true love will tell them the truth even if it makes them angry. The Apostle Paul didn't sugarcoat sin. In Galatians 5:19-21 he wrote, "It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on. This isn’t the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God’s kingdom." (Message)

Here's the same scripture passage in the Phillips Translation, "The activities of the lower nature are obvious. Here is a list: sexual immorality, impurity of mind, sensuality, worship of false gods, witchcraft, hatred, quarreling, jealousy, bad temper, rivalry, factions, party-spirit, envy, drunkenness, orgies and things like that. I solemnly assure you, as I did before, that those who indulge in such things will never inherit God’s kingdom."

Genesis Chapter 11 tells of the time when the godless people were attempting to build a tower that would reach to heaven.  You remember the story of the Tower of Babel, don't you?  Verse 4 says, "Then the people said, “Let’s build ourselves a city and a tower that will reach to the sky. Then we will be famous. This will keep us together so that we will not be scattered all over the earth.” (Easy-to-Read Version)  The surprising and interesting thing in this passage is that God agreed that they could do it and would do it! Verse 6 says, "And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them." (Amplified)

What is God saying about you?  Are you using your powerful imagination to build others up or tear them down? Are you using your imagination to create solutions to the problems of society or are you agreeing with the world system and their doomsday predictions?  Yes, Jesus said the end will come...but no man knows the day or the hour.  What should we do in light of this information? Good question!  Colossians 3:23 says, "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;"(KJV)  And 1 John 4:7-8 says, "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." (KJV)

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Independence from Worry

Happy Sunday!

Praying that you enjoyed the Holiday Weekend!  Praying that you are truly free and enjoying the freedom that only God can give! St. John 8:36 says, "If the Son, then, sets you free, you are really free!" (Phillips)

"Some people store up treasures in their homes here on earth. This is a shortsighted practice—don’t undertake it. Moths and rust will eat up any treasure you may store here. Thieves may break into your homes and steal your precious trinkets. Instead, put up your treasures in heaven where moths do not attack, where rust does not corrode, and where thieves are barred at the door. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The eye is the lamp of the body. You draw light into your body through your eyes, and light shines out to the world through your eyes. So if your eye is well and shows you what is true, then your whole body will be filled with light. But if your eye is clouded or evil, then your body will be filled with evil and dark clouds. And the darkness that takes over the body of a child of God who has gone astray—that is the deepest, darkest darkness there is. No one can serve two masters. If you try, you will wind up loving the first master and hating the second, or vice versa. People try to serve both God and money—but you can’t. You must choose one or the other.

Here is the bottom line: do not worry about your life. Don’t worry about what you will eat or what you will drink. Don’t worry about how you clothe your body. Living is about more than merely eating, and the body is about more than dressing up.  

Look at the birds in the sky. They do not store food for winter. They don’t plant gardens. They do not sow or reap—and yet, they are always fed because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are even more precious to Him than a beautiful bird. If He looks after them, of course He will look after you.  Worrying does not do any good; who here can claim to add even an hour to his life by worrying? Nor should you worry about clothes. Consider the lilies of the field and how they grow. They do not work or weave or sew, and yet their garments are stunning.  Even King Solomon, dressed in his most regal garb, was not as lovely as these lilies.  And think about grassy fields—the grasses are here now, but they will be dead by winter. And yet God adorns them so radiantly. How much more will He clothe you, you of little faith, you who have no trust? So do not consume yourselves with questions: What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?  Outsiders make themselves frantic over such questions; they don’t realize that your heavenly Father knows exactly what you need. 

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then all these things will be given to you too." Matthew 6:19-33 (VOICE)

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Love Walk

Happy Sunday!

Dr. Bill Winston continued his series entitled, "The Power of Love", with the subtitle, "Climbing Without Compromise". He has been using many scriptures, but the main scripture has been Matthew 22:34.

Contrary to popular belief, God deliberately places us as seed in the world.  Like any proud parent he wants to show us off to the world.  Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."   God did not intend for us to stay inside the four walls of the church building shining our lights on each other.  Light is needed in dark places. We are the church! 1 Peter 2:5 says, "You also are like living stones, and God is using you to build a spiritual house. You are to serve God in this house as holy priests, offering him spiritual sacrifices that he will accept because of Jesus Christ." (Easy-to-Read Version)

It's not easy!  I repeat, this Love Walk is not easy!  But God tells us to love and he gives us his love to love with. Once we recognize the enormous debt God has forgiven us of, the easier it will be to extend love and forgiveness to others. The Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy, "Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully." 2 Timothy 2:1-5 (KJV)  Did you see that? Paul compared this Christian life to a soldier leaving his personal life behind while he focuses on the battle. 

Now, before you give up and throw in the towel because of the difficulties in this life...remember God is a good father. He wants all your needs to be met so that you can minister to others unhindered. 2 Corinthians 9:8 says, "God is ready to overwhelm you with more blessings than you could ever imagine so that you’ll always be taken care of in every way and you’ll have more than enough to share." (Voice)  Are you still fearful? Check this out! Jesus said, "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." Luke 10:19 (KJV)  

Walking in Love, love and prayers, Cynthia

Do you look like your Daddy?

Happy Sunday!

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.

Dr. Bill Winston continued his series, "The Power of Love" with the subtitle, "Climbing Without Compromise" and a new additional focus on "Perfect Love".

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 (New Living Translation)  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 (New Living Translation)  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

Perspective

Happy Sunday!

Enjoying a wonderful vacation with my sister, Jacque in San Franscicso and Napa Valley.  Praying that you are having a wonderful weekend as well.

Thank God for technology.  I was able to be blessed by Rev. Jeffrey Johnson II, from Eastern Star Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. He preached for the Youth Service at Bates Memorial Baptist Church, in Louisville, Kentucky today.  His message was entitled, "I Ain't Religious, I'm in a Relationship" and he used Matthew 12:1-14 as his reference scriptures.

Quick point to take away, "When you have the correct perspective of God's Word, you will have the correct perspective of God's world!"  We have discussed this time and time again.  Get to know the Word and you will know God and his will.  Loving God is not about religiously doing this or that, it's about loving God so much you want to build that relationship and everything you do shows his love to the world.

Also, I owe Otis Redding an apology.  I always heard the song, "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay", and thought what a lazy song.  Why didn't he get up and do something.  Well seeing the bay after the tide goes out, I realized there is nothing to do.  Nothing but be amazed at the awesomeness of God.  The Word says the earth declares that there is a God.  Creation proclaims daily that this was no accident.  You are not an accident, no matter what your parents may have told you.  God knows you and has great plans for you.

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Real Love Obeys

Happy Sunday!

Dr. Bill Winston continued his series entitled, "The Power of Love" with the subtitle "Climbing Without Compromise".

When we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior our spirit became new!  2 Corinthians 5:7 says, "When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun!" (Living Bible) We've talked about it before.  If you were blond when you were saved, you were still blond after you got saved.  Unless of course, Miss Clairol was involved!  Dr. Winston reminded us that, "Your flesh is not you!" Your flesh is a container for your spirit and your soul.  The spirit within you is the real you.  1 Corinthians 2:9-10 says, "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." (KJV)  Did you get that? Our physical eyes, ears, and heart cannot comprehend the wonderful things that God has prepared for us, BUT the Holy Spirit has and can reveal these things to us!  He also said these awesome blessings are only for those that love God.  How do we really know that we love God?  Good question! John 14:21 has the answer, "The person who has My commands and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I [too] will love him and will show (reveal, manifest) Myself to him. [I will let Myself be clearly seen by him and make Myself real to him.]" (Amplified)

I know, I know...you're saying how hard it is to keep the commandments and why didn't we get an easier task.  But look at this, 1 John 5:3 says, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." (KJV)  So the Word says that keeping the commandments of God is not grievous.  What does grievous mean? Grievous is defined as "causing or characterized by severe pain, suffering, or sorrow"  WOW!  So doing things God's way is a way to avoid severe pain, suffering, and sorrow! Those sound like things I'd like to avoid. How about you?  Now, don't get me wrong.  Bad things do happen to good people sometimes, but Jesus encouraged us in the Word, "I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.” John 16:33 (Message)

We were created to WIN!  In order to win we must walk in love and integrity. While you are climbing your ladder of success in your chosen or given field, remember you can't change anything that you depend on.  Depend on God! Trust him for your success! Believe that his way is the best way, and follow it.  James 4:7-10 says, "So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet." (Message)

Love and prayers, Cynthia