Happy Sunday!
Dr. Bill Winston continued the series, "Receiving Your Inheritance" with the subtitle, "Commanding the Blessing". John 8:32 says, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."(KJV). Did you get that? The truth you know will MAKE you free. Many people quote this scripture incorrectly. They say the truth will set you free. But if the truth can set you free it gives the impression that you could go back into captivity at some point. Think about it this way. If I were a slave in the early days of the United States, a radical abolitionist could set me free. He could help me escape or take me to another state where slavery was illegal. But if my master gave me my freedom or made me free with the necessary documents, I would be free indeed! The Word of God is Truth. Jesus even prayed that his followers would be changed by the truth. John 17:17 says, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."(KJV).
Joshua 5:6 says, "For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: unto whom the Lord sware that he would not shew them the land, which the Lord sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey."(KJV). God swore two things in this scripture. He swore that the unbelievers would not see the promised land, and he swore that the next generation would possess the land, Psalm 90:9-10 speaks about the group that would not go in to the Promised Land. It says, "For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away."(KJV). The lifespan of the unbelievers was 80 years. It's simple math. They were in the wilderness 40 years, they refused to go in and take the land. Ten of the spies preached an "evil report" about taking the land. All the people were doomed to wander 40 more years until the people that believed the evil report all died off! Numbers 14:36-38 says it this way, "Then the ten spies who had incited the rebellion against Jehovah by striking fear into the hearts of the people were struck dead before the Lord. Of all the spies, only Joshua and Caleb remained alive."(Living Bible). It is a matter of life and death who you listen to! Romans 10:17 says, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."(KJV). Jesus warned, "Think carefully about what you are hearing. God will know how much to give you by how much you understand now. But he will give you more than you deserve."(Easy-to-Read Version).
Thank God we are not unbelievers! We believe the Word of Truth! The Word we know is making us more and more free everyday! We are learning, we are growing, we are changing with every scripture lesson. God has Blessed us! We are Champions! Dr. Winston used the example of a boxer fighting several rounds. At the end, if there is no knock out the judges have to decide the winner. This is not God's way. He wants you to be the "Undisputed Champion". He wants you to dominate in your area of expertise! He doesn't want anyone to wonder if you won fair and square. He wants the world to know you won because God blessed you, not because you knew someone at City Hall.
Hebrews 12:1-2 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).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, April 3, 2016
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Just Like Your Daddy
Living Word Christian Center in Forest Park, Illinois is enjoying the Annual Missions in Marketplace Conference this week. I am currently working an evening shift, but I was able to stream some of the sessions last evening. One of the speakers was Steve Pemberton. Steve is the Chief Diversity Officer for Walgreen's. I plan to get his book, and share it with others. The title of his book is "A Chance in the World: An Orphan Boy, A Mysterious Past, and How He Found a Place Called Home".
He described what happened when he finally met his family. He said relatives compared it to seeing a ghost. Even though he had never met his biological parents, his mannerisms and expressions were eerily similar. I could relate immediately. I never had the opportunity to meet my biological father. But when I did connect with his siblings, my uncles and aunts, they all had similar reactions. One Aunt just sat and stared at me. Every now and then she would remark, "Girl, you look just like Bud! You walk like him, you move like him!"
The world may wonder, how can this be possible? Aren't we learning what we see? How can I walk like and talk like a man I have never met? Great question! Genesis 1:12 says, "And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding SEED AFTER HIS KIND, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good."(KJV). God's creations carry their seed within. An Apple seed carries untold numbers of apples within it. The human seed carries more information than we could ever imagine. God even prophesied about a special seed. In Genesis 3:15 it says, "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her SEED; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."(KJV). Of course, this scripture refers to Jesus. He was the promised seed that would "stomp the head" of Satan.(Voice).
So I look and act like a father I never met. What about my heavenly father? Do I resemble him? In John 8:44, Jesus rebuked the religious leaders and said, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."(KJV). Jesus was able to recognize the children of the devil by their actions. Ouch! Without thinking, they were representing their true family. In another place Jesus said, "For there is no good (healthy) tree that bears decayed (worthless, stale) fruit, nor on the other hand does a decayed (worthless, sickly) tree bear good fruit. For each tree is known and identified by its own fruit; for figs are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor is a cluster of grapes picked from a bramble bush."(Luke 6:43-44, Amplified Version).
Where am I going with all this? So glad you asked! As I grow in grace and the knowledge of my heavenly father, I should look more and more like him! Even though I have not met him face to face, I have his DNA! I was born again into this new family when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence."(God's Word Translation). The Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians, "You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, “Papa! Father!” Doesn’t that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you’re also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance."(Galatians 4:6-7, Message)
Steve Pemberton said one family member commented that his father's life was a wasted life. He refused to agree with this and said, "How can his life be wasted when I am here?" Life is never perfect! Even children from traditional families can have issues. But no matter what we go through, there is redemption. We can be and do more than others expect. Pastor Randy Morrison, pastor of Speak the Word Church International in Golden Valley, Minnesota always says, "You don't have to stay in the place you were born!" He should know! He was born to a single, teenage mother in Trinidad, but has excelled in ministry. Spiritually, emotionally, physically and financially we can overcome obstacles and hardships. We can make a message out of the mess we were born into. We can still be what God designed us to be!
I'm encouraged, and inspired even more than I was last night! I want to be more like my heavenly father each and every day!
Love and prayers, Cynthia
He described what happened when he finally met his family. He said relatives compared it to seeing a ghost. Even though he had never met his biological parents, his mannerisms and expressions were eerily similar. I could relate immediately. I never had the opportunity to meet my biological father. But when I did connect with his siblings, my uncles and aunts, they all had similar reactions. One Aunt just sat and stared at me. Every now and then she would remark, "Girl, you look just like Bud! You walk like him, you move like him!"
The world may wonder, how can this be possible? Aren't we learning what we see? How can I walk like and talk like a man I have never met? Great question! Genesis 1:12 says, "And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding SEED AFTER HIS KIND, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good."(KJV). God's creations carry their seed within. An Apple seed carries untold numbers of apples within it. The human seed carries more information than we could ever imagine. God even prophesied about a special seed. In Genesis 3:15 it says, "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her SEED; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."(KJV). Of course, this scripture refers to Jesus. He was the promised seed that would "stomp the head" of Satan.(Voice).
So I look and act like a father I never met. What about my heavenly father? Do I resemble him? In John 8:44, Jesus rebuked the religious leaders and said, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."(KJV). Jesus was able to recognize the children of the devil by their actions. Ouch! Without thinking, they were representing their true family. In another place Jesus said, "For there is no good (healthy) tree that bears decayed (worthless, stale) fruit, nor on the other hand does a decayed (worthless, sickly) tree bear good fruit. For each tree is known and identified by its own fruit; for figs are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor is a cluster of grapes picked from a bramble bush."(Luke 6:43-44, Amplified Version).
Where am I going with all this? So glad you asked! As I grow in grace and the knowledge of my heavenly father, I should look more and more like him! Even though I have not met him face to face, I have his DNA! I was born again into this new family when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence."(God's Word Translation). The Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians, "You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, “Papa! Father!” Doesn’t that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you’re also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance."(Galatians 4:6-7, Message)
Steve Pemberton said one family member commented that his father's life was a wasted life. He refused to agree with this and said, "How can his life be wasted when I am here?" Life is never perfect! Even children from traditional families can have issues. But no matter what we go through, there is redemption. We can be and do more than others expect. Pastor Randy Morrison, pastor of Speak the Word Church International in Golden Valley, Minnesota always says, "You don't have to stay in the place you were born!" He should know! He was born to a single, teenage mother in Trinidad, but has excelled in ministry. Spiritually, emotionally, physically and financially we can overcome obstacles and hardships. We can make a message out of the mess we were born into. We can still be what God designed us to be!
I'm encouraged, and inspired even more than I was last night! I want to be more like my heavenly father each and every day!
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Don't Be Ignorant
Happy Resurrection Sunday!
Dr. Bill Winston continued the series, "Receiving Your Inheritance" with the subtitle, "Commanding the Blessing". The best way to identify the Blessing and it's affect on your life is to compare it to the curse. Many times in the Word, God uses comparisons. Think about it. In Deuteronomy 28:13, we see that the Blessing will make you the Head and not the tail, above only and never beneath. This one scripture can tell us so much about how the blessed life will be. You will be the leader and not the follower. You will never have to live under the circumstances, but you can rise above them.
The Blessing will repair everything that the curse has destroyed. But you have to believe it! You will never receive the blessings you cannot envision. Proverbs 22:9 says, "He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor."(KJV). Another translation of this scripture says, "Generous people are genuinely blessed, because they share their food with the poor."(Voice). Did you see that? A person that is willing to bless others will always be blessed. That person is looking beyond what they have and trusting that God will bless them again.
Galatians 3:13-14 says, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the BLESSING of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."(KJV). This Resurrection Sunday is all about commemorating this very fact. Jesus paid the price for you to be blessed. Think about how you would feel if you paid for a special space camp for your child, grandchild, or family member. You told them where to go, when to be there, and how much fun they will have attending. But they didn't trust your promise. They disregarded the instructions and ignored the travel arrangements. I know how I would feel! I'm just happy God is more loving and merciful than I am. The Apostle Paul said, "I would not have you to be ignorant " many times in the New Testament. He begged the believers not to be ignorant! Ignorant is defined as lacking knowledge, information, or awareness about something in particular. Are you ignorant of your rights and privileges as a child of the King? Are you ignorant of the blessings that are guaranteed to you as a giver? Are you ignorant about what the Bible really says? The world says, "What you don't know can't hurt you!" That's a lie! What you don't know can kill you!
Don't be a casualty in this war! We are in a faith fight! Hebrews 11:6 says, "It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him."(Message). Receiving your inheritance requires that you read the last will and testament. It requires that you believe that you are eligible to receive and it requires that you take possession of what belongs to you.
Refusing to be ignorant! Love and prayers, Cynthia
Dr. Bill Winston continued the series, "Receiving Your Inheritance" with the subtitle, "Commanding the Blessing". The best way to identify the Blessing and it's affect on your life is to compare it to the curse. Many times in the Word, God uses comparisons. Think about it. In Deuteronomy 28:13, we see that the Blessing will make you the Head and not the tail, above only and never beneath. This one scripture can tell us so much about how the blessed life will be. You will be the leader and not the follower. You will never have to live under the circumstances, but you can rise above them.
The Blessing will repair everything that the curse has destroyed. But you have to believe it! You will never receive the blessings you cannot envision. Proverbs 22:9 says, "He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor."(KJV). Another translation of this scripture says, "Generous people are genuinely blessed, because they share their food with the poor."(Voice). Did you see that? A person that is willing to bless others will always be blessed. That person is looking beyond what they have and trusting that God will bless them again.
Galatians 3:13-14 says, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the BLESSING of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."(KJV). This Resurrection Sunday is all about commemorating this very fact. Jesus paid the price for you to be blessed. Think about how you would feel if you paid for a special space camp for your child, grandchild, or family member. You told them where to go, when to be there, and how much fun they will have attending. But they didn't trust your promise. They disregarded the instructions and ignored the travel arrangements. I know how I would feel! I'm just happy God is more loving and merciful than I am. The Apostle Paul said, "I would not have you to be ignorant " many times in the New Testament. He begged the believers not to be ignorant! Ignorant is defined as lacking knowledge, information, or awareness about something in particular. Are you ignorant of your rights and privileges as a child of the King? Are you ignorant of the blessings that are guaranteed to you as a giver? Are you ignorant about what the Bible really says? The world says, "What you don't know can't hurt you!" That's a lie! What you don't know can kill you!
Don't be a casualty in this war! We are in a faith fight! Hebrews 11:6 says, "It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him."(Message). Receiving your inheritance requires that you read the last will and testament. It requires that you believe that you are eligible to receive and it requires that you take possession of what belongs to you.
Refusing to be ignorant! Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Begin to Possess It
Happy Sunday!
Recently, while reading and studying I came across the following scripture. It's Deuteronomy 18:21-22 and it says, "If you wonder, ‘How shall we know whether the prophecy is from the Lord or not?" This is the way to know: If the thing he prophesies doesn’t happen, it is not the Lord who has given him the message; he has made it up himself. You have nothing to fear from him."(Living Bible). GOD is so wonderful! He never makes it hard to understand His Word! People make it hard! Once a woman told me not to read the Book of Revelation because it would drive me crazy! Actually, the Devil was behind that warning! The enemy doesn't want us to know how bad he's been defeated, and will be squashed in the end! Revelation 1:3 says, "If you read THIS prophecy aloud to the church, you will receive a special blessing from the Lord. Those who listen to it being read and do what it says will also be blessed. For the time is near when these things will all come true."(Living Bible).
Every Word of God will stand forever! There is no need for revision! It says what it says, and it will do what it says! It's our part to BELIEVE what the Word says!
Dr. Bill Winston continued the series, "Receiving Your Inheritance", with the subtitle "Commanding the Blessing". It's time to posses our inheritance! Canaan represented the Best of God! God wants you to have the best. Have you ever wondered why you are attracted to the best? You never go into the grocery store with the intention of getting the brown bananas, the bruised peaches, or the squashed tomato! You automatically are drawn to the beautiful! My daughter and I laugh about it sometimes. We can be in a thrift store and the pieces that catch our eye are the quality pieces. We look at the labels and even though they are there for resale, they are the high end designers. I can be on the street and the cars that stick out are the luxury vehicles. WHY? God created you and designed you for the Best. Brother Kenneth Copeland often uses the analogy of a rich man in a small community, The whole community sees the rich man's children living and looking like paupers. They are shocked and appalled and do not respect the man because of the way he treats his children. This is sometimes how we represent God! We live in poverty and sickness then try to convince the world that our God is a good god. This is not what God intended!
Contrary to popular belief, there is no shortage in the earth! God did not create this earth without planning for expansion. Even Jesus encouraged his disciples to consider what they were signing up for! Luke 14:28-30 says, “If you wanted to build a building, you would first sit down and decide how much it would cost. You must see if you have enough money to finish the job. If you don’t do that, you might begin the work, but you would not be able to finish. And if you could not finish it, everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘This man began to build, but he was not able to finish."(Easy-to-Read Version). Did you see that? The man will be laughed at. Galatians 6:7 says, "Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap."(Amplified). Ouch! God will never be mocked! He put enough in the earth to meet your needs and your desires! Psalm 37:4 says, " Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the DESIRES of thine heart."(KJV). When your needs and desires are met, I am not shortchanged at all! There's more than enough because he is El Shaddai, the God of more than enough!
I have said it before and I will say it again! If there is a discrepancy, it is our fault! We have to ask God to reveal to us where we missed it, and how we can repent and change. We never have to feel condemned! We are His children and He is a Good Father! Think about the Prodigal Son...he came to himself. He realized that even the servants in his father's house were blessed. When he returned home and repented, he was not treated as a servant but was restored to his place as a son! Isaiah 1:19 says, "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land."(KJV). Did you see that? Willing and obedient! We are obedient, but many times we are not willing! We have to be willing to accept the Word as the authentic message from our loving father! We have to be willing to allow him to bless us in another way than we may have envisioned! We have to be willing to admit that what we thought and believed was contrary to the Word of God! We have to be willing to change! Let God be true, and every man or every apposing voice be a liar! That's the Cynthia Version of Romans 3:4 that says, "God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged."(KJV)
It's mine, I'll take it NOW! Love and prayers, Cynthia
Recently, while reading and studying I came across the following scripture. It's Deuteronomy 18:21-22 and it says, "If you wonder, ‘How shall we know whether the prophecy is from the Lord or not?" This is the way to know: If the thing he prophesies doesn’t happen, it is not the Lord who has given him the message; he has made it up himself. You have nothing to fear from him."(Living Bible). GOD is so wonderful! He never makes it hard to understand His Word! People make it hard! Once a woman told me not to read the Book of Revelation because it would drive me crazy! Actually, the Devil was behind that warning! The enemy doesn't want us to know how bad he's been defeated, and will be squashed in the end! Revelation 1:3 says, "If you read THIS prophecy aloud to the church, you will receive a special blessing from the Lord. Those who listen to it being read and do what it says will also be blessed. For the time is near when these things will all come true."(Living Bible).
Every Word of God will stand forever! There is no need for revision! It says what it says, and it will do what it says! It's our part to BELIEVE what the Word says!
Dr. Bill Winston continued the series, "Receiving Your Inheritance", with the subtitle "Commanding the Blessing". It's time to posses our inheritance! Canaan represented the Best of God! God wants you to have the best. Have you ever wondered why you are attracted to the best? You never go into the grocery store with the intention of getting the brown bananas, the bruised peaches, or the squashed tomato! You automatically are drawn to the beautiful! My daughter and I laugh about it sometimes. We can be in a thrift store and the pieces that catch our eye are the quality pieces. We look at the labels and even though they are there for resale, they are the high end designers. I can be on the street and the cars that stick out are the luxury vehicles. WHY? God created you and designed you for the Best. Brother Kenneth Copeland often uses the analogy of a rich man in a small community, The whole community sees the rich man's children living and looking like paupers. They are shocked and appalled and do not respect the man because of the way he treats his children. This is sometimes how we represent God! We live in poverty and sickness then try to convince the world that our God is a good god. This is not what God intended!
Contrary to popular belief, there is no shortage in the earth! God did not create this earth without planning for expansion. Even Jesus encouraged his disciples to consider what they were signing up for! Luke 14:28-30 says, “If you wanted to build a building, you would first sit down and decide how much it would cost. You must see if you have enough money to finish the job. If you don’t do that, you might begin the work, but you would not be able to finish. And if you could not finish it, everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘This man began to build, but he was not able to finish."(Easy-to-Read Version). Did you see that? The man will be laughed at. Galatians 6:7 says, "Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap."(Amplified). Ouch! God will never be mocked! He put enough in the earth to meet your needs and your desires! Psalm 37:4 says, " Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the DESIRES of thine heart."(KJV). When your needs and desires are met, I am not shortchanged at all! There's more than enough because he is El Shaddai, the God of more than enough!
I have said it before and I will say it again! If there is a discrepancy, it is our fault! We have to ask God to reveal to us where we missed it, and how we can repent and change. We never have to feel condemned! We are His children and He is a Good Father! Think about the Prodigal Son...he came to himself. He realized that even the servants in his father's house were blessed. When he returned home and repented, he was not treated as a servant but was restored to his place as a son! Isaiah 1:19 says, "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land."(KJV). Did you see that? Willing and obedient! We are obedient, but many times we are not willing! We have to be willing to accept the Word as the authentic message from our loving father! We have to be willing to allow him to bless us in another way than we may have envisioned! We have to be willing to admit that what we thought and believed was contrary to the Word of God! We have to be willing to change! Let God be true, and every man or every apposing voice be a liar! That's the Cynthia Version of Romans 3:4 that says, "God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged."(KJV)
It's mine, I'll take it NOW! Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, March 13, 2016
At Least He Was Clever...
Happy Sunday!
Here’s a parable Jesus told the disciples:
Once there was a rich and powerful man who had an asset manager. One day, the man received word that his asset manager was squandering his assets. The rich man brought in the asset manager and said, “You’ve been accused of wrongdoing. I want a full and accurate accounting of all your financial transactions because you are really close to being fired.” The manager said to himself, “Oh, no! Now what am I going to do? I’m going to lose my job here, and I’m too weak to dig ditches and too proud to beg. I have an idea. This plan will mean that I have a lot of hospitable friends when I get fired.” So the asset manager set up appointments with each person who owed his master money. He said to the first debtor, “How much do you owe my boss?” The debtor replied, “A hundred barrels of oil.” The manager said, “I’m discounting your bill by half. Just write 50 on this contract.” Then he said to the second debtor, “How much do you owe?” This fellow said, “A hundred bales of wheat.” The manager said, “I’m discounting your debt by 20 percent. Just write down 80 bales on this contract.”
When the manager’s boss realized what he had done, he congratulated him for at least being clever. That’s how it is: those attuned to this evil age are more clever in dealing with their affairs than the enlightened are in dealing with their affairs! Learn some lessons from this crooked but clever asset manager. Realize that the purpose of money is to strengthen friendships, to provide opportunities for being generous and kind. Eventually money will be useless to you—but if you use it generously to serve others, you will be welcomed joyfully into your eternal destination. If you’re faithful in small-scale matters, you’ll be faithful with far bigger responsibilities. If you’re crooked in small responsibilities, you’ll be no different in bigger things. If you can’t even handle a small thing like money, who’s going to entrust you with spiritual riches that really matter? If you don’t manage well someone else’s assets that are entrusted to you, who’s going to give over to you important spiritual and personal relationships to manage? Imagine you’re a servant and you have two masters giving you orders. What are you going to do when they have conflicting demands? You can’t serve both, so you’ll either hate the first and love the second, or you’ll faithfully serve the first and despise the second. One master is God and the other is money. You can’t serve them both. The Pharisees overheard all this, and they started mocking Jesus because they really loved money. - Luke 16:1-14 (Voice).
Dr. Bill Winston said, "No job can ever pay you enough to live like God wants you to live!" Just like the wicked servant in Luke 16, you must be wise and work the system! Don't worry if you have never completed a Master's Degree in Accounting or Financial Planning. God has provided secrets, tips, and guaranteed steps in His Word! Everything you could ever need is in the Word of God! He's also included us in the Blessing of Abraham. Galatians 3:13-14 says, "Now Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law’s condemnation, by himself becoming a curse for us when he was crucified. For the scripture is plain: ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.’ God’s purpose is therefore plain: that the blessing promised to Abraham might reach the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, and the Spirit might become available to us all by faith."(Phillips).
God wants you to succeed in every area of your life! If there is an area where you are not succeeding in life, you need the Word on it. Take the Word daily like medicine! Proverbs 3 tells us how valuable Wisdom can be in our lives. Wisdom from God, provides health, wealth and happiness. Read it for yourself. Believe it and receive it!
I once heard a story about a man that arrived in Heaven. He was enjoying a tour of paradise. The tour passed a building. He asked why he could not go into the building. He was told that he really didn't want to go into that building. Of course, he wondered how there could be place in Heaven that he could not enter. He insisted on entering. His guide finally gave in. He entered and saw rows and rows of shelves with boxes. The boxes had names on them. He ran to find a box with his name on it. He found it and opened it. In the box there were all the blessings God intended for him, but he never received.
Don't limit God! Don't miss out on the blessings God has prepared for you! Don't let anything block your blessings! James 1:5-8 says, "And if, in the process, any of you does not know how to meet any particular problem he has only to ask God—who gives generously to all men without making them feel foolish or guilty—and he may be quite sure that the necessary wisdom will be given him. But he must ask in sincere faith without secret doubts as to whether he really wants God’s help or not. The man who trusts God, but with inward reservations, is like a wave of the sea, carried forward by the wind one moment and driven back the next. That sort of man cannot hope to receive anything from God, and the life of a man of divided loyalty will reveal instability at every turn."(Phillips).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Here’s a parable Jesus told the disciples:
Once there was a rich and powerful man who had an asset manager. One day, the man received word that his asset manager was squandering his assets. The rich man brought in the asset manager and said, “You’ve been accused of wrongdoing. I want a full and accurate accounting of all your financial transactions because you are really close to being fired.” The manager said to himself, “Oh, no! Now what am I going to do? I’m going to lose my job here, and I’m too weak to dig ditches and too proud to beg. I have an idea. This plan will mean that I have a lot of hospitable friends when I get fired.” So the asset manager set up appointments with each person who owed his master money. He said to the first debtor, “How much do you owe my boss?” The debtor replied, “A hundred barrels of oil.” The manager said, “I’m discounting your bill by half. Just write 50 on this contract.” Then he said to the second debtor, “How much do you owe?” This fellow said, “A hundred bales of wheat.” The manager said, “I’m discounting your debt by 20 percent. Just write down 80 bales on this contract.”
When the manager’s boss realized what he had done, he congratulated him for at least being clever. That’s how it is: those attuned to this evil age are more clever in dealing with their affairs than the enlightened are in dealing with their affairs! Learn some lessons from this crooked but clever asset manager. Realize that the purpose of money is to strengthen friendships, to provide opportunities for being generous and kind. Eventually money will be useless to you—but if you use it generously to serve others, you will be welcomed joyfully into your eternal destination. If you’re faithful in small-scale matters, you’ll be faithful with far bigger responsibilities. If you’re crooked in small responsibilities, you’ll be no different in bigger things. If you can’t even handle a small thing like money, who’s going to entrust you with spiritual riches that really matter? If you don’t manage well someone else’s assets that are entrusted to you, who’s going to give over to you important spiritual and personal relationships to manage? Imagine you’re a servant and you have two masters giving you orders. What are you going to do when they have conflicting demands? You can’t serve both, so you’ll either hate the first and love the second, or you’ll faithfully serve the first and despise the second. One master is God and the other is money. You can’t serve them both. The Pharisees overheard all this, and they started mocking Jesus because they really loved money. - Luke 16:1-14 (Voice).
Dr. Bill Winston said, "No job can ever pay you enough to live like God wants you to live!" Just like the wicked servant in Luke 16, you must be wise and work the system! Don't worry if you have never completed a Master's Degree in Accounting or Financial Planning. God has provided secrets, tips, and guaranteed steps in His Word! Everything you could ever need is in the Word of God! He's also included us in the Blessing of Abraham. Galatians 3:13-14 says, "Now Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law’s condemnation, by himself becoming a curse for us when he was crucified. For the scripture is plain: ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.’ God’s purpose is therefore plain: that the blessing promised to Abraham might reach the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, and the Spirit might become available to us all by faith."(Phillips).
God wants you to succeed in every area of your life! If there is an area where you are not succeeding in life, you need the Word on it. Take the Word daily like medicine! Proverbs 3 tells us how valuable Wisdom can be in our lives. Wisdom from God, provides health, wealth and happiness. Read it for yourself. Believe it and receive it!
I once heard a story about a man that arrived in Heaven. He was enjoying a tour of paradise. The tour passed a building. He asked why he could not go into the building. He was told that he really didn't want to go into that building. Of course, he wondered how there could be place in Heaven that he could not enter. He insisted on entering. His guide finally gave in. He entered and saw rows and rows of shelves with boxes. The boxes had names on them. He ran to find a box with his name on it. He found it and opened it. In the box there were all the blessings God intended for him, but he never received.
Don't limit God! Don't miss out on the blessings God has prepared for you! Don't let anything block your blessings! James 1:5-8 says, "And if, in the process, any of you does not know how to meet any particular problem he has only to ask God—who gives generously to all men without making them feel foolish or guilty—and he may be quite sure that the necessary wisdom will be given him. But he must ask in sincere faith without secret doubts as to whether he really wants God’s help or not. The man who trusts God, but with inward reservations, is like a wave of the sea, carried forward by the wind one moment and driven back the next. That sort of man cannot hope to receive anything from God, and the life of a man of divided loyalty will reveal instability at every turn."(Phillips).
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Unbelief is the Enemy of Faith
Happy Sunday!
Dr. Bill Winston continued the series, "Receiving Your Inheritance" with the subtitle, "Commanding the Blessing".
It doesn't take long to realize that life can be hard. We are in a fight! As believers we are fighting, "the good fight of faith". The Apostle Paul encouraged his son in the ministry by writing, "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, where unto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses."(1 Timothy 6:12 KJV). Even Jesus warned us that we would run into some opposition. Mark 10:29-30 says, "And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's. But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, WITH PERSECUTIONS; and in the world to come eternal life."(KJV).
Don't worry! It's a fixed fight! We Always Win! 2 Corinthians 2:14 says, "Now thanks be unto God, which ALWAYS causeth us to TRIUMPH in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place."(KJV). It was the same for the Children of Israel. In Deuteronomy 2:24-25, God commanded them to go forward and receive their inheritance. He told them to contend with the occupants of the Promised land in battle and guaranteed their success. In the same way, God wants to take you into your promised land. Dr. Winston said, "The Blessing operates by Faith! Faith is the guarantee. Faith activates Heaven to make what you believe a reality! Without Faith most of what God has for us isn't manifested." Did you see that? We are missing out on our inheritance because of a lack of Faith. 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).
What is Faith? Good question! Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith means putting our full confidence in the things we hope for, it means being certain of things we cannot see."(Phillips). We have to be confident that the Word of God is true! One of the worst enemies of Faith is unbelief. Sometimes we allow unbelief in without even recognizing it. A co-worker asked a question last week. He was amazed by a friend that had several children in jail, or prison. He asked, "Would you blame yourself or feel that you missed it if your child went to prison?" I was the only parent to say yes, I would believe that I missed it somewhere. I know you are ready to respond, but let me finish. The Word says, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."(KJV) So based on this scripture from the Word of God, if we train our children up right they WILL NOT depart from it. To say that this is not true, is unbelief. To change this scripture as some do, and say even if they rebel they will come back is adding to the Word. Throughout the Word, we are warned about adding or taking anything away. We are also told, this Word is not up for private interpretation-(1 Peter 1:20). Just because Aunt Susie was the sweetest woman you know, and her son Jody killed ten people we cannot say that the Word of God is not true. God said it and that should settle it! If there is any discrepancy, it has to be on the part of the humans involved. Now, before you say I'm judgmental or pretending my children are perfect, hear me out. I know that I have disobeyed God. There are consequences for my disobedience. Some of those sins have affected my children. I have confessed my sins, and I am forgiven. God does not Condemn me or you! Romans 8:1 says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."(KJV). But the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin. John 16:8-9 tells us what happens when the Holy Spirit comes, "When He arrives, He will uncover the sins of the world, expose unbelief as sin, and allow all to see their sins in the light of righteousness for the first time."(Voice). We have to accept responsibility, ask God for forgiveness, and believe his grace and mercy are enough to change any situation. 1 John 1:8-9 is written to the church, born-again, spirit-filled believers. It says, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."(KJV). These people were already saved. This scripture was not speaking about confessing your sins at salvation. This scripture is talking about realizing we miss it from time to time! We aren't flawless. Pride will cause us to seek to justify what has happened or what is happening. But humility will cause us to say, "I missed it that time God, help me not to miss it again!" James 4:10 says, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."(KJV)
OK, so I went way over there to say that unbelief will block our Faith. Unbelief is a Blessing-Blocker! The serpent used unbelief on Eve to deceive her. He made her doubt, and question the Words that God had spoken. In order to receive our inheritance we have to remove any Blessing-Blockers! Sin, unbelief, bitterness, unforgiveness, hatred, pride, fear, and many others will block our blessings. If we will listen and obey, Deuteronomy 28 describes all the wonderful blessings we can expect. If you continue reading Deuteronomy 28, you will arrive at verse 15. Verse 15 starts to describe the curses that will come upon you if you fail to listen and obey. I'm praying you never have to experience those curses. But if you are experiencing anything described in the latter verses, ask God for Wisdom to get back on track. James 1:5 says, "If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask him, and he will gladly tell you, for he is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask him; he will not resent it."(Living Bible).
Fighting unbelief one scripture at a time. Love and prayers, Cynthia
Dr. Bill Winston continued the series, "Receiving Your Inheritance" with the subtitle, "Commanding the Blessing".
It doesn't take long to realize that life can be hard. We are in a fight! As believers we are fighting, "the good fight of faith". The Apostle Paul encouraged his son in the ministry by writing, "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, where unto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses."(1 Timothy 6:12 KJV). Even Jesus warned us that we would run into some opposition. Mark 10:29-30 says, "And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's. But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, WITH PERSECUTIONS; and in the world to come eternal life."(KJV).
Don't worry! It's a fixed fight! We Always Win! 2 Corinthians 2:14 says, "Now thanks be unto God, which ALWAYS causeth us to TRIUMPH in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place."(KJV). It was the same for the Children of Israel. In Deuteronomy 2:24-25, God commanded them to go forward and receive their inheritance. He told them to contend with the occupants of the Promised land in battle and guaranteed their success. In the same way, God wants to take you into your promised land. Dr. Winston said, "The Blessing operates by Faith! Faith is the guarantee. Faith activates Heaven to make what you believe a reality! Without Faith most of what God has for us isn't manifested." Did you see that? We are missing out on our inheritance because of a lack of Faith. 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).
What is Faith? Good question! Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith means putting our full confidence in the things we hope for, it means being certain of things we cannot see."(Phillips). We have to be confident that the Word of God is true! One of the worst enemies of Faith is unbelief. Sometimes we allow unbelief in without even recognizing it. A co-worker asked a question last week. He was amazed by a friend that had several children in jail, or prison. He asked, "Would you blame yourself or feel that you missed it if your child went to prison?" I was the only parent to say yes, I would believe that I missed it somewhere. I know you are ready to respond, but let me finish. The Word says, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."(KJV) So based on this scripture from the Word of God, if we train our children up right they WILL NOT depart from it. To say that this is not true, is unbelief. To change this scripture as some do, and say even if they rebel they will come back is adding to the Word. Throughout the Word, we are warned about adding or taking anything away. We are also told, this Word is not up for private interpretation-(1 Peter 1:20). Just because Aunt Susie was the sweetest woman you know, and her son Jody killed ten people we cannot say that the Word of God is not true. God said it and that should settle it! If there is any discrepancy, it has to be on the part of the humans involved. Now, before you say I'm judgmental or pretending my children are perfect, hear me out. I know that I have disobeyed God. There are consequences for my disobedience. Some of those sins have affected my children. I have confessed my sins, and I am forgiven. God does not Condemn me or you! Romans 8:1 says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."(KJV). But the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin. John 16:8-9 tells us what happens when the Holy Spirit comes, "When He arrives, He will uncover the sins of the world, expose unbelief as sin, and allow all to see their sins in the light of righteousness for the first time."(Voice). We have to accept responsibility, ask God for forgiveness, and believe his grace and mercy are enough to change any situation. 1 John 1:8-9 is written to the church, born-again, spirit-filled believers. It says, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."(KJV). These people were already saved. This scripture was not speaking about confessing your sins at salvation. This scripture is talking about realizing we miss it from time to time! We aren't flawless. Pride will cause us to seek to justify what has happened or what is happening. But humility will cause us to say, "I missed it that time God, help me not to miss it again!" James 4:10 says, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."(KJV)
OK, so I went way over there to say that unbelief will block our Faith. Unbelief is a Blessing-Blocker! The serpent used unbelief on Eve to deceive her. He made her doubt, and question the Words that God had spoken. In order to receive our inheritance we have to remove any Blessing-Blockers! Sin, unbelief, bitterness, unforgiveness, hatred, pride, fear, and many others will block our blessings. If we will listen and obey, Deuteronomy 28 describes all the wonderful blessings we can expect. If you continue reading Deuteronomy 28, you will arrive at verse 15. Verse 15 starts to describe the curses that will come upon you if you fail to listen and obey. I'm praying you never have to experience those curses. But if you are experiencing anything described in the latter verses, ask God for Wisdom to get back on track. James 1:5 says, "If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask him, and he will gladly tell you, for he is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask him; he will not resent it."(Living Bible).
Fighting unbelief one scripture at a time. Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Somebody's Watching Me
Happy Sunday!
Dr. Bill Winston and the Ministry Team were in South Africa today. Dr. Veronica Winston preached, "Undercover Leadership". Exodus 18:1-24 was her reference scripture.
When Moses ran from Pharaoh after killing the Egyptian he went to live in Midian. He Worked for Jethro, the Priest of Midian and eventually married his daughter, Zipporah. When God sent Moses back to Egypt to deliver the Israelites, Zipporah did not go with him. In Exodus 18, Jethroe brought this daughter and grandsons to Moses. Jethro heard about the great things God had done for the Israelites. He watched Moses on a regular work day. He saw that the people had to wait all day just to get an appointment with Moses. "Jethro saw Moses judging the people. He asked, “Why are you doing this? Why are you the only judge? And why do people come to you all day?” Then Moses said to his father-in-law, “The people come to me and ask me to ask for God’s decision for their problem. If people have an argument, they come to me, and I decide which person is right. In this way I teach the people God’s laws and teachings.” But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “This isn’t the right way to do this. It is too much work for you to do alone. You cannot do this job by yourself. It wears you out. And it makes the people tired too. Now, listen to me. Let me give you some advice. And I pray God will be with you. You should continue listening to the problems of the people. And you should continue to speak to God about these things. You should explain God’s laws and teachings to the people. Warn them not to break the laws. Tell them the right way to live and what they should do. But you should also choose some of the people to be judges and leaders."(Easy-to-Read Version).
We are ALL called to lead! No, we are not all called to be pastors, presidents, or Fortune 500 Business owners. But if you are any of these, keep up the good work! Even when you don't think anyone is following you, someone definitely is following you! Children follow the lead of their parents. The old folks used to say, "Do as I say, not as I do!" This is not how it works. Even the Bible says, "The right-living act with integrity; the children who follow their example are happy."(Voice). Co-workers follow the lead of other workers. Dr. Veronica Winston said, "To have influence you don't have to be in charge!" Have you ever notice how a negative co-worker can rub off on you? Watch out! Don't get pulled in to their negativity. Ecclesiastes 10:20 says, "Don’t bad-mouth your leaders, not even under your breath, And don’t abuse your betters, even in the privacy of your home. Loose talk has a way of getting picked up and spread around. Little birds drop the crumbs of your gossip far and wide."(Message). There are times at work when I just have to say, "No comment!"
In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus said, "GO ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."(KJV). We have been commanded to go out and teach the nations about Jesus. Even if you never get to Africa or India, you are responsible to tell others about the Love of God displayed in Jesus. Some of the best sermons are preached without words. You can be a leader by being excellent and living with integrity. God wants to use you to reach others. Dr. Veronica Winston used the example of Joseph. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, accused of rape by his employer's wife, and thrown in prison. In prison, he could have been sullen, and withdrawn. But he had been given a dream by God. He held on to that vision of a better day. Eventually, the tables turned and he was promoted to the highest authority under the Pharaoh.
Remember you are leading someone! Lead with excellence, lead with integrity, and lead with love.
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Dr. Bill Winston and the Ministry Team were in South Africa today. Dr. Veronica Winston preached, "Undercover Leadership". Exodus 18:1-24 was her reference scripture.
When Moses ran from Pharaoh after killing the Egyptian he went to live in Midian. He Worked for Jethro, the Priest of Midian and eventually married his daughter, Zipporah. When God sent Moses back to Egypt to deliver the Israelites, Zipporah did not go with him. In Exodus 18, Jethroe brought this daughter and grandsons to Moses. Jethro heard about the great things God had done for the Israelites. He watched Moses on a regular work day. He saw that the people had to wait all day just to get an appointment with Moses. "Jethro saw Moses judging the people. He asked, “Why are you doing this? Why are you the only judge? And why do people come to you all day?” Then Moses said to his father-in-law, “The people come to me and ask me to ask for God’s decision for their problem. If people have an argument, they come to me, and I decide which person is right. In this way I teach the people God’s laws and teachings.” But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “This isn’t the right way to do this. It is too much work for you to do alone. You cannot do this job by yourself. It wears you out. And it makes the people tired too. Now, listen to me. Let me give you some advice. And I pray God will be with you. You should continue listening to the problems of the people. And you should continue to speak to God about these things. You should explain God’s laws and teachings to the people. Warn them not to break the laws. Tell them the right way to live and what they should do. But you should also choose some of the people to be judges and leaders."(Easy-to-Read Version).
We are ALL called to lead! No, we are not all called to be pastors, presidents, or Fortune 500 Business owners. But if you are any of these, keep up the good work! Even when you don't think anyone is following you, someone definitely is following you! Children follow the lead of their parents. The old folks used to say, "Do as I say, not as I do!" This is not how it works. Even the Bible says, "The right-living act with integrity; the children who follow their example are happy."(Voice). Co-workers follow the lead of other workers. Dr. Veronica Winston said, "To have influence you don't have to be in charge!" Have you ever notice how a negative co-worker can rub off on you? Watch out! Don't get pulled in to their negativity. Ecclesiastes 10:20 says, "Don’t bad-mouth your leaders, not even under your breath, And don’t abuse your betters, even in the privacy of your home. Loose talk has a way of getting picked up and spread around. Little birds drop the crumbs of your gossip far and wide."(Message). There are times at work when I just have to say, "No comment!"
In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus said, "GO ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."(KJV). We have been commanded to go out and teach the nations about Jesus. Even if you never get to Africa or India, you are responsible to tell others about the Love of God displayed in Jesus. Some of the best sermons are preached without words. You can be a leader by being excellent and living with integrity. God wants to use you to reach others. Dr. Veronica Winston used the example of Joseph. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, accused of rape by his employer's wife, and thrown in prison. In prison, he could have been sullen, and withdrawn. But he had been given a dream by God. He held on to that vision of a better day. Eventually, the tables turned and he was promoted to the highest authority under the Pharaoh.
Remember you are leading someone! Lead with excellence, lead with integrity, and lead with love.
Love and prayers, Cynthia
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