Happy Sunday!
Bishop Alexis A. Thomas preached, "You Got A Reason To Be Thankful!" He used Psalm 100 as his reference scripture.
If you are like me, you memorized this Scripture in Sunday School as a child. However, I always enjoy reading scriptures in other translations.
The Easy-To-Read Version says, "Earth, sing to the Lord! Be happy as you serve the Lord! Come before him with happy songs! Know that the Lord is God. He made us, and we belong to him. We are his people, the sheep he takes care of. Come through the gates to his Temple giving thanks to him. Enter his courtyards with songs of praise.
Honor him and bless his name. The Lord is good! There is no end to his faithful love. We can trust him forever and ever!"
The Message Translation says, "On your feet now—applaud God! Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into his presence. Know this: God is God, and God, God.
He made us; we didn’t make him. We’re his people, his well-tended sheep. Enter with the password: “Thank you!” Make yourselves at home, talking praise.
Thank him. Worship him. For God is sheer beauty, all-generous in love, loyal always and ever."
The Voice Translations says, "Raise your voices; make a beautiful noise to the Eternal, all the earth. Serve the Eternal gladly; enter into His presence singing songs of joy! Know this: the Eternal One Himself is the True God. He is the One who made us; we have not made ourselves; we are His people, like sheep grazing in His fields. Go through His gates, giving thanks; walk through His courts, giving praise. Offer Him your gratitude and praise His holy name. Because the Eternal is good, His loyal love and mercy will never end, and His truth will last throughout all generations."
We are not asked to make a joyful noise, we are commanded to do it! We are commanded to come before God with joy. Joy differs from happiness, in that happiness depends on what is happening. We can have joy in the midst of trying circumstances. The scripture doesn't say come with a joyful noise when everything is going well, it just says come. Come to God acknowledging that he is God! He is worthy of our praise because he is good! He made us, he keeps us, he protects us, and we should be thankful!
Bishop said, "There is nothing worse than an ungrateful child." As soon as he said it I thought of the movie, "Imitation of Life". If you haven't seen it put it on your bucket list. It gives an example of an ungrateful child and the sad consequences. God is our heavenly father. He loves and cares for us dearly. We must take time to say, "Thank You!" Not just once a year, but every day! Just watch the news and you will see how much we have to be grateful for. Earthquakes, tsunamis, super storms, tornados, fires, floods, murders, thefts, accidents, and illnesses are just a few of the headlines. If you are able to read this e-mail, you are blessed more than so many in the world.
You Got A Reason To Be Thankful!
Love and Prayers, Cynthia
P.S. - Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy the days ahead and remember to be thankful, grateful, and appreciative every day!
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Sunday, November 17, 2013
He Saw the Best in Me
Happy Sunday!
Today Bishop Alexis A. Thomas had two friends visiting from California. Pastor Victor Brice from Solomon Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Pittsburg, California sang at the 11a.m. service, and his brother Pastor Larry Brice from People's Baptist Church in Oakland, California preached. Pastor Larry Brice preached, "He Saw The Best In Me!" He used St. John 8:3-10 as his reference scriptures.
Many of the problems we face today are the result of mental and emotional baggage laid on us by others. In life we experience leeches, loaders, and liars. Leeches want to suck all the good out of us. They never give, only take. The loaders want to burden us with their negativity or their cares and woes. The liars want us to believe that life is hopeless, that God is angry with us, and that our dreams will never come true. These are the people we should avoid! The Apostle Paul wrote, “Don’t link up with those who will pollute you.” 2 Corinthians 6:17 (Message)
The Scribes and the Pharisees were the religious leaders. They were constantly looking for a way to bring Jesus down and stop his ministry. On this particular day, they brought a woman to Jesus while he was teaching. They probably interrupted his sermon, most haters do like to make a scene. I imagine they brought this woman without allowing her to get dressed, adding to her embarrassment. The woman had been caught in the act of adultery, but it is very suspicious that they only brought the woman. Adultery is a two person affair. The Law said that both of the perpetrators were to be stoned to death. The Scribes and Pharisees thought that they could find fault with Jesus in front of the multitude. If Jesus were to say, "Don't stone her", they could accuse him of going against the Law of Moses. And if he were to say "stone her", he would appear cruel and merciless. Pastor Brice compared this event to a game of chess. The Scribes and Pharisees thought the had Jesus cornered. Checkmate! They failed to realize they were dealing with God in human flesh.
"Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, “The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt. Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The woman was left alone. John 8:6-9 (Message)
We don't know what Jesus wrote on the ground, but I can imagine it was dates and times. He was God. He knew all about their hidden sins. They were true hypocrites! Whatever he wrote caused them to leave speechless! "Jesus stood up and spoke to her. “Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?” “No one, Master.” “Neither do I,” said Jesus. “Go on your way. From now on, don’t sin.” John 8:10-11 (Message)
God sees the best in us! He loves us unconditionally. Of course, he wants us to obey and live right but he loves us in spite of our sin. Think of it this way, the woman was caught in the very act of adultery...we have been caught in the very act of worrying(Yes, it's a sin), lying (white lies and black lies, too), selfishness, pride, haughtiness, unforgiveness, and rebellion. Did you know that rebellion is as bad as witchcraft? 1 Samuel 15:23 says, "Not doing what God tells you is far worse than fooling around in the occult. Getting self-important around God is far worse than making deals with your dead ancestors." (Message)
God sees the Best in YOU! He wants the Best for YOU! This week, let's GO, and sin no more!
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Today Bishop Alexis A. Thomas had two friends visiting from California. Pastor Victor Brice from Solomon Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Pittsburg, California sang at the 11a.m. service, and his brother Pastor Larry Brice from People's Baptist Church in Oakland, California preached. Pastor Larry Brice preached, "He Saw The Best In Me!" He used St. John 8:3-10 as his reference scriptures.
Many of the problems we face today are the result of mental and emotional baggage laid on us by others. In life we experience leeches, loaders, and liars. Leeches want to suck all the good out of us. They never give, only take. The loaders want to burden us with their negativity or their cares and woes. The liars want us to believe that life is hopeless, that God is angry with us, and that our dreams will never come true. These are the people we should avoid! The Apostle Paul wrote, “Don’t link up with those who will pollute you.” 2 Corinthians 6:17 (Message)
The Scribes and the Pharisees were the religious leaders. They were constantly looking for a way to bring Jesus down and stop his ministry. On this particular day, they brought a woman to Jesus while he was teaching. They probably interrupted his sermon, most haters do like to make a scene. I imagine they brought this woman without allowing her to get dressed, adding to her embarrassment. The woman had been caught in the act of adultery, but it is very suspicious that they only brought the woman. Adultery is a two person affair. The Law said that both of the perpetrators were to be stoned to death. The Scribes and Pharisees thought that they could find fault with Jesus in front of the multitude. If Jesus were to say, "Don't stone her", they could accuse him of going against the Law of Moses. And if he were to say "stone her", he would appear cruel and merciless. Pastor Brice compared this event to a game of chess. The Scribes and Pharisees thought the had Jesus cornered. Checkmate! They failed to realize they were dealing with God in human flesh.
"Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, “The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt. Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The woman was left alone. John 8:6-9 (Message)
We don't know what Jesus wrote on the ground, but I can imagine it was dates and times. He was God. He knew all about their hidden sins. They were true hypocrites! Whatever he wrote caused them to leave speechless! "Jesus stood up and spoke to her. “Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?” “No one, Master.” “Neither do I,” said Jesus. “Go on your way. From now on, don’t sin.” John 8:10-11 (Message)
God sees the best in us! He loves us unconditionally. Of course, he wants us to obey and live right but he loves us in spite of our sin. Think of it this way, the woman was caught in the very act of adultery...we have been caught in the very act of worrying(Yes, it's a sin), lying (white lies and black lies, too), selfishness, pride, haughtiness, unforgiveness, and rebellion. Did you know that rebellion is as bad as witchcraft? 1 Samuel 15:23 says, "Not doing what God tells you is far worse than fooling around in the occult. Getting self-important around God is far worse than making deals with your dead ancestors." (Message)
God sees the Best in YOU! He wants the Best for YOU! This week, let's GO, and sin no more!
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Giving Your Best
Happy Sunday!
Today we celebrated our Bishop's 29th year in ministry and his 46th Birthday! Our guest speaker was Pastor Kerwin B. Lee from Berean Christian Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia. His message was entitled, "What Happens When You Give God Your Best". He used St. Mark 14:3-9 as his reference scriptures.
There are three levels that we humans beings can occupy. We are either below average, average, or above average. If you occupy two of these levels you will undoubtedly experience persecution. If you are below average, people will say..."What a waste, they should be doing more with the gifts God gave them". If you are above average, people will say..."Who does he/she think they are? It doesn't take all that!" The only level you can occupy safely without any persecution in the "average" level. My mother wouldn't allow us to be average. We had to bring our books home from school whether we had homework or not. She believed that no self-respecting educator would send a child home without homework. See required excellence even in our house work. If you didn't do a task properly you could expect to have to do it again. God is our heavenly father. He says we are special, unique, and precious. He will not accept average. He calls us out to be extraordinary. "But you are his chosen people, the King’s priests. You are a holy nation, people who belong to God. He chose you to tell about the wonderful things he has done. He brought you out of the darkness of sin into his wonderful light." - 1 Peter 2:9 (Easy-to-Read Version)
In the text, a woman gave an extraordinary gift to Jesus. When she gave her gift three things happened. First those around her got an attitude. Verse 4 says, "Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume?" They didn't buy the perfume! They didn't have any business commenting about it, but they did what others will do when you give God your best. People will judge and criticize you. Secondly, they made an assumption. Verse 5 says, "It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” Those around her assumed that they knew better how her gift could be used. Third, they attacked her. Verse 5 also says, "And they rebuked her harshly." At that point Jesus spoke up.
Verses 6 through 9 say, “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” (New International Version)
How can we give God our best? Good question! In order to give our best we must give like the woman in these scriptures; Personally, Publicly, Intentionally, Sacrificially, and Liberally.
Personally - The gift belonged to the woman. It was hers to give. Pastor Robert Morrison uses this example...imagine you drive a friend to the airport because they have to take a flight and you need to use their vehicle. When they return you tell them that the Lord has spoken to you and told you to give them the vehicle. They look puzzled. It was their vehicle in the first place. You can't give them something they already own. In the same way, the "tithe" belongs to God. When you give it it's more like returning it to it's rightful owner. The gift the woman gave was her own, it was not the tithe. It was above and beyond the tithe. Selah.
Publicly - She was not ashamed to give her gift in front of the others. Now don't get this point twisted, she didn't give it publicly to be seen or noticed. But she wasn't afraid to worship Jesus in front of others. There's a big difference. Jesus said, “When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself. You’ve seen them in action, I’m sure—‘playactors’ I call them—treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that’s all they get. When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out." Matthew 6:2-4 (Message Translation)
Intentionally - The scripture says she broke the jar of perfume. She didn't make a small opening so a little bit could leak out. She broke it with the intention that it was all to be used on Jesus. There was no turning back after it was broken.
Sacrificially - The spectators remarked that the perfume was very costly, one writer even says it was worth a years wages. But the woman decided that Jesus was worth the cost. The Apostle John identified the woman as Mary, the sister of Lazarus. She had seen her brother raised from the dead. I imagined Mary had a new perspective about the value of "Things".
Liberally - She gave liberally. She followed the example of our Awesome God. She poured that gift out for Jesus. Malachi 3:10b says, "if you do(give tithes and offerings), I will open up the windows of heaven for you and pour out a blessing so great you won’t have room enough to take it in!" (Living Bible)
Today we celebrated our Bishop's 29th year in ministry and his 46th Birthday! Our guest speaker was Pastor Kerwin B. Lee from Berean Christian Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia. His message was entitled, "What Happens When You Give God Your Best". He used St. Mark 14:3-9 as his reference scriptures.
There are three levels that we humans beings can occupy. We are either below average, average, or above average. If you occupy two of these levels you will undoubtedly experience persecution. If you are below average, people will say..."What a waste, they should be doing more with the gifts God gave them". If you are above average, people will say..."Who does he/she think they are? It doesn't take all that!" The only level you can occupy safely without any persecution in the "average" level. My mother wouldn't allow us to be average. We had to bring our books home from school whether we had homework or not. She believed that no self-respecting educator would send a child home without homework. See required excellence even in our house work. If you didn't do a task properly you could expect to have to do it again. God is our heavenly father. He says we are special, unique, and precious. He will not accept average. He calls us out to be extraordinary. "But you are his chosen people, the King’s priests. You are a holy nation, people who belong to God. He chose you to tell about the wonderful things he has done. He brought you out of the darkness of sin into his wonderful light." - 1 Peter 2:9 (Easy-to-Read Version)
In the text, a woman gave an extraordinary gift to Jesus. When she gave her gift three things happened. First those around her got an attitude. Verse 4 says, "Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume?" They didn't buy the perfume! They didn't have any business commenting about it, but they did what others will do when you give God your best. People will judge and criticize you. Secondly, they made an assumption. Verse 5 says, "It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” Those around her assumed that they knew better how her gift could be used. Third, they attacked her. Verse 5 also says, "And they rebuked her harshly." At that point Jesus spoke up.
Verses 6 through 9 say, “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” (New International Version)
How can we give God our best? Good question! In order to give our best we must give like the woman in these scriptures; Personally, Publicly, Intentionally, Sacrificially, and Liberally.
Personally - The gift belonged to the woman. It was hers to give. Pastor Robert Morrison uses this example...imagine you drive a friend to the airport because they have to take a flight and you need to use their vehicle. When they return you tell them that the Lord has spoken to you and told you to give them the vehicle. They look puzzled. It was their vehicle in the first place. You can't give them something they already own. In the same way, the "tithe" belongs to God. When you give it it's more like returning it to it's rightful owner. The gift the woman gave was her own, it was not the tithe. It was above and beyond the tithe. Selah.
Publicly - She was not ashamed to give her gift in front of the others. Now don't get this point twisted, she didn't give it publicly to be seen or noticed. But she wasn't afraid to worship Jesus in front of others. There's a big difference. Jesus said, “When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself. You’ve seen them in action, I’m sure—‘playactors’ I call them—treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that’s all they get. When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out." Matthew 6:2-4 (Message Translation)
Intentionally - The scripture says she broke the jar of perfume. She didn't make a small opening so a little bit could leak out. She broke it with the intention that it was all to be used on Jesus. There was no turning back after it was broken.
Sacrificially - The spectators remarked that the perfume was very costly, one writer even says it was worth a years wages. But the woman decided that Jesus was worth the cost. The Apostle John identified the woman as Mary, the sister of Lazarus. She had seen her brother raised from the dead. I imagined Mary had a new perspective about the value of "Things".
Liberally - She gave liberally. She followed the example of our Awesome God. She poured that gift out for Jesus. Malachi 3:10b says, "if you do(give tithes and offerings), I will open up the windows of heaven for you and pour out a blessing so great you won’t have room enough to take it in!" (Living Bible)
Give God your best this week! I salute all our nation's Veteran's this week! I appreciate that you have given your best for our country!
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Time to Celebrate
Happy Sunday!
Bishop Alexis A. Thomas preached "It's Time To Celebrate!" He used Isaiah 54:1-4 as his reference scripture.
The Eternal One says, "Sing, childless woman, you who have never given birth. Raise a joyful shout, you who have never gone through labor. You, whose husband is dead, will bring forth much more than the fertile one who has a husband. Enlarge your house. You are going to need a bigger place; don’t underestimate the amount of room that you’ll need. So build, build, build. You will increase in every direction to fill the world. Your offspring will take over the nations; Your people will revitalize long-abandoned towns. Don’t be afraid, for there is no one to shame you. Don’t fear humiliation, for there is no one to disgrace you. The shame of your younger years and the sorrow of your widowhood are over. You’ll forget those days as if they never happened". Isaiah 54:1-4 (Voice Translation)
Isaiah 55:9 says, "I don’t think the way you think. The way you work isn’t the way I work.” God’s Decree.
“For as the sky soars high above earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think". (Message Translation) Did you get that? God doesn't think like we think. His thoughts and plans are far, far above our limited imaginations. He says so in the Word, "God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!" Ephesians 3:20 (Message Translation)
Through the prophet Isaiah, God commands the strangest people to rejoice. He commands a barren woman and a widowed woman to "Sing". Think about this. Women in that biblical culture were considered second class citizens, if not less. There was no feminism. Women were at the mercy of their husbands and they were judged by their ability to bear children. Do you remember Hannah? She was taunted by her husbands' other wife Peninnah because she couldn't have children. Do you remember Rachel the beloved wife of Jacob? Because she was barren, she was willing to give her handmaiden to her husband just to give him a child. What problems that caused! What about widows? Widows were also in a precarious state. Without their husbands to provide for them, they would have to rely on their sons. If they had no sons it could be even more disastrous. But God tells these two groups of women to "Sing".
Our enemy wants to silence us! He wants to stop our celebration. But God wants us to "Shout First!" What do I mean by that? I'm so glad you asked. When the Children of Israel went into the Promised Land they had to conquer the city of Jericho. Jericho's walls were high and wide. God didn't tell them to go in and try to tear the walls down. He told them to march around the walls silently one time a day for 6 days. On the seventh day they were commanded to march around the city seven times. On the seventh time on the seventh day, the Priests were to blow the trumpets and the people were to shout. They had to obey and shout before they saw the outcome! They had to trust God that something great was going to happen even though it looked impossible. Just like the scripture text used today...people with little hope for a full, and prosperous future have to trust God and "Sing".
Do you remember Paul and Silas? They cast a demon out of a young woman. She had been bringing in a lot of money for her masters by fortune telling. Acts 16:23-26 says, "And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed". (New King James Version) Paul and Silas hadn't done anything wrong! They were beaten and imprisoned unfairly. They could have easily begun to cry, "Nobody knows, the trouble I've seen. Nobody knows my sorrow!" But they didn't! They prayed and sang and God miraculously brought them out!
What does this have to do with you? So glad you asked! No matter what you are facing right now, God wants you to sing and rejoice because he is going to bring you out! God can be trusted! He keeps his promises!
Love and prayers,
Cynthia
Bishop Alexis A. Thomas preached "It's Time To Celebrate!" He used Isaiah 54:1-4 as his reference scripture.
The Eternal One says, "Sing, childless woman, you who have never given birth. Raise a joyful shout, you who have never gone through labor. You, whose husband is dead, will bring forth much more than the fertile one who has a husband. Enlarge your house. You are going to need a bigger place; don’t underestimate the amount of room that you’ll need. So build, build, build. You will increase in every direction to fill the world. Your offspring will take over the nations; Your people will revitalize long-abandoned towns. Don’t be afraid, for there is no one to shame you. Don’t fear humiliation, for there is no one to disgrace you. The shame of your younger years and the sorrow of your widowhood are over. You’ll forget those days as if they never happened". Isaiah 54:1-4 (Voice Translation)
Isaiah 55:9 says, "I don’t think the way you think. The way you work isn’t the way I work.” God’s Decree.
“For as the sky soars high above earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think". (Message Translation) Did you get that? God doesn't think like we think. His thoughts and plans are far, far above our limited imaginations. He says so in the Word, "God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!" Ephesians 3:20 (Message Translation)
Through the prophet Isaiah, God commands the strangest people to rejoice. He commands a barren woman and a widowed woman to "Sing". Think about this. Women in that biblical culture were considered second class citizens, if not less. There was no feminism. Women were at the mercy of their husbands and they were judged by their ability to bear children. Do you remember Hannah? She was taunted by her husbands' other wife Peninnah because she couldn't have children. Do you remember Rachel the beloved wife of Jacob? Because she was barren, she was willing to give her handmaiden to her husband just to give him a child. What problems that caused! What about widows? Widows were also in a precarious state. Without their husbands to provide for them, they would have to rely on their sons. If they had no sons it could be even more disastrous. But God tells these two groups of women to "Sing".
Our enemy wants to silence us! He wants to stop our celebration. But God wants us to "Shout First!" What do I mean by that? I'm so glad you asked. When the Children of Israel went into the Promised Land they had to conquer the city of Jericho. Jericho's walls were high and wide. God didn't tell them to go in and try to tear the walls down. He told them to march around the walls silently one time a day for 6 days. On the seventh day they were commanded to march around the city seven times. On the seventh time on the seventh day, the Priests were to blow the trumpets and the people were to shout. They had to obey and shout before they saw the outcome! They had to trust God that something great was going to happen even though it looked impossible. Just like the scripture text used today...people with little hope for a full, and prosperous future have to trust God and "Sing".
Do you remember Paul and Silas? They cast a demon out of a young woman. She had been bringing in a lot of money for her masters by fortune telling. Acts 16:23-26 says, "And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed". (New King James Version) Paul and Silas hadn't done anything wrong! They were beaten and imprisoned unfairly. They could have easily begun to cry, "Nobody knows, the trouble I've seen. Nobody knows my sorrow!" But they didn't! They prayed and sang and God miraculously brought them out!
What does this have to do with you? So glad you asked! No matter what you are facing right now, God wants you to sing and rejoice because he is going to bring you out! God can be trusted! He keeps his promises!
Love and prayers,
Cynthia
Sunday, October 27, 2013
The Leper
Happy Sunday!
Bishop Alexis A. Thomas was traveling this week. Minister Darrell Phoenix preached, "Breaking Out The Box", but used Mark 1:40-41 as his reference scripture.
Mark 1:40-45 says, "A leper came to him, begging on his knees, “If you want to, you can cleanse me. Deeply moved, Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, “I want to. Be clean.” Then and there the leprosy was gone, his skin smooth and healthy. Jesus dismissed him with strict orders: “Say nothing to anyone. Take the offering for cleansing that Moses prescribed and present yourself to the priest. This will validate your healing to the people.” But as soon as the man was out of earshot, he told everyone he met what had happened, spreading the news all over town. So Jesus kept to out-of-the-way places, no longer able to move freely in and out of the city. But people found him, and came from all over". (Message Translation)
There is so much action in this one passage of scripture! First is says, "a leper" came to Jesus. If you know anything about the Bible you remember that there were specific rules about leprosy written in Leviticus. Leviticus 13:1-3 says, "God spoke to Moses and Aaron: “When someone has a swelling or a blister or a shiny spot on the skin that might signal a serious skin disease on the body, bring him to Aaron the priest or to one of his priest sons. The priest will examine the sore on the skin. If the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore appears more than skin deep, it is a serious skin disease and infectious. After the priest has examined it, he will pronounce the person unclean". This may sound simple but think about it. The person could not return to his home, his job, or his family. “Any person with a serious skin disease must wear torn clothes, leave his hair loose and unbrushed, cover his upper lip, and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ As long as anyone has the sores, that one continues to be ritually unclean. That person must live alone; he or she must live outside the camp". Leviticus 13:45-46 (Message Translation)
So the leper gets all the way up to Jesus. Where were the disciples? Where were his armor bearers? Where was his security detail? Minister Phoenix used his sanctified imagination and suggested that they were taking up rocks to stone the man. But the writer doesn't tell us! Perhaps, they were just stunned by his "Boldness". He decided that he would rather die than stay in the box! He was willing to risk his old life to find a new life. Mark 8:35 says, "The man who tries to save his life will lose it; it is the man who loses his life for my sake and the Gospel’s who will save it". (Phillips Translation)
The leper got up close to Jesus, and says...“If you want to, you can cleanse me". Why wouldn't Jesus want to heal the man? Why would he have to say, if you want to do it I know you can? I'm so glad you asked! The man probably thought that he wasn't worthy. He'd been banished for being sick. He'd been forced to tell everyone his dirty little secret. He'd been reminded of his condition daily. The enemy probably played the same tricks on him that he uses on us. The enemy tells us we deserve to be sick, we deserve to be poor, that bad thing that happened to you, it's your fault. DON'T LISTEN TO THE LIES OF THE ENEMY! Pastor Jimmy Evans said, "God is the Best Daddy in the Universe! WELL FATHERED CHILDREN ARE FEARLESS! The root of all fear, worry, and anxiety is an "Orphan Spirit" because orphans are on their own and they have to take care of their own problems. The enemy wants you to feel that you are on your own and you have to solve your own problems". God wants to heal you! God wants to bless you! God wants to give you everything Jesus died to pay for.
Bishop Alexis A. Thomas was traveling this week. Minister Darrell Phoenix preached, "Breaking Out The Box", but used Mark 1:40-41 as his reference scripture.
Mark 1:40-45 says, "A leper came to him, begging on his knees, “If you want to, you can cleanse me. Deeply moved, Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, “I want to. Be clean.” Then and there the leprosy was gone, his skin smooth and healthy. Jesus dismissed him with strict orders: “Say nothing to anyone. Take the offering for cleansing that Moses prescribed and present yourself to the priest. This will validate your healing to the people.” But as soon as the man was out of earshot, he told everyone he met what had happened, spreading the news all over town. So Jesus kept to out-of-the-way places, no longer able to move freely in and out of the city. But people found him, and came from all over". (Message Translation)
There is so much action in this one passage of scripture! First is says, "a leper" came to Jesus. If you know anything about the Bible you remember that there were specific rules about leprosy written in Leviticus. Leviticus 13:1-3 says, "God spoke to Moses and Aaron: “When someone has a swelling or a blister or a shiny spot on the skin that might signal a serious skin disease on the body, bring him to Aaron the priest or to one of his priest sons. The priest will examine the sore on the skin. If the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore appears more than skin deep, it is a serious skin disease and infectious. After the priest has examined it, he will pronounce the person unclean". This may sound simple but think about it. The person could not return to his home, his job, or his family. “Any person with a serious skin disease must wear torn clothes, leave his hair loose and unbrushed, cover his upper lip, and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ As long as anyone has the sores, that one continues to be ritually unclean. That person must live alone; he or she must live outside the camp". Leviticus 13:45-46 (Message Translation)
So the leper gets all the way up to Jesus. Where were the disciples? Where were his armor bearers? Where was his security detail? Minister Phoenix used his sanctified imagination and suggested that they were taking up rocks to stone the man. But the writer doesn't tell us! Perhaps, they were just stunned by his "Boldness". He decided that he would rather die than stay in the box! He was willing to risk his old life to find a new life. Mark 8:35 says, "The man who tries to save his life will lose it; it is the man who loses his life for my sake and the Gospel’s who will save it". (Phillips Translation)
The leper got up close to Jesus, and says...“If you want to, you can cleanse me". Why wouldn't Jesus want to heal the man? Why would he have to say, if you want to do it I know you can? I'm so glad you asked! The man probably thought that he wasn't worthy. He'd been banished for being sick. He'd been forced to tell everyone his dirty little secret. He'd been reminded of his condition daily. The enemy probably played the same tricks on him that he uses on us. The enemy tells us we deserve to be sick, we deserve to be poor, that bad thing that happened to you, it's your fault. DON'T LISTEN TO THE LIES OF THE ENEMY! Pastor Jimmy Evans said, "God is the Best Daddy in the Universe! WELL FATHERED CHILDREN ARE FEARLESS! The root of all fear, worry, and anxiety is an "Orphan Spirit" because orphans are on their own and they have to take care of their own problems. The enemy wants you to feel that you are on your own and you have to solve your own problems". God wants to heal you! God wants to bless you! God wants to give you everything Jesus died to pay for.
God loves you!
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, October 20, 2013
I Been Thinking
Happy Sunday!
Bishop Alexis A. Thomas continued preaching from 1 Chronicles 4:9-10. He encouraged us again to "Break Out of the Box", but entitled this message, "I Been Thinking".
Brian Tracy said, "You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you." That's exactly what Jabez did. He did not allow his negative experience to control his destiny. He determined in his heart and mind that things could and would be better. He realized that, "People cannot save themselves. But with God, all things are possible." Matthew 19:26 (Voice)
If we did a survey of everyone we know, we would find that we are all "Survivors". Each person has gone through their own type of hurt, disappointment, and loss. We are living our lives successfully in spite of the difficulties. We "put on a happy face" for those around us, especially in church. But we have to admit our lives changed as our minds changed. Proverbs 23:7 says, "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he". (Amplified Version)
Think about the man at the Pool of Bethesda. He'd been thinking incorrectly for 38 years. He had a "welfare" mentality. He thought he could never make it because the system, The Man, or a man was never there when he needed it. Jesus asked him a question. Remember, Jesus is God in the flesh. He never asks a question because he doesn't know the answer. He asked the question in order for the man to realize he wasn't thinking right. We do it too.
What about the Prodigal Son? He thought he knew it all. He thought the inheritance would make him happy and bring fulfillment. Luke 15:12-16 says, “So the father divided the property between them. It wasn’t long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt. He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any". (Message Translation)
Bishop said, "You don't have to be in prison to do time". The enemy wants to keep you trapped in the box. He wants you to believe his lies. He wants you to think this is how it has always been and will always be. But you can "THINK" your way out! Start thinking of all that God has done for you, start thanking him for all he can do for you! Renew your mind with the WORD of God. Meditate on the Word and memorize it too. When the enemy starts trying to depress you, Speak the Word. Think on the Word. Isaiah 43:19 says, “Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new". (Message Translation)
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Bishop Alexis A. Thomas continued preaching from 1 Chronicles 4:9-10. He encouraged us again to "Break Out of the Box", but entitled this message, "I Been Thinking".
Brian Tracy said, "You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you." That's exactly what Jabez did. He did not allow his negative experience to control his destiny. He determined in his heart and mind that things could and would be better. He realized that, "People cannot save themselves. But with God, all things are possible." Matthew 19:26 (Voice)
If we did a survey of everyone we know, we would find that we are all "Survivors". Each person has gone through their own type of hurt, disappointment, and loss. We are living our lives successfully in spite of the difficulties. We "put on a happy face" for those around us, especially in church. But we have to admit our lives changed as our minds changed. Proverbs 23:7 says, "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he". (Amplified Version)
Think about the man at the Pool of Bethesda. He'd been thinking incorrectly for 38 years. He had a "welfare" mentality. He thought he could never make it because the system, The Man, or a man was never there when he needed it. Jesus asked him a question. Remember, Jesus is God in the flesh. He never asks a question because he doesn't know the answer. He asked the question in order for the man to realize he wasn't thinking right. We do it too.
What about the Prodigal Son? He thought he knew it all. He thought the inheritance would make him happy and bring fulfillment. Luke 15:12-16 says, “So the father divided the property between them. It wasn’t long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt. He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any". (Message Translation)
Bishop said, "You don't have to be in prison to do time". The enemy wants to keep you trapped in the box. He wants you to believe his lies. He wants you to think this is how it has always been and will always be. But you can "THINK" your way out! Start thinking of all that God has done for you, start thanking him for all he can do for you! Renew your mind with the WORD of God. Meditate on the Word and memorize it too. When the enemy starts trying to depress you, Speak the Word. Think on the Word. Isaiah 43:19 says, “Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new". (Message Translation)
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Sunday, October 13, 2013
There's Gotta Be More Than This!
Happy Sunday!
Bishop Alexis A. Thomas preached, "There's Gotta Be More Than This!" He used 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 again today.
I enjoy Country Music! I know that's hard to believe, but it's true. One of my favorite groups is Sugarland. They sing a song entitled, "There's Gotta Be More Than This". The lyrics tell of a woman probably similar to many of us, dealing with traffic, hard times, and problems on the job. She says, "There's gotta be more".
The Good News is that there is more! 2 Corinthians 4:17:20 says, "So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever." (Message Translation)
In 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, Jabez gives us an example of how to experience more. First, the scripture says, "Jabez was a better man than his brothers, a man of honor." Even though he was given a negative name, he made a decision to be a man of honor. What is honor? I'm so glad you asked. Honorable is defined as; honest, moral, ethical, principled, righteous, and right-minded. Even if you come from a family of train robbers, you don't have to be a train robber.
Second, Jabez did not let his environment or his past stop him from from being all he could be. Bishop encouraged us and told us, "People really don't know who you are! God is your Creator, he alone knows all that he has purposed you to do and to be". I had the opportunity to attend an Art Fair this weekend. One artists was explaining her painting to us. It was extremely beautiful, but to the naked eye much of the the true meaning was hidden. Because she created it, she was able to give us insight into it's true purpose. We are God's Masterpiece. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are the product of His hand, heaven’s poetry etched on lives, created in the Anointed, Jesus, to accomplish the good works God arranged long ago." (Voice Translation) Bishop said, "He packaged us with purpose!" He has instilled power, purpose, potential and promise within us! When we listen to His voice and obey his Word, we will experience more.
The last scripture in the text today says, that Jabez recieved what he asked for from God. There is more! Let's follow the example of Jabez...“Please bless me and give me more territory. May your power be with me and free me from evil so that I will not be in pain.”
Love and prayers, Cynthia
Bishop Alexis A. Thomas preached, "There's Gotta Be More Than This!" He used 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 again today.
I enjoy Country Music! I know that's hard to believe, but it's true. One of my favorite groups is Sugarland. They sing a song entitled, "There's Gotta Be More Than This". The lyrics tell of a woman probably similar to many of us, dealing with traffic, hard times, and problems on the job. She says, "There's gotta be more".
The Good News is that there is more! 2 Corinthians 4:17:20 says, "So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever." (Message Translation)
In 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, Jabez gives us an example of how to experience more. First, the scripture says, "Jabez was a better man than his brothers, a man of honor." Even though he was given a negative name, he made a decision to be a man of honor. What is honor? I'm so glad you asked. Honorable is defined as; honest, moral, ethical, principled, righteous, and right-minded. Even if you come from a family of train robbers, you don't have to be a train robber.
Second, Jabez did not let his environment or his past stop him from from being all he could be. Bishop encouraged us and told us, "People really don't know who you are! God is your Creator, he alone knows all that he has purposed you to do and to be". I had the opportunity to attend an Art Fair this weekend. One artists was explaining her painting to us. It was extremely beautiful, but to the naked eye much of the the true meaning was hidden. Because she created it, she was able to give us insight into it's true purpose. We are God's Masterpiece. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are the product of His hand, heaven’s poetry etched on lives, created in the Anointed, Jesus, to accomplish the good works God arranged long ago." (Voice Translation) Bishop said, "He packaged us with purpose!" He has instilled power, purpose, potential and promise within us! When we listen to His voice and obey his Word, we will experience more.
The last scripture in the text today says, that Jabez recieved what he asked for from God. There is more! Let's follow the example of Jabez...“Please bless me and give me more territory. May your power be with me and free me from evil so that I will not be in pain.”
Love and prayers, Cynthia
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