Personal Grief

They say that there are five stages of grief (some have recorded seven stages) – denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance (the other two – shock, guilt, or finding meaning). I am not in denial; I know that my parents are gone. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:7-8:

New King James Version

“⁷ For we walk by faith, not by sight. ⁸ We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”

So, I am holding on to the fact that they are present with the Lord in whatever capacity that is for them. I am not angry about it or with anyone or God. I may at times find myself feeling angry about things said or situations – things said or done that I have no intention of talking about or airing on this social media platform.

I'm often caught off guard by the urge to call and talk to my mom or to think about something she said or did. I still have some things I wanted to talk about or share with her and my dad. I will not get the chance to do any of these things now that they have gone home. Don’t get me wrong, I do not want to have any conversations now that they are absent from the body. 

I miss them; I really miss them. Emotions come in waves at the most inconvenient times - on an airplane, in the classroom, in the grocery store…. God knows how much I miss them and how grateful I am for them as my parents. None of us are perfect, and I surely gave them challenges. I did not want to be without them.

As I face each day since their passing, I find strength and courage in God’s eternal love and impenetrable and unyielding strength. He is my comfort and help. He knows what I am feeling and how to encourage me to keep moving forward, knowing that He is my mother and my father. No, I will not take that back. He is sustaining me and holding me up. I am standing because He has me.  My family and friends are loving, praying for me, and encouraging me as well.

I have been in the bargaining phase as well. I prayed that the sickness would end, the cancer would go away, and they would be well – healed. The “what-ifs” had their turn – what if we had done this sooner or caught this earlier? So many things…. I asked God why He did not heal my dad. He told me that He did, He took him home. My Mom suffered at the end, and I just prayed for peace and comfort. I sometimes thought that if they went peacefully in their sleep without the pain and suffering, it would have been better. But God knows all things, and He did not promise a bed of ease. He gave them and us the strength to endure.

James 1: 2-5 says,” ² My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces ^[a]patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be ^[b]perfect and complete, lacking nothing. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. “

We are still in this process of grief. One day, we will be able to count it all joy. God is still working on us. May God comfort all who mourn as He is comforting me.

Be blessed.

 My Soul Longeth After Thee

Psalms 42:1 -2 

As the deer longs for streams of water,
    so I long for you, O God.
2 I thirst for God, the living God.
    When can I go and stand before him?

It has been some time since the last blog. I have been busy and wanted to really settle myself and hear what God was saying to me before I just tried to write something.  Just as deer’s need water to survive, our lives depend on God.  Those that desperately seek Him will find Him.  They will find peace, joy, and rest.  Most of all they will find eternal life.  

Our souls long after God, to be in His presence. This psalm was attributed to the sons of Korah who were temple musicians and assistants.  It is said that the writer was exiled from Israel and could not worship in the temple.  During the feast, Israel was to remember all that God had done for them.  He had a thirst for God and His presence.  

Thankfully, now God dwells in us and with us.  We can enjoy the presence of God wherever we are.  We don’t just meet Him in church, we can call upon His Name at any time and His presence will be with us.  In our homes, on our jobs, and in the marketplace.  There is not a place that God cannot meet you if you call on Him.  

As the Psalmist says, our souls need to be thirsty for God.  What does thirsty mean?  It means the feeling a need to drink something; having or showing a strong desire for something.  We need to have a strong desire for God, to be in His presence, to gain His wisdom, to hear His voice, to get His direction, to walk in His will…..  You get it!  WE NEED GOD!!!

We need Him like we need air and water.  Without God, our existence is a shadow of what it could be if we are in constant contact with Him.  God loves us so much that He died for us.  Not only to secure eternal life but to walk through this life with us.  He died so that we could have an abundant life here.  I’m not talking about things, I’m talking about the abundance that comes from having access to THE Great I Am, Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End.  The Almighty God!!

He has come to give us life.  We may have trials and tribulations but GOD is with us!! He can lead and guide us through, around, and in the midst of any storm.  He is our shield and buckler, our present help in the time of trouble.  He is everything that we need.  

See, our souls (mind, will, and emotions) must long for God.  Because without God, we will fail.  As the song says, we will be like a ship without a sail.  What happens if a ship has no sail?  Ships use sails to harness the power of the wind and move the vessel forward. The momentum of the wind moves the vessel forward. Without the sail to catch the wind, the vessel cannot move forward and get stuck.  You will just drift along and go nowhere.  

I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be going around in circles, going nowhere, without momentum, or being stuck.  I want God to be the wind in my sails, leading and guiding me in the right direction, at the right speed, in the right waters. 

So seek God, let your soul become thirsty for Him. Matt. 5:6 says “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”  When you hunger and thirst after the things of God and righteousness, He will fill you up. 

Be blessed.  

Wait Patiently

Isaiah 40: 1-3

I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.
2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of the miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps.
3 He has put a new song in my mouth—
Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the Lord.

Have you ever had a problem that you wanted to be resolved quickly? Have you ever been in need of immediate assistance or relief? Has the weight of your trials been so great that you wanted God to remove them or save you from your troubles post haste?

Well I know exactly what you mean. There have been times when the trials seem so weighty and I just want them to go away. I was praying for direction, peace, and wisdom. God gave me direction but I wanted resolution and to be able to see an end to the situation. But God didn't make the situation change, He changed how I waited in the situation. God used the situation, trial, or circumstance to change me. He changed the way I look at the situation, the people in the situation, His ability to move in the situation, and His wisdom in not moving the trial.

David was waiting for the Lord.  How did he wait?  He waited patiently.  He received the benefits of waiting on the Lord.  What are the benefits?  God lifted him up and out of the despair; God set his feet on solid ground; God established his steps (made him steady); God put a new song in his heart.  There are benefits to waiting on the Lord. 

We run the risk of really messing things up when we do not wait.  The biblical meaning of waiting is to be aware through all of the senses of what is occurring around you and discerning the right time to do the next thing. (https://news.mhm.org/waiting-a-spiritual-discipline/)  Patiently means in a way that shows tolerance of delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious. (Oxford Dictionary).  To wait patiently would mean to discern what is occurring around you and discern the right time to do the next thing and to be tolerate of the delays, problems or suffering without being annoyed or anxious.  WOW!!  Is this the way that you wait?  I can't say that I always do. 

It is imperative that we discern God's timing for the things that are occurring around us. We could move too quickly and miss the timing of God.  God knows what He is doing and He is in control of all things.  The situation or trial couldn't even get to you unless God allowed it to come.  It is also to our benefit to wait patiently - being tolerant of the delays, problems, or suffering without being annoyed or anxious.  But even if you are annoyed and anxious, you can talked to God about it. 

Romans 3: 5-7 states"3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."  This is working to produce something great in us.  We are gaining experience and from that we have hope.  Hope doesn't make us ashamed, we learn how much God truly loves us. 

The scripture says that tribulation works patience.  Yes, when you ask for patience, you are asking for tribulation.  We are to glory in tribulation.  This verb form of the word means to take great pride or pleasure in. We are to "count it all joy" (James 2:2-4) "2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."

James tells us to count it all joy when have trials because it is testing our faith.  The testing of our faith produces patience.  It causes us to be complete, lacking nothing.  We shouldn't try to get out of the trial because it is perfecting us - getting things out of us and making us who God called us to be.  We can ask God for wisdom to walk through trials and believe that He will help us.  We don't want to be double-minded.  A double-minded person is indecisive and can't unstable.  

Waiting patiently requires God's assistance.  I pray God will assist us all as we wait patiently on the Lord.  He will incline His ear (He hears us as we pray according to His will) and He will answer us.  Be encouraged, God will rescue you and give you a new song in your heart!!  Those that persecuted you will see you rejoicing.  They will come to trust in the Lord because of the way that you wait.  

Be blessed. 

Put On the WHOLE Armor of God!!

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

In the last post, we talked about how we are in a fight.  The enemy is not our brothers or sisters but the devil, principalities, power, rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places.  The enemy may be using those around us (and even us if we allow him to), but ultimately, it is the enemy.  We cannot win this war in our own strength.  

As Paul says, we need the WHOLE armor of God.  We can't go into battle half-dressed or not equipped. We need all parts of the armor.  The whole body needs to be armed and protected. We need the Holy Spirit to defeat Satan.  We fight in God's strength and from a place of victory, "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

We need to have the helmet of salvation - to guard our thoughts.  Our minds need to be transformed and renewed. We need to keep our mind on God to be in perfect peace. 

We need to be armed with the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.  We need to have the Word of God in our hearts and mind to be able to withstand the attacks of the enemy. This is our weapon, God's Word.  

We need the belt of truth - girded with the truth of God.  The Word says in John 8:32, "32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."  We are made free through the truth of God and His Word.  John 14:6 "Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."  

We need the breastplate of righteousness - guarding your heart and keeping it pure.  David says, "10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."  We need to have a pure heart.  Jesus said in Matt. 5:8, "8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."  

We need our feet shod with preparation of the gospel of peace - walking for God and with peace.  The shield of faith is needed to endure the fiery darts (attacks) of the enemy.  In order for us to endure the warfare, we must have on each piece of the armor and they must be in full operation. We need God's strength and power to win.  We win through Christ Jesus!!

The enemy is out to defeat you, but God is greater than any enemy that you face. 1 John 4:4 says, "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (NKJV)  You must surrender your life to God and He will fight for you.  He is for you because you belong to Him.  He takes care of His own.  He has overcome the world and all our foes. 

Maybe you are saying that you haven't accepted Jesus as your Lord and protection.  You can accept His love and salvation any day, any time.  Here is a simple prayer:

A Simple Prayer

Dear God in heaven, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I acknowledge to You that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sins and the life that I have lived; I need your forgiveness.

I believe that your only begotten Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary and died for my sins, and I am now willing to turn from my sin.

You said in the bible that if we confess the Lord our God and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we shall be saved.

Right now I confess Jesus as my Lord. With my heart, I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior and according to His Word, right now I am saved. Amen. (paulbarksdale.com)

Accept Jesus today and put on the WHOLE armor of God.  Pray for the Holy Spirit to endow you with power and you will have on your armor.  Only with the armor of God can we withstand the enemies attacks.  

Be blessed!

 We Wrestle Not Against Flesh and Blood

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.  11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day,

There is so much going on in the world today. Every day there are stories of violence, hatred, harm being done to innocent people, relationship issues, wars, and cyber-attacks. Times are changing and acts of crime are being committed against all races, ages, and creeds of people. Sometimes a calm discussion can turn into something else quickly.

We often ask ourselves, why? Well, the enemy of our souls is always fighting against us and the devil does not care who he uses to do it. It can be our family members (i.e. spouse, children, etc.), friends, co-workers, acquaintances, and even people we don't even know. He does not have a respect of persons. He is just warring against us. At times, he will even use our thoughts, actions, or deeds against us.

We get so angry with the person or individuals and want to retailiate or handle them. We have to remember that it is not the individual (even though they are being used) but ultimately it is the enemy - the devil. It is the principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, spiritual wickedness in high place. When the waged fight is spiritual, we have to use spiritual tactics to fight.

Paul admonishes us to put on the WHOLE armor of GOD!! We cannot fight this battle in our own strength. We need the armor to quench all the fiery darts of the enemy. We need to be covered. We are facing armies that have come out to defeat the children of God. They are demonic forces waging war against our souls.

We need the Holy Spirit to defeat the enemy. We need to have the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith to quench the fiery darts of the enemy, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. We need it all to be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. We have to pray with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.

These are evil days and we need the armor of God to be able to stand. We need to depend on God's strength and be equipped to use every piece of the armor. All of us need to be armed, every day. We must fight in the strength of the Holy Spirit, not our own strength. Our strength will not win this warfare.

As we lean and depend on the Holy Spirit for strength and guidance, He will give us strategies to pray to defeat the enemy. Ask God to give you how to pray against whatever you or your family are facing. The Holy Spirit knows how and what to pray. God will give you insight into how to pray and defeat the enemy. Is. 54:17 tells us that "No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD."  

God is able to deliver us from the attacks of the enemy.  We may have to go through but He will give us strategies and strength to endure like "a good solider".  Don't get caught up in who is fighting you, seek God and ask Him how you come against those spiritual battles.  But you must be suited up and ready to fight in prayer.  Prayer is where battles are fought and victories won!!

Be blessed. 

 Eye Hath Not Seen, Nor Ear Heard

1 Corinthians was is written by the Apostle Paul to the Corinthian church to identify the problems in the church, to offer solutions, and to teach believers how to live for Christ in a corrupt society. It was written about A.D. 55 near the end of Paul's three year ministry in Ephesus, during his third missionary journey.  Corinth was a major cosmopolitan city, a seaport and major trade center, the most important city in Achaia.  It was filled with idolatry, immorality, and largely made up of Gentiles. (Life Application Bible Vital Statistics)

Paul was straightforward with the church in Corinth.  They had fallen into disorder and divisiveness in his absence.  They were rallying around certain leaders which led to intellectual pride and division in the church.  They had uncorrected sexual sin and had become indifferent to immorality.  People were taking the Lord's Supper without confessing their sins.  Paul had to address the state of the church, answer questions, and solve problems with a Christian approach.  

Paul shared a simple message with the people in 1 Cor. 2, allowing the Holy Spirit to lead and guide him in what to say.  He did not use big words or "excellence of speech" but he was "determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified".  His confidence was not in his own speech, but in the "demonstration of the Spirit and of power", not man's wisdom. 

Paul had spiritual wisdom, the wisdom of God, the hidden wisdom of God.  God revealed Himself to mankind through Jesus Christ, His life, death, burial, and resurrection.  Had the rulers of that time known, they would not have crucified the very Lord from Glory.  Jesus was rejected, which was foretold in Isaiah 53 and Zechariah 12:10-11.  

The scripture says that it was written in Isaiah 64:4 (New Living Translation), "For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye hath seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for Him!"  We haven't heard or seen what God has prepared for us, those that love Him.  We can't even imaging all that He has in store for us.  He has so much in store for us here on earth and throughout eternity.  

We have a blessed hope that "If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31. God has an amazing future planned for us Jer. 29:11-13. It does not mean that it will be without trials and tribulations, because it will. James tells us to think it not strange, when trial come... But we haven't seen or heard what God has in store for us. We have to keep moving forward, endure hardship, and don't give up!!

There's a breakthrough just around the bend. This is not all there is to our hope. God will reveal things to you through His Spirit. If you have received the Spirit of God, then you can be guided by the Spirit of God and know God's perspective on a matter. We cannot understand spiritual truths without the Spirit of God. We need the Holy Spirit's guidance and wisdom.

It is time that we seek the Kingdom of God and all of His righteousness. We must hunger and thirst after righteousness. As we diligently seek God, He will reveal more of Himself to us. Our eyes will see things and our ears hear things from God as we draw closer to Him. He will reveal Himself to and work for those that wait for Him.

I know man has a great imagination but it pales in comparison to what God has in store for those that love Him. Amen!

Be blessed.

New Mercies Every Morning

Lamentations 3: 22-24

22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning;  Great is Your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”

Every morning that I wake up, it is a new day. It is a day that I was not promised but the mercy of God allowed me to wake up and get up out of my bed.  The problems or the issues from the previous day may remain but I was not consumed in them or by them.  God had mercy on me and gave me the miracle of a new day. 

Jeremiah saw a ray of hope regardless of all the sin that surrounded him.  He knew that God's compassion did not fail.  It is said that "compassion is love in action" (Life Application Bible, NKJV) God's love for us looks beyond our sins, failures, and inabilities.  He loves us more than we could ever imagine.  He will help us and have compassion on us.  He promises to forgive us of our sins as we repent and ask for forgiveness. 

God is so faithful to respond and forgive.  He is true to His Word.  Each day is full of "millions of miracle".  Waking up, miracle.  Being able to get out of bed and care for myself, miracle.  Breathing, miracle... You get it, our every day is filled with so many miracles.  God is so loving and faithful.  Even in the trouble, trials, cloudy days, God is still with us and faithful.  

Webster says that faithful means remaining loyal and steadfast; true to facts or the original. "The original Hebrew word (hesed) translated as "steadfast love," is a very important Old Testament term that speaks of the faithful, loyal, constant goodness and love that God shows to his people. This is the Lord's covenantal love, describing God’s act of loving his people. The Lord has an inexhaustible supply of love for his children." (Learn Religions - https://www.learnreligions.com)

Jeremiah could hope in God because he knew that His love and faithfulness was sure.  We too can trust that God's Word is true and He will be with us.  He will help us because He loves us and shows us new mercies daily.  He is with us and for us.  We can rest assure that He knows where we are and what we are going through.  He is working it all for our good.  It may not feel good, but it is working for our good. 

Be encouraged, God is not unaware of your situation or circumstances.  Take it to Him in prayer and trust that He is faithful and compassionate.  Thank Him for all the millions of miracles and mercies that you can think of daily.  He is a Wonderful God and an Awesome Father.  

Be blessed. 

Old Things Have Passed Away;
Behold All Things Have Become New

This month we are focusing on a new beginning. This scripture falls in line with the new, in that old things are passed away and all things are new. But what exactly was the Apostle Paul writing about in this chapter when he wrote these verses? Would we cross into a new year and everything reset and we start over?

Paul writes to the church in Corinth in 2 Cor. 5. He starts out assuring them of the heavenly body that we have if our earthly house (our body) is destroyed. He tells them that while here in this body we are absent from the Lord but we will have heavenly bodies for our eternal life.

Paul and his companions did all things to honor God. They did it not only because they had the "fear of the Lord" but because His great love for them caused them to want to please Him. Jesus had given His life for them and all mankind. Such love caused them to want to preach and live a life that was pleasing to Him. They had received His best, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit.

It is still true today. Jesus died and promised to endow us with power, the Holy Spirit. When we receive Him, we are given the Holy Spirit which brings new life. We are not the same anymore.

We have put on a new man/woman. We are re-created (a new creation) in Christ Jesus. We are now under the leading of the Holy Spirit. It is not like "turning over a new leaf" or New Year’s resolutions, it is a transformation.

That does not mean that you wake up and every old habit, problem, or desire immediately has fallen off of you or changed. God is able to do it, and does for some. But others have to surrender those things to the Lord and allow the Holy Spirit to change those desires, thoughts, habits, etc. We have to surrender them daily.

We are under a new order with Christ and a new covenant. This is not superficial but supernatural, a new way of looking at all things under Christ's authority. We have been forgiven and set free. We have to be renewed in our minds and changed from the inside out. We are no longer enemies of God but His beloved children. We have been made right with God.

God did it through sacrificing His Son, Jesus. Jesus shed His blood as an atonement for our sins. When we accept Him as our Lord and Savior, we are reconciled to God and under His authority. We are free, our sins are forgiven and we are walking in the newness of life. We have been made new and have a new beginning.

Thank God for all that He has done for us. We can let go of all those things that we did to please ourselves and live to please God. We can let go of those things that held us back or weigh us down, and walk in the newness of this life that Jesus died to give us.  

In John 10:10, Jesus says "10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."  We don't have to allow the enemy to steal, kill, and destroy us. We can look to and depend of our Helper (the Holy Spirit) to teach us how to pray, wield the sword of the Spirit (the Word of God), and fight the good fight of faith.

So let's walk in the new and abundant life that Jesus died to give us.  Be blessed. 

Pressing Toward the Goal

Phil. 3:13-14

13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

We made it into the New Year - 2023.  To God be the Glory!!  We didn't make it on our own but by the grace of God that He allowed us to see a new year.  I don't know about you but I am grateful.  

We ended 2022 with this scripture and highlighted the fact that we are "forgetting those things which are behind us".  We are beginning this New Year highlighting that we are "reaching forward to those things which are ahead."  God has so much ahead of us.  He spoke to me concerning new beginnings, "old things are passed away, all things become new." (2 Cor. 5:17)  This year," I am going to put the past behind me, and press toward the things that God has planned for me.  He has a purpose for this year and that is the goal to which I want to press toward. 

The Life Application Bible states that "Paul said that his goal was to know Christ, to be like Christ, and to be all Christ had in mind for him.  This goal took all of Paul's energies.  This is a helpful example for us. We should not let anything take our eyes off our goal - knowing Christ.  With the single-mindedness of an athlete in training, we must lay aside everything harmful and forsake anything that may distract us from being effective Christians. What is holding you back?"  

We are not called to be perfect but to mature.  We must press on in the Holy Spirit's power so that Christ can reveal to us the discrepancies between what and who we are and what and who we are to be.  We must act on the guidance of the Holy Spirit and those He has placed in places of authority over our lives.  We have so much to learn.  We must pursue Christlikeness and not copy the world. (Life Application Bible)

So, let us seek God and His plan for our lives this year.  Let us hear His voice and follow His directions. We can let go of the past (any guilt, shame, and condemnation) and look forward to what God will help us become in this year.  

Happy New Year!! Be blessed.  

Forgetting Those Things That Are Behind

Phil. 3:13-14

13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have [a]apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

We have made it to the last day of the year. God has truly blessed, protected, and covered us. I woke up yesterday with a song, You Covered Me, by Donald Lawrence, featuring Hezekiah Walker. It talks about how we could have lost our minds or wanted to give up. But by the grace of God, He covered us. God covered us through trials, tribulations, and attacks on our bodies, minds, ministries, and families. God brought us through it all. Millions didn't make it to this day, but God's grace has brought us to this point.

In Phil. 3, Paul is warning the people of Judaizers - Jewish Christians that believed that the Gentiles had to follow the old Jewish laws of the Old Testament to be saved, especially circumcision. Paul states that conversion was not based on all that he had accomplished or his credentials. It was because of the coming of a Savior, Jesus Christ, his crucifixion, and resurrection. It wasn't because of who he was or what he had done.

All that Paul gained, he counted it as loss for Christ Jesus. He didn't boast in his righteousness but the righteousness of Christ which is from God by faith. It was nothing to be compared to the greatness of knowing Christ. He wanted to forget the past things - his persecuting the church and look ahead to what was before him.

We all have things that we need to forget or put behind us. The year of 2022 was filled wth good and things that we may want to just put behind us. They are all working for our good but we do not need to get stuck in the past. Yes, we may not have gotten all things accomplished that we set out to do and we may have gotten off track, but God is able to use all the setbacks as set ups for what is ahead of us.

Let us not dwell on the past but grow in the knowledge of Christ Jesus and walk closer to Him. We are getting ready to step into a new beginning, a new year. We are "pressing toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." We are looking forward to a "fuller and more meaningful life because of our hope in Christ". (Life Application Bible)

Be blessed.

 For Unto Us a Child Is Born

Isaiah 9:6-7

6) "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

7) Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.  He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.  The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this."

It is Christmas time again and we often hear this scripture repeated.  Jesus is the child that was to be born, the Son of God.  He was born of a virgin, Mary, in a manager.  Quite different than what the Jews expected from the coming King.  Nevertheless, He was born meek and lowly in a manger.  Yet, He was the Lord of Glory, God in the flesh.  

It was foretold in Isaiah that He would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  He is the one with all wisdom, able to give you wise counsel and steer you in the right direction.  He is Almighty!! He is the Everlasting Father, there is no end to His reign and He is indeed a loving Father.  He has no beginning or ending, He is God.  

He is God and the God of Peace.  Heb. 13:20 states "20 Now may the God of peace—who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood— 21 may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him.  All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.  He is peace and can give you the peace that passes all understanding. You will not be able to understand why you have peace in the midst of your situation or circumstance.  He will equip you with all that you need to do His will.

He is the King of the Kingdom of God (Heaven) and we are His subjects.  Of His rule and government will be no end, it is eternal.  He was born in the lineage of David and will reign on the throne forever.  He is God and yet came through the line of David to fulfill this prophecy.  

It is only the Lord Almighty that will be able to accomplish this.  He has come and will come again.  The government of God is on His shoulders, He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  We must be ready to meet Him and be caught with Him in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  

May God bless you this Christmas season.  Remember that Christmas is about Christ, the child that was born to bring forgiveness and salvation to all mankind.  He is all that you need.  

Merry Christmas. 

 God Is My Salvation

It is December and we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.  Webster defines salvation as preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss.  In the Old Testament the word used often for salvation was a Hebrew word,"yasa [[;v"y] (to save, help in distress, rescue, deliver, set free)" (https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/salvation/) It was used to signify material deliverance, whereas salvation in the New Testament was more spiritual.   

Isaiah 12, is called a Hymn of Praise. It follows Isaiah 11 which talks of the reign of Jesse's offspring, the Messiah.  Jesus would be the fulfillment of God's promise, a descendant of David.  He would be the Righteous Judge and the faithful one. Judah was surrounded by hostile foreign powers and they needed righteousness, justice, and faithfulness.  The Messiah would rule one day and this time of peace when even hostile animals could live together in peace would come. 

This chapter was a description of the joy when Jesus comes to reign on earth.  They  would praise the Lord.  We too must praise the Lord.  The Lord is our salvation.  Jesus saves, rescues, delivers, and sets us free.  He alone perserves us.  We do not have to fear because He is indeed our strength.  We can do all things through Christ that strengthens us!!  He alone can save us.  

As we draw near to the end of another year, we should be so grateful for all that He has done for us in 2022.  He alone has kept us alive and is provided for us.  We can trust Him and He is our salvation. 

Be blessed. 

I Will Praise You Lord with All My Heart!

Ps. 9:1-2

I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.
2 I will be filled with joy because of you.
I will sing praises to your name, O Most High.

"Praise is expressing to God our appreciation and understanding of his worth. It is saying thank you for each aspect of His divine nature. Our inward attitude becomes outward expression. When we praise God, we help ourselves by expanding our awareness of who He is. In each psalm you read, look for an attribute or characteristic of God for which you can thank Him." (Life Application Bible, Psalm 9)

This Psalm says to the Lord, that I will praise the Lord with all of my heart. I will praise God with my all. Why? Because He first loved me. I will tell of all the marvelous things that He has done for me. Why? Because He is good and I want to tell it go give Him the glory.

God deserves the glory. He has done so many amazing things for me. I want to run and tell everyone of all the wonderful things He has done. It can be a testimony of a hard time that God brought me through or a miraculous blessing. God wants us to tell us His goodness so that others can see the wonderful works of the Lord.

Wouldn't you tell everyone you know of something good that happened to you or a great deal? The gospel is the Good News!! Having a relationship with God is the best thing that can happen to anyone. It is telling of the goodness of God. He has kept me and my family down through the years. Through good times and hard times, He has been good.

No one said that it would be easy but it is wonderful. As you accept Jesus as your Lord, you are in relationship with the Lord of Glory. He is so faithful and trustworthy.

This is the end of November, a time of thanksgiving. However, we should always be grateful. Gratefulness makes room for more blessings. If we are grateful for the things that God has already done, He will bless you with more.

Always praise the Lord and be thankful with all of your heart. Be blessed.

 Enter Into His Gates with Thanksgiving

The Lord has been giving me this Psalm quite frequently.  Not that I have been unthankful but sometimes we fail to be consistently thankful. Sometimes we look passed the things that we have looking for the next, waiting for the next. We are trying to accomplish things or we are walking through rough places and we are tempted to complain.  

I was reading an excerpt from Battlefield of the Mind Psalms and Proverbs by Joyce Meyer on this Psalm. The Keys to Victorious Living commentaries, Look for Something To Be Thankful For, stated that "Prayer often goes unanswered because of an ungrateful heart. There are people who are grumblers, murmurers, faultfinders, and complainers. We must be careful not to be like that.  We need to be the kind of people who are thankful for what God is doing.  Complaining and being ungrateful are major hindrances to answered prayers."

We have to be thankful for what we have, were we are, and what God is doing for us now.  How can we expect God to bless us with more if we are not grateful for what we have now?  I may not have the new home, but I am thankful for where I am living now.  Thankful for the things God has given me, the beautiful, healthy, and growing family.  We need to have a thankful heart every day.  We must enter into His gates with thanksgiving daily.  

Why? Because we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.  God made us, we did not make ourselves.  He is in control and He blesses us daily.  So, we should be thankful continually.  

There will be times when we are faced with situations and troubles, but we still need to be thankful.  The enemy wants you to be dissatisfied all the time. This will cause you to be disgruntle, grumble, murmur, and complain.  You will focus on the problem and not the problem solver.  God is the Great Shepherd and if you know anything about sheep (research the care required for sheep), you will know that they need a loving, protective, and wonderful Shepherd.  

Being ungrateful will keep you from receiving and enjoying the great things that God has already done for you.  You will miss the blessings of the Lord looking for the next.  You may not receive the next because you are not grateful for the present.  

We are to enter His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise. God deserves our praise.  Praise is defined as "To praise God is to call attention to his glory"   (https://www.biblestudytools.com)

God alone deserves the attention because of all of the wonderful things that He has done for us.  Even in our trials, temptations, and troubles, God has been good to us.  We have escaped many things that we were not even aware of because of the goodness of God. 

The Lord is good and His mercies are everlasting.  They will last forever.  His truth will endure to all generations.  The Word of God is still true thousands of years after it was recorded. Why? Because His truth endures to all generations.  We are recipients of the truth of God.   God is good and deserves our continual thanks.  Ps. 34:1 says, "I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth".  

This scripture is a reminder to me that I need to be thankful continually.  I am to focus on the goodness of God and be thankful.  This Thanksgiving week, I challenge you to find things to be thankful for each day and all day long.  Tell God, thank you and give Him praise.  Because He alone is worthy of all the praise. 

Be blessed and Happy Thanksgiving. 

 In Everything, Give Thanks

1 Thess. 5:16-18

"16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

November is the month of thanksgiving.  As a matter of fact, we should always be thankful for all that God has done for us.  If you are reading this blog, God has been good to you.  You are still alive and able to read.  We take so many things for granted. 

I am sure that there are some in dire situations or enduring great trials.  You may not feel as if God has been good to you.  Your problems are clouding your view of anything good that has happened in your life.  Sometimes life can be hard and you lose sight of the everyday good things that God has and is doing for you. However, God is always good and is always good to us.  

Paul was writing to the Thessalonian church to assure them of Jesus' return.  He want to strengthen their faith because they were discouraged.  They were a young church that was enduring persecution.  Christians were being killed by people (Jews, Greeks, or Romans) that hated Christ and everybody that followed Him. Paul wanted them to know that he loved them and that being a Christian was not in vain.  He wanted them to know that their faithfulness during persecution was commendable.

He also wanted to remind them how to prepare for the second coming of Jesus.  He reminded them to comfort the fainthearted, be patient and kind to everyone, to be joyful always, to pray continually, and always be thankful.  He reminded them to avoid evil as well. 

He wanted them to know that regardless of the situation or circumstance, their joy and thankfulness should not fluctuate.  I know that there are times when you don't feel like being thankful or joyous.  It goes against our natural inclination or it's just not a natural response.  We get discouraged, angry, and ready to give up. But Paul admonishes us to give thanks in everything.  Whether you can pay the bill, have what you need, are sick in your body, or lost a family member.  It is hard to be thankful.  But even in the heartbreak, we must look up and be thankful.

Someone might say, "Are you kidding? I'm supposed to be thankful in this situation?"  You don't have to be glad for the situation but you can be grateful that God is still in control and He is able to bring you through it.  He promised never to leave you and can change it SUDDENLY.  Even if He doesn't, your tribulation is working patience and "all things are working together for your good."  

I know it may not look good, feel good, sound good, or even look like it is coming to an end. But God!! God is still good and deserving of the thanks.  He is able to deliver you and He can at any moment.  Job said in Job 13:15 "15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him." 

God may be working something in or out of you.  He knows what you need and His plan for your life.  We need to trust His process because He does love us all.  He loves us enough to send His best - Jesus Christ to die for us.  

It is not be easy but give thanks at all times.  Even with tears, give thanks.  When you don't understand or sense His presence, give thanks.  When you can't see your way, give thanks. Better days are coming.  

Every day that you wake up, give thanks.  Just look for things to give thanks for and watch your perspective change.  We can and should always give thanks in all things.  When we are doing God's will, we find it easier to be joyful and thankful. 

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in all things give thanks.  Why? Because this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  Give thanks. 

Be blessed. 

Give Thanks To The Lord!

Ps. 136:1
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever. 

Oh, give thanks unto the Lord!!  God is good, God is so good!  We have made it to the eleventh month of the year, November.  The year of 2022 is almost over.  God has been so good to us.  We have had good times, blessings, trials, troubles, persecution, and maybe some hard times.  We have been blessed through the trial and in spite of the trials.  

The book of James, Chapter 1 tells us that trials are coming and they are working patience in us.  It is the perfect work of God.  If we lack wisdom about a situation or a trial, we can ask God.  We don't have to pretend to be happy in a trial, but we can know that God is with us in our trials.  He is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).  

The Psalm 136 tell us of God's love and mercy towards us.  We should constantly give thanks to the Lord because He is good and His mercy endures forever.  What is mercy? Mercy is God's lovingkindness, compassion, pity, faithfulness, and sympathy for or toward mankind.  It endures (keeps going on) forever, without end.  Psalm 136 is a responsive reading with the people answering "His mercy endures forever." 

The Psalm tells the wondrous things that God has done.  The response is that His mercy - love, kindness, compassion, etc. continues toward mankind.  These are just a few of the things recorded that God has done.  He is great and deserves praise for all the things that He has done from the beginning.  And in spite of the sinfulness of mankind, He still has mercy on us.  

How many of you would continue to have such love, kindness, compassion, pity, faithfulness, and sympathy toward people that despise you, kick against your authority, disobey you, walk out on you, talk against you, and blatantly disregard your love for them?  Really?  But God has from the beginning to time shown unfathomable love for us and those that were created before us. He is love and His mercy endures forever.  

Since Adam until now, His mercy has been enduring.  Endure means to suffer (something painful or difficult) patiently; remain in existence; last.  God's love has endured the sins and disobedience of man with patience and is still existing.  He doesn't want anyone to perish but sent Jesus to die for our sins.  His love is immeasurable and unrelenting.  

As we enter the month of November, let us be thankful.  Why? Because the Great I Am, our Father, God, Protector, Creator, and Friend has been good to us!!  I challenge you to wake up each day and write at least three things that you are thankful for.  Yes, just three.  I am sure that you could write more but just start with three.  As you give thanks, watch your mood and attitude change for the better (not saying that it is bad).  God deserves all of your gratitude so let's give Him thanks.  

Be blessed. 

 Wake Up and Strengthen That Which Remains

Revelation 3:2

Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.

This is the last blog for October. Revelation was written by John, the Apostle, to the seven churches of Asia.  He was exiled on the Isle of Patmos and was an eye witness of Jesus Christ.  He received a vision from God and was instructed to write to the churches.  He commends their strengths but warns of their weaknesses.  Even though it was addressed to a specific church in Asia, it speaks to the conditions of churches or the church today.  

Revelation 3 was written to the church in Sardis. Sardis was a wealthy city that had two locations. The older section was on a mountain.  When the population outgrew that section, they built a newer section in the valley below.  They were once in a high place and now built in a lower place.  They were called the "dead" church.  The only thing good about them was their name. They were spiritually dead, infested with sin.  Their deeds were evil and their garments were soiled.  They would be removed from the Book of Life if nothing changed.  

The Life Application Bible says that the Spirit didn't have words of commendation for this church because it looked good on the outside and was corrupt on the inside.  He did affirm that some were still faithful believers.  The Spirit admonished them to get up and to return to the foundation of the faith.  They were warned to strengthen those things that were ready to die.  They were on their way out.  Sin had so weakened their faith and light that they were dying.  They had lost their connection with God, even though they looked the part on the outside. 

That is still true today.  Churches can look good on the outside, but be filled with faithless people or those that are dying spiritually.  They hear the Word of God but don't apply the Word to their life.  The seed of the Word is snatched up before they can put it to practice.  Some come, sing, dance, and leave out with no intentions of changing or living a righteous life.  They look the part to the eye, but sin is causing them to die spiritually.  They have strayed away from the truth of God's Word.  

The church was told to wake up! Their wealth, sin, comfort, and self-satisfaction had lulled them to sleep. They wondered from the truth and had become faithless, not growing, and therefore dying.  So we must do the same today, wake up!  The wealth of this world, positions, status, and self-satisfaction have cause some to fall asleep.  We must be in the world and not of it.  We must not be so comfortable in the world that we forget that we were called to affect change, salt and light.  Isaiah 52:1,"Awake, awake, O Zion, clothe yourself with strength." People have to wake up so that their names will not be removed from the Book of Life.

Don't be lulled to sleep by the world.  Wake up and strengthen what remains, the things of God and walk in righteousness.  God sees all and knows all.  The danger of being asleep in this day and age is catastrophic.  Death is eminent.  Wake up and seek God.  He will restore you and you can be faithful again.  He loves you and is waiting for your return.  Return to God today. 

Be blessed. 

 

Awaken From Sleep

Romans 13:11

"Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh."

October is the month when fall really starts to set in and things begin to change.  The season changes from really hot weather to a cooler more comfortable temperature.  Here in the south, the climate usually begins to cool off and the nights begin to shorten.  The air is crisper and cooler.  This past week it was in the 30's, which is uncommon for this early in the season.  When you step outside, you tend to become more awake from the bitter cold or the crisp air. 

To awaken means to rouse from sleep; cause to stop sleeping.  In the last blog, we talked about being asleep both naturally and spiritually. It is the state of being physically inactive and unaware of one's surroundings.  It is a time of rest or when we are not conscious of what is happening around us.  If we are asleep spiritually, we are not aware of the condition of our soul or our spiritual walk.  We are partaking of the unfruitful works of darkness or not allowing the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in the truth.  

To awaken also means to stop being unaware of our condition.  It means to face the truth of where we are and where we need to go.  Paul was giving instructions on being submitted to government.  We need to obey the laws of the land as long as they are not in conflict with the will of God and His commandments. God knows who is in the position of authority.  We should pray for those that are in authority so that they are just.  

Paul also tells the Romans to love one another and obey the law of love.  He also tells them to follow the command and wake up out of their unconscious state because the time for Christ return was sooner than when the first believed in Christ.  The times then were becoming more evil and people were engaging in the works of darkness - fighting, drunkenness, lust, strife, envy, jealousy, etc.  He warned them to put on Christ so that we can be clean from the inside out.  We must do the same today. 

How does one put on Christ?  First by baptism, Galatians 3:27, "for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." This identifies us with Christ, in His death, burial, and resurrection.  We also identify with the family of God.  Second, we accept (or baptized in) His Spirit which will produces in us the fruit of the Spirit and qualities that Jesus show while He was here on earth.  We must be led by the Spirit and die to the unfruitful works of darkness.  

We must wake up from sleep and slumber and allow God to lead and guides us into all truth.  We do not want to be unaware of our spiritual condition or what is going on around us.  These are the last days that were spoken of by the prophets, apostles, and others in God's Word.  We need to cast (discard something unwanted or undesirable) off the works of darkness.  They need to become unwanted or undesirable to us.  We need to love God so much that we do not want to do anything outside of His will.  Why?  Because His will is what is best for us.  He knows His plans for us and what is best for our lives.  

The flesh will always war against the spirit but we must lay aside our desire and take on God's.  No one said that it will be easy but it is worth it.  God can and will help you become more like Him and be able to exhibit His attributes.  

So, let's wake up and ask God to show us what it is that we need to do to walk more closely to Him and farther away from the world.  We are in the world but not of the world.  Our life is hidden in Christ.  He will help you overcome all the habits and attitudes that keep you from walking close to Him.  Sleeping is good for being restore and rejuvenated, not for being unaware of what is happening to you in your spiritual walk.  So get up and seek God before the end of your time.  

Be blessed.