Breakfast For Your Soul

Friday, August 28, 2009

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
[Joshua 24:15]

“Crossroads”

Good Morning Beloved,

Sometimes life can appear to be as confusing as the “One Way” sign above pointing in both directions.  We’re going along and then, BAM!… something comes out of nowhere that we never anticipated.  We have to make a decision and the answer is not always clear cut.  Other times, the answer is as plain as day, but we don’t like it and try to find ways around it…. OK, maybe not you but I know I have .  Crossroads… we all have them… we make decisions every minute of every day.. life altering decisions.  This morning, I was reminiscing on when I left the country to move in with my mom in the ‘big city’.   I was so ready to go, until it was time to pack and go.  See, I knew Calvert County living… DC was a whole other thing.  It also dawned on me that my Grandmother would be all alone.  I contemplated telling my mother that I wanted to finish high school down there.  Crossroads.  I often think about how different my life would have been if I had made that decision.  I developed creativity in my Grandmothers house, but I gained independence in my mother’s house.  I had to learn my way around confusing city streets (no more big yellow cheese bus), as well as confusing city folks .  Everything was different, new and exciting.  I could have fallen into some really deep traps, but I believe God Himself blocked some things.  He sent me a friend who had both common sense, and way more discernment than I had.  She kept me out of a lot of trouble, and some of the trouble I experienced, I could have avoided if I had listened to her.  Crossroads…. all throughout scripture we see the choices people had to make at their crossroad.  Abraham… instructed by God to leave everything and everyone he knew and just start walking.  God told him He would let him know when he arrived…. huh?! Young Mary, told by an angel that she would bear the Messiah… hello?!  They stoned women for that!  Joseph’s name and reputation would also be sullied… and he didn’t even do anything!… Her parents would be ostracized and talked about for raising a ‘loose’ woman.  Everybody in this story was at a crossroad.  Joseph son of Jacob (Israel)..his whole life was one serious crossroad after another —as was his father’s.  So we’re in good company, but you know what is nice? ~

 
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.

[1 Corinthians 10:13]

… Family…. that is really Good News!

U Blessed

Have A Fabulous Day and a Wonderful Weekend

Regina

choose your ’crew’ wisely….

THEM     or     THEM

“Crossroads”, Deitrick Hadden w/Lady Life

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvB4APiP9As

“God Didn’t Give Up On Me”, Deitrick Hadden

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thEi5unUp0s

“Pray”, CeCe Winans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBezVm8NPso

“Purified”, CeCe Winans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXuDtKJiAIo

“Alabaster Box“, CeCe Winans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq8VP9osGrg

“I Wouldn’t Know You”, James Fortune and Fiya
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmyGXKD-Vew

“Living Clean“, Canton Jones

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRJMbUsyCWg

“I Will Run”, Karen Wheaton’s “Chosen”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUp0eo0zL34

“Lord, You’re Holy”, Prestonwood Baptist Church

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zl6Sf3Rt0s

“How Can I Say Thank You”, Hezekiah Walker and LFC (solo: Monique Walker)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tW9AGEL8bE

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Galatians 5:22-23

Good Morning Beloved,

The bible tells us that every tree is known by the fruit it bears.  If I see apples on the tree, I know it is an apple tree.  When people look at us, it is God’s desire that they see the character of Jesus. That is a mighty tall order, but if God said we can … we can.. it is a life-long process.  All individuals, different sizes, shapes, shades and temperaments, but looking like Jesus nevertheless.  All of those fruits growing in us, will make us sweet, beautiful and nurturing to the world around us.  Recently, I read an article about a woman who was about 106 years old.  Her mind was sharp and she was beautiful.  The interviewer asked her secret and her answer was God.  She said she had lived ‘good’ life.  The decisions we make today, will affect how we live tomorrow.  The law of the harvest …”sowing and reaping”.  Some of us should be praying for crop failure.  Many of the wild party animals of the ’80s, who teased my friend Tina and I for being ‘boring’, and not drinking and experimenting with the drugs they did, have been ravaged by the lifestyle they chose.  The harmless ‘monkey’ on their back, once fun and playful, has become a vicious 4-ton gorilla gripping their necks in a choke hold.  That thing has crippled their lives.  I know a talented musician who could have been very successful.  He was charismatic, and gifted, as well as talented, and had “the look” that would have made him popular in the entertainment world.  A career destroyed, before it ever got started, and a life decimated by drugs, alcohol and rebellion.  Oddly enough, these were the words he used to describe … himself.  Likewise, the people I know, who decided to skip the craziness, go to school and be productive… are doing just that.  What kind of ‘tree’ do we want to become… it is our choice….

…now that is good news!… I want to be that tree that is planted by the river, whose leaves don’t wither..producing good fruit

U Blessed

Have A Fabulous Day

Regina

“Purified”, CeCe Winans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXuDtKJiAIo

“Your Latter Will Be Greater”, Israel & New Breed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j5gTIXmsOs

“More, More, More”, Joann Rosario

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3Iu6ByvrEA

Falling Leaves -Psalm 1:3     Apart from Jesus, all of our plans and efforts end up like dead, dry leaves that blow away in the wind. We need to get in God’s plan for our lives, and there we will find good success. October 5, 2008

Renovation -2 Corinthians 4:16   I’ve tried to depict just a few of the things that the Holy Spirit does in renewing our inner man: our hearts. And it is also good to know that He will one day also renew our outer man: our body.

Made To Fly -Ephesians 2:10   God has a purpose and a plan for each of us, and in Christ, He has already given us all that we need to fulfill that plan. May 11, 2008

Thursday, October 23, 2008

A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions.The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.

Proverbs 22:3

Good Morning Beloved,

Consequence:  The relation of a result to its cause.

One of my favorite old comedic ‘classics’ is a movie called “Cabin in the Sky”.  The story of a man (Eddie Rochester) caught in a battle between good and evil.  Angels on one side trying to help him get himself ‘right with the Lord’… demons on the other side trying to lead him to hell.  In one scene, they use his beautiful ex-girlfriend (Lena Horne) to try and tempt him, and lure him away from his loving and prayful wife (Ethel Waters).  That was when he sang about “life’s consequences”.  This movie was made in 1943, but the message is very relevant today….. choices.  God has sent wisdom to the earth, and those who choose to follow wisdom are called prudent.  There are those who do not take responsibility for their own actions. Have you met people like that? Everything is always someone else’s fault.. always a reason why they can’t do something.  Remember King Saul.  Poor man… he never really wanted to be king in the first place.  The PEOPLE wanted him to be their king because he was tall, strong and good-looking.  He “looked” kingly.  He was not prepared mentally, spiritually or emotionally to be king.  The consequences of their choice of king, were devastating.  Poor Saul went crazy with insecurity and jealousy and tried for years to kill his most loyal servant — David.  The people were in a constant state of war and turmoil.  Saul even dabbled in witchcraft when he went to see the witch of Endor.  He wanted her to bring back from the dead his only connection to God… the prophet Samuel.  Saul died by his own hand on the battlefield. His choices to kill many innocent people in his quest to destroy David, ultimately cost the lives of 7 of his sons.  David did many things wrong, when he repented, God forgave him… however, that did not absolve him from the consequences of his sins.  He still had a tumultuous relationship with his son, one of his sons raped his daughter, that girls brother kills the son and takes over the kingship sending David on the run.  This son is killed by David’s general…. just a lot of nastiness that David endured.  The bible tells us in his case why….

“Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house; because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife” 2 {Samuel 12:10}

Yes, life is full of “consequence”, but here’s the thing..the choices we make can cause wonderful consequences too….

Now that my friend is Good News!

U Blessed!

Have A Fabulous Day

Regina

Cartoonist’s Comment:

In John 16:33, Jesus says: In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. Trouble may be mowing down everything around us, but in Jesus, we can stand and not be cut down.