Breakfast For Your Soul

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Then said He unto me, son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, the LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth.
[Ezekiel 8:12]

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So God created man in His own image, in the image of GOD created He him; male and female created He them.

[Genesis 1:27]

In The Image Of … Who?

Good Afternoon Beloved,

God made us… so He knows us.  He knows all of our thoughts, our imaginations, our secrets, our motivations.  That is both scary and wonderful.  Ever stop to think about what God sees in the course of a day.  The death, destruction, debauchery and decay, in the midst of the beauty, innocence, goodness and love.  The faithful among those who twist and pervert His Word at every turn.  Those who would create God in their own image, instead of recognizing that we were made in HIS image.  That thought is stuck in my heart.  God has made it so easy to know Him.  He has placed His own Spirit within us so that we can become more like Him, and He gave us His Holy Word that we can learn of Him.  The more we learn, the more assurance we should have.  I say “should have” because I know that there are people who have spent countless hours in bible study, only to still lead lives of confusion and self-destruction.  We need to have something else.  The Bible says that:

For unto us was the Gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.  [Hebrews 4:2]

Faith is something we all have.  We were all given a measure of faith by our God.  Even those who refuse to acknowledge Jesus as Lord of their lives have faith in something.  When our faith is focused, things begin to happen.  As a side note… do you realize that fear is actually faith in reverse.  Trusting and believing in the negative.  We need to take inventory of everything we’re afraid of… everything we’re afraid to do, and get to the root of what the problem is.  I used to be afraid to speak in public.  An unexpected benefit of working in theater ministry is that it completely killed that fear.  The root of my fear, was a fear of looking crazy or saying something foolish.  I was afraid I would fall or embarrass myself… I have experienced ALL of the above, so now… no worries!  I have several friends who have started various ministries.  All of them have the same things in common.  They all love God with all of their hearts, and they are all working toward their vision.  They are not sitting around, waiting for something to happen.  They are filing corporation papers, installing officers in their companies, producing Gospel Stage plays, writing books, etc. etc.  They are doing the “work” of the ministry.  They are all praying and seeking God for direction.  They are all “waiting” on the Lord, but they are not idle.  They have put their hands to the plow and are working in the vineyard. Their Father in Heaven who made them in His image, sees their labor of love, that for many of them, goes unnoticed by people.  He sees and He will reward them openly, because He sees Himself in them… you too.

…. and that Beloved is Good News!

Y Stress? … U Blessed!

Have A Fabulous Day

Regina

“I Wanna Know Your Ways”, Fred Hammond & RFC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGM9DxZkDCQ

“Inside Out”, Hillsong

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2bXfNj3dvk

“Lead Me To The Cross”, Hillsong

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdq9Q8wJdjc

“This Is The Air I Breathe”, Michael W. Smith

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oad8ov10AjY

“Draw Me Close To You”

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

“It’s Already Done”, Evelyn Turrentine Agee

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szWsf3FDp8g

“God Did It”, Evelyn Turrentine Agee

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGQyGQVM628

“Jesus Can Work It Out”, Cosmopolitan Church of Prayer (Original w/Diane Williams)

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF6K-Iiqshg

“Jesus Can Work It Out”, Cosmopolitan Church of Prayer (UPDATED w/Diane Williams)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cfbyj6AdPBY

 May GOD give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of GOD and JESUS our LORD.  By His divine power, GOD has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the one who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence. And because of His glory and excellence, He has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.  In view of all this, make every effort to respond to GOD’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.  The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our LORD JESUS CHRIST.

GROWIN’ UP IN JESUS

Good Morning Beloved,

I hope you’re having a wonderful and productive day today.  Rendering unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are His.  Meditating on this verse reminds me of our children.  Our ministry is full of these beautiful miracles of God.  All ages and stages of development.  We love newborns and toddlers. They are exciting to watch. Constantly changing.  Learning new things everyday.  How to sit.. to crawl…to stand… take those first wobbly steps.  New words.. phrases.  The first realization that they really understood the sentence they just said.  Pre-pubescent kids are fun too.  They almost have an unnatural wisdom and grow at breakneck speed.  And then come the “tween” and teen years.  At this point, between the hormones coursing through their little systems, and their insights and opinions on everything, as well as their need to question everything and everyone…. adults tend to shake their heads and pray for God’s strength not to seriously hurt their little darlings.  At that point, there is a pulling away that while normal can be very painful for both parent and child.  I used to tease my daughter Jah and tell her that she and her family were going to live with me.  Well, spiritually that is how we progress.  We start off as babes, excited growing by leaps and bounds.. falling… getting up.. skinning our spiritual knees… and crying because we don’t want the Father to touch it because we’re afraid it will hurt too much.  Then after He has applied the cooling salve of His healing ointment on our wounded places, we wonder why we spent so much time running from Him in the first place.  It is a time when our faith is on an all-time high.  We believe God and trust Him totally.  Simple child faith.  Then we enter our spiritual puberty.  This is a place where we’ve learned much, but our foundation is still being set.  We tend to stick close to the Word, and have no reservations crying out to God when we feel lost or need help.  Then comes adolescence… We’re “grown” now.  Not you, but somebody somewhere.  Now, we’ve heard every sermon, and could preach it better than the minister.  If we’re not “prayerful”, we can become distracted and cold towards the things of God.  Picking apart every scripture as if we have more knowledge, and spiritual revelation than the One who wrote the book.  I’ve heard people expound on certain verses by saying, “well, see it really didn’t mean that because there was an error in the translation and they “probably” meant to say…” Spiritual arrogance.  Remember, God’s Word says that “pride goes before a fall“ .  The sad truth is, once a person has made up their mind not to believe in the inerrant Word of God and trust it as final authority, their life has already begun a downward spiral.  The won’t have the peace and joy they once had.  They become cynical, angry, distrustful and judgmental.  All the time, their Father is looking on them with eyes of compassion and waiting for them to “come to themselves” and turn to Him.  The Bible tells us that “who the Lord loves He chastens (or corrects).  Chastening is never meant to drive the person away, it is for their own good.  I had an experience with my daughter when she was about 4 years old.  She stole a granola bar from the CVS.  She didn’t even eat granola bars at the time.  We were home before I saw the evidence of her theft.  I wasn’t driving at the time, but I went back to the bus stop and caught the bus back up to the store and asked to see the manager.  I told her to tell him what she had done.  “I sorry I stealed”, she said quickly handing him the bar.  She looked terrified.  Like she was about to be arrested.  Inside I was thinking, “that is the cutest thing… ahh .. my baby”.. but I kept a straight face.  The manager was very wise and instead of laughing it off, or downplaying it because she was just so darned cute, he gave her a good talking to on the seriousness of her deed, and made her promise never to steal again.  She is 21 now and one of most honest and trustworthy people I know.  Did I do that to humiliate her?  No.  I did it because I loved her.  I knew that in a few short years her “petty crime” would bring about stiff penalities and jail time.  We (the CVS manager and I) had to nip her little criminal act, before it actually became a real live crime spree.  For those who work in retail, shoplifting is an all to common occurrence… from the youngest to the oldest.  I’m sure he was all to happy to see one child taught such a valuable lesson.  It was worth the extra bus fare and the little inconvenience to raise such a remarkable young woman.  God is looking at us in much the same way.  His goal is a mature child of God made in His image and after His likeness, but developed after His nature.  This child that He can trust with His anointing.  That He can display as an example of His own handiwork.  That He can use to bless nations.

… and that Beloved is Good News!

Y Stress? … U Blessed!

Have A Fabulous Day and a Wonderful Weekend!

Regina

“Rain On Us”, Ernest Pugh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4EH7-TQj0k

“Fall On Me”, Shekinah Glory

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

“All Hail The King”, Shekinah Glory

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwB-Q4F89RM

“Well Done”, Tye Tribbett & GA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3uwlVfReVA

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believes on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father.  And whatsoever you shall ask in My Name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you shall ask any thing in My name, I will do it.  If you love Me, keep My commandments.

[John 14:12-15]

What Do You Want? … The Price … Belief ..

I’ll give you peace, when the storm is raging.
I’ll be your light when the road ahead seems dim.
I have the power. Just put your trust in me.
Anything you need, have faith indeed.
Just ask, Just ask In my name
Just ask, Just ask in my name

I am the Lord, I can move all mountains
I’ll be your strength, when you’re weary, weak and torn
Believe in my promise. cast all your cares upon me
Anything you need, have faith indeed.
Just ask, Just ask In my name
Just ask, Just ask in my name

Chorus
In my name all things are possible
I’m able to do the impossible
In my name all can come boldly before me
Yes in my name
I am the father, Just put your trust in me
Anything you need, have faith indeed
just ask, just ask in my name
Just ask, just ask

Chorus

There is power
Power in the name (repeat 2X)
joy, in the name (repeat 2x)
love, in the name (repeat 2x)
I’ve got peace, in the midst of the storm.
I’ve got pe-eace in the name.
I’ve got joy in my name.
I’ve got love, its all in the name.
If your looking for love its all in the name.
Just ask in my name

[In My Name, Milton Bronson and the Thompson Community Singers]

Good Afternoon Beloved,

What would you do if God walked up to you and said, “What do you want?” … What would you say?  Is any of us really prepared for that question?  Well, we should be… because He said it already.   If we believe in Him, we will trust Him.  If we trust Him, we will obey His commandments knowing that He will not ’steer’ us wrong.  His love for us is perfect and it is in that perfect love that fear is ‘cast out’.  When our existence is wrapped up in the love of God, we can ask for anything, because our heart will be so entwined with His heart that our requests are actually coming from Him… ummph… wow… (pause) …. that is our goal… with God all things are possible….

… and that Beloved is Good News!

U Blessed

Have A Fabulous Day

Regina

“In My Name”, by Milton Bronson & The Thompson Community Singers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fEQ5YL3rh4

“All In His Hands”, The Hallelujah Chorus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev3OPw2tvVo

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HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO MY SISTER-IN-CHRIST ALVINA… Her birthday was yesterday… my prayer is that the love of God continue to fill you to overflowing, that He bless all of your hope and dreams and that you are fulfilled in Him.  God bless you for the heart of compassion and love that you demonstrate for everybody who is blessed to know you every day. 

Love you my sister!

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I received a message written by Tyler Perry and … MY GOD! … I was so moved I had to re post… a powerful testament of what forgiveness looks like and the freedom that comes along with it.  It is a long, but worthy read .

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Subject: A Message from Tyler Perry – We’re all PRECIOUS in His sight

Hi there.

I know I’ve been a little quiet lately but I’ve been in silent reflection, quiet meditation, and prayer. Turning 40 is such a blessing. Especially because as I child I always thought I would die before I grew up.

If life begins at 40, then I owe the little boy that I was my life. Case in point, not long ago, I was brought a film to watch to see what I thought of it. It’s called PRECIOUS, based on the novel PUSH by Sapphire.

I sat at home watching this movie not knowing what to expect. After the movie was over, I sat there for a long time just thinking about what I had just witnessed. I watched all the things that Precious, a 16-year-old girl in the film, went through. I watched her mother be unusually cruel to her and I realized at that moment that a large part of my childhood had just played out before my eyes. It hit me so hard, I sat there in tears realizing that somehow, by the grace of God, I made it through. My tears were tears of joy, being thankful that I made it.

Believe me when I tell you, PRECIOUS is a powerful film. After seeing it, I had to be involved. I didn’t write it or direct it, nor am I making any money from it. Oprah and I both are giving any proceeds we would make to charity. I just wanted to get as many people to see it as I can. It gave me so much hope after watching it. For everyone who has been a Precious, male or female, this movie will make you so glad you made it through.

It took me through some raw emotions and brought me to some things and
places in my life that I needed to deal with but had long forgotten. It brought back memories so strong that I can smell and taste them. Like, when I was very young, my mother decided to leave my father…she had had enough of his insanity. She loaded me and my two sisters up in an old Cadillac that he had bought for her, and drove to California. When he realized she was gone, he called the police and reported the car stolen, as it was in his name. My mother was arrested and my two sisters and I were put in the cell with her. He and my uncle drove from Louisiana to California to get us. We spent several days in jail waiting for him. He bailed her out and couldn’t wait to get her into the car. He got into the back seat with us and beat her black and blue from California to Louisiana, as me and my sisters watched.  Even though I was only two or three, I know that this had to have some effect on me.

I’m tired of holding this in. I don’t know what to do with it anymore, so, I’ve decided to give some of it away…

Memories at 40: Not long ago, I was asked to speak at an engagement. I
walked in and I was told that they had assigned a person to take care of me while I was there. She walked up to me, all of 5′2″ of her, and asked if I needed anything. I looked at her and started to sweat. It took me back thirty-something years to her apartment. I couldn’t have been more than 10 years old when I went over to play with her son and Matchbox cars.
She opened the door in skimpy lingerie. There was a man sitting on the couch, smoking. She told me that her son was in the bedroom. I was there
playing with him about 20 minutes when I heard the man arguing with her.
He said he was leaving and slammed the door. She came into the bedroom
and told me that I had to go home. She told her son to take a bath and she locked him in the bathroom. I was at the front door trying to get out, when she came in and laid on the sofa and asked me if I wanted the key. I told her I had to go home as it was getting dark. She put the key inside of herself and told me to come get it, pulling me on top of her.

Memories at 40: “What the f*#K are you reading books for?! That’s
bull*#*T!”

“You F*#*ing jackass! You got book sense but you ain’t got no mothaf*#*en common sense! You ain’t sh*t and ain’t never gonna be sh*t!” I heard this every day of my childhood. As my father would beat and belittle me, he played all kinds of mind games with me. He knew I loved cookies as a kid, most kids do. So he would buy them and put them on top of the fridge and when I would eat them he would beat me mercilessly.

My mother was out one night, as she loved to play bingo, and my father came home…mad at the world. He was drunk, as he was most of the time.
He got the vacuum cleaner extension cord and trapped me in a room and
beat me until the skin was coming off my back. To this day, I don’t know
what would make a person do something like that to a child. But thank
God that in my mind, I left. I didn’t feel it anymore, just like in PRECIOUS. How this girl would leave in her mind. I learned to use my gift, as it was my imagination that let me escape.  After he was done with his rant he passed out. Since my aunt lived two doors down, I ran to her. She saw me and was horrified. She loaded her 357 and went to kill him. Holding a gun to his head, her husband came and stopped her.

Memories at 40: I got a call not long ago from a friend. He told me that a man that I knew from church when I was a kid had died and he didn’t have any insurance. His family was trying to reach out to me to see if I would pay for his funeral. I quickly said no, but I wish I would have said yes.  There is something so powerful to me in burying the man that molested me.  I wish I would have dug the grave myself.

Memories at 40: I was about 8 or 9 years old. I had a crush on a little girl across the street. She would come over to my house and we’d play.  She was about 12 or 13. One day she stopped coming and when I asked her
why, she told me that my father was touching her. I didn’t believe her, so I walked her into staying one night. We were both asleep — she was in one bed and I was in another. I opened my eyes to see my father trying to touch her and her pushing him away. I moved in my bed trying to make him think I was waking up. He looked over at me and left out of the room. Not long after that, he beat me mercilessly for something again. Another mind game set up, so I told my mother what he had done.  The blood drained from her face. We left that day. We were at my Aunt’s house and he came there about 1am. Not long after that we were back at home. Nothing would compare to the random, drunken, violent beatings I would receive from then until I was 19.

Memories at 40: We would spend the summers in the country, with my father’s adoptive mother. As a kid I was always sick. I had asthma and he hated it. He hated that I wasn’t strong and viral like him. He hated that I couldn’t be in the sawdust, pollen and the raw lumber like him.  He hated that I liked to read and write and draw. He hated that me and my middle sister were darker-skinned than him. He didn’t think he could make a dark baby. He just hated everything about me I guess. Anyway, I had to go to the doctor every Tuesday to get shots to control my allergies. When his mother found out she said, “Ain’t nothing wrong with that damn boy…he just got germs on him. Stop wasting all that money.”  When my mother left to visit some friends I heard what sounded like water running in a tub but it was sporadic. She came and got me out of the living room leaving my Matchbox cars on the floor. She said she was going to kill these germs on me once and for all. She gave me a bath in ammonia.

Grateful at 40: I was asked recently how I made it through all of this, (half has not even been told) and my answer to that is…I know for a fact that there is a GOD. When my father would say or do those things to me, I would hear this voice inside of me say, “That’s not true” or, “Don’t believe that” or, “You’re going to make it through this”.  I didn’t know at the time what “it” was, but today I surely have no doubt that “it” was GOD. That voice always gave me comfort. It allowed me to hold on. It kept me from being strung out on drugs, from dying when I wanted to commit suicide. It kept me from being a gang banger or drug dealer. Worse than all of those things put together, it kept me from being him. It brought angels to comfort me after every foul, harsh word
or every welt on my legs or back.  GOD, only GOD.

To know that the little boy that I was went through all that — he went through and made it. Then me, as a man…I have to take on the responsibility of forgiving all of those people. I owe it to that little boy that I was and, more than that, I owe it to the man that I am.  Think about it, as a child we have no recourse. We have nowhere to go.  We have to endure it. But as adults, we have choices. I choose to forgive with all my might. Forgiveness has been my weapon of choice. It has helped to free me.

If you’re having a hard time getting over something in your life, maybe you can try forgiveness too. It’s not easy, but it does bring forth healing. I know that there are a lot of people out there with stories far worse than mine but you, too, can make it. To those of you who have, welcome to life. I celebrate you. We’re all PRECIOUS in His sight.

TP

To respond to this message, please go to
http://www.tylerperry.com/messageboard

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Pilate therefore said unto Him, Are You a king then? Jesus answered, You say that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.  Every one that is of the truth hears My voice.

John 18:37 

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Battle Prayer
By: Elzie Mayfield Williams

High above the clouded sky
my rescued soul rejoices
It bid my wretched self, good-bye
and arose above bad choices

I prayed, Dear Lord, Deliver me
He heard my urgent request
His grace took hold and set me free
and put my soul at rest

(so) I thank you lord, so very much
for sending forth your Son
and when I’m tested, I’ll seek your touch
for I know in my heart the battle’s already won

Good Morning Beloved,

Thank God for Truth.  Contrary to popular opinion, there is a Truth that never changes.  The Truth of the Gospel… God sending His son for lost humanity (John 3:16).  Jesus is the way, the TRUTH and the life no one comes to the Father except by Him (John 14:6).  He is the door (John 10:7).  Jesus told Pilate that everyone who is of the truth will hear Him.  They hear Him in their heart.  What He says will connect with their spirit.  My mother used to tell me not to argue with people over the bible.  No matter how well thought out your point, there are some who do not want to believe, and will argue, just for the sake of arguing.  They have already made up their mind, they do not want Jesus or the Bible.  We are admonished to “go into the highways and hedges and compel them to come” (Luke 14:23), but there is also a time when we will have to “shake the dust off of our feet and move on” (Mark 6:11).  We use discernment, to distinguish between the two.  Hearing and receiving the Truth is how we all became children of God.  By the same token, hearing and receiving truth is our answer to whatever question we are dealing with today.  Sometimes the truth hurts.  It is not pleasant to hear what we are doing, or not doing, that is contributing to the problem, but when we take heed change is inevitable.  It is worth the initial ‘hurt feelings’ if in the end we fix the issue.  Remember the ultimate goal is for us to look like Jesus… different looks, likes, dislikes, assignments, personalities… same Holy Spirit… same destination.

…. and that Beloved is Good News!

U Blessed!

Have A Fabulous Day

Regina 

“Here I Am”, Kevin LeVar and One Sound

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arJGD6qqPCo

“He Reigns”, Kevin and One Sound

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

“Well Done”, Tye Tribbett & GA

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

Balloon Popper -John 8:31,32 82 of 130   Satan’s lies can seem scary, but they are no match for the truth of God, found in His word. June 1, 2008     King James Version view cartoons in Biblical order Copyright 2009 Michael D. Waters Concentration -Isaiah 26:3 34 of 130   There are plenty of voices in this world telling us that we are going to fail. But if we keep our attention on the Lord and His Word, and trust in Him, we will succeed. June 17, 2007 Made To Fly -Ephesians 2:10 79 of 130   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.

Shepherd’s Voice -John 10:27 120 of 130   With all of the voices there are in our lives, from the television, radio, internet, etc. we need to remember to take time to listen to the voice of Jesus, our shepherd. April 26, 2009

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
[Hebrews 11:1]

“Now Faith”

Good Morning Beloved,

This morning is so pretty.  The sun is shining… just lovely…and cold.  However, the forecast today calls for sunny skies and highs in the 60’s.  I mused over the sight of people in light jackets, and thin sweaters.  Some were not wearing jackets at all… over the word of the Meteorologist.  That is faith.  Now tonight, according to the same forecasters, the temps could go down to the 30’s… hopefully the non-coat wearing people will be indoors by that time.  OK… laying my weather girl hat aside, the verse “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” leaped in my heart.  No one has ever ’seen’ this day before, but they believe that it will be warm, because they have put a measure of trust in the weatherperson.  They have invested their comfort, and even their health into what that person said late last night, or early this morning.  Some have even planned their day accordingly.  That is great faith.  We have it, sometimes it just needs to be re-directed.  Ever been around a person that sees a dark cloud no matter how sunny the day.  These folks are always waiting for tragedy to strike.  They can never truly enjoy anything because they live in a constant state of, “yeah but, and what if”.  We are admonished to “be sober and vigilant”, and to also know that we are ‘more than conquerors”.

… and that Family is Good News!

U Blessed

Have A Fabulous Day… enjoy the sun.. and the Son

Regina

“God Has Not Forgot”, TONEX

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYbnIDuHQ5o

“Standing In Your Will”, Men of Standard

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

“Your Will”, Darius Brooks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qxs0sfURZM

“Because of Who You Are”, Vicki Yohe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6WexG9uAJI

Faith Fuel -Romans 10:17 5 of 118   We need to have faith in God to get us down the highway of life, to the destination that God has planned for us. The Word of God is the fuel that keeps our faith moving along. January 1,

Don’t Worry -Matthew 6:26,27 12 of 118   It can be easy to let yourself fall into the trap of worrying about money. We must learn to trust that God will take care of us, and provide for us, just as He takes care of the birds

Copyright 2009 Michael D. Waters

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

For we walk by faith, not by sight..
2 Corinthians 5:7

Good Morning Beloved,

Things are not always as they appear.  I remember 2 high school friends, who told me in later years, that they were afraid to approach me.  They thought I was mean and did not want to be bothered.  The truth was I was shy and quiet — in the beginning, but once you got to know me watch out!  That is why it is not good to make assumptions, based on limited knowledge.  The same is true in our Christian journey.  We see many things with our eyes that sometimes directly contradict what God has already told us.  We say, “God, companies are laying off people in droves, businesses are shutting down, the economy is under the toilet”… God said He would, “supply all of our need according to HIS riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippian 4:19)“…  We say, “But God, so many Christians are suffering from crippling depression, thoughts of suicide, anger issues, and mental instability”…  He said, “greater is HE that is within you, then he that is in the world (1 John 4:4)“… We say, “I don’t understand how a loving and powerful God could allow such terrible things to happen” … He said, “trust in ME with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge ME and I will direct your path (Proverbs 3:5)“.. We say, “but God, people who name the name of Christ are dishonoring themselves, compromising and discarding their faith left and right”… He said, “I am the Good Shepherd; I know MY own sheep, and they know ME, (John 10:14) … We say, “yeah, but I don’t feel like a child of God all the time”… HE said, “I will never leave, nor forsake you (Hebrew 13:5)…” … “I am with you always even until the end of this world (Matthew 28:20)“… We say, “God, it’s hard to trust someone we cannot see”… and He says, “blessed are those who believe and have not seen (John 20:29)“… Things are not always as they appear. Things are happening behind the scenes.  Things we would not believe and could not understand right now.  But our senior saints can tell you, we’ll understand it better…. by and by…  Now I know that assaults our information driven psyche.  We have all sorts of knowledge at our fingertips.  We want answers and we want them now.  Good.  Seek answers.  God is never intimidated by an honest question, coming from a sincere heart.  He invited us to “come and reason together with Him“…

… and that Beloved Child of God is Good News!

U Blessed

Have A Fabulous Day!

Regina

Truth vs. Lies -Proverbs 12:19 111 of 112   Colossians 2:15 tells us that Jesus disarmed the powers and authorities…triumphing over them by the cross. The only weapons Satan has left to him are his lies, but they are no match for the truth of God’s Word. February 15, 2009

Jungle Guide -John 16:13 100 of 112   This world can seem as a dark, impenetrable jungle of various doctrines and beliefs. But, we have the map of God’s Word, and we have a guide, the Holy Spirit, to help us find the path of truth. November 2, 2008

JUST FOR FUN….

Pretty Cool  Don’t ask me!  I don’t know how it’s done!!   ——————————————————- Read out loud the text inside the triangle below.  More than likely you said, ‘A bird in the bush,’! and. …….  if this IS what YOU said, then you failed to see  that the word THE is repeated twice!  Sorry, look again.  Next, let’s play with some words.  What do you see?  In black you can read the word GOOD, in white the word EVIL (inside each black letter is a white letter).      Now, what do you see?  You may not see it at first, but the white spaces read the word optical, the blue landscape reads the word illusion. Look again! Can you see why this painting is called an optical illusion?  What do you see here?  This one is quite tricky!  The word TEACH reflects as LEARN.  Last one.  What do you see?  You probably read the word ME in brown, but…….  when you look through ME you will see YOU!  Do you need to look again?   Test Your Brain  This is really cool. The second one is amazing so please read all the way though.                                   ALZHEIMERS’ EYE TEST     Count every ‘ F ‘ in the following text:  FINISHED FILES ARE THE RE  SULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTI  FIC STUDY COMBINED WITH  THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS…  (SEE BELOW)  HOW MANY ?  WRONG, THERE ARE 6 – no joke.  READ IT AGAIN !  Really, go Back and Try to find the 6 F’s before you scroll down.    The reasoning behind is further down.  The brain cannot process ‘OF’.     Incredible or what? Go back and look again!!  Anyone who counts all 6 ‘F’s’ on the first go is a genius.                      Three is normal, four is quite rare.  Send this to your friends.  It will drive them crazy.!  And keep them occupied  For several minutes..!      look at the spinning woman and if she is turning right your right side of your brain is working If she is turning left your left side of your brain is working . If she turns both ways for you then you have a 160 or better IQ  More Brain Stuff .  From Cambridge University .  Olny srmat poelpe can raed tihs.  I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty  uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig  to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can s itll raed it wouthit a porbelm.   Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs psas it on  !!

Monday, January 5, 2009

 He loves righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.

[Psalm 33:5]

[Romans 2:4]

“umm-ummm Good”

Good Morning Beloved,

I’m feeling really ‘churchy’ this morning!  LOL!!  I have tears in my eyes just thinking about God’s goodness in my life.  He brought me into another year… He didn’t have to.  He brought my beautiful family and my dear friends through.   So many didn’t make it… so many are in critical life and death situations as I write this.  I just gotta give God all my praise and testify that God is so Good.  I may have little issues and minor irritations, but I have no complaints… oh He is so very, very ‘God’ …. and so, so, so very good.  Beautiful, magnificent, splendid absolutely worthy of all praise.  All sufficient, all-knowing, all-powerful, completely perfect in every way.  I visited the mother of our church in the hospital, mother Alice Hughes.  She was my daughter’s first baby-sitter.  She kept my daughter from the time she was 4 months old, until she started school.  My daughter is 20 and everybody knows that she is “Ms. Alice’s baby”.  Ms. Alice has so many children, grand-children and great-grand-children she herself has lost count, but my daughter is still special to her… she’s always sneaking her something.  The doctor’s have diagnosed her with cancer and say she has about 6 months to live.  Please keep her and her family lifted in prayer.  We know that God has the final say so.  Ms. Alice has reassured her family that which ever way it goes, she is going to be alright.  She is ready to go home … to her physical home and to be with Jesus.  She has so much peace and she looks absolutely beautiful.  She tells everybody that will listen that the devil is a liar … God is real … and He is good …

Family that is Good News!

“Umm Good”, Smokie Norful

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQh_Y0QmQyg

“God Is Good”, Regina Belle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy4dwdJKiy4

Garment of Praise -Isaiah 61:3 91 of 105   All around us in this world is the spirit of heaviness, despair and depression. The garment of praise can protect us from these, even though it may look silly to some. August 10, 2008

Fighter -1 Timothy 6:12 90 of 105   I heard someone say that a good fight is one you win. In our fight of faith, we can take courage from knowing that God promises that we will win in the end. August 3, 2008

Thursday, December 4, 2008

‘God will hear me’

Good Morning Beloved,

A small phrase of incalculable worth… “God will hear me”.  Not only does God know all and see all, but He hears all.  It can be a tough concept to wrap our mind around.  Isn’t it amazing how we can see God working in the lives of others, but the question of our heart is, “does God hear me“.  I believe more people would move into their giftings faster, if they were sure that what they heard was from God.  Once we move beyond the “can God” stage of our faith journey, the next question is “will God …for me”… Remember the fellow with leprosy.  He said:

In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground, begging to be healed. “Lord,” he said, “if you are willing, You can heal me and make me clean.”  Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” He said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared.”  {Luke 5:12-13}

Wow…. that’s it?  Seems almost too easy right?  I believe Jesus is not as hard to get along with as folks may think.  He has standards, He have given us commandments and instructions.  He has even made wisdom available for us.. it is ours for the asking.  One thing He does not do is force Himself on us.  He values our free will.  We are honored above any living being on the planet, to be able to freely choose a relationship with our magnificent Creator.  We need to listen to His Word with ‘ears’ of faith.  I’m a living witness that you’re not going to like everything you hear.  Why?  Because we are finite and we only know what we think we know and no more().  Ever been proven wrong about something you just knew was true?  At one time ‘experts’ believe the earth was flat.  A teacher once told me that there were people who actually believed you could fall off of the earth.  My grandmother refused to get a color television for years, because she thought the rays would kill you.  How many people have found out that their family structure is… shall we say.. not what they were told.  I had a friend whose mother told him and his siblings that she was part Latina/part native american, when in fact she was a full-blooded member of the Algonquin nation born and raised.  She taught them spanish, so they had no reason to question it.  He was well over thirty when he found out his true heritage through an off-handed comment he made to his uncle (her brother).  Her family did not know she was lying, her kids had very little contact with the other side of their family and the subject never came up.  We only know what we know. Now, we have access to knowledge like never before… but there is still so much to discover, invent, build, improve upon. Remember this story about George Washington Carver:

For years farmers had been planting cotton season after season. They were depleting the soil and actually producing less and less. Carver also watched the destructive path the boll weevil made as it worked its way through the South. He warned farmers that their cotton crops would disappear and all that would remain would be famine and unusable soil. With crop rotation Carver ushered in a new era in agriculture in the South. He encouraged the farmers to plant sweet potatoes, peanuts and soybeans to help restore the soil. These crops were easy to grow and provided the much needed nutrients for soil.  When the farmers did listen, they found themselves with a huge crop of peanuts and no market for their crop. Farmers were mad at Carver. The story goes that he locked himself in his laboratory and asked God why He made the peanut. Days later he emerged with over 300 products that could be made from the peanut plant. Years later Carver was asked to speak before Congress about these discoveries and the usefulness of peanuts.

 

God is no respecter of persons, if He spoke to the folks in the bible, if He spoke to George Washington Carver… He can speak to you and make His will for your life clear.

… and that is Good News!

U Blessed!

Have A Fabulous Day

Regina

Don’t Worry -Matthew 6:26,27 12 of 103   It can be easy to let yourself fall into the trap of worrying about money. We must learn to trust that God will take care of us, and provide for us, just as He takes care of the birds of the air. January 1, 2007

Friday, November 21, 2008

Faith Fuel - Romans 10:17 5 of 102   We need to have faith in God to get us down the highway of life, to the destination that God has planned for us. The Word of God is the fuel that keeps our faith moving along. January 1, 2007

Oh, be careful little eyes, what you see.
Oh, be careful little eyes, what you see.
There’s a Father up above, looking down in tender love,
So be careful little eyes, what you see.

 

Be careful little ears what you hear
Be careful little mouth what you say…
Be careful little hands, what you touch…

Be careful little feet, where you go…

Sound advice because what we give our attention to affects us… good and bad.  A little test… the next time you’re really aggravated, irritated and grouchy… do a quick mental note on what you’ve been watching and listening to.  I’ve done it and it is amazing.  Many years ago, a friend who is like a sister to me, moved in with my mom and me.  She was an exceptional ‘house-guest’, however, at the time she was into the group “Public Enemy”.  She would play this one particular song every morning….. every morning.  I believe it was “Fight the Power”.  I only remember the ‘errrr errrr  errrr errrrrr’ sound in the song.  It was very annoying.  Normally, she was very sweet and mild-tempered, but I noticed how different she was during this song.  Stomping through the house, slamming doors, cursing under her breath… just aggravated.  It was weird… she didn’t even notice she was acting that way …until I told her.  When she stopped listening to that song in the morning…she was normal.  What commands our attention?  When we hear ‘faith’… when we hear the Word of God, it will affect us for the good.  Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.  We should read the paper, listen to the news, keep informed on what is going on around us.  I believe our prayers are even more powerful and effective when we pray for specific situations.  I have adopted the habit of hearing from God first though.  I do not read, or listen to the news until I have either read something from God’s word, or heard something God-focused on my iPod.  My spirit has to have a Godly cushion to absorb the weight of one local, national or world-wide crisis after another that is reported.  God can handle it, and nothing escapes His notice… He knows the end from the beginning so nothing surprises Him.  Remember my boy Joseph?  I was reminded by a teaching yesterday of something I never thought about.  What would have happened if Pharaoh’s butler had remembered Joseph.  What possible motive would Pharaoh have had to release Joseph — a Hebrew slave accused of the attempted rape of the wife of one of his highest officials. We know he didn’t do it, but they didn’t have the benefit of Genesis.  It was looking really grim for Joseph and he could have given into despair.  He was in prison.  Loneliness, depression, violence, anger, and hopelessness was all around him.  He kept his faith in what he had heard about God as a child, as well as what God had showed him in his dreams.  Pharaoh began to have dreams that shook his foundation and he was desparate for an answer.  Now, he has a reason to need something… and Joseph was the only man in the land who had the wisdom and knowledge they needed to survive.  He made it.  We will too…. hold on to what God gave you, no matter how long ago it was that you received it…. it’s coming!