Breakfast For Your Soul

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

…Jesus looked up to Heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son so He can give glory back to You.  For You have given Him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one You have given Him.  And this is the way to have eternal life—to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one You sent to earth.  I brought glory to You here on earth by completing the work You gave Me to do.  Now, Father, bring Me into the glory We shared before the world began, “I have revealed You to the ones You gave Me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your Word.  Now they know that everything I have is a gift from You, for I have passed on to them the message You gave Me. They accepted it and know that I came from You, and they believe You sent Me. “My prayer is not for the world, but for those You have given Me, because they belong to You.  All who are mine belong to You, and You have given them to Me, so they bring Me glory.  Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to You. Holy Father, You have given Me Your Name; now protect them by the power of Your Name so that they will be united just as We are.  During My time here, I protected them by the power of the Name You gave Me.  I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold. “Now I am coming to You. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with My joy. I have given them Your Word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by Your Truth; teach them Your Word, which is truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give Myself as a Holy Sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by Your Truth. “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in Me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as You are in Me, Father, and I am in You. And may they be in us so that the world will believe You sent Me. “I have given them the glory You gave Me, so they may be one as We are one. I am in them and You are in Me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that You sent Me and that You love them as much as You love Me. Father, I want these whom You have given Me to be with Me where I am. Then they can see all the glory You gave Me because You loved Me even before the world began! “O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know You, but I do; and these disciples know You sent Me. I have revealed You to them, and I will continue to do so. Then Your love for Me will be in them, and I will be in them.”
{John 17:1-26}

“The Lord’s Prayer”

Good Afternoon Beloved!

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

For Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, for ever. Amen.

Actually, a more accurate description is probably the “Disciples prayer.  They asked Jesus how they should pray and He told them.  When our Lord Jesus prayed to the Father, this was what He said.  There aren’t enough words to adequately explain the magnitude of this prayer. He wasn’t only praying for the Disciples, He was praying for you and me… over 2000 years ago.  That is … wow… that is breath taking.  Powerful beyond words… not only is He praying for us right now at this very second, but He prayed for us two centuries before our arrival on planet earth.  He knew we were coming.  He knew what we would go through, He knew our first day here and He knows our last day.  He knows how many strands of hair we have on our heads (or lack thereof).  His prayer came from a deep place.  He knew that His time on earth was short and that He had much to accomplish.  His disciples did not understand Him, yet He had to prepare them for what was about to take place in their lives.  He needed them to be ready for the time when He would not physically be with them. Their faith would be tested severely, and they would face hardship and death from their adversaries.  He loved them. That love is evident as He pours out His heart to His Heavenly Father on their behalf. Lest we become consumed with the daily grind, and the constant bombarding of negative thoughts, and images thrown at us.  Or even the yearnings, insecurities and fears hidden within our own hearts, this snapshot in time is recorded in the Holy Scriptures to let us know that through it all –the good, bad and just plain ugly, Jesus is never far away… and He is praying for us.

“With My Whole Heart”,

written by Thomas Whitfield, 1987 Edwin Hawkins Music and Arts Seminar Mass Choir recording, “Give Us Peace”. Thomas Whitfield sings lead.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVOxHRt4fAU

“He’s Able”, Dietrick Hadden

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GVZeRIaAhI

“You Are God Alone”, Pastor Marvin Sapp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccpdk2bQF9M

“Hail Jesus”, Pastor Donnie McClurkin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgMkLxKJdg0

“Glory To The Lamb”, Pastor Marvin Sapp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAisfTzrMN0

“These Nails”, Donald Lawrence w/Blanche McAllister

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

“Praise Him In Advance”, Pastor Marvin Sapp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvganA6nrf0

“Emmanuel”, Norman Hutchins

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=av1omSNOFwE

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

(Philippians 4:6 ~King James Version)

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

{Philippians 4:6 ~New Living Translation)

Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.

{Philippians 4:6 ~Amplified Bible)

Calm Down… It’s Comin’

Good Afternoon Beloved,

Well, it certainly has been an interesting couple of days huh DC/Metro?   I don’t know about you, but our family got a lot of overdue bonding done.  So special.  Well, we just experienced another Valentines Day, and for those who have no ‘love’ for this particular day of celebration…(pun intended)… you made it! Today, I had a strange song repeating over and over in my head.  The melody was the Sam Cook classic “Another Saturday Night and I ain’t got nobody”, but the lyrics were changed to, “Another Valentines Day and I ain’t got nobody”… far too many, ’saints’ and ‘ain’ts’ alike sing this song.  Of course most of us are fortunate enough to have loving friends and family who adore us.  Every one of us is blessed with an eternal God who knows us intimately, yet loves us unconditionally.  “Love itself” is not the issue.  The thing is, that men and women of all races, faces and economic places are traveling in the same ship of singleness.  Many are trying desperately to abandon that ship for the “Love Boat”.  If I’m being honest, I know that feeling all too well.  I’ve even dipped into the sea of “anxiety” a time or two.  Not fun.  I’ve heard all the sermons (I’ve even preached a few of them myself ), and read a lot of books, most having to do with waiting on the Lord for His perfect timing and His “BEST” for us singles.  I’ve had the conversations with well-meaning married brother and sisters-in-Christ who try to convince me that I should enjoy this wonderful time of singleness.  In my twenties, that was cool… I hit my thirties and I was still there… riding with it … “chillin”… now… at 42… well…. let’s just say I’m not as ‘relaxed’ as I once was (!!).  Now we’re gettin’ a wee bit …dare I say it…anxious!  God’s Word is the same, as He is the same.  It is ever-evolving, but never changing.  It will be as relevant 100 years from now as it is this very minute.  I consider myself an upbeat, positive, glass-half-full type of gal, but I experienced a thought last night, that reminded me that I haven’t “arrived”… (wherever “arrived” is).  I was thinking about all of the messages I have heard on “waiting” and I said, “I just don’t wanna hear that anymore”… (that shocks you?… I know, I was shocked myself).  I walked into the living room, turned on the television and who should be speaking but –Pastor Joel Olsteen.  What was he saying?  You guessed it.  He was talking being content where we are, and waiting on God’s perfect timing.  His analogy: The single woman waiting impatiently for a husband.  What did this sweet, anointed, virtuous, powerful, gifted, faithful, seasoned preacher woman of God say? “shut-up Joel!” ….. awwww…. poor Joel.  He was preaching his heart out, but I was having a moment.  Thankfully, “moments” pass, but the Word of God will stand.  No matter how I happen to feel about a situation, the fact still remains, that God is sovereign.  He has a plan for my life that is better than anything I can even imagine right now.  Behind the curtain, He is doing something and soon it will be center stage where everyone (myself included)will be able to see.  Until then… (*sigh) I must… wait on the Lord and be of good courage and He will strengthen my heart.  No matter what… my heart will remain fixed on the God of my Salvation who listens, understands and cares.

…. and that Beloved is Good News!

Y Stress? … U Blessed!

Have A Fabulous Evening

Regina

“I’ll Trust You”, Pastor Donnie McClurkin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NInp9rLCeWc

“For Every Mountain”, Kurt Carr Singers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7YXaJKZunk

“Let The Word Do The Work”, Donald Lawrence

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl0ld7anIC8

“Victory”, Tye Tribbett

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

“Love Him Like I Do”, Deitrick Haddon, Mary Mary & Ruben Studdard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J26y3HpNn-8

“Stay Saved”, Canton Jones

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBXN1t7K2pY

Monday, November 9, 2009

Praise the L ord , all you who fear Him! Honor Him, all you descendants of Jacob! Show Him reverence, all you descendants of Israel! For He has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned His back on them, but has listened to their cries for help.

[Psalm 22:23-24]

“He Heard You”

Good Afternoon Beloved,

Remember how they depicted the ‘grown-ups’ in “Peanuts”.  Whenever an adult would talk all we would hear was “muah muah…muaah… muaaah… muaaah”.  My mother used to say, “yeah I believe that’s what you hear, because you ain’t paying me no rabbit tail attention”.  Some may believe that God hasn’t heard their prayer because they haven’t seen any change (or the situation seems worse).  He has heard, and not in the way our children hear us when they don’t want to do something.  God hearing us means that there is an action on His part coming.  That is when we exercise that ‘patience’ muscle…. ugggghhhh!…. I don’t know about you, but that is a tough one for me.  I can be an impatient, “Let’s get this show on the road kinda girl!”  I’m learning that the best results are not always the instantaneous fixes, but the ones that have been marinated and slow-cooked.  I find I appreciate it more in the long run and I’ve learned a thing or two in the process.  Doing things God’s way may seem to be like going the long way around a short barn, but He knows what He is doing and where He is taking us.  He may not do it the way you want Him to do it… but when it’s done His way, it will be right.

“If you fully obey the L ord your God and carefully keep all His commands that I am giving you today, the L ord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world.  [Deuteronomy 28:1]

He hears us… question is do we hear Him?  When we do, there is no limit to what He will do through, with and for us.

….and that Beloved is Good News!

U Blessed!

Have A Fabulous Evening ;0)

Regina

“Just Wanna Say”, Israel Houghton

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6N7d3A39rls

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

With Your very own Hands You formed me; now breathe Your wisdom over me so I can understand You. When they see me waiting, expecting Your Word, those who fear You will take heart and be glad. I can see now, God, that Your decisions are right; Your testing has taught me what’s true and right. Oh, love me—and right now!—hold me tight! just the way You promised. Now comfort me so I can live, really live; Your revelation is the tune I dance to. Let the fast-talking tricksters be exposed as frauds; they tried to sell me a bill of goods, but I kept my mind fixed on Your counsel. Let those who fear You turn to me for evidence of Your wise guidance. And let me live whole and holy, soul and body, so I can always walk with my head held high.

[Psalm 119:73]

Copyright 2009 Michael D. Waters

Walk In The Light -1 John 1:7 50 of 130   The world around us is dark & scary & full of sin. But if we stay close to Jesus, we will be safe in His light. October 14, 2007

 

Copyright 2009 Michael D. Waters

Construction Site -1 Peter 2:5 55 of 130   If we offer ourselves in service to the Lord, He already knows just the right place we are best suited for. November 18, 2007

 

King James Version view cartoons in Biblical order Copyright 2009 Michael D. Waters

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy hill.  Selah.
Psalm 3:4

O LORD my God, I cried unto You, and You have healed me.
Psalm 30:2

I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and He gave ear unto me.
Psalm 77:1

I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep Your statutes. 
Psalm 119:145

In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and He heard me.
Psalm 120:1

In the day when I cried You answered me, and strengthened me with strength in my soul.
Psalm 138:3

And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and He heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and You heard my voice.

 Jonah 2:2

Your Cry Is Heard

Good Morning Beloved,

No I’m not crying.  I’m not even sad.  As a matter of fact, I feel really upbeat this morning… hopefully you are too.  These verses were laid on my heart, because so many are going through so much.  Somebody needs to know that God has heard your cry. Now, when scripture talks about God ’hearing’ our cry, it means that not only is He hearing us, but He has done something about it.  A basic human need is to be heard.  Not just ‘heard’, but understood.  What parent in their right mind hears their child say that they are hungry, and not feed them if they are able.  When our heart is hurting, and we feel as though we can not handle another thing… God is there.  He was always there, but the strategy of the enemy of our souls is to block God from our view. We see everything but God and sadly many times He becomes our last resort (“well all we can do now is pray”).  Sometimes heaven seems silent, and we can begin to panic.  We try to fix the situation (‘Abraham and Sarah’), and our efforts could have the results of a child trying to fix an iPod with a sledgehammer.  God instructed Jonah to go and preach to the Ninevites.  God wanted to show mercy to that sin-saturated land.  Jonah ran… in the other direction because of his hatred of the people.  Now, fast forward to his whale-belly experience, can you imagine how he must have looked after living in those conditions for three days.  When Jonah finally cried out to God, notice that God never mentioned the sorry state he had gotten himself into.  God simply repeated what he told him to do in the first place.  Jonah’s assignment never changed, his heart wasn’t even changed toward the people… God used him anyway.  That blows my mind.  The people were blessed, from King to peasant, despite their unwilling preacher.  Hopefully, our ‘Jonah’ experiences are few and far in between (non-existent would be GREAT!).  God help us to be more like Daniel who steadfastly trusted God, even when it looked like God was late.  Remember he fasted and prayed for 21 days for an answer to his question.  We may get nervous, but God is never nervous.  His timing is perfect… no matter how far off course we drift, He is able to get us back on track to complete what He started in us. 

The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry.

[Psalm 34:15]

That Beloved is Good News!

U Blessed

Have A Fabulous Day

Regina

“I Have A Friend”, Clint Brown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i3GMSY6Dp4

“Breathe On Me”, sung by Todd Estes (written by Clint Brown)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQJX-InxBro

“Thou Art A Shield For Me”, Byron Cage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB6cFqCBMAE

The Lord is my Strength -Philippians 4:13 121 of 123   Whatever weight we may have to lift, it is good to know that our older brother Jesus is there to give us His strength to lift it. May 10, 2009

Jungle Guide -John 16:13 100 of 123   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.   Copyright 2009 Michael D. Waters

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Oh, how abundant is Your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear You and worked for those who take refuge in You, in the sight of the children of mankind!

{Psalm 31:19 ~ New Living Translation}

Beloved,

Walk in the favor God has bestowed on you today!  God has already blessed you.  We cheat ourselves when we do not realize who we are, and what we actually have.  Cynicism, fear, and procrastination are all symptoms of a much greater problem… lack of trust. When we trust God, we have hope.  When we are hopeful, we are filled with the belief that no matter what is going on right now, God is.  Not only that, but God is a rewarder of them who diligently seek Him.  If I get the new job, God is… if I don’t get it … God is.  If I marry that fabulous “Man-a-God”… God is…. If I never get married… God is… If my baby wins the Nobel peace prize, or becomes the nations’ first black woman president… God is…. if she never gets a job… God is.  If I get that dream house…. God is.. if I don’t …God is.  Regardless, of what my family does, regardless of what the nation does, regardless of what the international community does… regardless of what the economy does, regardless of who believes in Him and who does not believe in Him… it does not negate the fact that He is.  God is…. God is past, present and future all rolled into one.  He never changes and is light years away from us in terms of His thinking, but yet He can hear, understand and respond to the simplest prayer uttered from a mouth whose heart calls out to Him.  God is!  I like the word ‘is’… no matter where we are… there He is….

That my precious friend, is Good News!

U Blessed

Have A Fabulous Day

(… please don’t let the news stress you out…)

Regina

Richard Smallwood “I’ll Trust You”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HAO-7wBZTw

Manila Chamber Singers “I Want Jesus To Walk With Me”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOJ76SqPDeM

Dynamite -Mark 11:22,23 13 of 100   The power of God can remove any obstacle that is preventing you from getting to where God wants you to be. Our faith allows God to release His power in our lives, to remove the mountains in our way. January 13, 2007