Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

[Matthew 28:16-20]

The Promise…

Good Morning Beloved!

Happy Friday!  … Jesus said that He would “never leave us nor forsake us”.  How long is never?  No matter where we are… there He is.  Sometimes so silent we wonder if He didn’t turn His head away from us.  I’ve heard the heart cry of many of God’s people who want to know “why?”.  Why are they going through what they’re going through.  Why is the wicked seemingly prospering even as they curse and mock the name of God at every turn.  We are not alone in that sentiment.  All throughout the Bible God’s own have had the same question… from Job to Jesus.  Why?  We have the benefit of seeing how their stories turned out, but our own story isn’t finshed yet.  God is turning situations around, and strengthening us in the middle of where we are.  On my job I have been stretched and tested for the past two weeks.  The blessing of having God’s Word in me, is that in the midst of whatever-it speaks to my heart and encourages me.  I am learning things that will stand me in good stead.  Valuable information.  Keeping in mind that God has promised that He would be with us always.  He will never leave nor forsake us.  How many have said that they could not have deserted Jesus, if they saw Him with their own eyes.  In the text, we learn that some of Jesus disiciples that were with Him, who witnessed His miracles first-hand.. doubted.  We have the benefit of not only knowing what they knew, but we have had our own experiences.  Didn’t He make a way before?  Remember, His “ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts”.  “All things” really will “work together for our good” … it may not BE good, but it will work out FOR our good.  I am typing this offering of love, but our story, even though it is still being written out in our everyday life, in the eyes of the Master it is already finished… and it is a best seller.  He knows that.. He’s just waiting for us to catch up with Him and know that too.

… and that Beloved is Good News!

Y Stress? … U Blessed!

Have A Fabulous Day and a Wonderful Weekend!

Regina

 

Thursday, April 15, 2010

But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him.

 [1 Corinthians 2:9]

 R U Ready 4 it?

Good Afternoon Beloved,

What if someone comes to you right now and gives you something you had been waiting on for years?  What if you receive a call offering you that “dream” job, or you walk around the corner and meet someone who knocks you off your feet?  Are you ready? Are you really ready to receive what you’ve been waiting for?  Admittedly, there are areas in our life where we’ve been mocking time.  The church I attend is a bible-believing assembly.  We believe that, “God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think according to the power that works within us”.  That part is relatively easy for us.  Here’s the thing, I’ve seen people testify that God is going to cause them to sing all over the world, and I’ve heard these same folks decline a request from someone who wants them to come and sing at their church, or not have the “time” for such an opportunity.  What happened?  Legless faith.  “Talk is cheap, it takes money to buy land”.  That’s what my Grandma used to say. Talking is free.  No cost.  Putting legs to our faith and walking it out is going to take hard work and some sacrifice.  It’s going to cost when people look at you and tell you that you’re crazy… that it hasn’t been done before and you’re only wasting your time.  It may cost some sleep.  When you want to sleep in on Saturday, you may have to rehearse.  When you want to hang out with friends, you may need to stay home and study.  Ask anyone with any success in anything and they say the same.  Basically, “faith without works is dead” … Remember we “can do all things through Christ who strengthens us”. 

 It’s coming… sooner than you think are you ready?

 …. and Beloved that is Good News!

 Y Stress? … U Blessed!

 Have A Fabulous Day

Regina

I received this message from the pen of Mr. Tyler Perry.. writer, producer, director, actor, philanthropist, etc. ~

I was looking through my personal photo album the other day, and I ran across some pictures of my mother from last year.  I was looking at her face in these pictures…she was so happy.  I had asked her to take a walk with me, as I was trying to get her to do a little exercise.  She was so tired since she had just come in from dialysis, but whenever I asked her to do something she would always put on a smile and try it.  She and I walked very slowly up her driveway.  She was laboring but still so happy.
She was telling me how much she loved her house and how thankful she was.

She said she never would have imagined being able to live in such a fine house (her words).  She said she always wanted to know what it was like to live like Mrs. Chancellor (from “The Young and the Restless”) and wondered what it would be like to have a maid and “now I know” she said.  We laughed about that for a second and then I asked her how that made her feel…she quickly said “loved.”  So, as I looked at that picture, I
thought about that moment with tears in my eyes and I began to get really sad.  Then I looked down at the bottom of the picture and saw the date, it was January 4th 2009.

I asked myself this question, if someone had told me that by the same time next year she would have passed, would I have any regrets?  I thought about it for a few seconds and I can honestly say that I have no regrets.

With that thought, I felt the greatest sense of peace come over me.  I have no regrets.  That is the best feeling.  I know that I did everything in my power for her.  I can truly say there is not one thing I would change.  I didn’t realize how much of a blessing that was until I thought about it.

I want to ask you that question today.  Think about this…if I said to you, by this time next year, someone you love the most will not be here, would you have any regrets?

What a thought, right?

We waste so much time on petty grievances and arguments, being angry about things that don’t really matter.  If I can tell you anything, it would be to fix the things you have done wrong.  We live in so much fear by not telling the people we love how  much they mean to us, or never even revealing to them that we love them.

You don’t want something to happen to the person you love and not have had to have a chance to fix it.  Or, for something to happen and you let that person go to the grave not knowing they were truly loved.  The guilt can be overwhelming.

So take some time today to mend some fences and make peace.  Give some love and get some love.  Even if you try and the other person doesn’t want to hear it, you will rest better knowing that you tried to fix it, that you tried to share it.  Just knowing you tried, period, is enough to give you peace.

This life is short and no man knows the day or the hour.

Tyler Perry

 

   ”The Power Of One”, Israel Houghton

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlmOzJ4rGck

 ”Surely Goodness & Mercy”, Israel Houghton

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hlpui7Mxrlo

 ”Your Will”, Darius Brooks

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTmWEk9GFNc

 ”Hide Me”, Bruce Parham

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSF4WrOTvx4

 ”Call Jesus”, Bruce Parham

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHS8cYl4uhM

 ”Don’t Forget To Remember”, Donald Lawrence w/Lalah Hathaway & Ramsey Lewis

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-76rRvUj4A

Thursday, February 4, 2010

 This is what the LORD says:
   “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans,
      who rely on human strength
      and turn their hearts away from the LORD .
    They are like stunted shrubs in the desert,
      with no hope for the future.
   They will live in the barren wilderness,
      in an uninhabited salty land.

    “But blessed are those who trust in the LORD
      and have made the LORD their hope and confidence.
    They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
      with roots that reach deep into the water.
   Such trees are not bothered by the heat
      or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
      and they never stop producing fruit.

[Jeremiah 17:5-8]

Yeah… for folks who live as though this is all that there is, life can be pretty depressing at times.  Even for the born-again, spirit-led, blood-washed, bible-totin’, scripture-quotin’ saint of the Most High God it can get a little tough.  The difference is we know in Whom we have believed.  Things may get a little rocky… but we know that “The Rock” of our salvation has us in His steady Hands. He is able to, “..keep us from falling and to present us faultless before before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy…” (Jude 1:24). Trust and believe that no matter what is going on, He is still, “able to do exceeding, abundantly above all that we could ask or think according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20).  Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about my Grandmother “Elnora Curry McCloud” or ‘Ms. El-Nor’.  It is probably because the threat of this Friday’s impending blizzard, has stirred memories of the snow storm of ’83.  The snow was so high, we could not open the door of our trailer and were stuck inside.  My Grandma was a pet lover, and out of concern for her critters, she brought them all inside to stay with us until the weather cleared. Along with the 4 chickens (2 of which were named “Buffy” & “Hilde” remember “Bosom Buddies” -Tom Hanks & Peter Scholari), we had the dog “Smutt”, the cat “OJ” and the duck “Boo”.  That was one long winter.  In the midst of a weird and smelly situation, we learned to cope.  I learned from my grandmother and my mother that you can do anything you want to do… if you want it bad enough. They both had practical working knowledge of the bible.  What they learned, they practiced.  Grandma did not tolerate blasphemy and was careful what she said.  She could not read or write very well, (had to drop school to take care of her family) but was able to read and understand the bible.  She was a living testimony.  It blows my mind that if she were still here, she would be 111 years old!  Even though she is gone, just like the verse above, she has never stopped producing fruit.  What is even more beautiful is that my grandmother never had any biological children, but she adopted my mom when she was a baby, from a young girl who had a lot of problems.  Her God provided a daughter for her that loved, cherished and provided for her.  Not only that, but she gave her a grand-daughter (me), that kept her youthful and vibrant.  Not only that, but he gave her a second grand-daughter, my friend Tina that also helped to take care of her in her latter days.  She never traveled any farther than Baltimore, never, ever wanted to get on an airplane, or a cruise, but to her, her life was full, rich and meaningful.  She never wanted for anything.  She was blessed with wisdom and wit.  She was strong and tenacious (some might say stubborn, probably where I get it from), and really did not care what people thought of her.  But she was full of love, funny and sweet and her legacy lives on… through those who love and remember her and what she taught us.  What she taught us, we have passed on to Jah and the children that are all around us.  God kept her and honored her… just like he said he would… He’s a God who keeps His Word!

 ”May The Work I’ve Done Speak For Me”, The Consolers

(my grandma’s favorite song) 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euuNvaSezY0

“Grandma’s Hands”, Bill Withers

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

“Grandma’s Hands”, Y’anna Crawley

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXiE6zYHo2Y

“Lost Without You”, LeJuene Thompson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CnfIDsblb4

“Born Again”, Lejuene Thompson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puLpcHwh99c

“Cast Your Cares”, Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers w/LeJuene Thompson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTQwem9kQjw

“God Specializes”, Gloria Griffin, Donald Vails, and the Celebration Delegation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlHmlC054T4

“Farther Along”, Pastor E. Dewey Smith

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7JGahCqGH4