Breakfast For Your Soul

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

And when He saw them, He said unto them, Go show yourselves to the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And He said to him, Arise, go your way: your faith has made you whole.

[Luke 17:14-19]

Thankful…. 

Thank You, Gracias, Merci, and in Lesotho where my World Vision sponsor child lives “Ngiyabonga”.  Gratitude in any language is a beautiful thing, and it delights the heart of God.  Jesus wanted to know what happened to the other folks that He had cleansed from Leprosy.  Leprosy was the A.I.D.S of that day.  There was absolutely no cure.  No vaccine.  No treatment.  Nothing could help you.  It was something that you lived with until you died.  People feared it so much, that once you contracted it you were put out of the city.  Your own family could not have contact with you.  You were considered “unclean” -a threat to public health and safety.  These men risked death by even coming in the midst of the crowd.  They took a step of faith and it paid off BIG TIME! .. They were healed of their affliction.  Now, at first glance, it looks like they were going to do as Jesus told them.  “Go show yourselves to the Priest”.  That was their “ticket back into society”.  The Priest was akin to the “law” in their community.  What Jesus marveled at was not that they were going to do as He had said, but that they never said “thank you”.  These were people under the Abrahamic covenant.  Children of Israel. God’s Chosen.  If anybody should have understood the importance of giving glory to God… it was them.  Besides, how much time would it have taken out of their day to stop, turn around and say thank you to the man who in an instant had changed their lives forever, and given them a new lease on life!  The one person who did was a “stranger”. He may not have had the honor of being a “covenant” son, but he had enough gratitude and manners to simply say “Thank You”… It is a sobering thought to me.  I never want to get too “busy” and “bogged” down to tell the Lord “Thank You”… (*pause… *tears*..) .. OK.  God is so good.  He is so faithful.. generous.. compassionate.. slow to anger.. quick to forgive.. beautiful in the ugliest of situations.  His love never fails… His mercies are endless. He is light, love and peace.  Genuine joy and wholeness is found in Him.  He remembers promises He made to us years ago, and He is faithful to bring them to pass.  We think it is for us, but really it brings Glory to Him to bless us.  Think about it.  As parents, how blessed are we when our kids step out looking good.  How does it make us feel when people compliment the manners of our children.  We feel that our children are a reflection of ourselves… good, bad and in-between.  My daughter is a beautiful person.  Soft-spoken, quiet, sweet, caring, beautiful and intelligent. I’ve always known this, still, when people tell me how awesome and wonderful she is, it makes me feel good.  God is the same over His kids.  He is the one who sets us on high.  “..light of the world”..”A city set on a hill that cannot be hid” {Matthew 5:14}.  Allow yourself to be GREAT.  In whatever you do be great.  God has blessed me above measure.  I am awed by what He has done in just the past few months.  When things were looking “rougher than rough”… He stepped in.  He supplied me and my family’s every need and our faith has increased.  We learned even more how to stay at His feet.  How to hold to His “unchanging Hand”.  He has caused me to be placed before great men and women.  Nothing I could have done on my own.  I really wasn’t looking for it, but He has given me my heart’s desire.  (HALLELUJAH JESUS!!!)… Trust God to keep you humble as you’re being exalted and nothing shall be held from you.  We have access to the Throne of God through the Blood of Jesus and “no good thing will He withold from them who walk upright”.  We have the attention of the King of all kings and the Lord of all Lords.  In the broad scheme of things… think about it, what difference does it make if you drive a hooptie or a Maybach.  Whether you live in a roach-infested apartment, or in a mansion in a gated community. All of it will be left where ever it is when the day of the Lord comes… or your day comes whichever comes first…so .. get what you want, but remember to give Thanks to the Lord! …

Have A Fabulous Day and a Wonderful Thanksgiving!

“Be Grateful”, The Hawkins Family

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUEkRp69aIU

“How Can I Say Thank You”, Hezekiah Walker (Monique Walker leading)

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

“God Is Standing By”, Walter Hawkings and Love Center

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWOnuI4-0OY

“God Is Here”, K&K Mime

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

“I Will Bless Thee Oh Lord”, piano solo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41G-VG8yYac

“Thank You”, Walter Hawkins & Donnie McClurkin (AZUSA ’93)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0bI7cG1vfQ

“Already Here”, Brian Courtney Wilson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YkmZBV6AXc

“I Deisre More”, Crystal Aiken

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3nWrD2nF9o

“I Have A Friend”, Clint Brown

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

“Blessed”, Fred Hammond and RFC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwQ8_iqorUE

“Blessed and Highly Favored”, The Clark Sisters

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

“Healing”, Kelly Price

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eV4P7TI522o

“God’s Got A Blessing With Your Name On It”, Norman Hutchins

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn2C0tpF01c

“I Will Bless The Lord”, Byron Cage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBtjP31ZIlQ

 

Jah and I are honored to be in this great production again this year.. there are a lot of changes, so it you’ve seen it.. you really haven’t seen it!  … surprises…

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God

Psalm 147:7

Good Morning Beloved,

I hope you’re having a beautiful morning.  I received this little message from Rex Barker (joke of the day.com):

I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight. My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.

Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.

Today I can feel sad that I don’t have more money or I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.

Today I can grumble about my health or I can rejoice that I am alive.

Today I can lament over all that my parents didn’t give me when I was growing up or I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.

Today I can cry because roses have thorns or I can celebrate that thorns have roses.

Today I can mourn my lack of friends or I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new job relationships.

Today I can whine because I have to go to work or I can shout for joy because I have a job to go to!

Today I can complain because I have to go to school or eagerly open my mind and fill it with knowledge and adventure.

Today I can dejectedly murmur because I have housework to do or I can feel grateful for shelter for my mind, body and soul.

Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped, and here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping. What today will be like is up to me. And I shall decide what kind of day I shall have!”

This is Rex Barker asking you “How will you live TODAY?”. Try reading this every morning for a week, and see how you feel afterwards. And please share this and the other pieces for the week at your Thanksgiving table.

 

An attitude of gratitude.  Regardless of what is going on around us, there is something to be thankful for.  I am thankful for you. You mean a lot to me.  You are a child of God, so that makes us family.  Your natural family may not be the Huxtables, they may be more like the Addams Family, but they are yours.  Make peace where you can, and realize that you do have a place in the Body of Christ.  Your very own seat at God’s table.. you do know that God’s Words tells us,

The bible declares that, “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.” (Psalm 27:10)  You have a natural family (and some of us are blessed to have awesome families…..Elnora, Jah, Jacquie, Diane, LZ, Bev, Tina, Arlene, Shaun… much love), great friends that are family.  The Family of God – family all around you.  It is said that this time of the year is the loneliest time of the year for many people.  Considering the sheer numbers of lonely people, that is a shame… here’s a thought…. go on a people blessing mission…..

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Garment of Praise -Isaiah 61:3 91 of 102   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

Good Morning Beloved,

Suit up!  Put on the full armor of God, but don’t forget to overlay it with the garment of praise. So many of the saints are going through… losing their homes, wayward children, job loss, crazy relationships.  Many are having to sacrifice in ways they never thought they would have to.  Moving in with relatives and friends, selling their homes, over-all downsizing.  With the holidays coming up it is easy to become focused on what we want, what the kids want, what we don’t have, what we need.  We can become over-whelmed, stressed and depressed.  God’s Word tells us that, “God will supply all of our need according to His riches in Glory.” He will provide for us.  It may not come in the way we thought it would, but He will provide.  The songwriter said “be grateful because there is someone else who’s worse off than you”.  If we can look around our table and our circle is unbroken, be grateful, so many have recently lost their loved ones.  If we have a job to be irritated with …be grateful, people are losing their jobs in droves.  If we have a family that gets on our nerves… be grateful, there are people who have no family at all.  If we ate anything at all… be grateful, there are people in the world literally eating dirt.  The old song used to say, “count your blessings, name them one by one, count your many blessings see what God has done”.  That is a good exercise… when storms and trials try push us to the brink of despair and hopelessness… count your blessings and remember how God made a way for you in the past…. He is the same, yesterday, today and forever….

… and that my Royal sibling, is good news!

U Blessed!

Have A Fabulous Day

Regina

(The Hawkins “God Is Standing By”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsyNYTw6Vt8

(The Hawkins “Be Grateful”)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUEkRp69aIU