Breakfast For Your Soul

Monday, May 24, 2010

The “Breaks”

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
[Jeremiah 29:11]

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

[Psalm 27:14]

Good Afternoon Beloved,

I know you’ve heard the term, “thems the breaks!”.  Usually, it is used to describe an unfortunate event, and is tinged with defeat, sarcasm, and sadness.  I love the irony of the English language.  Some say it is one of the most difficult to learn (we should be proud to have mastered it).  It is interesting that a single phrase can have two totally opposite meanings… negative and positive.  The ”breaks” can be negative–broken promises, broken toes; or positive–a big break on an important case or breaking into “show business”.  Whatever “break” we need, our God who sees will make sure we get it.  Why?  Because He is God.  Remember “all things work together for the good of them who love God and who are the called according to His purpose”, “no good thing will He withhold from them who walk upright”, “eyes have not seen, nor ears heard, neither has entered into the heart of man, the good things which God has prepared for those who love Him”, “the promises of God are ‘yes’ and ‘amen’”.  He is “near to the broken-hearted”.  Why?  Because “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement for our peace was upon Him and by His stripes we are healed” .  Those, and so many more promises were made by our King and Redeemer.  He did all of that with purpose in mind…a reconnected relationship with us. A real relationship is not one-sided.  It is a two-way street.  One person can try to hold it together, but at some point the other person must “put somethin’ in the relationship pot” or it will not work for long.  God made the first move.  He suffered all that He did to purchase our freedom from hells’ grip and to bring us back into fellowship with Him.  His love knows no bounds.  There is nothing too hard for Him.  There will be times when He will allow us to go through some situations where we feel as though He has completely abandoned us.  In the times when we can’t understand the ‘hows’ and ‘what fors’ in our situation, He has done enough for us already to understand His heart.  There are plans that He has in motion right now, that were He to tell us, we would either not believe it, or we (or someone else) would panic and sabotage it.  I’ve place some things on the altar that I honestly don’t have an answer for.  I can’t tell you when break-through is coming… I simply believe that it IS coming.  I’ve experienced enough God to trust that He knows what He is doing.  There is a reason for everything… Ecclesiastes 3 tells us, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” … so I’m holding on no matter how bumpy the ride… I know that the Driver is excellent!

… and that Beloved is Good News!

Y Stress? … U Blessed!

Have A Fabulous Evening

Regina 

“Shelter” (Psalm 91), Jumelle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wwt2mSjXxBw

“I Was Created To Worship”,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1StT119raYk

“He’s Able”, Darwin Hobbs w/Dietrick Hadden & the Voices of Unity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIAGWndg2Fw

“The Best In Me”, Pastor Marvin Sapp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgwt-UhPhhs

Friday, January 8, 2010

 All praise to God, the Father of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with CHRIST. Even before He made the world, GOD loved us and chose us in CHRIST to be holy and without fault in His eyes.  GOD decided in advance to adopt us into His own Family by bringing us to Himself through JESUS CHRIST. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure.  So we praise GOD for the glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to His dear SON.  He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the Blood of His SON and forgave our sins.  He has showered His kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.  GOD has now revealed to us His mysterious plan regarding CHRIST, a plan to fulfill His own good pleasure.  And this is the plan: At the right time He will bring everything together under the authority of CHRIST—everything in heaven and on earth.  Furthermore, because we are united with CHRIST, we have received an inheritance from GOD, for He chose us in advance, and He makes everything work out according to His plan.

[Ephesians 1:3-11]

Good Morning Beloved,

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

 

I am reminded of a biblical practice of the patriarchs of old… the blessing of the child by their father.  The father would lay his hands on his child and speak over them.  For those mentioned in scripture, everything they spoke over their children came to pass.  Israel, Issac, David, among others were men of God who trusted God and were intuned to His voice concerning their families.  We are sorely lacking that element in our society.  Many because they do not have fathers in their lives to bless them, others have fathers around, but they do not understand the significance and power this simple act holds… even in the Body of Christ. That is the place to start, if every man of God would take this to heart and grab their children and start speaking life over them, we will see a difference.  While the child is in the womb is not too soon, as they leave for college, or to get married or to enter the work force is not too late.  In my community, households are made up of predominantly single women.  In these instances we find ourselves in a position that was never God’s best or intention.  As nothing takes Him by surprise, He is the answer to that too.  He said that He will be “Father to the fatherless”.  I have seen that in my own life.  Neither I, nor my daughter ever had the benefit of a father growing up.  The last time I saw my father alive I was 5 years old.  When my daughter was an infant, my mother lifted her up to God (literally..for those who remember the scene in “Roots”… yeah she did that).  I prayed over her as well.  I asked God for help because I had never so much as babysat before, and here I was charged with raising a child of my own.  By placing her in the care of our heavenly Father, something awesome and magnificent happened… He accepted the role of Father over our family.  Now, when she was 5 years old, she accepted Jesus as her Savior all on her own.  Jesse Duplantis was preaching at a local church and when he gave the altar call, I felt her push past me and walk to the altar.  Her life has been a testament to the care, provision and goodness of her Heavenly Father.  He has blessed her in so many ways.  He has lavished favor on her.  I wish I could tell you the number of times she has wanted something, and we simply did not have it to give to her and it would come from another source. He made a way for her to go to a private Christian School up to her last year in high school.  He blessed her to get scholarships, internships, trips you name it.  She is blessed because the God of our Salvation laid His Hands on her and spoke into her future.  She has not seen half of what He has in store for her.  That is the testimony of every blood-bought Believer.  It would have been wonderful to have had a father that knew and loved God.  A father that knew his purpose, but God is able to create beauty from ashes.  He knows our every situation, and has laid His hand on our head and blessed us.  He has given us His strength… endowed us with His Spirit… infused us with the light of the knowledge of His Son… surrounded us with His Angels to keep us in all of our ways… given us authority and power to use His name to gain access into heavenly places where we’re seated with Him… and so much more…

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

… the people that do know their GOD shall be strong, and do exploits.

[Daniel 11:32]

Good Morning Beloved,

This verse has been lodged in my heart all week long.  “Exploits” is defined by Merriam-Webster as, “a notable or heroic act”.  Exploit is one of those interesting words that can have negative or positive connotations.  It can be used productively, example: “exploiting our talents for the good”.  It can also be used to “make use of meanly or unfairly for one’s own advantage”… “exploiting the talents of someone else” .  It seems reasonable to me that the person who “knows” God, intimately will do wonderful exploits for God.  Remember “with God all things are possible to them that believe”.  “All things are possible through Christ who strengthens us”.  Exploits.  Sounds super-hero like.  It is.  The dictionary confirms that we can be ’heroic’, our God is “super”.  An interesting characteristic of a hero is that they don’t really believe they are a hero.  We are surrounded by heroes who have done exploits … and they would be the last person to tell it.  The pastors that have gone above and beyond pastoral care.  Pastors like mine (Bishop Cornell and Angela Hughes) who have taught parishioners and non-parishioners alike how to drive, taken them into their home when they had nowhere to go, babysat their children so that they could work, driven miles out of their way to help someone in distress, sat in hospitals, funeral homes, courtrooms and jails, as well as attending High School Graduations and officiating weddings.  Teachers who lovingly try to infuse their students with a love for knowledge and learning. Parents who without any previous relevant experience, manage with the love of God to raise children to be kind, generous, productive members of society.  Grandparents/Aunts/Uncles/Siblings/Cousins/Family Friends who have had to take on more active roles in child rearing for all sorts of reasons ranging from death to job constraints.  The work may seem “grungy” at times, but the Bible says, “be not weary in well-doing for you shall reap if you faint not”.  God is faithful.  He sees.  Even when all hell seems to be breaking out around us… we see from scripture that we are in good company.  Many of our biblical brothers and sisters were ‘ordinary’ folks, plucked out of obscurity and placed in the Holy Word of God.  Rahab was a prostitute who was only trying to save her family and ended up in the lineage of the Messiah!  David was a little shepherd boy who became the sweet psalmist of Israel and the greatest King they ever had.  He also had the honor of Messiah coming through his lineage.  His son Solomon was born into a situation reminiscent of relationships we see on the daytime talk shows of our day.  His married mother, slept with the king/man of God and ended up pregnant, king tries to trick the husband into having sex with his wife to cover it up, when that plan fails, said king sends the poor unsuspecting fellow into battle carrying orders for his own death!  Afterward, king marries the grieving widow, baby is born… baby dies.  The king comforts his wife and Solomon is conceived…. WHEW!  Can you imagine the talk not only around the kingdom, but within Palace walls.  The rivalries, jealously, anger and pettiness that must have been found there.  Yet the Bible says that God LOVED Solomon.  He blessed his reign with peace on every side and gave him wisdom that is unparalleled… even to this day.  Exploits… wonder what exploits we can accomplish today?  With God “all things are possible”, which means “NO THING” is impossible…

… and that Beloved is Good News!

Y Stress? … U Blessed!

Have A Fabulous Day

Regina

“My Walk”, Canton Jones

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XwvAa7HFYU

“Victory”, Tye Tribbett & GA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFnp4fnCLgI

“Stick Up”, Mali Music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYh-rcT784E

“Kingdom Business”, Canton Jones

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

“Power of One”, Israel Houghton

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

“Surely Goodness and Mercy”, Israel Houghton

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

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