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May 24, 2012
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Going To School The amazing thing about verse three is that the creator is always our teacher. We are fed physically and spiritually by the word of God. There are challenges in the classroom of the spirit especially when we think that YHWH is going in one direction and we turn in that direction YHWH is nowhere to be found. It’s important for us to remember that YHWH is the teacher and s/he directs us in phenomenal ways. We need to understand that YHWH is our strength, strong tower and liberator as s/he shapes the kingdom here on earth. As disciples our responsibility is to follow the commands that we receive as we walk, talk, and live our faith. Prayer Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. KJV Reflection Continue to do your homework |
May 22, 2012
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I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from which comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade on your right hand. The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever. Lift up Your Eyes Psalms 121 is the anticipation and assurance of Divine Help and trust. It shows that the psalmist depends entirely upon God who made heaven and earth. God is all powerful and we have no need to fear. Jehovah God watches over the destiny of his people. God preserves our coming into the world and God will see us through the crossing of the threshold into his eternal care. “A woman whose work demanded constant reading began to have difficulty with her eyes, so she consulted a doctor. After an examination he said, "Your eyes are just tired; you need to rest them." "But," she replied, "That is impossible in my type of work." After a few moments the doctor asked, "Do you have windows at your workplace?" "Oh, yes," she answered with enthusiasm. "From the front windows I can see the noble peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and from the rear windows I can look out at the glorious foothills." The physician replied, "That is exactly what you need. When your eyes feel tired, go look at your mountains for10 or 20 minutes—the far look will rest your eyes!" What is true in the physical realm is true in the spiritual realm. The eyes of the soul are often tired and weary from focusing on our problems and difficulties. An upward look at God’s majestic creations will restore our spiritual perspective during times when we feel overwhelmed by life's troubles. If we look to the Lord’s word and pray; he will put our problems in perspective and renew our strength. The truest vision is our soul-vision. Looking up to God earnestly, clears our vision and enable us to ask God for help. Looking to God will help us to seek him in our sins and sorrows. Prayer Most awesome, majestic, omnipresent God, thank you for always being present in our lives. Help us to remember to lift up our eyes to you and take a far look to the mountains, to the heavens to all you have created. Help us to remember that these are your creations and yours along. Help us to remember we too are your creation and to remember that you know us better than we know ourselves. Restore our spiritual perspective and renew our courage and strength when we are overwhelmed by life’s troubles. We ask these and all blessings in your holy and precious name. Amen Reflection Lifting our eyes and looking up to God gives us x-ray vision. Lift up our eyes! |
May 14, 2012
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“Jesus said to them; my food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work.” John 4:35 (NRSV) “And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the request made of him.” God’s Will; Will Be Done! The triumphs and challenges of living our lives daily often reflect the questions that are connected to God’s Will or the Will of God for our lives. We as people face at any given moment share expressions of “our will” to do it our way or a heartfelt desire to know and do it (life that is) God’s way! The truth of the matter is that no matter how things may appear, God’s will, will be done either through and with us, or in spite of us. The will of God can be defined in one way as “ the expression of God’s desire or intention. It may be considered the “highest good” of all things and operates to defeat evil universally. Where we as God’s people stand is when we became aware of the internal source of power (the Holy Spirit) through which our choices are made. Jesus our example and way maker with the help of the Spirit understood totally what he was given and chosen to do. He was filled with an internal intent that produced the highest good of external results – transformed lives! Some examples of what God’s will is and does: It is the ultimate solution to any problem or challenge. It is the presence of His Presence. The Spirit led prayer given “let your will be done on earth as in heaven.” It is God saying “ I know what I have planned for you, good and not evil which provides a future full of hope”! The presence, prayers and peace, is the power that moves us how, when and where God desires us to be. The will of God is not the result of any accident, coincidence or luck, but is rooted and grounded as very intentionally direction-focused. Our situations and circumstances are not merely about being in the right or wrong places at the right or wrong times. The will of God is such that we are divinely positioned when and where God needs and wants us to be! As God gives us a fresh, daily, wholesome, fulfilling and life affirming doses of grace and mercy, let us be reminded that the sovereign Will of God - Will be done! Prayer Thank you God that you have promised through the power of your Spirit within that your will and way will always be made known and done. Amen Word for the Day – No hard heads, stone hearts or misguided intentions can diminish or stop the sovereign “Will of God” – always present and persistent! |
May 12, 2012
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Break into song! Boom it out, ruins of Jerusalem: "GOD has comforted his people! He's redeemed Jerusalem!" OFF-KEY
This text brought to mind how there are times when a vocalist may sing off-key. For some reason we can hear these sounds above the rich harmony of the melody. This may occur when the singer has not taken care of their voices. When they have failed to exercise their vocal chords! It can also be caused by not breathing right and inevitably causing the wrong note or key emerge. To sing one needs to handle their voice with care, because just like any instrument improper handling will result in singing off-key.
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May 11, 2012
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7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. Love Never Fails
As I continue to grow in the understanding of God I am really learning how important it is for us to love each other. I looked up the word “love” in the dictionary and there were many definitions, but there was none like the understanding I got more importantly from the scriptures 1 John 4:7 through 5:5. Take it from me my brothers and sisters the dictionary does not give the word love any power it just ties sexuality into its meaning, but there is a greater meaning and power that is in how God defines love. In 1 John 4:8 that scripture says “God is love”. This tells me that Love is more powerful than hate. You can even be an overcomer, a victor just because you have the ability to love when you could choose to hate! This also tells me that loves is eternal because God is eternal! It is obvious to me that there is dichotomy that exists here, at least in terms of the love that man has, and the love that God gives. If we my brothers and sisters had to make a choice I would choose to love like God does, but that may not be easy choice to make if we let our flesh get in the way.
Prayer Oh heavenly Father it is clear to me without you there would be no love. For in you is love, my God! Help us to know and understand that the true meaning of love comes from you not from a dictionary. Your love for us is unconditional. Thank you Father for the greatest gift of love toward us, your Son Jesus the Christ! Amen. Reflection The Ephesians did not fully grasp God's love for them because they felt like orphans instead of family. If this is true of you, prayerfully study, and seek out the scriptures on God's love for you. As you read, ask God to help you believe, and accept the wonders of his mighty love for us and that love never fails. |
May 9, 2012
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12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other. Honor the command This is one of the most powerful passages in the Bible, in which Jesus describes the essence of his divine message. I’d like to look at just one small part of it, maybe from a different perspective than we are used to. When Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,” we think immediately of his sacrifice on the cross for us. And we think of others, too, who have died for others. Too many of them, in wars and other forms of violence. But Jesus does not require us to die to express our love. His command is to love each other, not to die for each other. Dying is not the only form of love we have to give. And so I choose to see that phrase—“to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”—as also meaning the willingness to set aside what we think of as “our life” to be in service to others. To forget about whatever we are doing or planning to do, and instead to be completely available to a friend on his or her journey. How many times has a friend in need asked us for help and we have felt “too busy” to truly be there Too busy with “our life” to honor Jesus’s command. How often are we “too busy” with other things to visit our sick, help feed our hungry, help ease the pain of the isolated and lonely, stand up for justice? In those circumstances we can choose to “lay down our lives,” setting aside what seems important at the moment to honor our higher Christian calling. We can always pick our lives back up again. Whatever it was that seemed so important to us is not as important as what Jesus commanded. Prayer Jesus, let me always be ready to truly honor your command. Not when I feel like it; not when the mood strikes me; but whenever I have the opportunity to love others as you have directed me to do. Reflection There never was a moment in Jesus’s life when he was not extending love to others. How far are we from shining such love out from our own lives? What is stopping us? |
May 8, 2012
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Jesus said to them; my food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work.” John 4:35 (NRSV) “And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the request made of him. God’s Will; Will Be Done! The triumphs and challenges of living our lives daily often reflect the questions that are connected to God’s Will or the Will of God for our lives. We as people face at any given moment share expressions of “our will” to do it our way or a heartfelt desire to know and do it (life that is) God’s way! The truth of the matter is that no matter how things may appear, God’s will, will be done either through and with us, or in spite of us. The will of God can be defined in one way as “ the expression of God’s desire or intention. It may be considered the “highest good” of all things and operates to defeat evil universally. Where we as God’s people stand is when we became aware of the internal source of power (the Holy Spirit) through which our choices are made. Jesus our example and way maker with the help of the Spirit understood totally what he was given and chosen to do. He was filled with an internal intent that produced the highest good of external results – transformed lives! Some examples of what God’s will is and does: It is the ultimate solution to any problem or challenge. It is the presence of His Presence. The Spirit led prayer given “let your will be done on earth as in heaven.” It is God saying “ I know what I have planned for you, good and not evil which provides a future full of hope”! The presence, prayers and peace, is the power that moves us how, when and where God desires us to be. The will of God is not the result of any accident, coincidence or luck, but is rooted and grounded as very intentionally direction-focused. Our situations and circumstances are not merely about being in the right or wrong places at the right or wrong times. The will of God is such that we are divinely positioned when and where God needs and wants us to be! As God gives us a fresh, daily, wholesome, fulfilling and life affirming doses of grace and mercy, let us be reminded that the sovereign Will of God - Will be done! Prayer Thank you God that you have promised through the power of your Spirit within that your will and way will always be made known and done. Amen Word for the Day – No hard heads, stone hearts or misguided intentions can diminish or stop the sovereign “Will of God” – always present and persistent! |
May 7, 2012
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19You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. 21Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. 22But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. 23For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; 24for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. 25But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing. 26If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. 27Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. LET GO OF ANGER AND RESENTMENT Prayer Oh Most Gracious Mother God, thank you for continuing to watch over us. Incline our hearts to be filled with your loving kindness. Help us learn to forgive those who have wronged us as you have always forgiven us for our wrongs against you! Exorcise anger and resentment from our minds, hearts and souls. Lead us to a space of freedom within our minds, bodies, and souls. Transform us to be discerning and merciful. Deliver us from any pain and anguish. Keep your ever loving arms around us. Help us to forever trust you. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen! Reflection Anger and resentment can be a mighty force within that can lead to death. This scriptural passage teaches us that God does not intend for you to hold onto anger. A very wise person once said, “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else: You are the one who gets burned.” God desires for you to be healthy and maintain balance and well being in mind, body, and spirit. Allow yourself to be a listener and to heed God’s word of wisdom. Forgive that person that you have been holding a grudge toward for years. Be a doer of God’s word for your life today. Take responsibility and be the person God has called you to be! Action for the Day Stay focused on the goal God has set for you. Let go of your anger and resentment! |
May 6, 2012
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I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. Getting It I remember my father trying to teach me how to skip a stone across a pond. It was frustrating for both of us, because it came naturally to him but not to me. Loving and caring as he was, he didn’t understand why I didn’t just “get it” in the easy and unforced way that he did. He tried hard to teach me, and I worked hard to learn, and then one day it just happened. I still remember the joy we shared as that stone took its first hop, and then its second, and then several more. And once I “got it,” I had it forever. In this passage, Jesus is walking with the disciples on the way to Gethsemane. It is near the end of Jesus’s life, and he has tried to explain to them who he is: “I am the way and the truth and the life”; “I am in the father and the father is in me.” Each time, the disciples don’t really follow what he is saying, and Jesus is disappointed. He says to Philip, for example, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?” The disciples are trying hard, and doing their best, but they still don’t really “get it.” We can imagine them walking through a vineyard, and Jesus seeing a chance to try again, this time using a natural example that they all are familiar with, explaining that he is the vine, without which the branches could not exist and bear fruit. As the branches grow naturally from the vine, the disciples’ fruitfulness, and their experience of deep and complete joy, will happen naturally as long as they abide in him, keeping the commandments. So I think there are two lessons here about “getting it.” The first is that God is going to keep trying to help us “get it” in any way possible. It might be in straightforward words, it might be in a metaphor or parable, it might be in a neighbor’s words to us or in an experience we have that shows us God’s wonderful nature. God doesn’t stop presenting himself to us. He knows that once we really get it, we will always have it. Second, once we get it, we don’t have so hard to try in order to serve God and bear fruit. In fact, we can’t do those things just by trying. Trying is not the answer. Being attached to Jesus, abiding in that attachment with consistent love and gratitude, is the answer. When we “get” that, we have it. And when we have it, the kingdom is ours to share. Prayer Lord Jesus Christ, in your mercy you have adopted us into your family as living branches attached to you, the great vine. Keep us firm and steadfast in our faith that we might remain in you and bear much fruit to your glory and the glory of our heavenly Father. We pray in your name. Amen. Reflection Our duty is to abide. It is also our privilege. Abiding is not simply believing in God, though that is crucial, but includes being in union with him, sharing his thoughts, emotions, intentions, and power. In a relationship both parties must be engaged. The divine takes the initiative and provides the means and the ability for the union to take place, but it cannot happen without the response of the believer. |
April 26, 2012
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I've loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. MIRROR, MIRROR ON WALL
I recently saw a television program where a woman lived in a home full of mirrors. There were mirrors everywhere tiny ones, small ones, big ones, and large ones. What captivated me though was that she was over 90 years old, but the mirrors had captured her reflection when she was 20. So every time she looked in the mirror she saw how she used to look and not how she really was. The mirror had captured the reflection of who she truly wanted to be. When we look in the mirror what do we see....a reflection of me. No, no that can’t be right.
Prayer
Lord, I look in the mirror and what do I see Reflection REFLECT GOD’S LOVE |