Ch-ch- ch - Changes

You know I always love to start a lesson with something that I learned at the feet of the old saints….today is nothing different.

How many of us have heard an older saint sing this  

Time is filled with swift transition
Naught of earth unmoved can stand
Build your hopes on things eternal
Hold to God's unchanging hand

Transitions are hard, they’re difficult, they can be painful….just think some things couldn’t handle transitions and they became extinct as a result of their inflexibility.

Jeremiah 29:11-13  (NIRV)

11 I know the plans I have for you,” announces the Lord. “I want you to enjoy success. I do not plan to harm you. I will give you hope for the years to come. 12 Then you will call out to me. You will come and pray to me. And I will listen to you. 13 When you look for me with all your heart, you will find me.

See, we should get in the practice of praise when things don’t go according to plan….yeah, it may be painful, it may be difficult, you may feel some discomfort or pain but think of this passage and know that it is the presence of God moving in your life.

Kintsugi - Beautifully Broken

I love the fact that my job and my faith provides me the opportunity to share some wisdom….but the best thing about all that I share is that the majority of it is a result of real life experiences. I know about abject poverty being raised by a single mother; my father was present mind you but contributed NOTHING to the wellbeing of his children. I know about domestic violence, growing up with that madness. I know about being ostracized, growing up gay and trying to figure it all out and learning to be comfortable in my own skin. I know about illness having dealt with cancer and diabetic coma. I know about grief and loss having lost a partner to illness.  I know about sexual abuse, having counseled women and children who have trusted and depended on me to help them through the healing process. I know about addiction having many friends who have struggled with and broken the bonds of drugs……..some people would say I have had a life hardships and tragedy but I will tell them that I am blessed by everything that I have ever experienced. God has trained and prepared me to do what I do. I am ever mindful of the fact that in order to effective , let me say this again….EFFECTIVELY do what I do….I had to be broken.  I had to acknowledge my own fragility lest I believe that “I” am the healer. I can only heal or help mend through the power of Christ. Hubris and humility are polar opposites. Hubris is the path to destruction..the word says  Philippians 4:13  (NIV)  13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

I learned this word a few years back, it’s Japanese, Kintsugi or it can also be translated to golden journey or golden repair. It is the centuries-old Japanese art of fixing broken pottery with a special lacquer dusted with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. Beautiful seams of gold glint in the cracks of ceramic ware, giving a unique appearance to the piece

Now visualize yourselves as such….fragile delicate ceramic ware that has had the hands and presence of God to repair the damage.

2 Corinthians 4:7 -12  7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

The jars or clay are referred to as fragile vessels in other translations….and please take note of verse 8….it talks about being crushed but not broken….wouldn’t crushing bring about cracks?  Know that two of the most precious commodities in scripture are the result of crushing – oils and wine…. Wine was used for thirst, hosting, festivities and oils for blessing, healings, fragrance, sustenance. Do you fit the bill as wine or oil?

Be mindful of your fragility knowing that if you are a believer you are an empath

1 Corinthians 12:26  (NIV)

26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Romans 15:1 (NIV)

15 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.

Are you celebrating your fragility…..knowing that it is a means for God to walk in and through your life …..to use you as you have been called? Allow yourself to feel and be filled…

On The Light Path

You ever meet someone that is so upbeat that it’s annoying?  I walk around in my “hard, crusty, rusty” but the folks that know me will tell you that I’m that annoying person….Nope, I’m not that kid that walks in sunlight handing out hugs and flowers. I’m that realist that will tell you “it is what it is…. But baby trust and believe God is in it” I’m not that person who will hug you when you spit on me….I’m that person who will whip yo’ natural born behind but then tell you why I did it and hope you get the lesson.

Don’t get me wrong I used to be that person who would complain about not having anything to complain about. I was that person who saw the negative in everything…..that was until I heard the word cancer and it had my name attached to it. Some people lose their minds when they hear that word….I tell you, no, let me rephrase that, I’m here to tell you that the diagnosis saved my life. I say this because I am here to celebrate all that my life has in it….good, bad or otherwise it’s all mine to live through!. I no longer hope and wish. I trust and believe.   I know, receive and live in the beautiful light….

I’m going to tie this into the video from yesterday “our steps are ordered”

First, have you ever given thought to what it means to have your steps ordered? Consider this …our God is a God of order. He does not operate in confusion or time or tense. He is I am, ever present, all knowing….He has been all through something before it even gets to you…

Joshua 1:3 New International Version (NIV)

3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.

Proverbs 16:9 New International Version (NIV)

9 In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

Proverbs 3:5-6 New International Version (NIV)

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

If you note, there are no special terms and conditions put on these promises God says I will give you this because your heart is right….remember our obedience is a choice given out of love and respect not fear….(so when you read Proverb 3:5-6 the word submission is a byproduct of love.

Another gift that stems from ordered steps is the gift of light…. Not only are our steps ordered but they are illuminated so we do not stumble if our path should become dark.

John 8:12 New International Version (NIV)

12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Isaiah 42:16 New International Version (NIV)

16 I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.

Matthew 5:16 New International Version (NIV)

16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Our paths are also made level and easier to travel because we walk in the light…..we know where to place our feet and we shine the way for others by our example…..

That being said are you of and in the light….

You know I can’t write anything without paying homage to the old saints who sang ……walk in the light, the beautiful light, come where the dewdrops of mercy shine bright….

Steadfast, Staid and Static

Good morning good people. I have been a bit under the weather for the past few days. I have managed to contract Ebola…no, just kidding, I have the most common cold…but when you haven’t had a cold in a very long time it feels like something lethal.

I’m prefacing my message with the sickness to note the fact that sickness has a way of slowing you down….many of you know me personally so you know that my mind is ALWAYS on. I am ALWAYS several moves ahead mentally and emotionally. I am one of the very unfortunate folks who stresses about not having anything to stress about; who needs to plan and schedule spontaneity; you get the gist? All of this is leading to my message for today – the word is steadfast, staid and static

I am going to talk about a reciprocal steadfastness illustrated in scripture.

Psalm 136: 1- 26  Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever; ...

Now, if you read this passage all the way to the end you will see the characteristics of God, the Father

Because it addresses how God just hangs in there with us through all our mistakes, missteps and misgivings. This passage talks about the comfort that He as a Father provides in our times of distress. It talks about how He makes a way out of no way so we can be ______________  (you fill in the black) called and used mightily.

1 Corinthians 15:58  (NIV)

58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

James 1:12  (NIV)

12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

These two passage indicate our side of the reciprocity – stand firm and persevere: two very difficult words both passages also indicate a reward for having done as instructed.

Oh, this leads me to pose so many questions about our day to day connections. Questions such as…who is ride or die in your life? What principles are you willing to stand up for…no matter what? (What it looks like, what the naysayers and detractors are saying) Can you possibly see yourself as the Earthly reward?

And last but by no means least do you know that you know that you know that God is true above everything and that His word does not come back void?

God's Hand

Good morning good people….

Once again I’m back to dissect the word of God in my own inimitable way and today I’m going to talk about the hand of God….

As a kid, I often heard the rehearsed speech from the saints “thanking God for waking them up, clothed (some folks said closed) in their right mind, with the activity of their limbs…” First let me say “closed is a misquote of the scripture Mark 5:15 it’s clothed…but some folks were telling the truth and shaming the devil in the misquote….some church folks are closed minded and I have been guilty of the crime myself a time or two as well…(you might accuse me of it even now but I feel the need to address the church as a collective because we, in our “righteousness” have driven people away from God because we misrepresent Him on a regular)

Ok, whew! I just had to say it before I got into my message…. Now, getting back to the statement “waking up, clothed in my right mind, with the activity of my limbs”

I want to focus on the word limbs and direct you to think about God’s limbs because we don’t often think of God in the flesh… The hand of God is huge and multi-faceted. We have fingers and we have them designated for different purposes and they have different names. We have the wonderful opposable thumb that allows us to grip….we can make a lot of cool things with our hands; pottery, painting, wood working, knitting, sewing….the list can be quite extensive. But, the list is not infinite, amen.

I believe God formed the world. I’m not one to quibble about the literal interpretation of the timeline 7 days could be 7 billion years in God’s time.

I believe God’s hand knit me in my mother’s womb

Psalm 139:13-14 New International Version (NIV)

13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

I believe God’s hand consistently restores me when things that seek to harm me happen from without (circumstance) and from within (choice)

Psalm 138:7 New International Version (NIV)

7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand you save me.

I believe God’s hands feed me, clothe me, protects me, guides me, sets me free to explore but always clearing a path for me to come back home…

God’s hands can do anything but fail…..How do I know? Because I’m sitting here and writing this message knowing that there have been many things that could have killed me but God’s hand was on me……I know at least one of y’all reading this knows what I’m talking about!!!!

Waiting

Before I get into what has become a daily practice of writing my “sermonettes” I want to stop to just praise God, my Higher Power for His words, His chastisements and His comforts …..He truly is ABBA, the Father…..amen (somebody knows what I am talking about)

Now, I think we’ve gotten pretty familiar over these past few messages, with that being said, you know that I always pay homage to the old saints and ancestors who have provided me with many a reference point to the word. Today is no different…..

There is an old church saying that goes “we all come to Jesus on a song…” which references the song that introduces the invitation “the doors of the church are open” and during my “churching” there have been many songs that I have locked in my soul’s vault. Today’s song is “I’m so glad that trouble don’t last always” it’s not grammatically correct and sterilized because doing so will take away from the potency of the statement and the understanding of God’s abilities.

My thought of this song led me to think about my ability to wait on God. I am immediately led to

James 1:2-4  New International Version (NIV)

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

How do I manage my “stress”? I can tell you 99.9% of the time it ain’t in joy…

Romans 5:3-5  3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

I read these passages and my first thought is who wrote this stuff? Who just gets all giddy when they feel like the weight of the world is squeezing the very life out of them? Again, I am back to the words of the old saints who say “there’s a blessing in the pressing”

There is a Talmud quote that sums this all up : “Just as the olive yields oil for light only when it is pounded, so are man’s greatest potentials realized only under the pressure of adversity”

Hebrews 12:1 New International Version (NIV)

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

Can you wait? How do you wait?  Why is it so easier for us to “share” our problems but not share about our God?

Resting

Lord  have mercy….I just need to share with y’all  a little something about sleep. You really don’t appreciate the fact that you sleep until something goes drastically wrong with it. I used to laugh at the older folks when they complained about aches or pains, summing them up with the statement of “I must have slept wrong…” Me, being young and naïve,  thinking….how can you sleep wrong. Oh, but today children, let me tell you about sleeping wrong….I know a little something about it now that I have lived some years.

When the old folks talked about sleeping wrong they meant in an awkward physical position….when I’m talking about sleeping wrong, I’m talking about your awkward physical position got you in an even more awkward spiritual position…ya feel me?  I want to talk about getting back in right standing to sleep in that sweet rest that only God can provide.

Now, the word says He grants rest to those He loves (Psalm 127:2) … Keep in mind that if we say we love God there is a byproduct of that love and it is obedience. He loves all of us but there is a different level and connection and intimacy when we live move and have our being in Him.

Matthew 11:28-30 New International Version (NIV)

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Pay close attention to the word burdened…and the ask yourselves what are my burdens? What kind of work am I doing? What is my motivation for doing the work?

Have you ever considered maybe the work ain’t for you? Have you done a fearless and moral searching inventory and found that your motives are not on the up and up? We have all been found guilty of it from time to time…

I have been having difficulty sleeping for about 3 weeks now and for the first few hours of it I was vexed and perplexed and I even allowed the thing that jolted my sleep to really irritate me to the brink of medical intervention… but then I remembered to tell the mountain about my God….and my vision on the whole thing changed.

I can praise in the problem, I am blessed in the mess and that very same mess is my message; I am living a passage of scripture;

Isaiah 40:28-31 New International Version (NIV)

28 Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

I am reminded of an old message I heard preached about “protocol”….

I couldn’t get with the protocol because I forgot to call on God! Amen That same God who is a very present help….

I allowed my self (flesh), my ego to say “I got this”  and I got served…

I was that chick in the horror movie that goes to see why the lights were out and I got served….

Oh the enemy takes on many forms my distraction was dressed up as sleep…now had I allowed myself to sleep or taken something to sleep I would have missed out on the opportunity to receive this message and to give God praise…

Now I fully receive the message that my rest in in the Lord and  like the song goes….I ain’t no ways tired Amen!

The way is through the fire

As a kid, back in 1974, I remember giggin’ to a hot dance track by the Ohio Players. The song started with a siren….and the opening salvo was: The way you walk and talk really sets me off
To a fuller love, …

This little bit of the song lead me to my word for today….FIRE and asking the question how does fire impact you? Are you singed? Are you burnt to a crisp, consumed in the flames or are comfortable in your refinement process?

Before I get into the word…I want to share a little something that you should keep in mind when you read todays message. Everything that we consider precious in life has been through some type of refinement process; both gold and silver have to go through the fire; coal has to be under tremendous pressure for a very long time in order to get a diamond. Cash has to go through a pressing and even an oyster has to be irritated in order to produce a pearl….you with me? I’m attempting to tell you that FIRE (trial) can be a friend or a foe it depends on YOU!!!

1 Corinthians 3: 12-14  12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13 his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward.…

What are you building? Can it be tested? What is your foundation? Most, important question, how strong is your faith?

Luke 3:15 -17   …15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John could be the Christ. 16 John answered all of them: “I baptize you with water, but One more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn. But He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”…

John the Baptist is giving what’s know as “protoevangelium” or what the old saints sang about “a foretaste” of the greatness to come and the refinement process to take place….

Let me just leave you with these questions and allow you to work it out: Is your faith of the same caliber and strength of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego?  Can you go into the fire dancing knowing that God is present and doing a work? Is your process exemplary for other and testament to God?

RESTORATION

As Promised, I have a word and the word is restoration. I was up at o’dark thirty just sitting in my car. I drive when I can’t sleep (as I stated in my Facebook video) and in today’s episode of my can’t sleep, don’t sleep chronicles I came across the word RESTORATION.

I’m pretty sure that I have the rain to thank for today’s word because I began to think about all the stuff that is being washed away, cleansed, renewed and refreshed. I also began to juxtapose the same thought against the things that have us bound. You know we use phrases such as “cast in stone, word is bond. Etched in my memory” and we use these phrases to hold people captive. With this being said, I began to really appreciate the word restoration.

Check out Isaiah 61: 1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,

2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,

3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.

4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.

5 Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.

6 And you will be called priests of the LORD, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast.

7 Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.

8 “For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them.

9 Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the LORD has blessed.”

10 I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.

This passage was at the time of Jubilee - jubilee in the Bible means it was the time for atonement and captives were set free. It was pretty much a time of consecration – giving back to God what is already His….

Can you really truly have restoration without consecration?

I tell people all the time – swinging a hammer and tearing down things takes no special skills but building require passion, knowledge and compassion (if you’re building you’re building with a purpose in mind, am I right?) Building also takes God…

Psalm 127:1 1 Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.

Are you building? Can you appreciate the “jubilee” in every day?

Oh taste and see that the Lord is good you better get in on this meal!!!

Fruits Of The Spirit

As a kid, whenever I went along with friends and did something I shouldn’t have done, my mother would begin her lecture, before the laying on of hands, with “if so and so jumped off a bridge would you?”  or  “ A tree is known by its fruit..” I have to admit as a kid that last one eluded me for a while but you might want to pick up a copy of the KB lecture series; I believe they’re cataloged and numbered by the Library of Congress and it’s quite an extensive collection.

But, I digress, I want to talk about the later part of my mother’s chastisement series…. A tree is known by the fruit it bears. She came straight outta the Bible at me. That New Testament gangster!

Luke 6:43-45 New King James Version (NKJV)

43 “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Look at that last part about an evil person….

So what are fruits and how do we bear them?

The Fruits of the Spirit is a term used to describe attributes of a person who is in sync and aligned with the Holy Spirit (they are a result of you walk lining up with your talk in accordance to word of God, amen! They are the blessings  (harvest) of your faith.

Galatians 5:22-23  22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

The only way to produce fruit is to have the Holy Spirit (God, Love) in you. You plant seeds the moment you believe ….. Ephesians 1:13-14   13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 

14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

This being said…I want to remind you that farming is a process sometimes you get a harvest and sometimes you don’t…. there have been many a time where I have sewn some things that I shouldn’t have and I received a bumper crop of NOTHINGNESS….

But at this stage in my life, I know that I have been blessed with second chances and opportunities that have not been afforded to many and I am making the most of the second chance. My farming is intentional. My farming has meaning and purpose and my farming feeds and nourishes my soul!

Are you farming on the Ponderosa ( I know it's technically a ranch but it was supposed to be big and beautiful) or are you farming on Green Acres?  (obscure tv references that kids won’t get just like I didn’t get the thing about the tree bearing fruit)

The Tangibles of Faith

Good morning folks!!!! So I have been “cloistered” for most of the weekend; locked away in deep prayer and meditation.  In my prayer time I began to think about God’s promises to me and I came into the full knowledge of the fact that there are two levels of promises. The first is based upon His grace…He blesses because He sees fit to do so.  Grace is unmerited favor. My prayer time was focused more on the second level, faith,  that leads to blessings because of obedience. Now, if you really know me you would know that “obedience” is not a part of my genetic makeup….I’m the reason we have rules; as a kid, I guarantee you, I was busy doing what you were telling  I couldn’t, while you were in the midst of telling me I couldn’t. As I grew older I began to understand why certain things were necessary and why I couldn’t live by the motto “if it feels good do it…” To paraphrase 1 Corinthians 6:12 all things are permissible but all things do not bring life. I don’t know about you but I was to live a life that is an example. I want people to see my life not as a role model, Lord knows I am far from that, but, as a person full of faults, flaws and frailties that God loved, embraced and kept in the midst of all my mess….sort of like David. Doing so based on my love, devotion and faithfulness to Him. I often say my life may be the only Bible that someone reads so what does my life say about the God I say I serve? All of which leads me to FAITH!

Hebrews 11:1  Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

To break this down in very basic terms that you can understand. Think about your everyday life. We all have chairs in our home, we don’t know who made the chairs, and we don’t know if every screw is tight or if every weld is firm. We never inspect the chairs, we sit trusting that the chair will support us….this is the exact same experience as having faith.

By faith Noah built an Ark

By faith David slew Goliath

By faith Abraham trusted God with Isaac

By faith Job was able to overcome his afflictions

By faith Joseph was lifted to high places

By faith Moses was able to lead

By faith Ruth was kept

By faith Daniel was able to sit with lions

By faith (insert your name) was able to  ___________

And last but by no means least it was by faith that I was covered and protected from the consequences of my nature  because it was by faith that my Savior was crucified.

The list goes on and on throughout the Bible…and the faith story is still being written

Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

James 2:19 ESV

You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

Luke 1:37 ESV

For nothing will be impossible with God.

Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

How’s your faith?

I love my food…and there’s an added bonus of having the meal with family and friends. My nephews are really cool little dudes who crack me up at meal time because they fight to say grace; they both end up saying it and I can tell you its like being at a holy convocation because one has to outdo the other in prayer…..

This leads me to my message for today and it is about GRACE….God’s unmerited goodness to us.

I used the story about prayer over food because that how many of us use the word; grace or blessing. Both uses are totally and completely accurate in that we are fed, by grace and it is truly a blessing to receive.

I’m going to just jump right in analyzing the word grace and how it applies:

Psalm 84:11 New International Version (NIV)

11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

A couple of things stand out for me with this passage. First, the word sun jumped out at me because to me, I interpreted it as God being our warmth and comfort and then the passage goes on to say that because He’s our warmth and comfort He blesses…. GRACE!!!! I didn’t do anything to earn it He just saw fit to provide because He IS (I AM!!!)

John 1:12 New International Version (NIV)

12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

Receiving God places us in a higher position….GRACE!!!

God is truly, truly good to us and. He proves it continually by providing His coving, protection, comfort and blessings even when we KNOW that we have done nothing to deserve it.

I don’t know about you but grace sure feels good when you know you’re in the middle of a mess….and God shows up and provide the grace to make it a message. He feeds me daily! I only have to receive (being aware of the gift and sharing the message of the gift)

The Final Word

Have you ever gotten into a verbal disagreement with someone and you’re left in silence…you think that things are over and don and then you hear “and another thing!!!” UGH!!!!

There is something very irksome and crazy making about interacting with someone who doesn’t listen or listens on the defensive with the intent to respond. I don’t always fall into the pattern of debate because I loathe DRAMA but every so often someone catches me on a bah humbug and I go all in. Now, before you address me on my use of the word drama, please note that I am by no means diminishing someone else’s troubles. As a matter of fact, I am more than empathetic to them and more than willing to help resolve issues; by “drama” I mean the inability to communicate the issue and the frustration that leads to the back and forth exchange.

I’m just going to keep this brief….having to have the last word is definitely a problem associated with a fragile ego. It’s a power move.

On a spiritual level having to have the last word and the need for power is assume a position of authority and an attempt to gain control…..which in essence is also an attempt to usurp God. Now, I know some of you are saying “whoa!!!! That’s a pretty big stretch.”  Hear me out….James 4:1-2

1What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you? 2You crave what you do not have. You kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.…

(causation for the disagreement….pride and lack of communication) Also note the fact that the issue arose because you didn’t give it to God in the first place (You do not have because you do not ask)

As believers, we are held to a higher standard. We are called to hold one another in love. Pride has no place in a faith walk!!! 1 John 3:18, Proverbs 15:18, Proverbs 20:3, Timothy 2:22-24

The word of God is very clear about people who have to have the last word..

He is the example of how to deal with conflict…being right and being quiet

Hebrews 12:2 King James Version (KJV)

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

1 Corinthians 13:6-8  …6Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. 7It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8Love never fails. 

It amazes me how many things is life brings me back to this passage….