Proverbs 31: 10-12, “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.”
Today is the day we set aside to celebrate our mothers. No matter if your mother was great or not, she gave you life. That is something to celebrate.
If your mother is no longer living, today is a day to remember the good times you had with her. To appreciate the time God gave you with her. To remember all of those wonderful memories and “momism” sayings that you find yourself repeating to your children.
We also want to celebrate those other women in our lives who have provided “mom” type influence, guidance, and love.
You are all truly appreciated and loved!
My prayer is that you enjoy today with your Mother and family if possible. If is not possible, I pray that you take a moment to remember mom and appreciate the office of motherhood in your life.
John 3:3, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Today is a very special day to me. It is the anniversary of the date that I received the gift of the Holy Ghost.
It was May 8, 1984. Can you believe it? That was 40 years ago! I was a baby back then but I knew I wanted this special gift more than anything else. I can still remember everything that happened on that Tuesday night prayer service as if it was yesterday!
I (my family and I) have come through a lot of life’s changes with all its’s ups and downs, and all the highs and lows. But the main constant in my life has been my walk with Christ (and my family – husband and children – of course). Through it all this special gift has been my rudder steering me through everything that I have had to face. Carrying me during the times when I was not strong enough to walk. Giving me peace and clarity, so I can make sound decisions.
As a song says, I don’t know where I would be if it had not been for the Lord on my side. So, every year on this day I choose to reflect on my life and how blessed I am because the Lord saved me. Every year, I am grateful that I had enough sense to give my “yes” to God. Today is no exception.
What about you, do you celebrate your spiritual birthday? And if you do, how?
I am thankful and grateful!
I realize that God is my everything. And I truly endeavor to involve him in every aspect of my life. I am not perfect and I make way too many mistakes. But God is good and he knows my heart. He gives me room to repent and another chance to make good. I know I could give up a whole lot of things, but my relationship with God is not one of them.
Yes, I am grateful for my spiritual birthday and to God be the glory.
Supporting Scripture: Proverbs 18:21, I Corinthians 3:6
Elder Kyle Adams, Sr., Sunday Morning Message… shares the parable of the sower and the seed.
What is the condition of the soil of your heart?
– Is it Way-Side, where birds (the cares of this life) come and devour the seed?
– Is it a Stoney Place where you have not taken time to prepare (cultivate the soil of your heart) it to receive the seed? But keep living like you are in a good place?
– Is it Thorny Ground where your heart is closed off because you live in bitterness, hate, forgiveness, etc., and you have no desire to change. You go through the motions of this life but the seed has no opportunity to penetrate your heart.
– Is it Good Ground where you are open to the will of God. You have taken time to cultivate the soil of your heart to receive the seed. And you are willing to let go of things that will stunt the growth of good spiritual fruit.
What you speak out of your mouth is important. It also reflects those secret thoughts you think in private. What you speak will bear fruit and you will have to partake of that fruit.
Speak life and good. Plant seeds that bless you and other, and will also bring glory to God!
1 Chronicles 4:9-10, “And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.”
There is something about our faith and trust in God that touches him to the point that he will withhold no good thing from us. Such was the case with Jabez. There is little known about him other than his prayer. But what a powerful prayer!
Looking at 1 Chronicles it contains a genealogical record. Jabez, in a single phrase added to his lineage, regarding his prayer, demonstrated to all how to pray God’s will over our lives.
According to an article entitled “What Is the Prayer of Jabez in the Bible?” (Biblestudytools.com), “Jabez’s inheritance was by faith over heritage. God blessed Jabez, not with prosperity in return for his prayers, but with provision for the will God wished to execute through his life.
With Jabez, we must not read his prayer as a request for private blessing, but as a cry for God to bless him as a part of God’s covenant people. His name, ironically, means pain and sorrow.”
I agree and the amazing part is that his because of his faith and trust in God, that name that may have initially been all about sorrow came to mean more. God has a way of changing us when we come into contact with him so that we are no longer the same as we use to be. Spiritually changing our name. Abram became Abraham. Saul became Paul. Similarly the stigma of Jabez’s name (which meant pain and sorrow) was removed and his name was given to a city of Judah where the families of the scribes dwelt (1Chronicles 2:55).
Let’s look at Jabez’s Prayer:
-And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Calling on God. This seems standard to some but believe it or not, many try to obtain the blessings of God without honoring his name. They want to decree and declare, but we must approach God correctly before we can hope to access his goodness. Just look at The Lord’s Prayer. The first part (our father which are in heaven Hollywood be thy name) is all about giving honor and reverence to God.
-Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed,
Seeking God’s will. Bless me (in fact; in reality; in truth; truly). Acknowledging it is God’s will to bless, but asking that he would bring the blessings to pass in his life.
-and enlarge my coast,
Asking God for More. Increase me God. This is not a simple request. Luke 12:28 tells us to – Whom much is given much is required. Words easily uttered, but should not be done thoughtlessly. Can you successfully maneuver under the mantle of more? But as God is leading you to pray this prayer ask it in confidence. God gave you the unction because knew you were built to handle it!
-and that thine hand might be with me,
Asking for God’s Continual Guidance. Acknowledging we can do nothing without him. We need God in every decision so we can be a good steward of the coming blessings, and the enlarged coasts. Jabez recognized to try and navigate these new waters without God’s constant guidance is to steer toward certain failure.
-and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! Ask for God’s Protection. With such natural and spiritual wealth the temptation to sin also increases. Jabez understood unless God kept him he would be subject to falling victim to all kinds of evil (sin). This evil would eventually cause great distress to him. He needed God’s protection. He wanted to avoid this even before it became an issue. 1 Thessalonians 5:22-23 KJV, “Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
My favorite part – “And God granted him that which he requested.”
We can we learn from Jabez’s prayer? God has a plan for us all. We cannot allow what people would want to call us or how they would label us l, to be our story. We have to lean into God and trust his plan. We have that God given yearning in our hearts, and we feel the urge of “more” within us. We must have that vision. We must align our faith with what God is saying to our hearts and work towards that goal. That same pull from the Holy Spirit is what caused Jabez to pray this prophetic prayer. His prayer not only line up with the covenant God made with Abraham, it also showed the level of faith and trust to take God at his word.
A couple definitions:
Envision means to imagine as a future possibility; visualize.
Embrace is to accept or support (a belief, theory, or change) willingly and enthusiastically.
What about you? What has God spoken to you regarding your life? Don’t let go of it. Even if you cannot fully envision it now, continue to pray about it. Embrace it in prayer. Ask God to prepare you to skillfully handle the blessing, to operate in the spirit of excellence so the he gets the glory.
Do not get distracted by your current state or size. The Bible says not to despise small beginnings. But choose to lean into the vision and trust God’s plan. You will get that expected end.
Luke 24:1-2, “Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.”
Because he lives, I can face tomorrow. Because he lives all my fears are gone. I know who holds my future. My trust is in him.
Luke 23:33, “And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.”
Luke 23:46, “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”
Be good to one another.
Take a moment of reflection this Easter season. What better time than Good Friday? The day that is set aside is in commemoration of crucifixion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Jesus, who knew no sin, took on all our sins so that we might be free.
Take a moment to review your life, and those who may have wronged or hurt you. Decide to exercise forgiveness. In doing so, you release the burden of the situation from you to God.
Choose to show and spread brotherly love to one another. Start with a smile of acknowledgement. You may never understand how your smile can impact someone’s day.
Be kind, and appreciate even the smallest of blessings.
Take the time to attend Easter Service and embrace the full impact of the season. It is so much more than buying new clothes. And it has nothing to do with a bunny!
Luke 19:13, “And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, occupy till I come.”
It is time to occupy.
Occupy is to reside, fill, keep, take control of by military conquest or settlement.
God has given his people many gifts, talents, callings, etc. We are given charge over ministries and organizations, but we face stalls in progression, and we wonder where God is.
We understand (to a certain extent) what we are supposed to do but are afraid to make the first move. Instead, we find a reason to explain why we have not yet taken our place or actively working with these God-given gifts. We make excuse afterexcuse and will call it something else. We tie it up in a cute bow and say we are waiting for God to reveal himself or provide additional instruction. But the truth of the matter is we forgot who we are in Christ and so have forgotten the God we serve!
An awfully familiar scripture we may have heard many times, and probably quoted a time or two – 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” This scripture we need to keep on the speed dial of our mind. We may need to lean on this severaltimes a day. It is a weapon to use to fight any time we feel the tentacles of fear trying to creep up on us and choke out our spiritual ambition.
The story in the text, Luke 19:11-27, tells the parable of a Nobleman who took a journey to receive his official appointment to rule a kingdom. Like with anyone seeking a position of power, there will be some who want them in the position and some who don’t. Before he left, he called his 10servants to him. These were men who knew the character of the nobleman. He gave them money to work with and told them to deal skillfully with it (occupy till I come).
Let’s stop here to take a deeper look. The Nobleman did not leave instructions on what they were supposed to do with the money. He trusted his servants to operate within their specialized skill set to make a gain or increase on the pound.This is what God does with his children too. He has given us gifts and callings and makes sure we are aware of what he has placed in us. Throughout our life and walk with him we have brushed up against these gifts many times. We may not know their full scope, but we are not ignorant of what we have been given.
I believe this is also where many fall prey to fear. Because we can sense the magnitude of our gift and become intimidated to go after it to the degree God requires. Instead, we trick ourselves to believe we are waiting for God to reveal himself to us.
However, God has done what he has done! Now the ball is in our court to make the next move. Read James 2:14-26. However, we are going to focus on verses 14, 17, 20, 22, and 26.
Verse 14 – asks a couple important questions – what does it profit to have faith and no works? Can faith (alone) save him?
Verse 17 – answers the questions – faith, if it has no works, is dead being alone.
Verse 20 – reiterates and confirms the answer given in verse 17.
Verse 22 – confirmation that our faith is made perfect by our works.
You may ask what that means. Simply put, when you believe a thing you must walk, live, move like you do, you put your faith in action and walk it out in your life.
Verse 26 – sums up the matter. Just as the body is dead without the spirit, so is out faith dead without works.
God expects his people to step out by faith and make moves. Now, we do not do this blindly. We fast and pray; we seek direction from God. We also search the scriptures, and we do our research. We go after education that will allow us to move with knowledge in the spirit of excellence.
This is key. We must study our craft (the area where our gift, talent, calling, and anointing resides). Then we make strategic and calculated moves – while we are still actively seeking the Lord.
Think about Abraham. After everything God did for Abraham and Sarah to get Isaac here, Abraham knew there was no way God would take away that same promise. He remembered the God he served. He understood that Isaac would need to be alive so the promised could be fulfilled. So, Abraham knew that somehow Isaac would leave the situation alive and well. Abraham assured Isaac that God would provide himself a sacrifice (see Genesis 22:8). He had faith and put works to his faith. In his obedience, Abraham lifted his hand with the knife to slay Isaac, but God stopped him and provided a ram in the bush.
Now looking back at the text again – let’s look at the Greek translation of ‘occupy’. It means to concern oneself. Dwell, live, inhabit, reside, populate, possess, hold, own, have, master. To busy, employ. To conceive, understand, sit in.
They were to become fully engaged in working with the pound to increase it.
God expects the same from us. We are to become fully engaged with our ministry (gifts, talents, callings, etc.). We must concern ourselves with the gift of God. We are to seek to understand it, to sit in it (fully accept it and embrace). We are to possess it and conceive (reproduce) and populate the space God has given us to operate in. God has invested in us, and he does expect a return on that investment.
Failing to add work with out faith is to bring judgement upon ourselves.
When the Nobleman returned the ruler of the Kingdom, his first order of business was to check on his ten servants. To get a report on how the increased the gift. The first two servants surveyed did well. They added to that which had been given. This was not so with the last servant surveyed. This servant hid the gift in the ground and did nothing with it. This angered the new ruler, and he passed harsh judgement on that servant, while he rewarded the faithful servants.
We must ask ourselves, what will God say when he comes back to find that nothing has been done to expand upon the investment he has placed in us?
But when we do step out on faith and add works to it – we occupy till he comes – God is glorified. There is no excuses not to.
Philippians 4;8-9,”8. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”
I just wanted to say how glad I am for salvation. I am overjoyed at the wondrous work Jesus’ great sacrifice at Calvary’s Cross. Jesus paid it all for me (us), and today I am just thankful and grateful!
Worship is my position and my attitude.
Worship is the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity – “the worship of God”
Today I intend to take time to just thank him and bask in his presence. I invite you to join me. As the old song says “when I think of the goodness of Jesus, and all he has done for me my soul cries out hallelujah. I thank God for saving me.”
There is a release and a freedom in worship. You can let go of everything – stress, trauma, worry, and fears, etc – and just focus on him. The best thing is when your worship is over you don’t ever have to pick those things up again. You can leave them all at the Master’s feet. John 8:36, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” Let us walk in the freedom. For we maintain it through worship.
My prayer for you is that you have a blessed and safe Friday. And an excellent weekend.
Keep your mind free and focused by thinking on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. Allow your mind to meditate on those things which strengthen you spiritually and bring glory to God. Let the love of God fortify you.
Luke 19:1-4, “1. And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2. And, behold there was a man named Zachaeus, which was the chief among publicans, and he was rich. 3. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. 4. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.”
Before we jump into this, let’s explore some key definitions:
Determination: firmness of purpose; resoluteness.
Curiosity: a strong desire to know or learn something. (Some synonyms for curiosity are eagerness, interestedness, intrusiveness, investigation, nosiness). It is the state of being curious; inquisitive, wondering, ready to poke around and figure something out.
Curiosity is the urge you feel to know more about something.
Some say there is a downside to curiosity, for there is an old proverb – curiosity killed the cat – which is used to warn of the dangers of unnecessary investigation or experimentation. It implies that being curious can sometimes lead to danger or misfortune.
However, the scriptures give us a different view. Deuteronomy 6:21-21 is an example of how God warn that future generations would have questions about what happened here (curiosity). God told them how they should respond. They were to provide all the details, keeping nothing back. 1 Peter 3:15-20, God advise the people that they should always be ready to give a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.
Curiosity is not a bad thing!
Most of the time, when you have an urge, or desire, or curiosity – when it comes to God, the things of God, or making changes in your life – it is rooted in God.
I remember about 2015/2016, I had a strong desire to go natural with my hair. At the time, I did not know why. I was still living in Phoenix, AZ and dealing with the heat of the desert where having a relaxer was the easier way to go. But I had this strong urge to do it. I did have some female issues (I did not know at the time – they could be traced back to the use of chemicals on my hair), but no other reason to want to make this change. But I followed the urge and did a lot of research to satisfy my curiosity about natural hair lifestyle. After my research I realized the change was beneficial to my health. Additionally, we eventually relocated from Arizona to North Carolina in 2016. The change made sense for my new climate, it fixed some other health issues I was unaware of at the time, and my hair is stronger and healthier than ever. All because I followed the urge with prayer and research. I believe it was God’s will for me to make this change.
This is just one small example from my life. I am positive if you look back over your life, you can find your own examples.
When you have a pull or urge to make some changes or to make some moves don’t disregard it or blow it off. Prayerfully consider it, because it is probably God who is maneuvering you to the place he needs you to be. Let the Lord lead you!
Let us first explore Zachaeus’ story.
He had an urge (a curiosity) to see Jesus. He did not know him, but he heard about him. Zachaeus was curious to go see Jesus in person. He moved with determination (firmness of purpose, resoluteness).
He faced some roadblocks:
– He was chief among publicans.
– He was rich.
– He was short (little in stature and he could not get through the crowd that was around Jesus).
But he had some great qualities:
– He was persistent.
– He was smart.
– He was determined.
Zachaeus found a way to satisfy his curiosity. He knew the way Jesus was heading. He ran ahead of him and climbed a tree that would put him in a place to see Jesus.
Zachaeus thought he was just going to see Jesus, and that was that. But Jesus had other plans for Zachaeus. His curiosity put him in the place that God needed him to be. Jesus got to the tree and look at Zachaeus “…Zachaeus make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.” Luke 19:5b. Just that quickly Jesus changed Zachaeus’ life. He gave to the poor and righted any financial wrong he may have committed.
God had other plans for Zachaeus life. He used Zachaeus’ curiosity to propel him to the place God needed him to be. Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Earlier we spoke about the urge or curiosity being rooted in God. We may not understand what if pushing us to make moves, but it is God working his plan out in our lives. He is leading us to our expected end.
Now the people wanted to judge Jesus and despise Zachaeus. “And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be a guest with a man that is a sinner.” Luke 19:7. But Jesus set the record straight. He reminded the people that Zachaeus is also a son of Abraham. Jesus told them plainly – “I came to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:9-10.
Side note: we cannot let the opinion of others deter us from doing the will of God. It may seem strange to them. But just as Jesus was focused on his purpose – to seek and save that which was lost, we must have that same focus. Do not fear the judgment of people, because they are going to judge you. Rather stay focused on your purpose. Follow as God leads you.
Be encouraged to follow that pull or urging God has placed in you. You may not fully understand it now. But follow it prayerfully and God will get the Glory!
You asked God for a better life than your parents were able to give you. You wanted different for your children. You had this urge to go to nursing school. It may have been a farfetched dream for you. But the urge to do it was so strong you had to pursue it. You applied to a program and was accepted. You worried about how you were going to afford it and work at the same time. Then you found a program that would work with you schedule and they helped you with financing. All your roadblocks were removed. The next thing you know you are attending class and doing well. Then you graduate and become a nurse, fulfilling your dream. All this time, God was steering you towards your expected end. And he used your curiosity to set you on that path.
What is that thing in your spirit or constantly on your mind that you feel you need to do? Go after in in Jesus’ name. Seek him in prayer for direction and instruction. Do not expect people to understand or to give you the “okay” but know that God will give you an expected end.
Curiosity did not kill the cat. Curiosity that is God birthed leads to the will of God being fulfilled in our lives.
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