Perfect Psalm for Finding Perspective

 I believe this Psalm is a fitting set of affirmations for us, every day.... And especially during these perilous days in which we live.

I love the old KJV, but it's familiarity can cause one to read through it with little thought of its application. The following is from the amplified version. Take time to meditate on theses verses and you will experience a shift in your thoughts & behaviors.

"Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather.

2 But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night.

3 And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity].

4 Not so the wicked [those disobedient and living without God are not so]. But they are like the chaff [worthless, dead, without substance] which the wind drives away.

5 Therefore the wicked [those disobedient and living without God] shall not stand [justified] in the judgment, nor [b]sinners in the congregation of the righteous [those who are upright and in right standing with God].

6 For the Lord knows and is fully acquainted with the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly [those living outside God’s will] shall perish (end in ruin and come to nought)." Psalm 1:1-6 AMP

Have You ___________?

Thinking about what we are to be doing as we anticipate the coming of Christ......

1)Have you been born again? If your answer is "yes", then move ahead to next question. If you answered "no", I ask you to read the first set of scriptures & ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins (wrong doings).

2)Have you been baptized in the Holy Ghost with the evidence is speaking in tongues? If "yes" go to third question. If "no", read the next set of scriptures & ask God to fill you to overflowing with His spirit.

3) Have you testified, witnessed, or prophesied? If "yes" continue to move forward. If "no", read third set of verses & submit to the leading of the Holy Ghost.

4) Have you laid hands on the sick & prayed for their recovery? If you answered "yes", then you are doing the work of the Lord. If "no", please read the scriptures in Matthew 25 & pray for ministry opportunities to share God's love & prayers for healing.

5)Have you been faithful to serve God by serving others? If you answered "yes" then I commend you & encourage you to continue to work the works of Jesus. If you answered "no", then read the fifth set of verses, get off of the Internet, & get into your prayer closet.

My brothers & sisters, true salvation will lead into a life of serving God by serving others. If we are going to impact our world for the Kingdom of God, we must do it through serving humanity as Jesus did. He had compassion on the multitudes; the sick, poor, unstable, misguided, outcast, & etc. And, He spoke the truth in love.

Scripture references:

1) John 3:15 - 21 & 1John 1:6-9

2) Acts 2:1-4 & Mark 16:17

3) Acts 1:8, & Acts 19:1 - 6

4) Mark 16:18

5) Matthew 25: 21, 34 - 40

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Receiving Sight

Many prophesied 2020 to be a year of perfect vision. As jumbled as the year has been, it has certainly caused many to readjust their focus. Many have found "perfect vision" simply by setting their affections on Christ, seeking His face, and following His commands. Yet for all that have looked to Him on their own, there have been many that He has sought out for the express purpose of revealing the glory of God in the earth.

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." John 8:12 KJV

"And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed  the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing." John 9: 1-7 KJV

This was not the first blind man that Jesus healed. It was not the first miracle that His disciples had witnessed. It certainly wasn't the first time the Pharisees had sought to condemn Jesus for doing the works for which He had been sent. But it was the first instance of Jesus singling out the blind man without first being beckoned.

Jesus met the man at his point of need. The man needed a creative miracle, because he had been born blind. Adam was created from the dust of the earth, so how better to create the parts needed for this blind man to see; than to take the earth and moisten it water from the Source of living water, and apply it to the man's eyes.

Verse 25 lets us know that the blind man had no previous knowledge of Jesus. And verse 36 reveals how the blind man really came to know the Son of Man. And once he believed, he worshipped the Lord.

Within the content of the chapter, you read the questions posed by various people groups. The disciples began with, "who sinned, this man or his parents". They were referencing the Old Testament Law found in Exodus 34:7. Jesus replied that it was neither. He explained that the man was born blind to present the opportunity for God to be glorified. 

The Pharisees had questions and accusations. The parents simply said, "let him speak for himself". The blind man (now healed) simply asked who the Son of Man was. 

The blind man's obedience, (he went to the pool of Siloam & washed his eyes) was the catalyst for the completion of the miracle. And it was his worship (verse 38) that made him whole.

Beloved, Jesus will meet you at your point of need. He may do something that you may not expect. He may ask you to do something in order to complete the miracle. In all of this, He will work to reveal the glory of God. And it will be your worship and testimony that will reveal His glory to others. Sharing the Good News with others, is just that simple. Praise & glorify God for all that He has done for you.

I am believing to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, in this year of our Lord, 2021.

Give Me that Old Time Religion

Recently I heard shopper A talking to her friend, shopper B. She was commenting on the rude behavior of a nearby shopper C. Shopper A said to Shopper B, "she 'bout made me lose my religion". In other words, shopper A was offended/angered by Shopper C's behavior and wanted to confront her about it.

Losing one's religion is a Southern expression that is basically the same as "being at wit's end"only it carries the idea of using an angry tone and/or profanity.  In other words, a person that "loses their religion" will put aside their religious beliefs regarding Christian behavior, and will respond angrily to someone/something that offends them. Some people would call that, responding in a way that was "out of character". However, I think "losing one's religion" reveals their character, or rather, their lack of it. 

"If you claim to be religious but do not control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless." James 1: 26 NLT

Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines religion as: "godliness or real piety in practice, consisting in the performance of all known duties to God and our fellow men, in obedience to divine command, or from love to God and his law".

"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father, means caring for orphans & widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." James 1:27 NLT

Biblical religion is based one's relationship with God. Therefore, "losing one's religion" reveals the depth of one's relationship with God. In this life, we are going to be offended/angered by all sorts of things that people say & do. Our response, when offended/angered, can make a huge difference to all who are within earshot.

"A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare." Proverbs 15:1 NLT

Let us go into the new year, determined to let our lights shine for Jesus. Let's deepen our relationship with God and exercise our religion in service to our fellow man.

Wise Men Still Seek Him

Many times we enter into the presence of the King with little worship and many petitions. There following are three things that we can glean from the Magi who visited Jesus.

1. When they found Him, they were HUMBLE. They bowed in worship. They put their own status aside to honor His.

2. They were TRANSPARENT. They opened their treasure boxes/chests. That is, they revealed what they held in high regard.

3. They were GENEROUS. They gave gifts. They relinquished things that they had treasured up for themselves.

Isaiah 9: 6 - 7

Matthew 2:1 - 11 TEXT: vs 11 "On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh."

God will lead those who desire to be led. God provided the star & the message. They that hunger & thirst shall be filled. Mt 2: 12 God will protect those who have revealed their vulnerabilities.

What adult would humble himself to a child? One that has been touched by God to recognize the power and potential in that child. One that believes there is a connection between their future and that child.

Humans are designed with a void that can only be filled by Jesus Christ. Yet, people will look everywhere else to all sorts of things, trying to find something to appease that longing in their hearts.

People want to come to church and have a feel good time, but don't want anyone to see their deepest hurt/pain. They play the game to conceal their true identity. They don't even want to open their wallets.

The Magi left Arabia with a load of presents. They came prepared to worship. They believed the prophecy. They followed the star. When they opened their treasure boxes, the contents were obvious. But the treasures were not for show. They were brought to be given as gifts to the Christ child.

We must come humbly. Not with our own agenda..... We must come prepared to open our treasure boxes. Treasures, the things that we hold close to us. Children, spouse, wealth, sickness, habit, hang up, grudge, & etc. We must release our treasures to fully receive "THE TREASURE".

They came prepared to GIVE/WORSHIP because they BELIEVED. Do you believe? Do you believe enough to make preparations to worship? Enough to humbly reveal your dependency on Him? Enough to give Him your all?

Can You Get a Prayer Through?

Saints, we are living in perilous times. People everywhere experiencing overwhelming circumstances. Worldly people, church people, sinners, and saints all are feeling the effects of Covid-19, People are sick, losing their jobs, losing their homes, losing their loved ones, and etc.

Only Jesus can heal, restore, provide, direct, answer, comfort, etc. He can do these things with or without man's help. But He chooses to use us to help one another. If you have the means, then do what you can to help someone else. If you feel that you do not have anything to spare, look inside yourself....... surely you have a PRAYER.

When a person has a heart attack, the very first thing an onlooker should do is, call 911. Yes, they should begin CPR if they know how, but that phone call for help should come first. As Christians, our first call should be directly to the Great Physician. CAN YOU GET A PRAYER THROUGH?

In I Kings 17:17 - 24 we read where the widow's son died. Elijah took him up to his room, stretched him out on his bed and according to verse 20 says, " O Lord my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?"

What sort of prayer is that? It wasn't with lofty words and pious platitudes. It wasn't a quiet repetition of petition. It was one borne out of desperation, bewilderment, and genuine desire for an answer. It was a prayer from the heart of a man who conversed with God on a regular basis.

When you have a relationship with someone, you spend time with them. You learn their speech patterns, mannerisms and body language and at the same time you learn what is important to them, you come to understand what makes them tick, you come to know their heart.

Elijah's prayer wasn't pretty but God heard & God answered. Maybe you are barely making ends meet and can't afford to "give your money away" to help someone else. Perhaps you are the one who is sick and in quarantine and unable to travel. Or maybe you are one of the exhausted care-takers or "essential workers" that has been stretched to your limit. In the natural, you may feel that you have absolutely nothing to offer to help another. But, my brother, my sister, if you are a true Christian, you have the Power within you to do all things that Christ Himself strengthens you to do. You CAN PRAY. Will you PRAY?

Can you get a prayer through to God? If you are truly in relationship with Him, if you converse with Him on a regular basis, if you genuinely desire His answer, then I believe you can. However, if you have grown lax in prayer and have difficulty getting into His presence; let your first prayer be for yourself. Repent, reconnect, and be restored. Then you can pray the prayers that will resuscitate the dying.

Trappings

Ever get your finger caught in a mouse trap? You thought you knew how it worked. You thought you knew how to set it. You thought you were doing it right...... Then...ooouuuccchhhh!!!!.. We can do everything right and still get caught in the trap. Accidents happen. Can we blame the trap for doing what it is designed to do?

Psalm 91:3 says, "He will rescue you from the snare of the fowler". God WILL RESCUE you from the trapping devices of the enemy. II Cor 2:11 clearly states we are no longer ignorant of satan's devices/traps.

Yet, we (The Bride) fall prey to one of his most common tactics.. Oh, it's not because we don't recognize the trap. It is because we think we are above/beyond/smarter than its capabilities.

When you have been in church for as long as I have, like me, you will find that it is easy to put your Christian service on auto-pilot. Go through the motions. Quote the scriptures. Sing the songs. Use the cliches". But those things are merely the appearance of Christianity. True Christ-likeness is borne from the heart and is revealed in our secret actions as much as it is in our open gestures.

To be set free and remain free of the fowler's snare, we must remain fully aware of satan's trapping methodologies. And we must be fully committed to following biblical principles in our everyday living. As believers, there are certain principles that we have come to accept as absolutes. Principles that directly affect our relationship with the Lord. Principles that, when followed, will enrich our lives; yet if neglected, will bring us ruin.

One such principle is found in Matthew chapter 18:15, quoted here from the NKJV "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother". Closely related to this idea is, Matthew 5: 23, 24. The NKJV renders it this way, "Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."

I'm just going to leave it "as is". You know, when a seller says that an item is being sold "as is", that means you take it for what you see and for what you may not see about it.Those things unseen at the time of purchase, tend to come to light upon closer inspection. That's all the Lord is asking us to do with these passages. Bring them close to the eyes of your heart and see what will be revealed in the Light that is within you.

Temporary Trouble & Eternal Glory

I can't seem to get away from something that I posted a while back. "Our perseverance testifies of the power of the Treasure within us. When others see our troubles overshadowed by the light of His strength shining through us, they are in fact receiving the Good News of Christ." 

While I used II Corinthians 4:8-10 as a text for that post, it is the later portion of the chapter that speaks of the fleeting nature of our afflictions and the eternal nature of the glory that is revealed as we endure them.

In Romans 8:18, the Apostle Paul wrote "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." 

It is the revealed glory of God at work in us that draws others to Him. When they see us suffering in pain without complaint, when they see us bereaved, but putting our feelings aside to comfort someone else, and when they know we are financially strapped and yet we will give to the needy, that is when they see Christ. That is what will draw them to inquire about the source of our strength & compassion. That is when the lost will open their doors to the Gospel.

If the very thought that our malady is temporary is enough to give us a measure of hope; how much more should we be comforted knowing that the Holy Spirit is making intercessions for us.

"So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.

And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the [Holy] Spirit [what His intent is], because the Spirit intercedes and pleads [before God] in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God’s will.We are assured and know that [[j]God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose." Romans 8:26-28 Amplified Version

" I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews. 20 I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes. 21 I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.

22 “And now I am bound by the Spirit[a] to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, 23 except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. 24 But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

25 “And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again." Acts 20:19 -25 NLT

Come & Dine

Going to close with a verse from "Come & Dine". "Jesus has a table spread, where the saints of God are fed. He invites His chosen people, 'come & dine'. With His manna He doth feed. And supplies our every need; Oh 'tis sweet to sup with Jesus all the time!"

There is nothing like a good hot meal after many hours of hard labor. And certainly nothing better than fish & bread miraculously cooked by the Master. Yet, He bid them to bring some of their catch to be cooked. 

It is said about worship (declaring His worth), "It is all about Him". Yet, it is for our edification, that He delights in our worship and partakes of the fruit of our labors.

"As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught." John 21:9,10 KJV

Keep the Music Alive

Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah chapter 14 tell of the attributes of Lucifer, his characteristics, his intended purpose, his agenda, and his demise. 

In basic terms, Lucifer was created to be the music of praise and worship in Heaven. He was granted access to every part of the Kingdom. He was adorned in beauty and gifted above all cherubs. All of the heavenly creatures were to follow his example and instruction.

But he became prideful and over-estimated his importance. He became jealous of the Most High God and coveted the Creator's glory. Instead of conforming to his purpose, he strove to attain his own. He was cast out of Heaven, yet continues on Earth to seek what is commanded to be God's alone.

His agenda has not changed. He still solicits the accolades of mankind. He uses his gifts to lure them away from God and into his own band. No ethnic, age, religious, or gender group is exempt from his penetration. He uses the universal language,appeal, and acceptance of music to his advantage.

With that being said, consider how quickly your own mood can change as you hear various types of music. When you hear rhythmic soothing music you tend to linger near it's source. Conversely, music that you consider offensive will drive you away from it's source.  

Music is a powerful persuader. It can facilitate a wholesome life or one devoid of any moral character. Take the following quotes and consider their origins. The conclusions are obvious.

"Music is the strongest form of magic." Marilyn Manson

"Music can change the world because it can change people." Bono

"Music...will help dissolve your perplexities and purify your character and sensibilities, and in time of care and sorrow, will keep a fountain of joy alive in you." Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"The devil, the originator of sorrowful anxieties and restless troubles, flees before the sound of music almost as much as before the Word of God. Music is a gift and grace of God, not an invention of men. Thus it drives out the devil and makes people cheerful. Then one forgets all wrath, impurity, and other devices." Martin Luther

Now consider the following words of David, a man who experienced defeat but found victory as he worshiped the Lord in music and song.

"But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love;

for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress my God on whom I can rely." Psalm 59:16,17 NIV

Beloved, I challenge you to keep the music of your salvation, alive in your heart. Sing the hymns of old, the anthems of the victorious, the psalms of the Bible, the contemporary choruses of praise and worship, and the melodies that He stirs within your soul. Sing in your native language not only for yourself, but as a blessing to others.  Sing in the Spirit and edify yourself in the things of God.

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Colossians 3:16 KJV

Problem Solved

Recently I learned of a temporary type of arthritis, called Plant Thorn Synovitis. It is caused by the plant matter that is left in the joint after that joint has been punctured by a thorn.
The joint appears red and swollen, is painful to touch, and is limited in its function. It was such symptoms that drove me to search the 'net for possible cause. 

You see, I had a problem that was painful and limiting, but I didn't want to go to the doctor. I thought it was only a minor thing, I could handle it by myself.  And I didn't want to spend much time or money on obtaining a cure. Besides, I removed the thorn. I thought it would get better on its own.

We encounter similar situations in the spirit realm. Minor irritations that we think will dissipate in time. We distance ourselves from the one who offended us. We don't take the time to find the root of the problem. We don't necessarily want to discuss it with a pastor or counselor. And, we spend time worrying about it but fail to take it to the Lord in prayer.

There is no problem too great for the Master. Likewise, there is no trouble so small that He is not concerned. If He sees when the sparrow falls, how much more does He care about us? We do not have to bear our infirmities alone. But divine intervention rarely comes without an invitation.

Back to the problem with my finger. It didn't just go away. It swelled and festered. I picked at it, squeezed it, cleaned it, and bandaged it. I repeated the process about every four or five days. It would not get well. I asked friends and co-workers had they every seen something like it. I surfed the Internet and found mountains of information. 

Yet, it did not get well until I consulted a doctor. His first words were, "leave it alone. If it is thorn arthritis it will go away in time. If you keep picking at it, you will cause a bigger problem. If it is not plant thorn arthritis, I will need to lance and cauterize it." Well, it must have been something else. I left it alone for the next ten days. It was so sore that I could barely bend it. So, I went to the doctor. He opened it and found a tiny shard of glass. Once removed, it was only a couple of days and my finger was back to normal.

Many people have the tendency to pick and scratch at disorders of the skin. Most of the time that increases the damage and creates worse problems. We do the same thing with our spiritual inconsistencies. If only we would consult the Great Physician from the onset of our discomfort. The intensity and duration of our troubles would be lessened. 

The Apostle Paul found himself with a thorn. It was so troublesome that he prayed three times and asked God to remove it. God did not remove it, but He assured Paul that His grace would be sufficient for him to endure the thorn's presence.

Whatever your thorn, take it to the Lord. He will heal it or give you the grace to endure it. When you depend on Him in your weakness, His glory will be revealed. Let your thorns propel you to minister to others. Let His glory be revealed in and through you, today.

Like an Olive Tree

History tells us that all of the trees in and around Jerusalem were cut down when the Romans conquered the city in 70 AD. Yet there are olive trees there today. They could even be off-shoots of the trees that were growing in the days that Jesus walked the Earth. It has been said that olive trees can regenerate from their roots. This means they can be cut completely down and sometime later sprout, flourish, and bear fruit again.

"For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease. Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stump die in the soil, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put out branches like a young plant. But a man dies and is laid low; man breathes his last, and where is he? As waters fail from a lake and a river wastes away and dries up, so a man lies down and rises not again; till the heavens are no more he will not awake or be roused out of his sleep." Job 14:7-12 ESV

As long as there is breath in a man, there is hope. Hope for salvation. Hope for regeneration. Hope for an eternal life with Jesus Christ. We must never underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit. He searches the depths of man’s soul. He is the one who pricks the conscience of man. He is the One who draws the man to the Father. He is the one understands the non-verbal communications of man.
God created man in His image. He put within man a place that can only be filled with Him. Many search the world over for something to satisfy. Drugs, alcohol, sex, and plastic surgery are a few things that have been sought to stop the gnawing of emptiness. Oftentimes a person will have to hit rock bottom before they realize that Jesus is the answer to their woes. But some only need to witness a life that is vibrant with the love of Jesus.

Our mandate is to go and tell. To that I add; and live well. So what if you have been battered and cut down? Let the Holy Spirit water you soul today and you will begin to sprout again. As long as you have breath, there is hope.

I originally posted this on another site . Copyright 2008

Greetings Beloved

Today I want to examine the first sixteen verses of Romans chapter sixteen. The text is lengthy but the observations brief. Here the Apostle Paul is writing to the church at Rome. He begins with a recommendation of Phoebe, a sister in the Lord.

He speaks of her as being a helper to the multitudes. He refers to her as a servant of the church.
Although the word that he uses for servant is the same one that can be rendered as deaconess; we can gather from verse two that he means to accentuate her servanthood rather than an office.

All but one of the following 14 verses, begin with the word, "Greet" followed by a name of a brother or sister in the Roman church. What is interesting to me is the descriptive words that he adds about each person. These descriptions range from extended compliments to just stating his relationship with them. And a few greetings are extended to nameless groups of folks.

How would he have qualified his greetings had he been writing to your pastor? Would you be considered his fellow-worker? Would he have recognized you as the first convert in your area? Would he have expounded on your faithfulness and maturity in Christ? Would he have labeled you a hard worker or just a relative?

Would you be miffed if he greeted you only as mother or sister? Or would you swell with pride at the suffix "chosen of the Lord"? And what if he openly stated his love for you?

It is a lot to think about. There may have been one listening to the letter and wondering if their name would be mentioned and what glowing remarks would be added. Still others may have gotten their feelings hurt when their names were not called. Perhaps some were tempted to be jealous or resentful. It is impossible to know for sure.

One thing is certain, Paul knew his flock. How else would he have had the confidence to instruct them to greet one another with a holy kiss? I'm afraid to contemplate the repercussions of such an act in today's churches. Holiness is considered old-fashioned by today's standards and is near obsolete in many congregations. And kissing in church? I think that there's a lot more than that going on behind some church doors. God have mercy!

I didn't mean to slide into the rants of moral decay, it just somehow came to my mind. Nevertheless, I want my name to have some goodness attached. I want to be remembered as a fellow-laborer in the Kingdom. I want to be able to give and receive holy greetings, salutations, and kisses.

The Ministry Part of Suffering

It is the second day in a new year. Great time for me to make a second start on a new blog post. It has been some months since I have blogged and years since I did it faithfully. Seasons change. Jobs change. People change. Priorities change. Yet my core values remain intact, my calling as real as it has ever been, and my hunger for God greater than it was yesterday. 

Resolutions are not my thing. Most are inflated ideas, fueled by good intentions, and destined to fail without discipline and prayer. But I will say that I have been stirred to return to writing this blog. Perhaps out of my need for discipline or structure, but most definitely to focus on the goodness of the Lord & to share the Good News.

Recently I took another look at one of my favorite passages in the Bible. I say, "another look", what I mean to say is this; I read it from the KJV, I read it from the NIV, I read it from the NLT, in all I read it from ten different translations.  The essence of each translation was the same, yet when I read it from the J B Phillips version, the word "ministry" came to mind.

"This priceless treasure we hold, so to speak, in a common earthenware jar—to show that the splendid power of it belongs to God and not to us. We are handicapped on all sides, but we are never frustrated; we are puzzled, but never in despair. We are persecuted, but we never have to stand it alone: we may be knocked down but we are never knocked out! Every day we experience something of the death of the Lord Jesus, so that we may also know the power of the life of Jesus in these bodies of ours. Yes, we who are living are always being exposed to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be plainly seen in our mortal lives. We are always facing death, but this means that you know more and more of life. Our faith is like that mentioned in the scripture: ‘I believed and therefore I spoke’." II Corinthians 4:7-13 Phillips

Our perseverance testifies of the power of the TREASURE within us. When others see our troubles overshadowed by the light of His strength shining through us, they are in fact receiving the Good News of Christ. That my friend is the ministry we do when we are "going through".

My prayer today is that I will persevere through aches, pains, ailments, hardships, & loss and that all attention will be drawn to His light within me and not to my condition or circumstance. 

Dine In or Carry Out?

My pastor often says that it is not good to eat at every one's table. I agree; yet how do we decide which buffets are best for us?

There are many voices in the world. Which ones will you hear?

There are two requirements that are non-negotiable for me. First, the message must be founded in the Bible. It makes no difference how great the service is, if the food is a poor quality, it is not a place that I want to eat.
Second, the messenger must have clean hands and a pure heart. It does not matter how great the food is, if the waiter is filthy, I want no part of the meal.

In my sidebar you will find some of my favorite reads. Each of them I have found over time, to be consistent in biblical content and relevant to Christian living. It has been a very long time since I have blogged or even read from my own sidebar. I am slowly cleaning up the list, so I ask your forgiveness if you happen across a broken link or discontinued blog.

Bon Appetit my friends.

Resource Material

I was just doing a little research and decided to consult the Assemblies of God website for additional information. That is exactly what I found there; loads of good information and resources. This link will take you directly to a number of pdf printable position papers. "Worship in the New Testament", "The Security of the Believer", and "Can Born-Again Believers be demon possessed?" are just a few of the offerings there. If you have never visited there, I encourage you to do so.

The Wiles of the Web

Hello, my name is Sista Cala and I am an Internet junkie. I just don't know how I got so out of control. It all started with needing an email account at work. Then my job made it mandatory to complete on-line continuing education. Various committees decided to use email instead of actually having meetings. This was to cut down on wasted time. ha, ha.

Somewhere along the way, my sister Cyn encouraged me to start a blog. I pondered for days about what to name it, what I wanted to post, and how to get my thoughts from paper to screen. Blogger made that easy for me; and the rest is history.

From blogspot to bloglines, I needed a streamlined way to manage all of the blogs I wanted to read. Bloglines has a function called "clip blog" that made it so easy to save little snippets that I thought might be useful later on. Soon I had a mountain of snippets and little way to catalog them.

One day while teaching Sunday School, I made reference to something that I had read in a blog somewhere around here. Opened a can of worms indeed. My pastor decided that I must be a computer guru or something, so he put me to work on the church website. It started simple with a couple of pages and now it is about a dozen.

Requests came pouring in for info about our ministry. How could we get some samples out to the masses. Eureka........YouTube, GodTube, e-zekiel.tv, ShoutLife. Being the 'net-queen began to consume more and more time. Then the teens asked why we didn't have a MySpace. I said that I had no time to work it. Oh some of them could have set it up for Pastor, but they couldn't be trusted to keep it squeaky clean.....you know what I mean? Long story short; we now have a MySpace page. I tinker with it some, but get this......it has worked its magic on my pastor and I think he's got a hundred friends or more.

It is not enough that I've got all these sites setup and running for the church, I have my own personal pages too. Actually mine came first. I used them as beta-sites for me to learn the ropes. So much work, seems like a waste to terminate them as I plod the steps of sobriety. Alas, I have all but stopped posting here, have given a notice on ShoutLife, doing very little on MySpace, e-zekiel.tv, and GodTube (now tangle.com) but still keeping both YouTube accounts renewed weekly.

God is so good. He has spared me from withdrawal symptoms. So far. But then again, I didn't/haven't quit cold turkey. Actually, I have found the methadone of the 'net world.....Facebook. It is a little user un-friendly at times, but it offers means of blogging, networking, and IM all rolled up together. It has become my latest hangout. I can't barely go a day without logging in to see what long lost friend has found me.

It is going to take more than a 12 step program to free me from that one. Perhaps down the line I will get back to some serious posting. I still have tons of material that I could post; but for now you can catch up with my archives all over the 'net ( if all of these links are intact). See you around. If you're ever in the Facebook neighborhood, look me up (enter sistacala@juno.com )in the friend-finder box and we'll have a little chat.