WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL: Don't Shoot The Messenger!

The truth is...many of us live in darkness, many of us call ourselves Christians yet we're the furthest things from being Christ-like, many of us are held in bondage by our fears, many of us have forgotten that hell exists, many of us only pray when we need something from God, many of us spew hatred about our neighbor, many of us cannot tell you when was the last time we opened the Bible, and many of us hate to be corrected when we're clearly wrong. I know all of this because I'm human just like you! 

I'm not judging, I'm just being obedient and delivering a word that God prepared in my heart. If you feel convicted after reading this, then GOOD! Conviction is a chance for correction. We all need those spiritual checks every now and again -- it symbolizes growth and recognizes how far removed from God we've have become. 

 

Make Use Of Your “Grace Period”

When was the last time you thought about hell? When was the last time (other than Sunday) that you did something that would prepare you for eternity? So many times we become so removed from God that we don't even notice it until we need something and we're faced with constant strife. You see the problem is that as children of God we become so accustomed to our "automatic" grace that God gives us. I am a firm believer that this "automatic" or most basic level of grace is accessible to everyone. The murderer has access to it (he's still living), the atheist has it (he's still standing firm in his false belief that God doesn't exist), and the liar on the corner still has it (he's still lying left and right). God gives it to us because he loves us that much!!! Most of us can't even look at someone we don't even love, yet God gives it freely to all of us! Let's not forget that, "But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it" (Ephesians 4:7). You see God apportions grace to each and everyone of us; he appoints us with the amount of grace that he wants us to have. Thank him for that grace because we never know when our "grace period is over," and make the most out of it -- be a light for his glory despite your shortcomings (For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” Romans 6:14).

Be Mindful of Distractions
There are so many things that serve as distractions in today's society. We are distracted

from praying over our food because we're too busy taking a picture of our food to post on Instagram. We are too busy being distracted by reality television shows that we choose to stay up past midnight to catch up, but can't even wake up early for prayer. We are too distracted by lust, that we refuse to accept the greatest love of all. Don't fall victim to distraction. The bible reminds us that, "The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but that God comes so that we may have life and have it more abundantly." (John 10:10). We all want abundant lives, yet we can't even sit at the table of God to become full. Have you ever become full at dinner? In order to become full you have to be hungry and actually eat. ("Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled" (Matthew 5:6)). And when someone is really hungry and it's time to eat they will not be on their iPad or their iPhone at the dinner table. Someone who is truly hungry has the sole purpose and intention of eating to satisfy that hunger. What are you full of? What do you hunger and thirst after? How can you truly thirst and hunger after God when you're life is full of distractions? For instance, we have become so accustomed to scary movies that promote satanic values, that some of us have become so immune to the fear of hell. Hollywood glorifies it to the point where people are intrigued by the idea of it that they no longer fear it. Distractions are real and they're just another trick of the enemy. It's time to wake up and face your distractions and we do so through prayer! Get to KNOW God, by giving him your undivided attention  as you go before him in prayer (as Jael said last week) so that he will open your eyes up to your distractions. "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful" (Colossians 4:2). Be mindful of what you entertain...true believers don't straddle the fence between living for God and living for the world.

It’s Not About You

As a society we have also become so consumed with “SELF!”  We take way too many SELFies, we’re SELFish, we’re SELF-absored, we lack SELF-control, we SELF-promote, we have a false sense of SELF-esteem, we lack SELF-respect, and we’re Self-righteous (just to name a few). This life isn’t about us! Our purpose isn’t centered on our own lives. If you truly believe that we are all full of purpose, then you would understand that our purpose isn’t to bring glory to ourselves. Fulfilling your purpose is equivalent to fulfilling the glory of God. We must be reminded that, “LORD, I know that people's lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps” (Jeremiah 10:23).  We are designed to go out and bring our brothers and sisters to Christ. There are people who are living in darkness because we are too consumed in our own SELF-praise to tell them about Jesus. We have forgotten that, “For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).  Never stop short of what God has called you to do because your "SELF" wasn’t ready. Don’t let the opportunity for someone to come to know Christ because you couldn’t take yourSELF out of the situation. When the day of judgment comes, you will be held accountable ("When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself" Ezekiel 3:18-19). Develop that heart of a servant! We please God by serving others so that they may be exposed to HIS glory through our obedience.

You Weren't Called To Be "Liked"

In today's generation so many of us yearn to be "liked". We want people to like our personalities, the way we dress, the way we talk, the way we do our hair, our views, our choice in music, and so forth. The minute we aren't liked we will change ourselves/conform to the masses. Have you ever met someone who changed who they were depending on who they were around? I'm not talking about censoring the way that they talk or what they wear, I'm talking about becoming a completely different person when certain people are around? I'm sure you know someone like that. Those people kind of make you wonder that if they can change who they are depending on the crowd, then who are they really??? Quick question, are you a completely different person at work on Monday than you are in church on Sunday? More importantly, do your co-workers, classmates, family, and friends even know you're a Christian? The bible tells us, "Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God - what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect" (Romans 12:2). We were called to stand out, to be set apart a world full of sin. We were called to be the light. You can't shine when you're conforming to a world that knows nothing other than the dark. 

Well since we're talking about truth..."likes" don't get you into Heaven. I'd rather be loved by God than "liked" by individuals who are just as flawed as me. Additionally, speaking truth doesn't get "liked" either but it does make you closer to walking in your purpose. For all of us who are so consumed by being "liked" we forget that the one who was without sin who walked this Earth was hated and crucified for speaking the truth. If God was hated for spreading the gospel, then what makes us think that the same thing will not happen to us? Oh and all of us, unlike him, live in sin. Our job is to expose the truth not hide from it. In a recent conversation with a friend, they revealed, "There used to be some things that I wouldn't pray about because it made my thoughts really true to me." Many of us are so focused on how we will be received by others that we will refuse to confront the things that bother us--things that we know aren't right. We weren't placed here to be "liked"...if that were the case then everyone would come to know God as their Lord and Savior and repent for their sins. Just remember that when you're speaking truth, "truth is hate to those who hate the truth!" 

Hell Is Real

When was the last time you thought about hell? Do you believe that it exists? Many of us claim that we believe that hell exists; yet we live as if we have eternity to get our acts together. We can turn on the news to see how quickly life is taken from us. We can even look around us to be reminded of our short our days are -- they truly are numbered. With all of these constant reminders you would think that many of us would mirror our lives as if hell is near.  The bible states, “I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God's throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books… And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelations 20:12 & 15). No matter how many people may want to sugarcoat this, Hell is real and death is inevitable. What you do today affects your tomorrow. It’s time to start living like hell exists, thus living a life that is pleasing to Christ.

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

My heart aches for those who do not know you. My heart aches for us who do know you yet fall short due to our own SELFish reasons. I ask that your glory run rampant in the lives of everyone who comes across. I pray that in due time your glory will be revealed. Teach us to remove ourselves from situations and replace our doubts with YOUR power. Lord I pray that you make it so everyone can taste your goodness. Lord I ask that you will equip your children with the strength and the wisdom to spread truth, the valor to combat darkness, and the gallantry to bind fear. Lord lastly I ask that you will forgive us all and fill us with your mercy and extend our “grace period” to another day so that we can accomplish your will. We love you and if you choose to do nothing more for us from this point on, we thank you anyway because your grace has been more than sufficient.  

-With Love, Jamera

Weekly Devotional: Do you know God or do you KNOW OF God?

When I scroll through my social networks I see countless posts that relate to God. Just this morning I saw one person post: “Leftovers from last night #thankinggod.” Last week I saw someone comment on a post saying: “praying for you and your family.” And back in April I saw countless Easter pictures of individuals dressed up with their families with captions like “Headed to church. Have a happy Easter Sunday everybody.” When I see these types of posts I often wonder, “Does this person really know God?” Sometimes I wonder whether we post things about God or prayer or church just because it seems like the thing we should say at the time or because we think it’s clever. Is she really going to pray for her Facebook “friend” that lost a parent or did she just say it because that’s what people say when they hear about death? Does he really believe that Christ gave his life for us so that we can live eternally or is Easter just another day for him to post a pic looking all dressed up? Do we post things because they seem appropriate for the situation or do we post them because we know God and we know them to be true?

I often wonder the same thing when I hear politicians and celebrities talk. Lots of award winners thank God upon receipt of awards. Lots of politicians call for prayer for the nation when something goes wrong, but how many of them call upon God when there is a budget surplus, crime is down, there haven’t been any major natural disasters, and we are not in a recession or depression? How many of them truly mean it, truly thank God, truly pray, and truly KNOW God? Only God knows the heart (I Kings 8:39 says, “Forgive and act; deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know their hearts for you alone know every human heart”) and of course it’s not my place to judge, but it’s definitely something I think it’s natural to wonder about. For myself I also wonder, do others see me as someone that truly KNOWS God? Or do they think of me as someone who talks about God because it sounds good or because I’ve been conditioned by my environment (family, friends, church members) to do so?

When I think of what it means to really KNOW God I think of this passage: ⁸ Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ ⁹ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.^[c] For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. ¹⁰ I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, ¹¹ so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! -Philippians 3:8-11

You see, those who KNOW God:

·         Value their relationship with Him and put it first above all else

o   Everything else is worthless in comparison to the value of knowing Jesus- Philippians 3:8

·         Are committed to Him

o   Discard everything else for Him- Philippians 3:8

·         Have faith and believe God more than they believe in themselves, the government, or doing good works to receive rewards

o   “I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ”- Philippians 3:9

o   “know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.”- Galatians 2:16

o   “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.”- Romans 3:22

·         Have a desire for more of Him and more of his power

o   “I  want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead”- Philippians 3:10

·         Understand that salvation is free, but there is a cost to live for God that they are ultimately willing to pay

o   “the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”- Romans 8:39

o   “Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”- 1 Timothy 3:12

o   “I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death”- Philippians 3:10

I realize that just a few of years ago I did not KNOW God. Of course having grown up in church, I KNEW OF him and when I think about it, to those on the outside looking in it may have looked like I knew him. I knew scriptures (but those were fading from my memory fast because I hadn’t really studied the Bible in so long); I knew the Christmas, Easter, Passover, and 2^nd coming stories; I knew all of the church worship songs and rituals involving communion, offering, etc.; I even knew that God could change people’s lives (this was secondhand knowledge—I constantly heard stories of people who changed after deciding to live for God). Even so, I did not truly KNOW him. I didn’t experience his power firsthand in my own life. I respected God but I wasn’t fully convinced, I was not committed to him, and I definitely had no inkling of a desire to suffer with him or share in his death. I thought that I had suffered enough having given up my precious youth to be dragged to church almost daily by my parents and wearing skirts in the winter— because when I was younger that was what my church’s idea of modesty. Once I began making most decisions for myself outside of my parents’ home, I counted my own righteousness, doing what I believed was acceptable and morally right and let me tell you, my righteousness had few boundaries. I primarily consulted God for guidance only when I was really in a pickle or just felt emotional and thus compelled to pray.

Gladly, I am now striving to KNOW God and not just know of Him. I recently committed to praying and reading my Bible every morning before I do anything else and just getting rid of the fanfare and taking more time to be with and wait on God. These are things that I learned at the Pinky Promise Conference which I attended with fellow blogger, Jamera. Although I had heard it before, it must’ve went in one ear and out the other because never before had I realized how much good can come from starting your day off by spending time to get to know God and tarry (abide or stay in; wait in expectation; linger) in his presence! It’s hard and I’ve unfortunately missed couple of days, but I’m striving!

I’ve learned that truly KNOWing denotes purpose and commitment. Once you have an intention of KNOWing something you go after it in a determined manner. If you want to get to know someone you think you may want to be in relationship with you take time getting to know them by talking on the phone, going to dinner, meeting their family and having them meet yours, etc. If you want to KNOW how to become a successful businessperson you read articles, attend seminars, study those that are already successful, buy books on the topic, etc. It may seem overly simplistic, but the same rules apply for getting to KNOW God! In Matthew 11:29 God commands us to learn of Him. So we have to make a commitment to KNOW God—take some time today (an everyday) be with him in prayer and read about his character from the Bible.

-Jael

Guest Blogger For The Month of September: Go Get Your Blessing!

As I read Jamera's little sister's post (Guest Blogger for August: Power of Choice) it inspired me to write about my own relationship with God...

When I was younger I lived in Florida for about 2½ years and I went to church 3 to 4 times a week- Sunday mornings and evenings, Wednesday nights and/or Friday nights. I lived with my grandmother, great- grandmother, aunt and uncle. My grandparents were apart of the church, which is why I had no choice but to attend. As a child it's hard to fully understand the importance of developing a relationship with God but going to Sunday school and being apart of the praise team helped me develop this understanding.

Once I left Florida and moved back to New York I continued going to church with my little brother and my other grandmother. This time around I had a different experience. My family members and I weren't involved in the church and I hardly went to Sunday school. Instead, I'd attend church with my grandmother and all the other adults, which was boring to me. I didn't want to attend Sunday school because I didn't know any of the other children so instead I chose to sit with my grandmother and listen to a sermon that put me to sleep half of the time. This is when my relationship with Him started to break.

I've always lived by the quote "everything happens for a reason." As I am writing this I've come to realize that my time spent in Florida was for a reason. That purpose was to develop a fruitful relationship with my God. Although my relationship with Him dwindled away for a bit, it has picked back up, like most relationships do. I've found that some of my best friendships are with people who I don't speak to on a daily basis; we drift away at times but when we catch up we pick up right where we left off. That is the same relationship I have with my God. I drifted away for some time but after realizing how much I need Him in my life I began to speak to him again, to praise and worship him again and most importantly to thank him again.

Sometimes we get wrapped up in life and all of its events and fail to remember how we got to where we are, but He always brings us back. I don't remember exactly when I started to pray again, but I know that I started to speak to Him more after I got my first car. I was still a new driver when I got my first car, so my experience on the road was not so great. The day after my mom surprised me with a car I put a dent in it. Then a few weeks later I hit it again while making a u- turn, and then again while merging into a lane with a truck. I continued to get into minor accidents until I was so fed up that I became accustomed to saying a prayer every time I was about to drive. It took me a while to realize that my prayers were working. I continued to ask for His traveling mercies and he continued to protect me because He is greater than thou. I could have easily given up on driving all together but my faith kept me going - walk by faith, and not by sight. He continues to surround me with his angels and protection as I travel to all of my destinations.

When I realized that my prayers were working, I began to give thanks for all of my blessings, not just for his protection, but for everything. Just like any friendship or relationship, it takes two people to make it work. How could I ask Him to protect me every single day, but not thank Him and worship Him? This is when my relationship with Him slowly developed. I went from asking Him for his protection and safety to thanking him and praising him. It is important for us to step back and give thanks for what we have, whether it is small or large. We cannot call on Him during hard times, but not remember Him during good times. A relationship requires give and take. We cannot take, take, take and not give Him the praise he deserves.

As my relationship with Him has progressed, I have leaned on Him more and more. As you get older, life gets more difficult but its nothing you can’t handle when he is on your side. One of the difficulties that I have had for the past few years is trying to find my purpose. It has been difficult for me to find a career that I am passionate about. I have continued to pray for His direction and strength to lead me to a career that is best fit for me, and as time progresses I can see that I am heading in that direction. There are always bumps in the road, for me, one of those bumps was getting into law school. I became discouraged when I took the LSAT and applied to law school because I didn't get in the first time around. I prayed about it and asked for his direction and applied again the next year. When I got accepted into my school I was so, so, so grateful. I was still scared and hesitant as I started law school but I continued to pray for his strength. I told myself that if I didn't have horrible grades by the end of the school year I would stay and continue my degree. One song that got me through both semesters of my first year was “Go Get It” by Mary Mary….

“It's like you’re looking through a telescope you see where you gone be

Growing getting better you’re not the person they see

Can’t be mad at the things you've been through cuz they built yo muscle

Now you’re stronger than you’ve ever been they cant stop yo hustle

Yo Faith ain’t never small that’s what brought you this far

See you got your dreams and you got your prayers and you've got yo God he gone take you there

See everybody has a season and I believe this one’s yours

Cuz you been working, waiting, this what you been praying for

Go get it, go get it, go get it, go get it,

GO GET YO BLESSING”

Mary Mary - Go Get It

As I drove to school to take my finals I would play this song in my car and sing to the top of my lungs. It was my God speaking to me and telling me to GO AND GET MY BLESSING!!

When He speaks, we must listen. He shows us the signs and we must take heed to what He is showing us. I was reminded of this in church this past Sunday. I haven’t been to church in a while, and as I listened to the word on Sunday I felt like he was sending me a message. My cousin, the pastor, reminded us that if God is telling us something we must listen. He may be telling us to drop a bad habit or to let someone go from our lives. I felt like I received a sign from Him on Saturday night, and he confirmed it on Sunday morning. We may not understand his reasoning at the time, but in the end it is all because he wants us to fulfill our purpose and go get our blessing!

 He will always find a way to us, to deliver his message and help us receive our blessings. On Sunday, the pastor delivered his message with the story of Zacchaeus the Tax Collector in Luke 19:1-10. This story showed us that we all may be sinners, but He will still get to us so we may receive our blessings. Although Zacchaeus was known as a sinner, Jesus still found him… “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” – Luke 19:10. He made sure to plant a seed and build a relationship with me from a young age, which has led me to believe in Him and follow his path to my blessings.

You may get lost in this world but He will find you. As long as you keep your ears and eyes open to His message and keep your faith alive, you will receive an abundance of his blessings!

Guest Blogger For The Month of September: Latecia

WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL: All Out!!

First of all, I pray is having a blessed and enjoyable Labor Day!!!

There comes points in our lives when we are all out. This may be we're out of words to describe our feelings. Or we may be out of options for escaping certain situations. First, I want to talk about when you are out of ways of getting out of your situation.

When you see there is no way out, God will make a way out. The psalmist David said "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:1-2) First, we gotta understand and remember where our help comes from. Many times we try to handle situations by ourselves. We try to depend on our own strength. In service yesterday, Bishop mentioned that many times we go through situations we don't need to go through. He said that if we would just open up our mouth and cry to God, He would handle the situations. When we get to the point where we are out of no way or in the valley, that is the time to cry out unto God. David said "Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the ends of the earth will I CRY unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is HIGHER than I." (Psalm 61: 1-2)

Hannah is a woman that understood where her help came from. She understood that she had a need and that God was the only one who could fix her need. So she cried out to God and said if you give me a son, he will serve you his life. She knew that there was no other way to have kids but by God. She trusted God and stuck with the word that she gave to God. When she DEPENDED on God and gave Him what she had, He stepped in and took care of the situation. When you are depending on God, you are walking by faith and KNOWING that God will take care of it. There is no doubt in your mind that the situation won't work in your favor. Before she cried out to God and talked to Eli, she was sad and was not eating. After the talked with God and then Eli, she left the temple and was happy and eating food. She walked out of there changed and praising God. We have to give God the praise and depend on Him.

For whatever you're going through, I encourage you to see who is your help. Who is it that you depend on and that you seek for help? If you want something from God or if you have a need, seek God and ask Him. Sometimes you do have to cry out to God. But, if you give your ALL to God, He will come through and provide. 


The second situation of when you're all out is with when you are just out of words.
If you know me, there are times where I just make up words. You'll hear different words or phrases like thingamobobber or what's his/her face. Or I'm infamous for creating words. And I'll get the looks like what did you just say. And I'll just keep going on. Sometimes with our walks with God, we try to force words to come out or we try to create worship by forcing things to happen. In reality, worship is just letting true feelings flow out. True worship is what is done daily and just a lifestyle. In John 4, Jesus talks to the Samaritan woman about God seeking true worshippers and how it doesn't happen at a certain church facility. When worshipping, a lot of times words can't and don't come to mind. During those times, let your heart speak for itself. This song My Heart Sings by William McDowell is an awesome song. I encourage you to listen to the words.

How can I describe a God that's indescribable is the first line. If you think, there is only a finite source of words to describe this infinite God. Even that's not enough words to describe Him. Tye Tribbett said on one of His songs that when describing that God has been good is an inaccurate description. He said good ain't good enough. You gotta say God's been so aaahhhhhhh to me. That's how it feels. When I'm describing God, there are some words but they don't describe the fullness of God.

Next line is How can I explain a love that's unexplainable. Talking or thinking about God's love is never ending. If you think about it, how is it that a man with all power and being all knowing die for people that would reject Him? How is it that He gave His perfect life for a wretched, stubborn sinner as myself? To me, it's mind blowing. I can't fathom or describe this agape love. It brings me to the next line in the song. I'm at a loss for words.

Then you get to the point where your heart just starts to worship God. We were created to worship God so your body knows what's it's supposed to do. So, when you don't have any words, your heart just cries out  Oh!!! There are no words needed. When you get to the point where the worship is true and flowing with sincerity, there doesn't need to be any words attached with it. You just gotta cry unto God. Just like when in your darkest hour or feel there's no way, just cry out unto God.  

Whether you are out of ways to escape your situation or whether you are out of words to describe your feelings, I encourage you to just let your heart speak. Cry out unto God and let the worship flow. God hears and He will respond. Trust Him as He has your back.

Be blessed!!!

Steven Gable

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12

Weekly Devotional: God's Power Is In His Word

"God's power is in his word, if you don't believe his word you don't believe his power."

After attending a local conference last night, this quote from the pastor who preached remained in my mind the most.

It was like God was increasing my faith in him. Just like the preacher said before he started his sermon. "Everyone in this room is going to receive a jolt in their faith".

And I definitely did!!! Thank you Jesus!! : )

Romans 1:17
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

The word of God is more than just a book with the title as the Holy Bible.

It's his power.

God's power.

I never really viewed it that way until last night.

When Jesus was walking the earth the bible wasn't available to anyone.

Why?

Because the word was walking around with them, God who came into flesh was already among them.

John 1: 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 1: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Now we have the bible because in it is his word, and his word has power.

Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Jeremiah 23:29 - [Is] not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer [that] breaketh the rock in pieces?

Psalms 119:105 - NUN. Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Romans 10:17 - So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

John 17:17 - Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

There are countless miracles, promises, words of wisdom and other  verses on every page that testify to the power of God.

When we read it do we merely look at it as verses or do we hide it in our heart for it to take root , grow and flourish in our life.

What is the benefit of God's power in our life, God's word in our life?

It sets us free, it changes and transforms our minds, our way of being, testifies to who God is, it comforts, it tells us what God thinks about us, it has life, and God also uses his word to speak to us.

I can go on and on about the word of God. It's just so powerful because it's His word!

In my mind this is how I see it: when you open up the word of God, it's like God is sitting right next to you conversing with you. Speaking life into you and whatever situation you're going through.

So, I encourage you don't look at the bible as just a book filled with verses written by dead apostles and disciples of Jesus Christ. It's more than that it's His word and His word has power.

Stay in God's Peace, not in pieces : )

Hannah

GUEST BLOGGER FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST: The Power of Choice

My sister asked me to write this post and initially I told her no because I didn't know what to write about. When I told her no she was shocked and she got a little offended, so after some convincing I finally said yes. I know God and I love him and all of that great stuff but like everybody I feel like there is always room for improvement and growth in my relationship with him. One thing I need to work on is reading the bible more and becoming familiar with his scriptures. 

Growing up my mother always made it a point for us to go to church and participate. I used to be in the choir, I was in sunday school, and I naturally enjoyed being at church. As I got older I felt like I strayed away from church. I was no longer being forced by my mom to go because she always made it clear that me and my sisters had to have a relationship with Christ for ourselves and that she couldn't establish that relationship with us. My distance from God grew even further when I realized that I have been in church my whole life. I started to become curious about how my friends who weren't Christian were living and I really felt like I was missing out on something. Church life was all I knew and I felt like I wanted to venture out, but most of all I wanted to feel like I fit in with the crowd. As life continues and we experience new things we realize that we aren't missing out on anything. The best part about my journey was that through it all I still kept my Christian mindset. 

I am at a point in my life where I feel closer to God than I have ever been. I think that experiencing life "on the other side" made me realize how much I need God and it makes me more aware of my choices. Now I go to church on my own, I go to bible study on my own, and prayer on my own not because I have to but because I genuinely want to go. I am finally understanding what the bible means when it talks about the power of choice. From the beginning of creation, God gave Adam and Eve a choice of whether or not to eat the apple, he gave Samson the choice to submit to Delilah or not, and he gave Abraham the choice to sacrifice his son or not. Just like he gave people in the bible choices, he gives all of the choice of whether or not to live for him or not: "But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. 'Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.'" Joshua 24:15

Another thing I struggle with is the inconsistencies in my faith and belief in God. I know you're not supposed to question God but there are things that have happened in my life that I honestly believe are not supposed to happen. Even in times when I'm doing what I'm supposed to do for God, I have a hard time accepting that other people are getting blessed who do far less than me. I know we all go through those moments, but for me I just feel alone when it happens. For example, I struggle with my motivation for going back to school, because I don't want to settle and just get by. I have a desire to do good in school! I used to want to be in the classroom and sit in the middle of the class. I didn't want to get called on, I didn't want to sit in the front, but I didn't want to sit in the back either. I guess you can say that I wanted to fit in or be overlooked by the teacher where I wouldn't be noticed or put on the spot. The irony is that I want to be a teacher, and I think that it's what God called me to be. When I told my sister this, she told me that it meant that I had the heart of a servant. I immediately was offended by this because I just don't like the term servant, but when she broke it down I understood completely. My purpose and my gift of being a teacher extends far beyond the classroom, because I know it will carryover to my church life and my home life. I serve people everyday while at work and at home. I constantly assist people, I have a smile on my face while doing it, and I feel that people are naturally attracted to my spirit. I truly believe that God is placing me in situations to prepare me for my purpose. I can no longer hide from him or just do enough to get by. God has chosen me to stand out and to walk in the purpose that he has set aside for me. The bible says, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5

Today I choose to live for God, because God chose me. I may not know the most scriptures. I may not scream at the top of my lungs when I'm praying. I may not openly lead prayer. I may not openly give my testimony. I do however, pray to God daily, I make it my responsibility to go to prayer, go to bible study, and when I'm off on Sundays I'm at church. God has done so much for me and I know that as long as he's my first choice I'll remain his first choice. Just remember that once you choose God, when he says yes that nobody can say no.

Michelle Williams - Say Yes

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:6

GUEST BLOGGER: ALEARA

Weekly Devotional: Can You Hear Him?? Shhhh

Continuing on last Monday’s blog, I want to speak on Listening to God.

I had a dream where I was amongst a population of people. It was completely silent. I was standing amongst these people intently listening and waiting for God to speak. After, what seemed like a moment, I began to panic screaming “I am deaf!!” I could not hear anything or anyone around me. And it seemed despite being amongst a population, I was all by myself. I awoke from this dream confused, and it wasn’t until I attended a bible study months later that I understood it.

It is hard to hear God amongst the noise. What is noise? Noise are sounds that cause disturbance and can cause you to lose focus. As in the dream, I began focusing on hearing God and then I became disturbed. I was disturbed because I could not hear the environment. I could not hear people, cars and other noises. God's voice in the beginning of this dream was the priority, but then shifted. But what we have to understand is when you are listening for God, we have to silence the noises. Noises can be worries and as the last Monday blogger stated “God can speak through people, situations or you directly”. There have been times, God has spoken to me, but the noises of doubt, situations and people drowned out God's guidance. Other times I could not recognize God's guidance because I spent no time familiarizing myself with him. As Sunday's guest speaker put it, my priority was lost, as God was not number one focus.

Sometimes to better hear God, we must fast, which is simply a process of silencing the noise. Fasting makes God a priority as the sacrifice of a fast helps place God more at a premium. Listening to God is done by reading his word and mediating on it. When a scripture touches you, put it to memory, think on how to apply it. 

Deuteronomy 4:29

But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.

GUEST BLOGGER FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST: Running

                I've always been known as “The Runner”. Everybody in school, church, and my family always asked the same expected question “how’s track?” or phrases like “can’t wait to see you in the Olympics” “we’re so proud of you“ or “Wanna race?”.  Almost as if this was all people knew about me. Most conversation revolved around this, but ultimately what I was running from was much bigger than these cliché track questions in my life as well. I was running away from the true champion of all…GOD

Lately, my life has been a whirlwind of confusion, questioning, and doubt—confusion, in my relationships, questioning about my future, and doubting my walk with God overall. And ultimately I was teetering on the idea of whether living a godly lifestyle was really for me, or completely running away from it all. I've always been “The Runner” physically but in this case I suppose I was mentally running away from God and all he had to offer…

One might question why a girl that’s grew up and spent her whole life in church from birth to 20 years old would ever doubt the power of God and would want to leave. But that’s exactly why. It seemed to me that from the moment I was placed on this Earth I never really knew what freedom was. I never experienced my own understanding of Gods power, and I never got to decide for myself if I really wanted God in my life. In my view, it seemed that because I was made to go to church every week, bible study every Wednesday, prayer every Friday and any event in between it was almost as if I was forced into believing in God, rather than seeking him for myself. I didn’t quite understand or love God for myself. I knew he existed because I’d seen him work in my family’s life and people in the church as well, and I felt his presence every so often. But I wasn’t exactly sure about him, that he was all there is to offer in my life. I needed to figure it out.

 And that whole hypothesis would be tested shortly after in Fall of 2012. I started college in August 2012 on a full scholarship to Towson University running Track. Unknowing what lied ahead of me, or what was in store I jumped right into the college life and all that it entails. Classes, practice, studying, partying, hanging with friends, and ultimately trying to find my place in this whirlwind of a home we call college. Notice, I never included church. When I got to Towson I began to test my boundaries of freedom, I didn’t go to church, and never really prayed-except over my food (some habits are just never broken). But I was enjoying it. It was my way of sticking it to my parents and saying “see I’m doing just fine without you,” and without God as well. I was having fun and experiencing things that I never got to experience at home. I was on cloud nine, only going to church when I came home on breaks. But not even really soaking in the word…and this went on for 2 years.

But as time went on it seemed that everything began to fall apart. The more I sprinted away from God the more my problems began to catch me. My grades were depleting (probably due to more partying and less studying). I was getting in involved with guys that broke my heart one after the next, and losing friendships that I had back home. And I was in a place in my life where I felt that nothing was going right, and I was utterly confused. It wasn’t until this current summer that I went back home that it seemed like everything was going downhill in my life that I decided I needed a change.  I decided maybe leaving God wasn’t the right way to go.

But the problem arose…I didn’t know exactly where to start. After two years of not really praying, I utterly forgot how to approach God. And also I felt like I’d sinned so much in the past couple years that God couldn’t forgive my wrongdoings. But, overtime I suddenly I began to talk to him as if he was my friend, trying hard to pray more and put my heart into productive things rather than distractions. Instead of giving my heart to meaningless boys that didn’t deserve me, I gave my heart to God, and instead of giving my time to parties, I gave my time God.  

Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Yes some sins may have been colossal, but regardless God never judges. 1 John 1:19 states “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Maybe that’s where I needed to start; I took the first step and repented for my sins. I talked to God as if he was a friend rather than some fictional being. I confessed everything and tears flooded.

But ultimately I began to come back to him. I guess I had to go through hardships, pain, doubt, instability, and loneliness to form my own relationship with him and see growth. In track you learn to run your own race, and stay in your lane. Going through difficulties I learned that yes, we all have our own race and battles to face in our walk with God. But I ceased to realize that God was always in the race right beside me. Ultimately, I had to stop running away from God’s plan for me and run toward him. I know many of you readers stray away and lose sight of God. But getting back to him is in fact possible, though it may be sometimes difficult, and it may take time and a lot of energy. A relationship with God will never be easy, but better believe it will be worth it. Because of my testimony, I’m sure of this: Run to him full-fledged and he will greet you with open arms.

-Kaitlyn 

Weekly Devotional: Speak Less, Listen More, Fight Through...

"He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding has a cool spirit." Proverbs 17:27"

While reading the bible i would come across stories in which The Lord spoke to this person or that person, giving direction, comfort or reassurance etc. As i continue my journey as believer i come across fellow believers who have explained or discussed what God has laid on their heart. Whether it was a word specifically for them or for someone else and i would wonder why is it that God hasn't spoken to me? Why is it that he hasn't told me where to go, or what to do or how to do it? It was not until recently i realized that God has been speaking to me. He has been laying things on my heart, i just wasn't always listening. I didn't always know or realize it was God. It is still something i struggle with and continue to pray about.

God speaks to us in different ways all in which we must pay attention to. Part of what helped me begin to hear his voice was really getting an understanding of who God is and how he operates. As with any topic we can learn more about God by reading up on God. The more we can read and actually attempt to grasp what is going on in the bible the better we can understand God.

After we gain an understanding of God, we will have a better idea of what to expect, what to listen for. Listen is defined as giving attention with the intention of hearing; wait attentively for a sound. It is pretty hard to give our attention to God if we are distracted by all that's going on around us. And you can't really be attentively waiting for a sound if you're busy talking. So when trying to hear from God it is a good idea to be somewhere quiet where you wont be distracted by other things and be silent. I recently read something by Joyce Meyers where she explained that her daughter had prayed to God asking if there was anything that he wanted to say to her before she began her day and just waited in silence. As she waited she felt in her heart that God said "Go, i am with you". Comforting words that would prove to be necessary in the next few days as unexpected bad news had arisen.

God also speaks to us through others and or circumstances. Just the other day I had someone come up to me and tell me the Lord had showed them something. We sat and spoke for a bit (well he spoke i listened) and i will be taking action on what was discussed. ^"22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves" James 1:22. It may not always be a word that God uses. Sometimes the only way God can teach us something is to allow circumstances in our life to lead us to and THROUGH the very thing we need to discover.  Joyce Meyer had said "There's no such thing as a drive-through break-through."

When we recieve a word from God whether it be from him directly, someone else, or circumstance, obtaining the word is not the end. With the knowledge we must now act on it and go forth. The road ahead may not always be easy, it may not always seem doable but God WILL see you through it. As our Bishop preached on Sunday in service, continue to fight the good fight. There may be stumbling blocks, and road blocks and speed bumps along the way but do not quit and do not give up. 

Hebrew 12:1-13 "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, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. ⁴ In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. ⁵ And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, 

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
    and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
⁶ because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
    and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”^[a]

⁷ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? ⁸ If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. ⁹ Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! ¹⁰ They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. ¹¹ No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. ¹² Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. ¹³ “Make level paths for your feet,”^[b] so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed."

Weekly Devotional: Forgive Quickly

The word forgive appears in various forms i.e. forgiveness, forgiving, forgiven in the bible over 150 times, and yet this is a concept that many people struggle with.

Webster defines forgive as:

1

a :  to give up resentment of or claim to requital for <forgive an insult>

b :  to grant relief from payment of <forgive a debt>

2

:  to cease to feel resentment against (an offender) :  pardon <forgive one's enemies>

 

Forgiving is a topic that is difficult for many people, myself included and takes time to learn. Thankfully, Jesus showed the perfect example of how we should forgive others.

 

Forgiveness was a concept that I struggled with for many years. I would hold grudges and completely cut people out of my life if they wronged me. Forgiveness was a word not a part of my vocabulary except, of course, when I needed God to forgive me. Thankfully, God revealed to me that just as I had made mistakes which hurt him, others had made mistakes which hurt me. I wanted God to forgive me so who was I not to forgive others even when they did not ask for it. By reminding myself that people make mistakes which sometimes hurt me allowed me to forgive.  I thought I had finally figured out the key to forgiveness until I was tested again.

 

This test came in the form of the person who I always had issues forgiving… my father. The relationship between my father and I has always been extremely fragile. My father was not a part of my life growing up and as a result there had been many years of hurt, disappointments, anger and resentment. However, I had forgiven him and in recent years we had been delicately working to build a relationship. After I had gotten engaged I told my father who was extremely happy for me. I told him that I wanted him to attend the wedding and he said he would. A few weeks prior to the wedding I called him to confirm he would be attending since I had not heard from him. Unfortunately, he told me that due to a potential job position he would not be able to attend. For me this was devastating. I could not imagine how a father would not want to see his only daughter get married.   It was a horrible blow to our relationship one that I did not know if we would be able to recover from.  I wrestled with the idea of forgiving him for days before I honestly believe I was able to forgive him.

 

At our small group meeting someone said “Forgive as quickly as you expect God to forgive you” This phrase has stuck with me since that day. I believe that God will forgive me as soon as I ask him to, however I struggle with extending that same courtesy to others. If I am to walk in forgiveness not only do I have to follow the commandment to forgive, but I must also forgive as Christ forgave. He demonstrated forgiveness up until the time of death when he prayed “father forgive them for they know not what they do” Jesus forgave the very people who were putting him to death and causing him extreme agony.  The best part about God is that he forgives and remembers our sins no more. People often use the phrase “I will forgive you, but I will never forget.” This goes against what God does for us.  We should strive to forgive quickly, forget, and to love just as Jesus did.  This week I encourage you to forgive those who have hurt you.

 

Brittney