One-Minute Lesson

Check out the lessons from the YPWW series on Christian Concepts for Victorious Living of the Church of God in Christ. Here is a synopsis of the lesson in one minute so you can explore the details later. Click and enjoy:

Bereavement Prayer

Dearest Heavenly Father, I know that only your words can comfort during times of bereavement. In Proverbs 13:22, it states that a good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children…. So I pray that this family will understand the term of inheritance. Many times we think that an inheritance consists of things, but an inheritance can also consist of a legacy. Therefore, when love ones depart this earthly life, they leave a legacy. Yet, this prayer I want to express that YOU give them the strength to live their loved one’s legacy so the remembrance will never disappear. Although, it has been over 2000 years since your Son walk the Earth in a human body, yet the legacy in form of teaching has never deteriorated. Daily His followers continue to revive His Words. Likewise, the descendants of any patriarch or matriarch carry the legacy that each leaves by their children's children. So I pray that during the time of bereavement that the children's children will grasp the understanding of this departure as they accept this intentional inheritance, this I pray in Jesus' name, AMEN!

God is Always Working

Sunday Podcast

Welcome back to Elevator Inspiration for Sunday school. As we continue the study in Genesis, today we focus on Abram’s Call. The Scriptures indicated that the Lord said to Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will send thee: Now, this call occurred in Abram’s life at the age of 75. How often in life we feel that we are too old to experience anything new or to learn new things. Yet, God waited to give Abram this call at the age of 75 after the death of his father, Terah in the city of Haran. As spiritual descendants of Abraham, we all have roles in the fulfillment of that same promise. So as you study this lesson, ask yourself are you really doing what God has called you to do like Abram in this week lesson?

 See you in Sunday.

Gateway to the Unknown

"The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet." Nahum 1:3 KJV

I have an inquisitive mind about this Earth's gateway into the heavens. From my view, the sky can easily take your breath away from a quick glance or a prolong stare. When you look into the sky above, your thoughts tend to multiply as your spirit takes control leading your mind toward amazement yet wonderful inquisitiveness. Since our Creator molded us into His image, we tend to imagine the beauty thereof as reflection from humans’ eyes. Nevertheless, I rather think that this beauty employs more than a gateway, but a glance into the Creator’s abode. Just like constructing border lines between property with wooden fences or stone walls for privacy, our Creator paints the skies above with various colors to convey His privacy as well as a revealing gateway into His heavenly Kingdom. The Apostle Paul who ascended beyond the skies never express his experience with comprehensible words as noted in 2 Corinthians 12:4, “How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”

So as you stare above, allow your spirit to connect with your Creator, simultaneously; imagine the exquisiteness of His habitat. For this reason, the prophet Nahum states, “the clouds are the dust of His feet.” The purpose of Earthly borders alerts intruders; likewise, our Creator warns us with changing cloud formation of various colors and shape that will perplex and amaze us. So I challenge you to become vigilant in your imagination when looking beyond skies toward the unknown.

A Prayer of Hope

I Thessalonians 2:19, states, "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?"

Hope is nothing more than a cherish desire for something to happen. So one can easily question hope when expectation looks hazy and dull. Yet, with profound perception as limited by our human eyesight, it will become illuminated in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.  With that acknowledgement, I ask you to join me with this supplication for your family.

Dearest Heavenly Father, who knows all things about us including our predetermination. Yet, we tend to hope in temporal things like hope for success, for money, for a special relationship, and even for financial fortunate. While there's nothing inherently wrong with such hope, it doesn't resuscitate the soul like having hope in YOU, my Heavenly Father. I realize that I am better off placing all my hope in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming. So help me to set my affections on YOU and Your Kingdom instead of temporal things on Earth as I realize that my eternity means residing with YOU. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!

My Psalm 139

Unable to sleep this morning I got up and begin reading Psalm 139. I read it in KJV, Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) and then in the Message.  What an awesome Word where David writes a song about His God. So I decided to create my own version of Psalm 139.

Oh, Adonai, my life resembles an open book for your pleasurable reading. You know the truth regarding my life, despite the mask that I wear at time. You can easily recognize the fake smiles when I am reminded of hurtfulness from failures that haunt my being. Yet, I realize your presence as you operated your purpose in the background even when I accomplished my goals or when I succumb with failures. Now, I understand your omnipresence notwithstanding my whereabouts. As I reminisce on my past, I professed your workings. Although; I was unaware at the times. Oh, how now I thank you for both the failures and the accomplishments. I can definitely agree with David, “for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy work: and that my soul knoweth right well.”  Like David, I acknowledge Adonai who is worthy of the praise and glory that I give. I realize that one tends to gravitate to an entitlement syndrome because of selfishness tendencies. Yet, seeing others climbing the ladder of progress according to worldly standards, brings clarity of my path while realizing that different persons travel different path according to Adonai’s directions.  So I plead that you, Adonai, search my heart and make known any form of selfishness that hinders my worship via my Savior and Lord in Jesus Christ, Selah.

The Strait Gate

“Strive to enter in at the strait gate.” Luke 13:24

This verse quotes the Savior’s answer to the question, “Are there few that can be saved?” In other words, someone asked the Savior, how many people will enter into the Kingdom? Yet, the Savior flip the conversation from a collective observation to an individual interest. Essentially, it is no longer about the masses but about you as an individual. The Savior emphasizes that your focus should consist not about the salvation of many but whether how you response to His message. Right now, the gate is open, but soon, the gate will shut. The numbers of people who can enter the gate are limitless; but your individual time to enter is limited.

When you really view the totality of Luke 13:22-30, you will notice the visibility of seeing who enters the Kingdom even after the door shuts. Notice verse 38, “When ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom…” Acknowledging the presence of others in your absence seems brutal, but it centers on the truth of rejection. Our natural tendency of conforming to others around us accepts the notion that everyone sins so why bother striving to change. However, the incorporation of entering the strait door appears unimaginable on the grounds that others are predetermined to enter the broad gate by the masses. Yet, the Savior paints an encouraging picture to his followers that they exclude themselves from the masses while striving to enter the narrow gate.

So I challenge you with this question, what changes are you prioritizing to enter the narrow gate into God’s Kingdom?