Thanksgiving

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful. Col 3:15

Like Martha who stated to Jesus when her brother, Lazarus had died, "I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You," (John 11:22)  I too realize the benefits of an earthly relationship with the Father and the Son. Therefore, I am thankful that the natural death will never destroy our spiritual life. For this knowledge, comes the PEACE of GOD despite the current situation in ones' life. 

Exception to the Rule

 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63 KJV)

Although, we live in a physical cosmos, our spiritual connection produces perpetual relationships compared to relying on our physical abilities. Yet, Scripture reinforces this notion as demonstrated when the Savior fed five thousand men from a boy’s meal of three fish and barley bread. This miracle quickly shifted from physical foods to spiritual enlightenment, which caused His followers to become disgruntle. This disgruntlement led the Savior to say twice, “No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him.” (John 6:44, 65 KJV) Such a saying creates an exceptional rule. An exception usually occurs outside the norm. Therefore, this exception created a misapprehension, which caused five thousand men to deny what the Savior was actually trying to teach them. Remember, humans possess a spiritual presence along with their natural state. Therefore, the spirit of humans becomes inactive when focus shifts to selfish consideration. As demonstrated in this setting, the multitude received physical gratification from eating fish and bread, so the next day they wanted to locate Jesus to gain more satisfaction physically instead of spiritually.

Even today, we seek blessings from God for physical gratification. Yet, if our intentions for wanting things focus on selfish consideration, our lives will become unprofitable. For this reason, Jesus stated, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63 KJV) The Savior speaks frankly to our natural state; since, it exists purely for selfishness. Our physical being lacks the ability to profit from life. Thus, our spiritual being must acknowledge that only GOD’s Words can produce life. Subsequently, we should seek GOD while embracing the exceptional rule that only GOD’s grace will allow us to understand and accept HIS Words as the true essence of life that creates perpetual relationships.

My Prayer for You.

Dearest heavenly Father, we tend to respond selfish when relating to others. Yet, your Scripture reminds us to  petition you continuously on behalf of others.  Therefore, give us the wisdom to seek your will instead of ours. Give us the understanding to interpret your will instead of selfish intention. Give us that yelding spirit to recognize the leading of the Holy Spirit. Finally, give us the spiritual insightfulness of recognizing others the way you see them. In Jesus' name I pray.

Colossians 1:9 
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives.

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.