Friday, February 15, 2013

The Potter's Hands

Isaiah 64:8

8Yet, O Lord, you are our Father we are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.

The prophet Isaiah talks of how awesome God is but how we often fall because of our sin. We turn away. Yet God is still our Father. Have you ever watched a clay potter spinning the wheel with the clay? Have you ever watched how the clay molds gently to the potter's hands? With one motion the clay can change direction. That is what Our God does with us. When we fail, it only takes one motion and He can change our direction. One motion and our perspective can change. God is the one who does the molding, we bend to Him. When the clay gets rough on the wheel, the potter can add water to soften it up. Our water is the Living Word. His name is Jesus. When God adds Him to the mix we bend to His motion easier.

P.S.
We are in the season of Lent. The forty days until the resurrection of Christ. Jesus willingly went to the cross. His mission was love. In what way will you show love to Jesus?

Thursday, February 14, 2013

One Final Act

1John 4:7

7Dear friends, let us love one another for love comes from God.

This is part of the scripture that was preached from on Sunday. I want to tell each and every one of you that I love you because God loves you. I may not know you but that doesn't matter. God's love allows strangers to show care and kindness to one another. I know today is Valentine's Day but every day is about love whether commercialized or not.

Yesterday on my commute like many into DC, was inconvenienced because a man jumped in front a train on Metro during Rush Hour. I prayed that he would survive and would come to know God's love as I had relative who was once on a train on the same line that hit a man who did survive. It wasn't the case. The man who jumped died. I prayed for his troubled soul. Most of the jumpers who jump on Metro do it during Rush Hour. They feel as if no one knows them but the one final act will cause them to be noticed, missed and maybe even loved. I am saying this because there are many people who are not aware that God loves them so much and whatever they are facing God will bring them through.  I do know life can be difficult but once I understood that God truly loves me and that I have value to Him, my perspective changed.

Suicide is a very real issue no matter what a person's background. I lost an aunt that way in 2007. She kept saying she was going to do it and no one believed her. On my train ride from Philly I suddenly thought about one of my aunts and placed a phone call to inquire about them. I was then told another family member was thinking of them and a phone call was placed. One aunt was worried about another because she had not heard from her. My cousin was sent to check on her and she found her mother dead with the pictures of family surrounding her. We were all devastated. When someone says such a thing, please be concerned and don't just let them go under the radar. It's their cry for help.

As you go through this day, don't love because it's commercialized. Love because you really actually love and you know that God is love. God's love is beyond the romantic.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

He Will Answer You Too

Psalm 99:6

6Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel was among those who called on his name; they called on the Lord and he answered him.

Moses, Aaron and Samuel were awesome in the eyes of God but so are you. Many people do not understand that Jesus came to reconcile us back to God our Father. Jesus came so that we could have our own direct relationship with God. Yes, Jesus died for the remission of our sins and rose again so that those who believe Him would not suffer a final death but would have everlasting life. So why then do so many think they can't call out to God on their own? Whether it is privately or publicly in prayer, Jesus came so we could have our own relationship with God. God loves you! He loves you because you are His creation. We were created in His image as it is stated in Genesis. So just as we look like our earthly parents, God looks at us and sees a bunch of "mini me's" so of course He loves us. God wanted so badly to have a relationship with each and every person directly that He gave up His only begotten Son so each of us could talk with Him. That's deep! So you don't have to wait on pastoral staff, the clergy, the deacons, etc to call out on the name of the Lord. Just open your mouth. He hears you and if you stand still enough, He will answer you too.


P.S. Monday, February 18th I will be on the Leap of Faith Show with my girl Stubbs live! Check out this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc7e-t0E4N4 and tune in to the Leap of Faith Show from 10am-12pm on www.leapoffaithshow.com!

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

When You Give

Mark 6:37

37But he answered, "You give them something to eat."

Jesus preached to the crowd of five thousand. It was late and the disciples said let's send them away so they can buy something to eat. And then Jesus gave them the unexpected answer. it's for you to give them something to eat. With what seemed like hardly enough for them, Jesus turned fives loaves of bread and two fish into plenty. We are in a season of love and warm fuzzy feelings but what about giving? Giving is another way to show love. Within the next few days people will give to show love on a special day. But one day does not make up for a lack of giving the other 364 days. Having a heart to give means the ability to yield and to offer not just what's in your pocket but of yourself. But can you offer the true meaning that is to be behind the gift? When you give, you are to do so from the heart. Not for a reward but just because. Did Jesus have to say give them something to eat? No. But he wanted to show love. They crowd came from far enough to hear and stayed late enough to hear him. His purpose was to show love through giving. When you give, what is it that you are desiring to show?