Ezekiel 2:6
6And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or
their words. Do not be afraid though briers and thorns are all around
you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or
terrified by them, thought they are a rebellious house.
In one
sentence God tells the prophet Ezekiel three times to not be afraid. God
had called Ezekiel to speak on His behalf to the people of Israel.
Israel was rebellious. But God said speak anyway. Israel would not
listen, but God said speak anyway. The reason God told Ezekiel to speak
anyway was because when He was ready to hand down the punishment they
were warned about, they cannot say they did not know. The people of
Israel could not claim ignorance.
What Some do not understand or
know is that it takes a great deal of courage to say or write what God
says to do so. We talked about this on the radio yesterday but it's been
looming on my heart. It is difficult to share what God says to share.
It takes a lot of courage because as humans, we do not like rejection.
We do not want to be scorned for our words. Yet, when God says to speak,
we must speak. When God says to write, we must write. When it is
pressing on us til we cannot breathe, it must be said. Have you ever
been afraid to tell someone the truth? Have you ever been afraid to say
what was on your heart to say? Do you know that if God laid it on your
heart, then it needs to be said at the time He has specified? If it is
not accepted, God will make a way so that at the proper time it will be.
If it is ignored, God will set things in motion so that at some point,
it can no longer be ignored.
Do not be afraid. God is greater
than what any man can say or do on earth. God ordains your steps, your
waking up, your ability to breathe. As the word says, man withers like
the grass. No one can outdo God. Do not be afraid.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
Loving Much
Luke 7:47
47"Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven-for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
Jesus praised the woman who came into the house and kissed his feet, worshiped Him and cried tears of gratefulness. She showed Jesus how much she loved Him. Yet the man whose house Jesus was a guest in did not even give Him a drink of water nor did he offer Jesus any sign of love. It was as if Jesus needed to be grateful that He was invited, yet He is the Savior. When you love someone truly and deeply, it will show. It will show in how you treat them. So Jesus compared the acts of the woman to those of the host. As the NIV Bible states, "the woman's love was evidence of her forgiveness but not the basis for it. She was saved by faith." She believed in Jesus and her belief caused her to love Him deeply. And Jesus did tell her that her sins were forgiven. We make mistakes in life and make wrong choices whether it was because we did not have all the information, refused to see the information or were just out right disobedient. In any case, Jesus still loves us. His love was already proven when He allowed the nails to pierce His body. The bigger the mistake the more we are willing to show Jesus love once we have confessed it because it's only through love that we could ever be forgiven and it is only by faith that we could ever confess our wrong. Knowing that any wrong, no matter how big, has been forgiven ought to cause one to love much like the woman Jesus praised.
P.S. Remember to tune into the Leap of Faith Show today, Monday, February 18th with my girl Stubbs on www.leapoffaithshow.com and I will join her live in the studio at 10:30am! Go to www.leapoffaithshow.com and click Listen Live! Blow up her phone lines as we would love to hear from you!
47"Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven-for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
Jesus praised the woman who came into the house and kissed his feet, worshiped Him and cried tears of gratefulness. She showed Jesus how much she loved Him. Yet the man whose house Jesus was a guest in did not even give Him a drink of water nor did he offer Jesus any sign of love. It was as if Jesus needed to be grateful that He was invited, yet He is the Savior. When you love someone truly and deeply, it will show. It will show in how you treat them. So Jesus compared the acts of the woman to those of the host. As the NIV Bible states, "the woman's love was evidence of her forgiveness but not the basis for it. She was saved by faith." She believed in Jesus and her belief caused her to love Him deeply. And Jesus did tell her that her sins were forgiven. We make mistakes in life and make wrong choices whether it was because we did not have all the information, refused to see the information or were just out right disobedient. In any case, Jesus still loves us. His love was already proven when He allowed the nails to pierce His body. The bigger the mistake the more we are willing to show Jesus love once we have confessed it because it's only through love that we could ever be forgiven and it is only by faith that we could ever confess our wrong. Knowing that any wrong, no matter how big, has been forgiven ought to cause one to love much like the woman Jesus praised.
P.S. Remember to tune into the Leap of Faith Show today, Monday, February 18th with my girl Stubbs on www.leapoffaithshow.com and I will join her live in the studio at 10:30am! Go to www.leapoffaithshow.com and click Listen Live! Blow up her phone lines as we would love to hear from you!
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?
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.
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?
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?
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?
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?
Sunday, February 3, 2013
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Proverbs 11:3
3The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.
Yet again is there not a typical message. I believe for many of you I have told you before that I started watching Blue Bloods because of an actor friend of mine who appeared on it. The latest episode was Inside Jobs but it's message was more about values and choices and how duplicity can get one in trouble. In the latest episode: Brigitte Moynahan's character was asked, by someone she deeply admired and looked up to, to sit on the Board of two major charities before rats infested the charity dinner. On the other side of town, her brother, Donnie's character, was investigating a man who had been thrown out of the car with a dead rat in his pocket. It turned out that both incidents were related and not so upstanding citizens referred to someone who pays them as "Goddess". When at that family dinner table, the case came up and so did the charity dinner. When Donnie's character had a chance to talk to Brigitte's character, he mentioned the case as he even picked up they may be related and mentioned the name "Goddess". Brigitte heard the name and pretended not to know it. But she knew her friend had been referred to as "Goddess" and how she earned the nickname. Donnie continued to press her and she was nervous about approaching her friend who continued to press her to be on the board. Having Brigitte on the board would give her the contacts/network she needed but also have the DA's office in her back pocket while the unsavory things she did went unnoticed. Eventually Donnie's character pressed Brigitte's character to the point that she set up a meeting so the guy who claimed to be the enforcer for hire by "Goddess" could give a positive id. And Guess what? The enforcer gave the positive id and even "Goddess" recognized the man when he approached her. When Donnie's character put the handcuffs on her, the response was, "Do you know who I am? Do you know what I have done for this city and the people I've helped?" Brigitte called her on her "charity". As it's her job to take down those who are in criminal activity. Brigitte knew if she didn't help her brother, her integrity would be on the line. It hurt her to do it because she looked up to "Goddess". But "Goddess" used the, "I'll have my way " to the point that the bad began to outweigh the good she was doing.
What's the point? The point is, duplicity is a sharp fence to walk and can cause destruction as King Solomon pointed out. Yes, everyone makes mistakes. But the point of making mistakes is to learn the lesson that comes from them so one can move forward and be better and do better. But if one never learns, the mistakes are repeated time and time again til they unravel the person and things become ugly.
Assignment for the week: Watch Blue Bloods episode online called Inside Jobs and also rent/download Devil's Advocate with Al Pacino. Write down what you learn from each. But this is the assignment for the week as this is the only daily message you will receive for the week.
P.S. Remember to check out my girl Stubbs of the Leap of Faith Show on the Leap of Faith Network on www.leapoffaithshow.com Mon-Fri from 10am-12pm and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment!
3The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.
Yet again is there not a typical message. I believe for many of you I have told you before that I started watching Blue Bloods because of an actor friend of mine who appeared on it. The latest episode was Inside Jobs but it's message was more about values and choices and how duplicity can get one in trouble. In the latest episode: Brigitte Moynahan's character was asked, by someone she deeply admired and looked up to, to sit on the Board of two major charities before rats infested the charity dinner. On the other side of town, her brother, Donnie's character, was investigating a man who had been thrown out of the car with a dead rat in his pocket. It turned out that both incidents were related and not so upstanding citizens referred to someone who pays them as "Goddess". When at that family dinner table, the case came up and so did the charity dinner. When Donnie's character had a chance to talk to Brigitte's character, he mentioned the case as he even picked up they may be related and mentioned the name "Goddess". Brigitte heard the name and pretended not to know it. But she knew her friend had been referred to as "Goddess" and how she earned the nickname. Donnie continued to press her and she was nervous about approaching her friend who continued to press her to be on the board. Having Brigitte on the board would give her the contacts/network she needed but also have the DA's office in her back pocket while the unsavory things she did went unnoticed. Eventually Donnie's character pressed Brigitte's character to the point that she set up a meeting so the guy who claimed to be the enforcer for hire by "Goddess" could give a positive id. And Guess what? The enforcer gave the positive id and even "Goddess" recognized the man when he approached her. When Donnie's character put the handcuffs on her, the response was, "Do you know who I am? Do you know what I have done for this city and the people I've helped?" Brigitte called her on her "charity". As it's her job to take down those who are in criminal activity. Brigitte knew if she didn't help her brother, her integrity would be on the line. It hurt her to do it because she looked up to "Goddess". But "Goddess" used the, "I'll have my way " to the point that the bad began to outweigh the good she was doing.
What's the point? The point is, duplicity is a sharp fence to walk and can cause destruction as King Solomon pointed out. Yes, everyone makes mistakes. But the point of making mistakes is to learn the lesson that comes from them so one can move forward and be better and do better. But if one never learns, the mistakes are repeated time and time again til they unravel the person and things become ugly.
Assignment for the week: Watch Blue Bloods episode online called Inside Jobs and also rent/download Devil's Advocate with Al Pacino. Write down what you learn from each. But this is the assignment for the week as this is the only daily message you will receive for the week.
P.S. Remember to check out my girl Stubbs of the Leap of Faith Show on the Leap of Faith Network on www.leapoffaithshow.com Mon-Fri from 10am-12pm and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment!
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