Grace is a Gift!

Beloved, there will be days of joy and days of challenge. But, know this - no matter what each day brings or how well lit/ dark this day may be - you have the grace and strength needed to face every task. Take a deep breath with me and whisper to yourself "There is hope and grace available to me even now. I am ready to face the joys and challenges of this day with greater grace. Thanks be to God." Amen. God's grace is a powerful gift that is at work within you even now...

Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. - 2 Corinthians 12:9, NLT

Stay on the Wall: God Needs You

This is not the day to give up.  God's power is greater than any other power in the world.  God's power is greater than sickness. It is greater than death.  It is greater than your greatest fear. It is greater than classism, sexism, racism, and any other "ism" in the world. It can enter a chaotic world and speak forth order.  It can take the power out of death. Imagine Jesus on the cross with sweat rolling down his face confronting those who bullied him, spat on him, whipped him and intimidated him. Imagine Jesus with every reason not to forgive to utter the words, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Imagine Jesus looking down on his weeping mother as she perhaps questioned the ways and purposes of God.  Imagine Jesus as the one who walked on water, who fed multitudes of persons, who empowered women, and healed persons of various maladies hanging between two thieves and still offering a word of salvation to the one who inquired by saying, "Today, you will be with me in Paradise."  Some believed that Jesus was defeated. Yet, we know differently. Beloved, this is not the day to give up.  There is no word higher than God's Love.  There is no power higher than God's power.  Your life is in God's hands and no matter how dark the night, the starry lights of justice and righteousness shall prevail. Continue to get up and speak up--let someone know that God is not dead.  Let someone know what God has done for you (God's mercies are new every morning) and that God stills saves (souls) today.  Stay on the wall--there is a person somewhere who needs to hear your story. Pierce any pain of life, with the triumph of God's redeeming love.  God's love is keeping you.  God's love is touching you.  God's love is surrounding you and is IN you.  Stay on the wall.  Abide (engraft yourself) in God and allow God's word to abide in you. Speak to your soul and say, "Through God, I will forgive.  I will not fear.  I will trust in God. I will believe that God's power is greater than human power."  God, we trust in YOU.  We yield to your power and find strength in Your WILL for our lives even when we don't yet understand. Teach us how to love one another rightly and how to keep you as the center of our joy. Your love is amazing and we share it with great power! With God's Love, S

The Power of Worship!

In the background, I am listening to and watching Jonathan Butler sing "Falling In-love with Jesus." He is accompanied by a full orchestra and a featured violinist who makes me feel as if I am truly resting in the arms of Jesus! It is an incredible presentation of human worship through song, bodily movement, and instrumentation! I tell you that this song ushered me to a place of complete focus on God's goodness and power to the point that I was no longer negatively affected by any of the issues that bothered me before I heard it. The goodness and power of God as sung about and felt through this song was more powerful than anything else! Beloved, worship changes us! It changes the state of our minds and the state of our souls. It can transport us from a place of pain to a place of peace, from a place of anguish to a place of praise, from a place of spiritual blindness to spiritual insight. When Jesus was on the cross he uttered in Aramaic, words transliterated in English, to mean "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me." Scholars have attributed these words of Jesus, in part, to the first verse of Psalm 22, a song or psalm of David. Jesus was believed to have quoted a psalm that was often sung as a reminder of the power of God to transition personal pain into public praise. WOW! How does this transition happen? It seems to happen as the psalmist reflects on the reality of his story through the lens of the God factor. It seems to happen when he acknowledges the reality of his pain whilst acknowledging that God's power and goodness is greater.  "In  God's arms," Jonathan sings, "I feel protected. In these arms, never disconnected...there is no place I'd rather be... " Transport yourself into the arms of God through praise and feel the protection, peace and comfort of the God who loves you eternally. Nothing is too hard for God!! Much Love, S

When the Going Gets Tough....

Life is filled with surprises-- some wonderful and some of great challenge. It is filled with valleys and mountains; yet, the Good Shepherd is there to lead us through them all. Life is filled with underserved persecutions, overwhelming joy, days of bright sunshine, and often nights of uncertainty. Nevertheless in spite of the days behind and ahead of us, isn't it comforting to know that there is a safe place to be found in God? I am writing this post today because something in my spirit is telling me to remind you that your fears are not greater than your future/the uncertainties of life. One of the most powerful lessons of the Resurrection Encounter is that what surprised others (even those with special gifts and warning), did not surprise God nor limit God's power on earth or in heaven! No matter how dark the night, daylight must break forth. No matter how great the sufferings of this present life, a resurrection (a standing up again) must come to those who live in him. God is able to give strength to those who are weary because God says so and God's grace is amazing. Remember in the resurrection story, some through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, knew that Jesus' time was drawing near. Others, remembered Jesus' words about his death. Some grieved at the foot of the cross. Some came to the tomb with burial spices. Yet, not one of them fully understood the power of God's strength and love to overcome evil, death, and the sufferings of this present age to embrace the glory of our God. Their fear was not strong enough to silence the acts of God! Our fears are not more powerful than God's spirit at work in us for it is in Christ that we live move and have our being. We have found a new life in Christ. We have a new mission and greater hope. So, remember when the going gets tough, the tough get going. The tough, those who exchange their strength for God's strength, get to forgiving. The tough get to loving God with all of their being and loving their neighbor as they love their selves. Beloved, you are strong because God is strong in you. May the strength of God embrace you and cause you to rise again. May God be BIG in you --big enough to embrace the future unafraid, big enough to forgive those who hurt you and BIG ENOUGH to heal every pain in your heart. I'm not saying that life is easy. I'm not saying that it's easy to live without or beyond fear. But, I am saying that with God all things are possible to those who believe. I believe in the God in you, do you? Much Love, S

Is Anything too Wonderful, too Hard for the Lord?

Whenever the adversity is great, our faith in God must be greater. Whatever the test, whatever the situation, whatever it is- God can handle it. Our faith can be challenged when the situations before us seem insurmountable and incomparable to the magnitude of human ability. We hear the news and we are told that perhaps there is nothing that we can do. But, then there is the God factor. The God factor is the "wild card". The God factor is the greatest resource that we have as people of God. The God factor carries resurrection power, the ability to walk on water, the quell raging seas and say peace be still. When Sarai/Sarah learned the news that she would give birth as a seasoned woman well beyond birthing years, she laughed (for she had spent so many days perhaps crying about this same subject). She found it hard to believe God. Have you ever laughed at the thought of a comeback, of a miracle coming your way, of a new job (your dream job), and or of a Godly relationship coming your way? Have you ever said, "why now?" or "when, Lord" only to feel silence from God or that it's too late for a turn-around? Well, beloved, you are not alone.

Are you afraid? (So was Moses when asked to lead God's people out of Egypt, Numbers 21:34)
Are you tired? (see Isaiah 40:13)
Do you feel as if God is not listening to you? (God will never leave you nor forsake you, Hebrews 13:5; Consider the lilies they toil not and if I care/dress for the lilies surely I will care you you, Luke 12:28 paraphrased. )
Do you feel as if you are to blame for the issues you are facing? (God's mercies are new every morning, Lamentations 3:23; If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, 1 John 1:9).

My brother, my sister. It's okay to feel what you feel. It's okay to spend time in this place of uncertainty. You are human. I am human and I am sure that God understands our humanity. God made us and breathed God's spirit within us--therefore God is with us.

Let's do something together--
Close your eyes and slowly embrace the magnitude of Christ's love for you. Spend some time saying "God is with me," "God loves me" and "There is nothing too hard for God." Try saying this statements slowly inbetween deep breaths until your soul says it on its own and God lifts your heart from the situations that are overwhelming you to a place of complete trust. After this exercise whisper, "God, I trust you. Let thy will be done." Amen.

If you find yourself in a storm today wondering what to do, where to go, who to turn to- remember that there is nothing too hard for God and that God's breath is alive within you--now let God speak and expect God to work wonders!

With the greatest love I know-God's Love,
PS

Remember Who God Is-Your Shine Depends on God's Son!

Do you remember the Reverend James Clevelands song, "God Is?" Oohh, if not, google the lyrics or go to youtube and watch the song. It is a reminder of who God is in a powerful way. Often, we need to be reminded of who God is! When "our" strength (whatever that is) seems small, we must not forget that God's strength is ever present. God's strength is present during great adversity/pain/grief/dissapointment/celebration. God created us dependent upon God's breath, grace, and love. Hence, no person can fill the void's in us. No one can love us greater than God loves us. No person can exist without God. No thing can exist without utilizing God's building materials. Yet, when we are in our "dark night of the soul/difficult place," we may perhaps beleive that humans can do more for us that the one who created the Universe and everything within it! But, beloved there is no one Greater than God! Who is the Creator of the Sun? Who is able to stand close to Sun and not be destroyed? Who is able to touch the stars and not be burned? Who is able to tell the ocean how far to travel? Who is able to stop a tornado? Who is able to tell the sun when to rise and when to set? Humans are completely dependent on God. Our time is dependent on God. Our daylight is dependent on God. Our energy is dependent on God. Our resources (water supply) is dependent on God. Our trees are dependent on all things that God supplies. Hence, it is only logical that we, God's oxygenated created beings, understand that God has made us to be dependent and reliant upon God with the responsibilitiy of doing all possible to glorify God's Name. We can't exist without God's gifts of life. So, why not Give God GLORY--why not believe that God can give you what you need to thrive as you position yourself to maximize God's glory. What am I saying? I am saying that God knows the difference between a cactapus and a fir tree. God knows the environments in which both thrive. God knows where you thrive and where you blossom. God knows what you are going through and has already designed your escape (if you trust God). Your shine depends on God's sun, beloved. So, don't allow anyone or anything keep you from shining forth the glory, strength, and light of God. Don't allow anyone to steal your joy. Don't allow any prognosis to quell your peace for long--for the your Maker knows all that concerns you and has placed an internal device within you that responds to a Divine Touch! Now, lift your hands in the posture of a surrender and shout-Shine, God, shine in me. Let us pray, Holy Giver of every good and perfect gift, remind me who you are so that my faith may increase. Remove all ways that displease you and forgive me for not fully living as Your light within the world. I am yours and you are my joy in times of sorrow. Your strength is mine. Your joy is mine. Your peace is mine through Christ Jesus in whose Name I pray, Amen.

Get Ready for Judas! Either Way You Win...

43Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.
44Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: "The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard." 45Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, "Rabbi!" and kissed him. 46The men seized Jesus and arrested him. 47Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
48"Am I leading a rebellion," said Jesus, "that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? 49Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled." 50Then everyone deserted him and fled. –Mark 9:43-50 (NIV)

Who or what is your Judas? Sometimes we spend so much time trying to figure out why something happened—why us, why now? But, whatever the reason or logic, Judas betrayed Jesus. Judas was convinced that “he-Judas” was better off if Jesus was in the hands of men. Let me say this another way. Judas was convinced that “he” was better off if Jesus-- the healer, the feeder of the multitude, the one who raises deceased persons to life--was bound, flogged, and oppressed. Does this make sense?

Let’s try to unpack Judas for a moment and take the high road. Perhaps, Judas, in some way, knew that Jesus would escape this mob. Perhaps, he believed that Jesus would divert the teachers of the law and be able to flee. Perhaps, he thought that “Superman” would somehow be able to slip away as he had before; but just in case there was kryptonite, Judas had his money. So, all would not be lost. But, as we peruse the text closely, we will notice that even Judas was unsuspectingly fulfilling God’s ultimate plan for the redemption of humanity. He didn't know his true role. But, Jesus knew who Judas was and what Judas planned to do. Judas had no clue that he was leading Christ to divine destiny. Let’s recall the story. Earlier before his betrayal, Jesus announced to his disciples that he would be betrayed and that "his time" had come. He also said that , "The Son of Man (Jesus) is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise." The disciples including Judas did not understand what Jesus meant. They did not understand that God could bring something good out of pure evil. What am I saying? Your Judas—is the thing, the obstacle that may bring you to your knees. It is the one (the closest one to you, a friend, a family member) who causes you the most pain—if you forget that ultimate good trumps evil. That’s a hard pill to swallow for most. Judas serves a finite purpose. Judas has only a small window to act. Draw closer. Judas’ role sparks the onset of Jesus’ destiny. Your Judas sparks your destiny. Furthermore, Jesus’ time to be in the hands of men was limited. Your time to be in the hands of men is limited. Regardless of Judas’ intentions or logic, he was subject to God’s time. Do you understand what I am saying? Either way, your Judas’ intentions for you may be fatal, but God's plans for you are good. God is the author and finisher of your faith. God is the Alpha and the Omega. Judas can only set into motion the very thing that Jesus came to do-to redeem the work of God’s hands. What does this mean? Judas cannot delay or deny your destiny. Judas works in God's time. Continue to follow God and know that if you die, you serve a God who can raise you to life again. If you fall, you serve a God who can pick you up. If your friends betray you, you have a God who knows your pain and can mend your heart. My sister, my brother either way, no matter what happens, no matter who does what to do, if you pick up your cross and follow this magnificent Saviour, you will find new life in Him. Your enemies and illnesses are no match for your God! Now, that’s good news. Look your “Judas” in the eyes and say either way, I win! Now, Shout Yes! God wins!