Month: September 2021

God Will Never Leave Or Forsake You!

On By tgifmastermindsIn How To Pray For Others, Prayers For Spiritual Growth, Prayers For StrengthLeave a comment
My kids wont listen to me…nobody listens to me any more! What am I to do?

Have you ever been brought down so low in life that your situation tempted you to beg, borrow, or steal?  What are you saying, sister blogger?  Are you saying that that was my moment of desperation whereby I thought God had left me?  Was that the time when I sincerely embraced ideas that God had struck me down in retribution of my sins?  Was that the occasion when my friends and loved ones were hurling all kinds of accusations at me and accusing me of engaging in unbecoming activities?  How did you know that surely there had been times in my life when I thought of ending it all?

How Did I Know???  Come on now! 

I know these things because if a person lives long enough, he or she will in variably experience life’s ups and downs that in several instances seems impossible to overcome.   Especially when you are trying to overcome them all by yourself.

The question you should be asking is how I can constructively manage these life-threatening situations.

Recounting a personal example:

Earlier this week I received a telephone call from a friend that not only surprised me but also lifted me up with her message.  She reported to me that for the longest time she had been prayerfully trying to encourage her adult children to reunite with the church and to restore their faith in God.  Although her children politely listened to her, they did nothing to align themselves with an organized institution of godly teaching.  And my friend had great despair that her adult children were setting a bad example for her grandchildren when it came to knowing God and his commandments.  (My friend had more than once shared with me that she thought God had left her and ignored her prayers that she offered up for her family.)

But on this day, my friend was calling me to share some great news concerning her oldest female grandchild we will call Mary.  Mary was a college graduate and had been working for the past 7 years at various jobs.  She called her grandmother to inform her that she had saved enough money to make a down payment on a newly constructed home in a suburb of her hometown.  Mary was giving praises to the Almighty God for being the instrument that had made all these things possible.  And the grandmother’s faith was revitalized in knowing that God had not forsaken her and the prayers that she was sending up for her family were being answered.

After hearing this great news, it took a moment for my friend and I to compose ourselves. Finally I said to her, my sister, I, too, was in prayer for you.  During the past few months, your contacts with me have been very sorrowful and I knew you were under some sort of strain.  I suspected they were growing pains that you had to bear for reasons between you and God.  After hearing such good news about your grandchild, you must have passed the test and are now reaping the rewards that come with patience, gentleness, self-control, kindness, love, joy, and peace. That represents that at all times you were in constant communication with the Holy Spirit but He was letting you do all the talking. Finally, you were at a place where peace and quietness took over.

Thanks be to God that you weathered the storm. For as you well know, our Lord and Savior will never leave or totally forsake you. All we have to do is to hold on to God’s unchanging hand.

My prayer for you and all under the sound of my voice:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much for making Your work in me a ‘calling’ to be available, prepared and complete with intuition to be attuned to my fellowman’s life dilemmas. Not only to obey Your workings in order to gain Your favor, but to fortify the down-trodden, to lift up the heavy burdened and to restore the weak and weary back to Your loving arms. May I always have the fortitude to serve my Lord and Savior to the utmost and not merely man alone. Amen.

Scripture Lesson: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:10-13

Click http://www.tgifmasterminds.wordpress.com every Friday for a new post from The Master’s servant manager…Me!

God Disposes But Man Proposes!

On By tgifmastermindsIn Opposites in the bible, Prayers For Life Changes, Prayers For New Beginnings, Prayers For Spiritual Growth17 Comments
OOPs! God Wants Us To Think Outside The Box.

And again I say…OOPs!  For this week’s blog title, I have used an antithesis form of speech. Why?  Because I thought the title above would infuse the curiosity of my readers more than the title: “God Uses Opposites To Express Himself On How To Obtain Righteousness”.

Now I ask you…did it work?  Are you still with me?  Have I piqued your interest enough for you to read this blog all the way through?

Well, if nothing else, you’ve learned the definition of a new word…Antithesis!  That word refers to the juxtaposition (two things with contracting views) of opposing or contrasting ideas.  And we all know that the Bible is full of opposites expressed not only by God in the creation story in Genesis, but also by Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul, and many other New Testament writers.

Below I have listed a few examples found in Genesis Chapter One that depict an antithesis form of speech or writing:

  • Light and darkness
  • Day and night
  • Earth and Sky
  • Morning and evening
  • Land and sea
  • Sun and Moon
  • Male and female

Now let’s apply scripture to the proverb that God disposes but man proposes. 

  • “Many are the plans in a human heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21
  • “To human beings belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.”  Proverbs 16:1
  • “The Lord works out everything to its proper end—even the wicked for a day of disaster.”  Proverbs 16:4
  • “In their hearts human beings plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”  Proverbs 16:9

If you wanted to compose a sentence to share that will better explain the antitheses, you could say that even when man gives his very best to a project, in the end, it is up to fate whether man’s efforts will work out or not.  Thus, Man proposes, but God disposes (brings things to fruition or extinction).

So do not be discouraged when you read opposites in the bible.  Rather, get wisdom and in all thy getting, get an understanding about God’s word.  Study to show yourself approved and allow the Holy Spirit to show you how to rightly divide the word of truth.

The moral of the story:

Recently, I was invited to teach on several scriptures from the Book of Hebrews.  The assignment called for me to first read a short story found in Our Daily Bread magazine and use it as the basis for my scripture teaching.  Because the magazine story did not fully blend in with the overall theme of Hebrews, I had to pray hard for the Holy Spirit to help me connect the dots. This is the message the Holy Spirit communed with me:  Do not reduce holy mysteries to slogans and catchy stories, my sister.  In trying to be relevant, you are only being cute and in violation or misuse of what is regarded as sacred.  Having a knack for generating ‘amens’ from your audience won’t get you anywhere with the Master.  In fact, you will reap what you sow.   You can imagine, I stuck with the overall theme of Hebrews…the Old Covenant vs the New Covenant.  I was careful not to propose anything in my teaching that the Lord would dispose.

My prayer for you:

Dear Heavenly Father, we give You all the glory, honor, and praise for loving us so much that You sent down the Holy Spirit to teach and instruct us in the way of righteousness.  For you used juxtaposition terminology to instruct us in how to recognize what is life-generating and what leads to death-infused conduct.  Basically, we must embrace faith, exhibit love and practice endurance as we live out our lives and administer hope to our fellowman.  It is our prayer that You will continue to shower us with Your wisdom so that we might become more like You.  We ask that all of these various teaching methods be a blessing to others…in the mighty Name of Jesus we ask it all.  Amen.

Scripture Lesson:  “Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.” Proverbs 21:21

Click http://www.tgifmasterminds.wordpress.com every Friday for a new post from The Master’s servant manager…Me!

God said: “Hold On To My Unchanging Hand”

On By tgifmastermindsIn Prayers About Biblical End Times, Prayers For Life Changes, Prayers For New BeginningsLeave a comment
The World Trade Center in the 1970s - The Bowery Boys: New York City History
“Twin Towers” New York Trade Center…BEFORE”

Did you know, my friends, that intended evil deeds can eventually become intended good deeds in God’s hands?

Who knew?

Certainly not the people in New York or any other American city on that horrific Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001. For as you know, on an annually bases, every September 11, we commiserate this attack on the United States of America, which was carried out by a militant Islamist group known as al-Qaeda. A series of four coordinated attacks were planned, but one failed.

This particular year, 2021, should be especially notable for Christians who like to equate such memorial events to biblical prophesies and related scriptures. For we are reminded in Hebrews 13:14 (NIV) “For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.“

New York Times Blames 'Airplanes' For Attack On Twin Towers On 9/11 - The Police Tribune
“Twin Towers” New York Trade Center…AFTER”

Another biblical comparison to the timing of this event that we are celebrating during 2021 are the events that occurred in Genesis 37:1-36. There we find the tragic events around Joseph being sold into slavery by his own brothers. Just like the events of 9/11, this incident, too, was meant for evil, but God meant it for good.

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:20

Joseph’s brothers thereafter had to live their lives in fear filled with lies and deceptions. However, Joseph’s life found fulfillment and rewards and eventually his life flourished in the midst of this tragedy with only a few exceptions. For 20 years later after being abandant by his brothers, they had to come to him in Egypt for judgement.

Just how did Joseph flourish in the midst of tragedy imposed by his brothers? We don’t have to speculate. Some 20 years later the roles were reversed. Joseph was now the overseer of Pharaoh’s Egypt. Joseph was the strong one and his brothers the weak ones. They came to him in dread for their survival. They feared he would settle the score and throw them into a pit of his own making. But Joseph didn’t. And in his explanation we find solace in his inspirational forgiveness statement quoted in Genesis 50:20.

This year, 2021, marks 20 years since that dreadful day when America lost so many lives and uprooted so many families and generations to come. Let us remember to keep the faith and to hold on to God’s unchanging hand and give place for the words in Hebrews 13:14. For every true Christian should be looking forward to that blessed city not made by hands.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 20200130.jpg
Christians! If you are in a night of trial, think on these things; cheer up, nourish your heart with thoughts of the coming Savior. Be patient for ‘Lo, I am with you always,’ saith the Lord Almighty!


Scripture Lesson: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

Click http://www.tgifmasterminds.wordpress.com every Friday for a new post from The Master’s servant manager…Me!

 

God Provided Help For The Journey

On By tgifmastermindsIn Instruction on how to disciple others, Tools For MissionariesLeave a comment

As humans age and their hair turns into substitute bright and shinny halos or slick empty bird nest, others see us as specimens of wisdom and keepers of the secrets of longevity. I say blah…humbug! But still, nonetheless, I am often approach in my twilight years (because of my white hair and longevity) by my young friends and church acquaintances who remember my youthful vocation as an international missionary, to school them on how I approached my prayer partners for monetary contributions whenever I embarked on a mission trip. Some of them desperately need financial support as they embark upon God’s calling on their lives, while others just want to receive a copy of some of my contribution letters.

White Haired Woman Full of Wisdom
Business Man Full Of Wisdom

What can I say. Somebody helped me back in the day, so now it is time for me to pass the gauntlet and share in what ever way I can to help keep God’s work going forward. And maybe, just maybe, there is someone else out there who needs a helping hand in this matter. Therefore, below I have reprinted one of my most successful letters wherein I solicited my prayer partners to help me meet my financial goals to travel to St. Petersburg, Russia to administer and distribute humanitarian relief to children in an orphan home sponsored by Buckner International in Mesquite, Texas.

After conversing with my teacher, the Holy Spirit, this is what I wrote.

Date: August 2013

To: All my Friends and Parayer Partners around the world

Subject: Soliciting your financial contributions and fervent prayers for my next international mission trip.

Good evening, dear friends and prayer partners, who have in the past shown me considerable kindness and generous support as I continue walking in His grace and mercy while striving to live out my sincere promise to minister to the abandon and homeless children in orphan homes around the world.

As you may know, with the Lord on my side, I have been faithful in my duties to walk worthy and to seek an understanding in the ways of our Lord as He ministers to the lost and forsaken through persons like me who volunteer their time, talent and services.

In His own way, Jesus spoke to me in 2007 while I still lived in Rockville, Maryland and made it clear that I had to sell my laundry mat and residence and relocate to a place that He would show me. Within a short period of time and after praying for guidance and patience, that place turned out to be Dallas, Texas, where I have resided for the past 6 years.

Shortly after relocating, I availed myself to 3 years of in depth mission work/studies at a local church and subsequently teamed up with Buckner International, a philanthropy world-wide organization that sponsors, financially supports and provides humanitarian aid and supplies to house orphans and caregivers in almost every country around the world.

Since 2007, I have been blessed to travel with Buckner and do missions work in Lima, Peru; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Hanoi, Viet Nam; Bucharest, Romania; San Miguel De Allende, Mexico; and Amman, Jordan. In those countries, we supplied shoes, socks, medical supplies, taught English as a second language, conducted Vacation Bible School and we always arrived bearing gifts for the caregivers, staff and government officials at the facilities.

As I view my travel exploits through the eyes of Jesus, I have learned that it does not matter if the country practices Christianity or not, because God always shows up anyway. I want you to view this website: https://wordpress.com/post/tgifmasterminds.com/999 and read how God intervened in a man’s heart who was a believer in the Buddhist philosophy. (I was truly humbled as God used me in my frailness to plant a seed in a blood-drenched land [don’t forget the Viet Nam War] where no one, neither America nor Viet Nam had turned to repent or to ask for His intervention or forgiveness.)

In closing this belated Newsletter, I would like to share with you where my next mission trip will take me. God willing, on October 3, 2013, I, along with 16 other Buckner missionaries, will be traveling to St. Petersburg, Russia for 12 days. The flight will be long and the finances required for this mission voyage is well over $5,000. Presently, my part-time employment and other entrepreneur ventures have contributed $4,000 towards this expense; but time is of the essence and I desperately need an additional $1,400.

My prayer is that the message St. Luke recorded in his Gospel will resonate in your hearts:

And the people asked him (Jesus), saying, “What shall we do then?” “He that hath two coats, Let him impart to him That hath none; And he that hath meat, Let him do likewise.” Luke 3:10-11

If you are so inclined to assist me financially on this worthwhile journey, please use the enclosed flashlight (my gift to you) to peer into the corners of your couches, pant pockets, extra purses and piggy banks and donate whatever the Lord dictates, and yours truly will be forever grateful. For income tax purposes, you can make all checks payable to Buckner International or to me, and mail them to my address by August 20, 2013. A receipt will be forthcoming. Also, if you will provide me with an e-mail address, I will send you real-time photos and updates of my assignment while serving in Russia.

Scripture Lesson: “If it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.” Romans 12:8

Click http://www.tgifmasterminds.com every Friday for a new post from The Master’s servant manager…Me!