Month: April 2022

God Allows A Little Humor

On By tgifmastermindsIn Heaven Is For Real, Prayers For Spiritual Growth, Prayers For Understanding8 Comments

(If Twitter ran Heaven:)

Oh, beg your pardon, sir, I thought your name was Elon.

For some reason this past week, I found myself beseeching the Holy Spirit with one nagging question: “Oh Lord, is there no humor in the Scriptures?” I guess I had become weary from reading so much gloom and doom in the chapters from the Books of Ezekiel and Jeremiah. You see, I am a member of a large bible study group that meets by phone 5 days a week (Monday through Friday) from 6:00 a.m. to about 7:30 a.m., for the purpose of reading 4 bible chapters each of the 5 days. An assistant minister of my church is our leader and the drill is for him to begin our sessions with prayer and praise, and then assign 4 participants to read one Bible chapter each, from a list on a calendar: One chapter each from the Old and New Testaments, and repeat reading chapters from Psalm and Proverbs, perpetually. After the first chapter is read, anyone on the call line can select a verse and audibly wrap a prayer around it. This procedure is repeated until all 4 chapters have been read.

Normally, I find this early morning exercise extremely gratifying and it keeps me in harmony with the sweet, sweet Spirit of Jesus Christ and orders my steps for the remainder of the day. Our latest assignment readings called for the group to read the Books of Jeremiah and Ezekiel back to back. And since there is so much gloom and doom in those two books, I found myself heavy laden over the assignments given by God to these two prophets. But thanks be to God, the Holy Spirit knew that I was harboring these melancholy feelings and just as I sat down at my computer and attempted to quiet my spirit and to pray concerning the subject I would blog about for this week, my eyes fell upon a book in my library entitled, “More Holy Humor“. The very first joke I read was anonymous, no credit was ascribed to anyone. It went like this:

“A senior pastor took a vacation and placed a new young associate-in-training in charge of preaching one of the Sunday morning sermons, since he would be away. When the pastor returned, he asked one of the members how the young associate had performed. The member replied: “He preached a dull message. Not much in it at all.” When the pastor saw his associate, the pastor asked him how he had felt about that Sunday morning he had preached. “Oh, I felt very good, sir. And I have a confession to make. I didn’t have time to put the proper research required into my own sermon, so I found one of yours and preached it. Thanks.”

Now, that bit of information brought a smile to my lips. And spontaneously I heard a still small voice whisper in my ear; My child, go back and reread a few verses in those Old Testament chapters and see how God characterized some of the foolish acts of his people as they abandoned the One true God and turned their hearts over to wooden idols and false teachers. Surely, you will discover some holy humor in them and maybe even a little sarcasm, too. And while you’re at it, reread the poem “Your Promises” I had my servant, Rob, send you earlier this week in both Spanish and English. He is a true believer whom I’ve placed in your sphere of influence; a person you have never physically met; a true friend and lover of Mine. Be encouraged by his prayerful poem, and stay focused. And always remember, my friend, let God be God! HALLELUJAH!!!

Tus promesas / Por Rob

Tus promesas, Señor,

Mi alma sostienen en paz:

Garantiza, Altísimo

De tu gran fidelidad.

Otros pueden prometer,

Pero tú tus promesas cumples.

Los enemigos del alma

Moneda falsa nos dan.

Por tu carácter, Señor

Nunca cambias tú.

Tengo plena certeza en ti, Señor

Pues, tú no puedes mentir.

Pero ya pagaste, Jehová

En Cristo mi redención,

Y para tu propia gloria, oh Dios,

Tus promesas son sí en él.

Tus misericordias, Señor,

Nuevas cada mañana son,

Y todas las cosas nos ayudan a bien

Para tu gloria, Señor.

Y todas las cosas nos ayudan a bien

Para tu gloria, Señor.

Your Promises / By Rob

Your promises, Lord, to me

Keep my soul in peace.

Your guarantee, Most High,

Of your great faithfulness.

Others make promises, too,

But you your promises keep.

The enemies of our souls

Pay us in counterfeit coin.

By your character, Lord,

You can never change.

I have perfect assurance in you, Lord,

Because you cannot lie.

You, oh Lord, have paid

My redemption through Christ,

And for your glory, my God,

Your promise in him is “Yes!”

Lord, your mercies to me

New every morning they are.

You work all things together for good

For your glory, dear Lord.

You work all things together for good

For your glory, dear Lord.

Satan finally realized, but too late, that Heaven is for real. Don’t let his charades be your examples!

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

God Is Alive…He Is Not Dead – Part Two

On By tgifmastermindsIn Heaven Is For Real, Prayers About Biblical End Times, Prayers About Superstitions, Prayers For Spiritual Growth3 Comments
Why Is Reading the Bible an Important Part of the Christian Life?
I guessed it…I knew you would come to Part Two with a smile. So, let’s continue reading about how God’s Word contradicts Thomas A. Edison’s views on the hereafter.
THE DARK SIDE OF THOMAS A. EDISON (1847-1931)
        COMPOSED BY S. L. FOWLER
               (Part Two) (*)

There are little known facts about this inventor
Such as he possessed telepathic abilities, too
He could enter an altered state of consciousness
By closing his eyes and catnapping everyday around noon.

In addition to the fact listed above
He possessed another strange phenomenon
He could concentrate on someone and they would appear
Just as if he'd called them on the yet to be invented telephone.

The science of mental telepathy
Intrigued many an inventor of that day
They were curious about the mystic Occult
They risked ridicule and placed their reputations in jeopardy.

A friend of Edison's named Bert Reese
Was a renowned clairvoyant
Who could mysteriously read others written messages
Without ever having seen them before hand.

Thomas Edison's work in the hereafter
After all, might not have been in vain
For at his death on October 18, 1931, at 3:24 a.m.
Several clocks mysteriously stopped never to run again.

So, who is to say that communicating
With the unknown is ridiculous and unsound
Mr. Edison's notebooks concerning this research
Along with the apparatus' blueprints have never been found.

Now you know what was really festering
On the brain in Thomas A. Edison's head
He actually wanted to build a special machine
That would have allowed him to communicate with the dead.
        ---- THE END.  Go to website  below for additional information on Edison -----
(*) NOTE: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/dial-a-ghost-on-thomas-edisons-least-successful-invention-the-spirit-phone

Have mercy, Jesus!!!

If only the believers in Jesus Christ would take time and seriously study the Word of God. Only then would they discover the true meaning of Leviticus 19:31: “Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them.” Also, the Bible says channeling is abhorrent to God, and the spirits who respond to channelers are satanic. So why not let the dead bury the dead?

Speaking of being ‘defiled’, I found several incidences in Thomas Edison’s life that proved to be self-serving prophecies. First, in his biography it is recorded that his experiments performed in the basement of his home often exploded and frightened the heebie-jeebies out of his family members. Now that could have been a fore-warned sign.

Secondly, Thomas was afflicted with Scarlet Fever at an early age which caused hearing losses in both ears. Perhaps that infirmity, too, could have been a sign for him to stop listening to false doctrines and for him to plant his feet on solid ground. So, who’s to say Thomas was not forewarned during his lifetime to avoid the road he chose to travel on. (Only God knows.) Those who have ears, let him hear what thus says the Lord.

My Prayer for you…

Most Gracious Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You for the unique body you gave to mankind. And we particularly thank You, Dear Jesus, for our communicable facial features: two eyes, two ears, two intake nostrils and one mouth. But right now, Lord, I want to pray especially for those instructions You gave to our ears.

For in Matthew 11:15 You admonished us in a parable by saying, “Those who have ears to hear, let them hear”. Since You and You alone are sorely aware of how few of your people take the Word seriously and pursue an understanding of it, please allow the aide of the Holy Spirit to take residence in our hearts as it implants Your Word in the churches. And we promise to give You all the praise, honor and glory. For we know that since God the Father raised his Son, Christ Jesus, from the dead, He will do the same for all those who believe in Him. Amen and Amen!

Scripture Lesson:


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God Is Alive…He Is Not Dead – Part One

hands around a crystal ball, what does the Bible say about mediums
STOP… IN THE NAME OF LOVE. FOR GOD IS LOVE. DO NOT SEARCH FOR HIM THROUGH MEDIUMS OR FORTUNE TELLERS

No doubt, in today’s society, if you were to turn on your television, open your laptop, read a newspaper, or talk with your next-door neighbor long enough, the topics of interest would be the state of the union, wars and rumors of wars, politics, the economy, and genocide of impoverished people world-wide.

What a state of hopelessness we are living in today.  Suicides, massive deaths from a world-wide pandemic, random killings of innocent men, women and children, sex and drug trafficking are running rampant in every area of society.  Lord Help!!

WHERE IS GOD? SOMEONE IS ASKING!!!

When we examine the role and characteristics of a Triune God Whom we serve, (the Father-Son-Holy Spirit), in order to answer the above question, we should look for character traits attributed to the Holy Spirit.  Additionally, what we should never forget is the fact that the Holy Spirit only works within the heart, mind, and spirit of Believers in the Spirit of God’s Son, Christ Jesus.  And when a person confesses (repents) that he/she believes in the ‘Spirit’ of Christ, that declaration implies that they believe that Jesus was nailed to the Cross, bled, and died on the Cross, was buried in a borrowed tomb and on the third day He arose again for all mankind’s sins and that now He (the Third part of the Trinity) has taken residence in only those who believe in Him: For it is written in Acts 2:38: “Peter said to them, repent and be baptized, each of you in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

SO, GOD IS NOT DEAD!! HE LIVES IN THE HEART, MIND AND SOUL OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIS SON, JESUS THE CHRIST!!

In March 2004, I wrote a poem and recited it to fellow members of a writer’s club I was associated with. The club’s president had challenged its members to write and recite something barely known about a famous person in our history. After performing due diligence in my research (* See NOTE below), I chose Thomas A. Edison. Boy, was I surprised at what I learned. Featured below is Part One of this fascinating piece of nostalgia that I came across. After consulting with the Holy Spirit, I decided to share my poem with the readers of this week’s blog. (Please do not hesitate to send in any comments you may have in regards to its content as it relates to the title of this week’s blog.)

THE DARK SIDE OF THOMAS A. EDISON (1847-1931)
        COMPOSED BY S. L. FOWLER
               (Part One)

Thomas A. Edison was a self-taught genius
Who lived a productive 84 years.
He was the youngest of eight children and
Scarlet fever left him partially deaf in both ears.

He terrified his parents, sisters and brothers
When in the basement his experiments would explode.
They were relieved when at twelve years of age he left home
To sell newspapers not only on trains but from door to door.

A millionaire he became due to his remarkable industriousness
He produced over one thousand patented inventions
Which included the phonograph, the electric light bulb,
The alkaline battery and secret work in extrasensory perception.

You see, Thomas Edison had a dark side,
He desired to communicate with the dead.
Declaring when we die our personalities do not cross over
They remain behind wishing to communicate with the living instead.

In 1920 the scientific world buzzed with rumors due to an article 
Published in Forbes magazine, that the man who had been voted 
"America's Most Useful Citizen", was now attempting to invent
Instruments that could record sound waves from spiritual beings.

It was about fifteen years before his own death
Ole Tom became obsessed with the hereafter
"Was there scientific proof that man's soul was immortal,
Could life and death co-exit in in the ethereal?"

To be sure, Thomas Edison was definitely no scatter brain
He did not altogether believe in visiting seance parlors
You know, the table-tilting, object-floating, glass-breaking stuff
That is associated with quacks and unscrupulous fortunetellers.

* * * *PART TWO OF THIS BLOG TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK* * * * * 
* *Click website below for additional information on Google * *

(*) NOTE: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/dial-a-ghost-on-thomas-edisons-least-successful-invention-the-spirit-phone

Scripture Lesson:

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

On By tgifmastermindsIn Uncategorized3 Comments

God Is The Joy And The Strength Of My Life

On By tgifmastermindsIn Uncategorized2 Comments

I have often prayed for the Holy Spirit to take me back to the place where I first believed. And He often does so. In retrospect, I have come to learn, that many of the memories that are revealed to me in answer to my prayers are not in chronological order. I smile when that happens and ‘joke’ with the Holy Spirit by saying…Oh, that’s right, My Lord, You are not inhibited by time and space,.

So, it was no surprise to me this week when I sat down at my computer to begin composing this week’s blog. I sent up a quick prayer to my Father which included only four words…Lord, take me back! I went to my file cabinet and pulled out one of many file folders containing unpublished chapters from a book I have been intending to finish for a number of years. Below is an excerpt from one of the chapters entitled “Promises Given In A Still Small Voice”.

“Tell Me Oh Pretty Sky”
(An original song written by the Blogger)  

Tell me oh pretty sky,
What makes the stars so high?
What makes the rivers,
What makes the streams?
What makes the flowers and grass so green?  

If I knew all of that
I’d be so happy and gay.
God knows it all
He’s the One who knows.  
Tell me oh pretty sky.
   

The above song was actually written by my big sister, Simone, and me when we were just kids about ten and eleven years old. I remember we were sitting on our back porch of the little yellow house on Kimball Street, in a small town in Illinois, USA. We were looking upward at the the starry sky in total silence for a very long time. I was thinking, where did all those clouds go that I had seen earlier in the day.

Finally, my sister began to speak the first words of the song above. I soon interrupted her with a contributory word here and there. When the song was finished, we jumped up and ran into the house to sing it to the whole family in two-part harmony.

Surprisingly, I have remembered that song and sang its words all during my adult life. I love it! But little did I know how authentic a prayer it was until one evening about 47 years later. According to my journal, it was a Friday night in May 1996 about 12:30 a.m. while I was preparing my Sunday School lesson.

Often, I would begin my Bible study time with a song and that night I sang, “Tell Me Oh Pretty Sky.” After I had prayed, I began my study by reading the following Bible scripture: “I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist.” Isaiah 44:42

As I paused to meditate on those words, the Holy Spirit began to speak to me in response to my inquiry through song. He said, My child, one reason why I set the clouds up above your back porch those many years ago was to remind you that I will not forget you and have swept away your offenses like a cloud. And as for why I made the morning mist; that was just to remind you that like the mist, your sins disappear from before Me long before high noon.

Hallelujah! At last I had confirmation to all those questions in that song. The ‘what‘ turned out to be the ‘Who’. For indeed the Lord declares in a still small voice…“I am the Lord who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by Myself.” Isaiah 44:24b

My prayer of thanksgiving…

To my Beloved Master, I thank and praise You for truly You are a promise keeper, a Lord of lords, a Rock in a weary land, and a Teacher extraordinaire. For I am at odds numerous times, just like Mary and Martha, why Your ways are so forgiving and Your actions are so lovingly expressed towards me. Teach me, Heavenly Father to never doubt You again, for truly You are the Joy and the Strength of my life. Amen and Amen!

Scripture Lesson: “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:16, 25

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