God Provided Me With A Slam-Dunk 2023 New Year’s Resolution!

On December 30, 2022 By tgifmastermindsIn How To Witness To Others, Prayers For Life Changes, Prayers For New BeginningsLeave a comment

For more than 2-1/2 hours this week, I sat idly at my computer trying to figure out what my subject would be for this week’s WP blog post. I questioned the whereabouts of the Holy Spirit. I begged God to unleash his creative writing geniuses on me. But he did not answer. At least I thought he did not answer.

Then, suddenly, I remembered. The Holy Spirit had told me last week to begin thinking about my 2023 New Year’s resolution proclamation. I had also been warned by my colleagues not to rest on my 2022 laurels. For surely, more than ever before, my lifestyle, disposition, prayers, praises unto the Lord, philanthropy contributions for benevolence, personal health successes and many more blessings had flooded my total being during the past 365 days.

So, I began to feel some relief in my amnesia predicament, and prayed a quick prayer of thanksgiving and submission and vowed with the help of the Lord to do even more in the coming year. Then, ‘voila!’ (*). The Holy Spirit reminded me of a seminar I had facilitated over 40 years ago for a group of Deaconess women entitled, “Faith Without Works Is Dead” (**).

Note: (*) Pronounced ‘Wah-Lah!’

Note: (**) Following is a reprint and revised version of “Faith Without Works Is Dead” by S. Fowler

(To my readers, use the following new title for your 2023 New Year's Resolution: "Learning New Ways To Fortify My Faith With Measurable Works")

"Good evening my fellow workers in the service of the Lord. You are knowingly partakers of a Heavenly Calling to become Faith Enthusiasts within this earthly environment, in the likeness of the Apostle and High Priest of our Profession, namely, our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus.

I greet you this day in harmony, knowing that there is a better way; that faith without works is dead; and that faith without hope is like a hot coal being removed from the fire, placed on the hearth and watching its glow go out. For we cannot continue to grow in this Christian life alone. We need the warmth and fellowship of each other.

So, let us allow our Profession in Christ to be exercised, which is our faith. Also, let us begin to receive our compensation and fringe benefits as well as bonuses that God has in store for many of us.

HOW CAN THIS BE ACCOMPLISHED?

1. First, know your job description. Moses is our example. He received the Law on a Tablet. It was a blueprint of what to do.

2. Know who your Supervisor is. Moses, along with all the Israelites knew who wrote those laws and who was their "Boss".

3. Know what company policies are. However, the Company of God, Inc., began to realize that the people could not follow the rules and regulations on a consistent basis. The Company also realized that the consequences and penalties were too sever.

4. Know what the consequences are if you do not perform. So, a new policy was initiated -- A BETTER WAY -- and the only requirement printed in the job description was...YOU MUST HAVE FAITH!...and be able to exercise it!

5. Know what your limits are and be willing and ready to accept change. Because some of the Ole Timers were so set in their ways and thought that the "Better Way" policy was so easy that there must be a fly in the ointment somewhere, they resigned and went to work in their same capacity at another firm. But the younger people accepted the challenge based on the promises of the Employer...that he would put the Son in charge. And all that the people had to do was to accept Him as the Supervisor, form a union (the Church) and begin to study the By-Laws (The Holy Bible).

You know the rest of the story. How Jesus Christ has set an example that no man can top. How He did not just sit in His Father's office, but came down among the workers. How He demonstrated His love and dedication by giving Himself so that we all could receive life-long benefits.

Nothing less is expected of us, Dear Partakers of this Heavenly Calling, if we are to continue to be in the employ of this Company. We must begin to exercise our faith by releasing it to others and depending upon our Faithful Father/Supervisor to keep His promise and make everything alright.

Our 2023 New Year's Resolution is: Lord, please help me to turn mustard seed faith into monumental works. Amen!

My faith looks up to Thee – YouTube

https://www.youtube.com › watch

2:50

Classic hymn sung by the Dallas Christian adult concert choir.

Scripture Lesson:  "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."  Hebrews 12:2

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

God Challenges Us To Be Faith-bent Rather Than Hell-bent!

On December 22, 2022 By tgifmastermindsIn Uncategorized2 Comments

Dear Readers, your inner most conscience has one last question to ask you before 2022 is over. Is your life today what you pictured it to be this time last year in 2021? Folks, let’s get real and ask the question a different way. (That inner voice of yours, yes, your conscience.) For the past 365 days, have you truly relinquished your heart, mind and soul to your spiritual guide? Have you allowed Him (or Her) to be your guide to the rightness or wrongness of your behavior? When it’s all said and done, do you have a guilty conscience or a remorseful one?

Let’s pick up a magnifying glass and examine that voice of yours. Why? Because there is no other spiritual teacher to do the searching than your very own soul. And, as you know, life consists of performing works and/or deeds everyday. But, by performing either one diligently does not gives us a license to salvation. John 2:26 says, “Faith Without Works Is Dead“

But what if by our faith-bent works they could actually make us be made more alive and less hell-bent on dealing with others?…

When a person is hell-bent on carrying out a task, that means he or she is determined to do something reckless even if this causes problems or difficulties for someone else. Below are 2 pictures that depict images of what sneeky little hell-bent acts looks like.

Satan may come disguised in little innocent forms, but is none the less destructive. Beware where it will take you!

Now, let us suppose that the majority of your works/deeds were faith-bent…always searching with keen eyes like eagles!

“But those who wait on [and trust in] the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, they will walk and not grow tired.” (Isaiah 40:31)

One night, in a boat, on a stormy billow-roaring sea, the Apostle Peter demonstrated a faith-bent kind of action. You might even call what he did reckless. The holy scriptures remember Peter’s action as performing an awesome selfless act although he could have done deadly harm to himself. For one moment, Peter’s faith blinded his judgement as to what was liquid and what was solid and upon seeing Jesus walking towards the boat, Peter, in his excitement, bid Jesus to invite him to come meet Him. Peter did so by stepping out of the boat and demonstrating what could be called reckless faith in earthly terms. Peter acted without thinking about the consequences. In other words, Peter was hell-bent on not going to that place. According to Scripture, Peter’s action bolstered the faith of others. (Matthew 14:33)

Will your actions, as far as leading others to Christ Jesus in the New Year of 2023 bolster the actions of others? Lord, please have mercy and sanction our call to emulate your Son.

The conclusion of the matter…

So, do not succumb to being willfully disobedient or hell-bent on stifling others from knowing Christ. Change your sinful ways. Look at the rivers in your life, pretend the waters are stagnant and walk (by faith and not by sight) on them without trepidation. Keep your eyes on Jesus.

Scripture Lesson: “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasures of his heart brings forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45

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

God’s Desire For Us Is That We Live In Tranquility And Peace

On December 16, 2022 By tgifmastermindsIn Godly Living and Maturing, Prayers For Peace, Prayers For Spiritual Growth4 Comments

Are you familiar with Mr. and Mrs Tranquility? If not, I’ll give you some hints as to who they were. Their first permanent home was in a town called Eden. Although the weather there was never neither hot nor cold, they seldom had to worry about what clothes to wear. Their place of residence was completely self sufficient. This special town had everything they needed. Oops! I almost forgot. There were two things that the town did not have… a pharmacy and no other residents.

Now, this Special Town was built, and governed by a Lone Self-made Benefactor who incorporated his own municipal rules and by-laws. He advised his only two residents as to what they could eat and could not eat. But you guessed it! The very one thing that the Benefactor told the couple not to eat…they ate it anyway after listening to some bad advice from a strange-looking creature. Of course, they became mortally sick and soon realized they were out of the arch of eternal mortality when they could not find a pharmacy where they could purchase a remedy.

The couple’s Benefactor found them hiding and suffering in excruciating pain, arguing about which one of them was to blame for their terminal illnesses. After that damnation caper of disobedience, the couple was no longer basking in a mindset of tranquility and peace but transitioned into a mindset of blame, shame and pain.

So, the First Man, whose real name was Adam, and the First Woman, whose real name was Eve, engaged in their first argument and envy; each one blaming the other for the wrath of their Benefactor which surely was to come, not only upon them, but even their future offspring, as well.

The bitter lesson that the First Couple learned was that disobedience towards The Creator will separate you from God and deprive you of a mindset filled with tranquility and peace.

What is in the Cup of Tranquility and Peace?…

The essential ingredient is obedience to the One True God. You do not want your life to be characterized by sin and rebellion against God. The latter actions will separate you from him. Isaiah 59:2 says it best: “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you.”
There are many ways to communicate in a positive manner with God, namely: through prayer, meditation, connecting with the Holy Spirit, memorizing the many names for the One True God and learning about God’s Son, Jesus Christ…just to name a few! By performing these actions through faith, we can embrace the written word in the Holy Bible Book of James 4:8: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”
How would you formulate a tranquil prayer for that young mother in the picture to the left of this sentence?
Imagination is in the Cup of Tranquility and Peace. Use it! Nurture it!
Build and strengthen and perform those good things you can do for others. Imagine and embrace all those good feelings of having accomplished all those things that God has ordained you to do. Be sure to thank God in advance for keeping his promises.
Never let anyone separate you from the love of God.
Learn to accept and be content in what ever state you find yourself in, knowing that God will bring you through it. Study the life of the Apostle Paul and say what he said in Philippians 4:11, 12b, 13: “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances (now, that’s true tranquility). I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Him (Christ) Who gives me strength.

Again, I say: whatever state you are in embrace peace, reassurance, hope, understanding, faith, calmness, strength, etc., etc., etc.

A Prayer To Walk By Faith And Not By Sight…

Dear Jesus:

By Your grace, I will walk by faith and not by sight. Your nearness is my good. And how abundant is Your goodness to those who fear You and obey Your commands. I will trust in You. I will seek You in those tranquil and peaceable places while walking on the shores of life and meditating under the fig trees (under God’s wings of protection.) Thank You Dear Lord for salvation and eternal life. I ask these blessings in the Precious Name of Christ Jesus. Amen and Amen!!

Scripture Lesson: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers [and sisters], whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” (James 1:2-3)

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

God’s Three Attributes…The ‘Omni’s’

On December 9, 2022 By tgifmastermindsIn Uncategorized2 Comments

Believe it or not, I’m going somewhere with this! And mostly, it is for my own understanding, pleasure, and also to empower you guys to draw nearer and nearer to God by mastering some of his eternal attributes.

Question…

If you were asked ‘What are at least three important omni’s attributed to God’, what would you say? Perhaps, if you were like me, you might guess two of them with no problem: Omnipresence and Omnipotence…but… that third one might just escape from memory. Well, maybe, I can help you conquer this problem once and for all.

The reality is that a person’s own character (or attributes) just might be surmised by the spiritual influences they service and worships. And most Christians claim to serve the One True God described in Genesis Chapter One of the Holy Bible. But, do you really know him? And that question should help you recall the third attribute of God!

The first thing to remember is that the three attributes of God we are talking about start with omni and end with ent! Two of these attributes begin with om-nip, and one with om-nis. ( ‘omni’ means all.)

GOD IS OMNISCIENT- ALL KNOWING

GOD IS OMNIPOTENT – ALL POWERFUL

GOD IS OMNIPRESENT…EVERYWHERE (SKY, SUN AND MOON (ECLIPSE)

The conclusion of this matter…

Omniscient means that God has no restrictions on knowledge. God knows everything there is to know! God is the ultimate criterion (*) of truth and falsity, so that his ideas are always true. (Psalm 139:1-4)

Omnipotent means that God is in total control of himself and his creation. He does not need help from anybody or anything! There is nothing artificial about God. (Genesis 1:9, 11, 14)

Omnipresent is the status of someone or something that is present everywhere. God’s creation is everywhere. There exist nothing that God did not create. Since God’s power and knowledge extends to all parts of his creation, especially the planets, sky, moon, sun, and galaxies, he himself is present everywhere his creations exist. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

(*) Note: In the beginning God – (see Genesis 1:1, 3, 5)

My prayer for you…

Dear Heavenly Father:

I praise You for the promise that I can sleep soundly at night with the sure knowledge that You are Omnis-cient and know exactly where I am. I also thank You because personally You care for me no matter what situation I find myself in and You have the power to rescue me because you are Omnip-otent. And furthermore, Dear Jesus, I praise You because You always take good care of me and take each of my life’s concerns on Your shoulders because You are Omni-present, that is, You are everywhere and see me when I am in destress. I love You, Lord, and will faithfully continue to learn more and more of your divine attributes with the help and guidance from the Holy Spirit. Amen and Amen

Scripture Lesson: “I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.” (Psalm 3:5-6)

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

God Receives Praise And Honor From His Saints

On December 2, 2022December 2, 2022 By tgifmastermindsIn Building Spiritual Bridges, Prayers For Spiritual Growth2 Comments

Oh, how sweet it is to be in the service of the Lord!

The year was 1994, and I was asked to render the opening prayer at the celebration to honor all the men and women in the church who held positions as clergy, department heads, Sunday School teachers, custodians, musicians, food handlers, counselors, and anyone else who performed in a leadership capacity. As you can imagine, I was awe struct and filled with mixed feelings of reverence, wonderment and humility.

The first thing I did was to seek the aide of the Holy Spirit, and I also called on the Name of the Lord. In my pursuit to pray an all inclusive prayer that would somehow make each category of recipients experience the gratitude intended by our pastor, I set aside a special time each day to search the Holy Bible for examples of how God called his leaders together to instruct them of their duties and how those saints of old responded affirmatively.

I learned from searching the scriptures that those persons who are put in authority should already know that it is not enough to just mentally recognize that there is a God, but they also should know that they must do what God commands them to do and with the right attitudes. (Especially with a grateful heart.) For it is written: Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27 KJV

Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart [with lyrics for congregations]

https://www.youtube.com › watch

3:15

“Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart” was written by Henry Smith and published in 1970. It is performed here by Maranatha Music.YouTube · Chet Valley Churches ·

Featured below is the prayer the Holy Spirit directed me to compose...

Dear Heavenly Father,

The sons of Jacob and the daughters of Israel who are members of the household of faith at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, have gathered in this place to once again give all praise and honor to Your Name.

For we realize, Dear Master, that all gifts, special skills and benefits come from You. And we rejoice in the knowledge that had it not been for Your Son, Jesus, we would not have had free access to any of Your bountiful blessings.

Also, Precious Lord, the sons of Jacob and the daughters of Israel wish to thank You for keeping us sturdy and on track in the Celebration of Men and Women's Day for 1994. For we have not traveled this spiritual road before as a diverse group. So, we thank You for not giving up on us and for keeping us perfectly joined together in love and in harmony.

We vowed never to take our eyes off of Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith...so, Dear Master, because You sit high and look low, and may have caught a glimpse of someone murmuring; or received a report of another voicing displeasure at someone's leadership capabilities, we humbly ask your forgiveness and confess that by the love of Jesus Christ, we will strive to learn to be more considerate of one another and to cultivate our Christian lives on a common plain.

Never let it be recorded that any of us said, "I'm on Paul's side." or "I'm for Apollo." or "Peter is my man." For neither of those men hung, bled and died for our sins, nor did neither give to humanity the gift of eternal life.

So now Lord, as I close this prayer on behalf of the men and women of this age in the life of Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, I sincerely thank you once again for personally calling each of us by name to be in Your service. For not just anybody or shall I say not everybody would have heeded Your call. But thanks be to God You took a bunch of nobodies and made them Somebodies in the Family of God...and for that we give you all the praise, and all the honor, and all the glory. Amen! And Amen!!!