Category: Prayers About God and Me

God Provides Everyone Valuable Resources

On By tgifmastermindsIn Instruction on how to disciple others, Prayers About God and Me, Prayers For New BeginningsLeave a comment

Did you know that as long as you maintain a sincere relationship and stay connected with Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit will equip you with life skills that will help you fulfill the greatest successes in your life.

Trust me! I speak from experience! And I invite you to eavesdrop on a recent conversation I had with the Master. Although I am a seasoned-born again Christian (and have been for several decades), I sometimes become agitated, discombobulated, and short tempered with friends, relatives, strangers, and even myself. These recurring attitudes sickens me and is not pleasing to my Lord and Savior.

During a recent prayer time, the Holy Spirit gently interceded and instructed me to search my data base of teaching materials that I had delivered to audiences over the years. He also said for me to be encouraged and to remember the words of James 1:2 where there I was reminded to consider my dilemma an opportunity awaiting great joy. And if I would do this, my ‘seemingly’ life troubles…basically, my communication skills, would eventually produce in me character qualities that are essential in staying the course and finishing well.

Take a look, at what catalogued material I found in my files that brought me great joy:

SUBJECT: “GREATEST VALUES IN LIFE”
  • THE GREATEST HANDICAP…………………FEAR
  • THE BEST DAY…………………………………..TODAY
  • HARDEST THING TO DO…………………….TO BEGIN
  • EASIEST THING TO DO……………………….FINDING FAULT
  • MOST USELESS ASSET……………………….PRIDE
  • MOST USEFUL ASSET…………………………HUMILITY
  • THE GREATEST MISTAKE…………………….GIVING UP
  • THE GREATEST STUMBLING BLOCK…….EGOTISM
  • THE GREATEST COMFORT…………………..WORK WELL DONE
  • MOST DISAGREEABLE PERSON…………. THE COMPLAINER
  • WORST BANKRUPTCY…………………………LOSS OF ENTHUSIASM
  • GREATEST NEED………………………………….COMMON SENSE
  • MEANEST FEELING…………..REGRET AT ANOTHER’S SUCCESS
  • BEST GIFT…………………………………………….FORGIVENESS
  • THE HARDEST AND MOST PAINFUL TO ACCEPT……DEFEAT
  • THE GREATEST MOMENT………………………DEATH
  • THE GREATEST KNOWLEDGE…………………GOD
  • THE GREATEST THING…………………………..LOVE

My prayer is…

Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive me for sometimes wondering if Your Word is still relevant in today’s world. I know fully well that Your Word remains steadfast eternally in the heavens and that I may not change nor substitute anything in it. Guard my tongue, Holy Spirit, in the precious Name of Jesus Christ. Amen

Scripture Lesson: “The testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:3–4).

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

God Unveil’s Hidden Explanation of Fruit of the Spirit

On By tgifmastermindsIn Prayers About God and Me, Prayers For Spiritual Growth, Prayers For Understanding2 Comments
Explanation of our daily bread fruit basket of love is supplied through God’s Holy Word!

Surprise! Surprise! I bet you did not know that a perfect definition for the nine succulent Fruit of the Spirit Bible verses outlined in Galatians 5:22-23a could be found in Acts 4:32a thru 4:35b and one verse in John 15:16. Yes, God hid them through the ingenuity, cleverness and trappings of Saint Paul’s writings.

Every now and again, the Holy Spirit challenges me to a ‘quickie’ pop quiz. Sometimes I receive a high mark, other times I head for the wood shed. But this time I believe I did pretty good. Let’s see how well you do…

PatienceActs 4:32a
All the believers were one in heart and mind.		Restraint exercised over one’s own impulses,
emotions or desires. Self-control.
LoveActs 4:32b
No one claimed that any of their possessions was
their own, but they shared everything they had.		Unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the
good of another.
PeaceActs 4:33a
With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.		Freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts
or emotions.
Kindness


Forbearance		Acts 4:33b
And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all…

Acts 4:34a
…that there were no needy persons among
them.		The quality or state of being kind; affection.


The refraining from the enforcement of something as
a debt, right or obligation that is due.
Faithfulness


Gentleness		Acts 4:34b
For from time to time those who owned land
or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales…

Acts 4:35a
…and put it at the apostles’ feet,
Faithful implies unswerving adherence to a person
or thing or to the oath or promise by which a
tie was contracted.

The quality or state of being gentle; honorable;
mildness of manner; or disposition.
JoyActs 4:35b
…and it was distributed to anyone who had need.		Delight; the expression or exhibition of such
emotion.
GoodnessJohn 15:16
“…but I chose you…so that you might go and
bear (good) fruit–fruit that will last…”		The quality or state of being good. (Only GOD is Good. He alone enables us to bear fruit, not we ourselves.)

Even though there are nine descriptive words for the Character of the Holy Spirit, there is no “s” at the end of fruit! Why? Well, here is what the Holy Spirit conversed with me. “Since I am the Third Person of the Trinity…and God is the First and Christ Jesus is the Second, nevertheless, We are only ONE SPIRITUAL FRUITY ANOMALY! Grammatically, there is no need for an “s”. And more importantly, against such things there is no law.

My Solemn Prayer…

Dear Lord Jesus, I sincerely pray that You will order my steps and make me prepared to let go of my inflexibility and become one with the rest of my church community. Do me, Lord, just as You and the Father and the Holy Spirit are One. In the Precious Name of Jesus, Amen.

Scripture Lesson: “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.” (1 Corinthians 1:10)

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God’s Son…Our Spiritual Physician

On By tgifmastermindsIn Godly Living and Maturing, Prayers About God and Me, Prayers For Healing8 Comments

Many people mistakenly believe that one of the main purposes of Jesus’ sojourn here on earth was to heal those persons stricken with all sorts of sicknesses. I respectfully reject that notion. Why? Mainly because of the private teaching lessons Jesus conducted with his disciples; those twelve chosen men He ordained to carry on His work after His resurrection and ascension.

Let’s take a look at persons who are sick not only in their bodies but also who are sick mentally. It is recorded in Matthew 5:3-11, the following verses better known as “The Beatitudes”:

  • Beatitudes Wall Art Print, 11x14, Matthew 5 Sermon on the Mount Bible Quote, UnFramed Scripture Wall Décor, Christian Prayer Wall Art for Home or Office Decore, Inspirational Verse Poster for Spiritual

First of all, the “Sermon On The Mount” recorded in Matthew Chapter 5 is where “The Beatitudes” are recorded. And in Verses one and two they begin by describing just who Jesus is about to speak to:

“And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying,” Matthew 5:1-2

So you see where in this occasion, Jesus did not have a word for the multitudes. This particular teaching was for His disciples, only. And for the next 9 verses (5:3-11) Jesus’ teaching is specifically aimed at how the disciples are to encourage the negative thoughts of sick people by dwelling on the scriptures and not just solely on doctors and medicines! In other words…WWJD! What would Jesus do?

My encounter this week with the Holy Spirit…

I endured a health problem this week that required my hospitalization. Subsequently, I became anxious, forlorn and sad. This disposition affected my faith and attitudes towards other who were in attendance of me. I became ashamed of my actions and began to ask the Lord for His strength and reassurances. Immediately, the Holy Spirit stepped in and pointed my way towards The Beatitudes. My church family began to send me text messages which supported my innermost thoughts. The hospital staff seemed to appear to me as floating angels. Many of them prolonged their services to me just to relate an incident they had experienced where God stepped in and performed a miracle for them. That warm and comforting support seemed to be coming from on every side.

My prayer for you…

Dear Great Physician: Thank you profusely for stepping into my heart and encouraging my soul. I also pray this prayer for all those who will read this blog. For as You know my Lord, sicknesses, troubling diagnosis and pain can penetrate one’s faith and cause the strongest Believer to court with doubt. Forgive me My Savior. For this ‘storm’, too, will pass over. Amen

Scripture Lesson: “Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” Matthew 5:12

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Encourage My Soul (Worship Song) – YouTube Chicago Church of Christ

YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com › watch

3:08 (Click Here)

God Provides Acts Of Benevolence During Times Of Bereavement

On By tgifmastermindsIn Prayers About God and Me, Prayers for Families, Prayers For Peace8 Comments
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is pexels-rodnae-productions-8865084.jpg

Sometimes we are all asked to perform a task that we just wish could be delivered by another person. And generally, those assignment requests involves grievances or controversial situations. Such an assignment fell on me when my baby brother died a few years ago. What concerned me was the fact that I was not the oldest sibling and I thought our oldest sister should have stepped up to the occasion. However, since she was the matriarch of the family and ruled the roost, her decision prevailed.

Needless to say, I delivered the Eulogy for our brother!

The sadness and sorrow I felt for carrying out this assignment was mainly because of my personal feelings for the deceased. You see, my brother went home to be with the Lord at an early age of 74 years old. He had never married, nor did he have any children. Immediately after his High School graduation in 1963, he was drafted into the Army and assigned to a 3-year tour of duty in North Viet Nam. He came home from the war wounded and 100% disabled. He became a ward of the Veteran Administration and remained in their medical and hostel care until his demise.

I felt he had lived such a shallow life full of loneliness, sadness, and broken dreams. Now, perhaps you can sympathize with me as to why I was reluctant to deliver my brother’s Eulogy. So, what I did was to go to God in fervent prayer. I asked him to give me the right words, ideas, and uplifting content to compose a light-hearted and information message that would be uplifting to our family members, friends and acquaintances that would be in attendance at the funeral services.

The results of the Holy Spirit’s intervention in assisting me with composing the Eulogy was phenomenal. And just in case you (my readers) are ever put into this kind of situation, it is my prayer that you can apply some of these heavenly ideas that I received that led me to deliver a very short two minute speech that brought the funeral attendees to their feet with resounding accolades at the conclusion.

Below is an excerpt of the advise I received from a conversation with God to help me prepare a befitting Eulogy for a brother ‘less traveled’ in life then most people…

  • KISS – Keep it simple (my) servant.
  • Collect anecdotes from correspondence sent to others or harmless pranks he did to others that brought lasting memories.
  • What life-lessons did you and others learn from him as an adult or as a young child.
  • What gleeful mannerism did he play on people.
  • What made your brother unique and a cut above his peers?
  • Avoid dwelling on any sad life-long memories or events he may have suffered or did nothing to show the love of God.
  • Use this time to express any message that can alleviate guilt, sadness, shame or sorrow for the future.
A Eulogy Befitting My Brother

I am sure that there is no one gathered in this assembly today that has not heard of the bible verse I am about to quote.  And it does not matter if you are a Believer in Christ Jesus or a believer in yourself or some other gods.  Somewhere in your upbringing I know you have run across John 3:16.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."

You know, Brother died unexpectedly and alone...without any relatives, friends or loved ones at his bedside.   And that has bothered me to no end...so naturally I prayed about it!!!

And for comfort, during these past two weeks, the Holy Spirit has continued to give me reassurance that a host of angels were around Brother's hospital bed on that final night of his earthly residency to remind him of those most cherished words from John 3:16.

I was also comforted with the thought that those heavenly messengers were also singing praises and giving thanks for a mere mortal soul who had at an earlier age surrendered to the call of his country and had offered his life so that other generations to come might remain free.  He honorable severed in the US Army and suffered life-threatening wounds which permanently left him handicapped for the rest of his life.

The Heavenly Host had an extended conversation with me about how this mortal man was so thoughtful during his lifetime.  They were amazed at how generously after his tour of duty, he shared his remaining life with others while knowing that he himself was without wife or children to hold, provide for and to love.

And finally, the Angels concluded that although Brother was the baby of his family and resided in his home town, his surviving brother and 2 sisters lived far away in other states.  And with the urgency for my brother to answer the call and be taken up to his new celestial residency, they would not have time to get to the hospital to deliver their last 'goodbyes'.

So as I close this tribute to Brother, I believe us 3 remaining siblings have been vindicated.  Our guilt for not being at Brother's bedside has been removed.

We, the remaining siblings also hope that our brother sees us officiating now and that he has searched our hearts and realizes that without a doubt, we beg him for forgiveness for being absent from his bedside in a time of need.  We also hope that this Home-going celebration has been a worthy tribute for his journey to his celestial home.

So on behalf of Brother's immediate family members, his extended clan-family members, all his friends, loved ones, caregivers, and guests in attendance, we say 'thank you' for helping us celebrate the life of Brother, a child of the King.

My final request is to everyone under the sound of my vice...I invite you to stand and shout out in a loud voice, "Fare ye well, beloved Brother".  Then, blow a kiss to the wind and give a resounding hand clap of love in appreciation for Brother's life and his suffering for so many others.

May our Lord and Savior richly bless and keep all of you.

May Our Brother Rest In Peace

My Prayer For You:

Dear Holy Spirit, We humbly come and ask You to give us the right words to use to proclaim Your message to the masses so that the good tidings of Jesus Christ can be heard all over the earth and for every occasion under the sun. Amen

Scripture Lesson: “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me (Paul), that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.” Ephesians 6:18-19

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God Prescribed A Radical Cold Remedy For Me

On By tgifmastermindsIn Prayers About God and Me, Prayers About Miracles, Prayers For Healing4 Comments
Working on my Sunday School Lesson outline while sick in bed.

The date was Tuesday, May 10, 1983, and I lay sick in bed in Rockville, Maryland, USA, with a nasty head cold. My throat was very sore and earlier that day, I had coughed up blood. I lived alone, so whenever I got this sick, I stayed close to my bedroom so I could lay down if I became dizzy or winded.

That evening, I settled myself in bed and tried to begin preparing my Sunday School lesson which was found in the Book of Acts 19:11 & 12:

       11. “Now God worked unusual miracles by the

        hand of Paul, 12. so that even handkerchiefs or

        aprons were brought from his body to the

        sick, and the diseases left them and evil

        spirits went out of them.”

As I continued to study, my attention kept going back to verse 12. Finally, I said to myself, ‘I wonder if a cloth could heal my throat.’ Immediately, my Mother came to mind and the Holy Spirit reminded me of her true devotion to the Lord all throughout the day.

At that time, my mother lived in Minneapolis, Mn., but earlier that same year she had crocheted some table doilies and sent me a ten-piece set. In my mind, I could picture her settled in her favorite chair rocking and crocheting while at the same time humming hymns and giving praises to her God all the day long.

Sample image of one of the crocheted round doilies.

So, I got out of my bed and went downstairs to the hall closet where I had placed the newly received doilies. Very carefully and with a lot of hesitation, I removed the box from the top shelf. I selected a small round coaster doily. I then tipped toed back upstairs to my room. Boy, was I nervous and continued praying all the while. Cautiously, I slipped back into bed and braced myself against the pillows. I held the doily in one hand and prayed over it very softly. Next, I asked God if I was doing the right thing. I wanted to assure him that I was not “trying” him. It was my fervent desire to only trust him for his healing power.

The next thing I did was to carefully place the handheld doily on my sore throat and kept both hands clasped tightly over it. At the same time, I quietly continued to pray…almost apologetically for my demonstrative actions. Suddenly, something began to happen!

Lightening bolt!

The first thing I noticed was that a cool bright breeze was coming towards me. It passed through my nostrils. Actually, it rushed through my nostrils. My eyelids popped open and I put one hand over my mouth to keep from screaming. I sensed it was the Holy Spirit, and I wanted to speak out and praise God. But at that precise moment I had to swallow. When I did, everything went right down my throat with ease. No pain. My eyes got bigger and I began to sweat, Somehow I found the courage to whisper, ‘Lord, is that You?’ In a still small voice He responded, ‘You asked to be healed, didn’t you? Well, do not waver!

Tears of joy began to stream down my cheeks. Incoherent praises were coming from my mouth. My voice still sounded as if I had a cold, but my head was all cleared up. My eyes stopped watering. My fever had dropped. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! I was healed. I recognized that with the aide of the Holy Spirit, my mother’s doily and most of all faith in Jesus Christ, I was healed just as Paul’s handkerchief had healed those saints in the Book of Acts.

In my later years of life, I am still thanking God and sending up prayers for his love and tender care…

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for Your blueprint for prayer. I knew that You were with me when I sought You in my bedroom and that I did not have to pray a long prayer because You know me so well that You already knew every thing that I wanted to ask You. Without a doubt, You are a wonder-working God. A doctor Who has never lost a case. A healer to all those who call upon Your holy and blessed Name.

I sincerely thank You for putting me in a quiet place that night so many years ago. It was there where I could be alone with You. You prompted me through the Holy Spirit to take courage and delight in You as I experienced Your healing powers. You have no respect of person…you blessed me as mercifully as you blessed the Apostle Paul.

And less I forget, You also remembered to honor and bless my (now deceased) mother’s devotion to You. Amen!

Scripture Lesson: “When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:6

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God Allowed Me To Experience Life Eternal

On By tgifmastermindsIn Heaven Is For Real, Prayers About God and Me1 Comment

“For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.” Luke 6:43-44

This week’s blog is a page from one of my numerous prayer journals that was experienced and recorded more than eighteen years ago. At that time, I was a Sunday School teacher in the church I attended. It is my hope that the retelling of this odyssey will bless your soul just as much as it has blessed mine during my walk and communications with the Holy Spirit.

Ahh…for a good night’s rest I thought after prayerfully studying my Sunday School lesson…

The Holy Spirit awakened me about 4:30 a.m. on that divinely appointed night. I knew it was Him. He instructed me to go get my paper-back book entitled Chicken Soup For The Christian Soul. So, I quietly slipped out of bed and turned on my night light and retrieved my book. In it I found a short story relevant to my Sunday School lesson. It was very appropriate for my third graders.

I said to myself, it would really be nice if I could find a short story directly related to the book of Luke. After leafing through the book, I found the perfect story and it referenced Luke 6:33, a section on giving.

After I finished reading the story, I was smiling and thanking God for awakening me and putting the finishing touches on my Sunday School lesson. I said, oh, Lord, if I had my druthers, heaven would be one long eternal night instead of a place of eternal day. I made that comment because for me and most people I know, God engages us in the most revealing conversations at nighttime or at least in the early dawn while it is still dark outside.

Immediately, my Lord responded. “Daughter, My beloved,” He whispered, “turn to Revelations where I speak of the fact that heaven will have neither sun nor moon.”

           "The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the
           glory of God illuminated it.  The Lamb is its light."   Rev. 21:23

Don’t you see my child, heaven will have neither sun nor moon. There will be no concept of day or night there. I AM IT! When I awaken you at night to speak to you, I am treating you as I treat Myself. I never sleep! So why should you? I’ll say to you like I said to Jeremiah; ‘Do you want to run with the horses?’. Well, I Am the Horse. Wake up, my beloved! Allow me to turn your night into day.

If you want to walk with Me, know that there are no inhibitions that hinder Me. No walls contain Me. No doors are shut against Me. No gulfs divide Me from anything. No restraints bind Me. No insults effect Me. No regiment of time constrains Me. But most of all, no weapon formed against Me shall prosper. I say to you, come to the realization of how awesome it is to be more than a conqueror. Come! I invite you to join Me and experience eternity!!!

So now you, too, know not to curse the sudden awakening from sleep in the night. God just might be turning your nights into days. HALLELUJAH!!!

Scripture Lesson: “I (Jesus) say emphatically that anyone who listens to my message and believes in God who sent me has eternal life, and will never be dammed for his (her) sins, but has already passed out of death into life.” John 5:24

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God’s Desire Is For Us To Know Him Intimately…So What’s In A Name?

On By tgifmastermindsIn How To Pray For Others, Prayers About God and Me, Prayers For Understanding, Uncategorized7 Comments
“Please hold my hand, Lord. For I am a sinner, saved by Your grace! I yield!“

Webster defines “conversation” as having an oral exchange of sentiments, observations, opinions, or ideas. So, what does it mean to know God intimately? Well, for me, I have come to realize that my conversations with God are very personal and private. Our relationship is one that allows us to laugh together, cry together, come to a mutual understanding especially after I have thought about the situation carefully and/or studied it prayerfully. The Holy Spirit has also made known to me my epitaph inscription; “In all thy getting, get an understanding”. (Proverbs 4:7b KJV)

Now I have a question for you…

Which would you rather have been given; a name at birth that distinguished you from other people, or a name at birth that referenced your inner most being?  I realize that’s a tough question because as we grow, our character changes.

Unlike the Native American societies, at birth, infants receive names that are descriptive that can be changed as they go through life, according to what their experiences and accomplishments are.  The vast nomenclatures for God are like that…or should I say ought to be like that as you grow more intimately in Him.

Your Christian walk and desires should be one of learning how to become more mature in grace and obedience because of a Wondrous working God.  Your prayer life could be strengthened every time you called on Him if you substituted the word “God” for one of His names (below) from Scripture that addressed your need.  Why?  Because we know with assurance, God has already shown himself worthy of that title. (Below are four examples of titles.)

“God of Heaven” “Prince of Peace” “Deliverer ” “Righteous One” ”
When prayingPray for waring nations,Pray for Kings,Praying for
for weatherPeople, Governments, andPresidents, AllJustice, Sinners,
(nature) conditions.Societies, etc.Leaders, Parents, andAll Knowledge, and
Care Givers.Jesus’ position as
the Son of God.
The Names above are to be used in prayer in place of God in order to take the focus off of yourself!

Now, perhaps you can answer my question…

Because most of us at birth were given names that merely distinguished us from other people, we are not recognized by any attainable goals or notable accomplishments. On the other hand, every time we call on the Name of the Lord in prayer by one of His descriptive Names in Scripture that actually addresses our needs, we can shout hallelujah because we know He is able, ready and willing to respond.

My prayer for you…

Dear Jehovah Jireh, my Provider and Maker of Heaven and Earth, we want to thank You very much for making us joyful and happy. We want to make our thoughts obedient to You, and in all things we sincerely ask that You help us to focus on all things that are beautiful and good and right so that our conversations and interactions with You will reflect Your peace and understanding. We ask these blessings in your Son’s Name, Jesus the Christ. Amen

Scripture Lesson: “Brothers (and Sisters), stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.” (1 Corinthians 14:20 NIV)

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God Calls All Of Us…But Will We Answer?

On By tgifmastermindsIn Prayers About God and Me, Prayers For Life Changes5 Comments
Have you availed yourself to the Almighty? Have you proclaimed, ‘Here I am, Lord, send me?’

From the beginning, God has a call on all our lives. He sought me out from birth. I know this because I asked Him. One evening through prayer, I was led to claim His words that say “…and you shall be called Sought Out.” (Isaiah 62:12a) This name was capitalized right there on the page of the Bible. And I claimed it!

Although God called me at an early age, like most of you, I turned a deaf ear to His voice. I allowed the voices of Mr. and Mrs. Excuse, Aunt and Uncle Procrastination, and my favorite cousin, Self-willed Willie to have control over my life. They took turns distorting my hearing, understanding, mind, heart, time, talents and my treasures. Enough, all ready!

Are you listening to gossip, back-biting, false accusations, lies, and malicious conversations?

If the truth was told, we all have bodies that come designed with a myriad of voices. Did you know that your persona reflects which voice you are listening to at any given time in your life? At present (and I hope from this point forward), my persona reflects a contented sheep because the voice I am listening to is that of the Shepherd.

So, when I came to myself, I repented and prayerfully asked the Lord to forgive me for procrastinating in compiling my thoughts into a book that I have penned, entitled “Conversations With God Using Scriptures, Telling It Like It Is”. I have also thanked Him for silencing every negative voice that previously had dominion over me. For I once was young but now I am in my senior years and am privileged to see just Who it was that rescued me from the snares of life. Thank God for those of you whose eyes were opened in your youth.

But no matter what your age, begin seeking Him today. Start recognizing the extraordinary methods of operation He is performing in your lives. In my situation, He turned my personal Bible study quiet time into an interactive, stimulating and intimate conversational time with Him.

Always remember that God is calling you twenty-four hours a day; seven days a week; and 365 days a year! It is your choice to mentally leave your domain, your comfort zone, your place of many voices, and answer His call. He is the One with the still small voice. He is the Comforter. When you are ready to obey and yield, just say, “Speak Lord, thy servant is listening.”

My prayer for you…

Dear Heavenly Father, Master of the universe, we are so sorry that we constantly worry about the negative things that are happening at the moment in the world and, yes, in our own lives, too. We thank You that the hard times that we experience cause us to hear Your voice. We now want to open our lives to you and to turn away from voices spreading false hope. Please help us to look away from the reigning crime and violence and wholeheartedly surrender our lives to You with the certain knowledge that You will care for us individually and collectively for the rest of our lives. We humbly ask that you, Lord, also still those negative voices that fill our heads with doubts and fears. And we all promise that with the help of the Holy Spirit we will listen for Your call and proclaim like little Samuel and the prophet Isaiah. We will answer and say: “Here I am, Lord, send me”. Amen!

Scripture Lesson: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine”. Isaiah 43:1

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God Is Asking You…”How’s Our Relationship?”

On By tgifmastermindsIn Prayers About God and Me, Prayers For Spiritual Growth2 Comments
field missionary
I don’t know!…I have no idea! But I want to be in good standing and in an eternal relationship with an eternal God. Please enlighten me Holy Spirit!

Whether you consider yourself a mature Christian or a novice one, may I suggest that before you respond to God’s question, isolate yourself and take mental inventory of how you perceive some of life’s greatest values. (Do you agree or disagree with the right side of the chart below?)

The Greatest Handicap..........................................................................FEAR
The Best Day..........................................................................................TODAY
Hardest Thing To Do..............................................................................TO BEGIN
Easiest Thing To Do................................................................................FINDING FAULT
Most Useless Asset................................................................................PRIDE
Most Useful Asset...................................................................................HUMILITY
The Greatest Mistake..............................................................................GIVING UP
The Greatest Stumbling Block................................................................EGOTISM
The Greatest Comfort.......................................................................WORK WELL DONE
Most Disagreeable Person..........................................................THE COMPLAINER
Worst Bankruptcy........................................................................LOSS OF ENTHUSIASM
Greatest Need.........................................................................................COMMON SENSE
Meanest Feeling.........................................................REGRET AT ANOTHER'S SUCCESS
Best Gift...................................................................................................FORGIVENESS
The Hardest and Most Painful To Accept...............................................DEFEAT
The Greatest Moment..............................................................................DEATH
The Greatest Knowledge.........................................................................GOD
The Greatest Thing..................................................................................LOVE
The Greatest Success
      In The World.........................................SELF FULFILLMENT AND PEACE OF MIND

So, now that you have found a way to examine your emotional feelings about some of the greatest values in life, and how those feelings can influence your relationship with God, let us now try to honestly answer God’s question concerning your relationship with him.

Where To Find Your Answers…

The Holy Bible gives us a litany of Scriptures to help us evaluate our connection and relationship status with the eternal God our Maker. He also gives us the Glue, which is through the power of the Holy Spirit, to stay connected to him. But most of all, God has given us a visible Teacher, his Only Begotten Son, Christ Jesus, to be an example and to teach, lead, and guide us along the way. And to make certain that among all whom God has given to his Son, none will be lost.

A perfect relationship with God is knowing that we are in good standing and saved (from the fate of physical death unto the power of eternal life) not by our good deeds and/or righteous living, BUT by what the Bible says about faith in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Scripture Lessons:

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the assurance we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. ” I John 5:13-14

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, (a warm-blooded man to a physically cold world) that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

“In him (Jesus Christ) we have redemption (a Ransom paid to redeem our sins) through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” Ephesians 1:7

“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father’. Romans 8:15

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is a gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

“But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” Isaiah 59:2

“So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” James 4:17

“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:12-13

My Prayer For You…

Dear Heavenly Father: As your children go forth in an effort to solidify their relationship with you, please do not allow them to spend an enormous amount of time in doing so. Why? Because it may cause them to spend too much time thinking about themselves and their short comings and not enough time getting to know you. For your word says for us to (just) ask and we shall receive, seek and we shall find and knock and the door will be opened unto us.

For your children know that you are the Good Shepherd, and you know without any doubts those that are seeking to strengthen their relationship with you. For it is written that You, Jesus, know us and that we know You. And that you desire to have a strong relationship with us. We ask all of these blessings in the precious Name of Christ Jesus, Amen and Amen!

Dear God, we’re satisfied with you…but are you satisfied with us?

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

God Is The Author And Finisher Of My Writings!

On By tgifmastermindsIn Prayers About God and Me, Prayers For Life Changes, Prayers For Understanding10 Comments
God caused me to ‘think outside the box’!

All I can say is…”To God be the glory.” That’s right! Every time someone ask me where do I get all my ideas to write about, all I can say is that the Holy Spirit empowers me to scribe. He and He alone placed the desire in my heart to put words to paper long before I was born. And, like the prophet Jeremiah, it’s like a fire shut up in my bones.

Sometimes I feel like Grandma Moses. She was a celebrated American painter who was born on September 7, 1860, in Greenwich, N.Y. She died 95 years later on December 13, 1961. Grandma Moses’ true grit was her passion to paint the great and beautiful outdoors and also everyday farm life. Some of her words in her memoirs have inspired me and her penchant to paint recorded therein mimic my very own reasons as to why I write. I believe we both are people who were born with a passion to follow through with our life’s goals. To persevere and work really hard to perfect our calling. To be passionate and conscientious about the gifts God has endowed us with. Our pursuits are what makes our Maker happy.

Take a listen to what Grandma Moses said about why she paints:

“I look out the window sometimes to seek the color of the shadows and the different greens in the trees, but when I get ready to paint, I just close my eyes and imagine a scene.”

“Memory is history recorded in our brain.  Memory is a painter…”

“I like to paint something that leads me on and on into the unknown, something that I want to see always on beyond.”

“You don’t get to be 95 without having some memories and knowing ugly things.  But I don’t believe in painting ugliness.  I paint pretty pictures.  If I put in something that was not pretty, I make it look a little better.  If people can’t get pleasure out of looking at a picture, what’s the use of painting it?”

So, all I have to do is substitute the word “write” for every time Grandma Moses uses the word “paint”. Because her feelings are my feelings exactly about ‘why I write’.

Following is an original poem I wrote about why I write…

This young man is not only thinking outside the box…
he is also thinking outdoors!
W  O  R  D  S

Words come soaring
Words come marching
Words come seeking
Words come stalking

Words come walking
Words come running
Words come creeping
Words come strumming

Words!  Words!
Who can live without them
Cluttering up your mind, they come
Like falling leaves in Autumn

Overflowing your heart in chaos
Fighting for space in your being
Establishing themselves in voices
Everybody speaking at once...bad timing

Trying to eradicate them from your head
Is like eliminating your body of waste
In a few short hours they are back again
With a vengeance, running around in haste

Words!  Words!
Are like parasites, no doubt
I have resolved to tolerate them
But only until death takes me out!

The End

My prayer for you…

Heavenly Father, we thank You that You have endowed each of us with special talents. And You are hopeful that we will commit our lives to the good deeds that You have planned for us. Please help us to discover and to carry out the purposes that You have in mind for us to become. Amen and Amen!

Scripture Lesson: “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

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