Have you ever pondered the expression, ‘Babes in Christ’?  Are you now or have you ever been a ‘Babe in Christ’?  Well, for me, the answer is a resounding YES!  Another expression in the Christian faith that is highly associated with the first question are the words ‘Born again’.  When we think on these 2 expressions, how should we analyze them?

Allow me to let you in on a little secret conversation I had with Jesus on how I should pray to Him about the 2 questions above…He imparted to me the first verse of a song recorded by the Statler Brothers entitled, Just A Little Talk With Jesus:

                           “I {you} once was lost in sin but Jesus took me {you} in
                           And then a little light from Heaven filled my soul
                          He bathed my heart in love and wrote my name above
                          And just a little talk with Jesus made me whole.”

Thank you, Lord, for You gave me a preponderance of the evidence that I could understand and apply in my prayer life.

Evidence Unvailed

 I once read that in nature, all living things reproduce themselves.  So, if we apply this to the Christian populace, we emphatically know that none of us can consider ourselves a natural-born Christian.  We were all converted to Christianity.  Thus, we consider ourselves ‘born again’ and as an infant…a ‘babe in Christ’.  Yes, I too, was once a babe in Christ, but now that I have been born again, this time by the Blood of Jesus Christ, I am being made whole each and every day! And my prayer life is becoming more meaningful and authentic in every expression of my faith. The Holy Scriptures bear this out in 1 Peter 2:2 which reads: “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”

Below is a list of words that you may consider incorporating in your prayers to express just how grateful you are for God’s divine intervention in your life. Yes, I am suggesting that you become an astute and conscientious Wordsmith when communicating with God.

A	Acceptance	I	Intimate	Q	Question	Y	Yearn, Yield
B	Bold	J	Joyous	R	Release, Repent	Z	Zealous
C	Confession	K	Kindness	S	Seek, Share
D	Deliverance	L	Listen, Loving	T	Trust
E	Energized	M	Meditate	U	Understanding
F	Frankness	N	Negotiate	V	Victorious
G	Gratitude	O	Obedience	W	Worship
H	Honesty	P	Passionate	X	Exemplary

My personal experience/example of praying God’s Word back to Him

Scripture Lesson:

God’s Blessing on Zambia
(An Adaptation of Isaiah 44:1-5)

“Yet hear me now, O Missionaries to Zambia, My servants, and American Baptist Churches of the South whom I have chosen. Thus says the Lord who made you and formed
you from the womb, who will help you while
on your journey: “Fear not, O Missionaries My servants; and you, Eleazar, whom I have chosen as their guide. For I will pour water on the House of Lusaka who
is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground of
compounds in Zambia;
I will pour My Spirit on all those who journeyed
to Africa and My blessing on Eleazar’s dream
for the Zambian people;
New churches will spring up among the grass huts like willows by the watercourses.” Hope International Church of Lusaka will say, ‘I am the Lord’s’; Bethel Church of Kafue will call himself by the Name of Jacob; Soweto Baptist Church will write with his hand, ‘The Lord’s” and Riverside Baptist Church of Chingola will name himself by the name of Israel. (This 2002 prophecy is certain to come to pass saith the Lord.)

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

What do you know about cars?  For one thing, did you know how inefficient they are?  I had to laugh when I learned that cars take up a huge amount of space on this planet but get driven around mostly empty.  (If you don’t believe me, just take a look to your right and left the next time you pull up to a stop sign.)

Government statistics have reported that private cars driven in the U.S. carries only 1.6 people per trip!  So, what we can conclude about cars is that they mostly just sit there, parked in the garage, the driveway, on the street, at the dealership or at the mechanic’s. But, not withstanding, they demand a large portion of your operating cash.

Okay, I know what you are thinking; what does the above information have to do with having a conversation with God?  (I’m so glad you asked.)  Well, what I am about to share with you this week is a belated conversation that happened to me some 25 years ago, that I almost forgot to revisit. My Lord reminded me that I had not repented nor thanked Him for His long arm of protection that He had provided in an area He is definitely an expert in…namely, time perspective.

Here’s how I surmised that God travels in style and not in happenstance…

Some 60 years ago, I was a passenger in a car of a young but legally aged driver. Also, his wife was seated on the front passenger’s seat and I was in the back seat.  We were traveling a few miles above the speed limit, but our vision still allowed us to see straight ahead as well as quick side glances of territories we were currently passing.  In other words, the driver had only a 2-dimensional view of scenery that was leading us towards our destination.

Suddenly, we approach a sharp bend in the road.  Just beyond the bend, the highway went into a deep downward slope that allowed the car to accelerate and go even faster.  To everyone’s horror, the hood of the car came unlatched and flew backwards covering the whole windshield and blinding the driver’s view.  We all began screaming and yelling, ‘Stop the car, slow down and stop the car!’  We all thought we were going to die that day. Fortunately, the driver managed to pull off the road and to safety.  No harm was done.  We exited the car, tied the hood down and continued on our way.

Years later, when I was much more mature and assessing my life with a spiritual barometer, the Holy Spirit spoke to me in the vernacular of how God was a safe and stylish driver.  He brought to my mind a memory of a frightened girl in the back seat of a car.  ME!  The Holy Spirit said to me, do you remember wiping tears from your eyes after that hood-flying situation was over.  I could only respond by nodding my head. Well, that was Me comforting you and quietly instructing the driver to use more caution and adhere to the speed limit because he had precious cargo on board.  He continued by saying, I also shut his wife’s mouth so that she did not scold him afterwards.  Remember?

During that conversation, dear readers, I want you to know, I did none of the talking.  I kept my mouth closed. I just listened, cried softly and begin to thank God for his strong arm of protection.  I also asked for forgiveness for my slowfulness in returning to give thanks.

The Holy Spirit ended His time with me by saying, My Child, I always know where I am going when I travel, especially the condition of the roads and the direction I want to take.  In fact, while using my divine GPS I also know who else will be on the road besides Me, and what disposition they will arrive in once they reach their destination. I AM THE NASCAR DRIVER OF THE UNIVERSE!  I TRAVEL IN STYLE, DISPOSITION AND LAW AND ORDER!

Here is the lesson I learned…

Always remember the Lord will carry us in His arms where ever we want to go as long as we trust and obey Him. Make it a habit to look and see that there are only one set of foot prints.

We have a Father who is willing, able and prepared to carry His children through life in spite of their slowfulness and lack of understanding. He is familiar with all types of transportation, yet surpasses them all. He is like a bridge over troubled waters. And he travels in style.

Scripture Lesson: He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. Ecclesiastes 3:13

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

Let’s examine the phrase, “You reap what you sow”.  What does it mean? The dictionary defines ‘to reap’ as to gather a crop; and ‘to sow’ as to plant seeds. Throughout the holy scriptures, however, ‘sowing’ is used as a metaphor for a person’s actions and ‘reaping’ as the results of such actions.

Let’s look at 2 Biblical examples:

• “Those who sow to please their sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; those who sow to please the Spirit, from that Spirit will reap eternal life.”  Galatians 6:8
• “The wicked earn deceptive wages, but those who sow righteousness reap a sure reward.”  Proverbs 11:18

Is it not true, that most of us would like to think of ourselves as sowers with a good nature rather than with a deceptive nature?  That way, we would most likely always reap a just reward (outcome).  What could possibly hinder that line of thinking and cause our acts of generosity to go awry?

In a word… “YOU”!

Did you know that the wrong mindset we engage in prior to giving our gifts, talents or assistance to aide others can negate our good intentions?   Usually, mankind’s motives are guided by thoughts of; ‘don’t give out more than you can afford to lose’; or ‘if I do this, will the person appreciate it or better yet, pass it on’?

If we want to be followers of Christ, we must ditch those kinds of thoughts.  We must pick up the Banner that reads: ‘The more we give, the more He gives to you.’  ‘Plenteousness’ is God’s middle Name.  The authority God has given his Son is that the cattle on a thousand hills are His.  Therefore, Heaven’s resources never run out.  And as a child of the King, it is our inheritance, too.

I learned this lesson the hard way.

When I was about 12 years old, one summer I went to stay with my grandmother in another town.  She was so glad to see me and had stocked her cupboards with all my favorite foods. Grandmother went out of her way to entertain me.   She even made arrangements for her neighbor’s younger daughter to sleep over several nights just to keep me company.  But how did I repay her?

One day, my new friend and I were sitting on the front porch steps drinking Cokes. Just then, grandmother came out of the front screened door and approached me with a glass.  She asked me to share my drink with her.  Now, that was not something I wanted to do.  Nevertheless, I reluctantly took the glass and poured just a smidgen of Coke into it.  Grandmother said, ‘thank you very much’ and reached down and took the Coke bottle out of my hand instead of the glass.  She then turned and walked back into the house.  I was left with the smidgen.

The lesson I learned:  Those who sow sparingly will reap sparingly.  I soon realized that all summer long, grandmother was teaching me biblical principles without once lauding the Bible over my head.  What a wise and saintly woman I had the privilege to be akin to.

The takeaway of this blog is simply this:  A person’s giving to another is reminiscent of God’s giving us his energy, strength and resources.  Divine sources that will never be depleted.  Therefore, if we think of our giving in this manner, then we know with assurance our attitude in giving is based on the Character of Jesus Christ.  And whatever and whenever we offer anything to others it merely becomes an exchange rather than a depletion.  Our resources really have not gone anywhere even though it may seem like they have moved from one person to another. That’s the Law of Endless Giving. 

Scripture Lesson: “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-9a

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

I’ve lived a life that’s full.  I traveled each and every highway.  But more, much more than this.  I did it my GOD’S way.  Amen!

For some time now, I have been faithful in keeping a promise to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, that I would publish a new blog every Friday on WordPress, sharing encounters on how God the Father scripturally communicates with me on various subjects.  Some of these blogs have been very revealing and personal and needless to say, in some cases unbelievable.  In other words, the intimacy level of the Spirit and a mere mortal raises some illusions.  WHY?  Because God communicates with me in a special way that causes me to think about things differently.

So, for this week’s blog, I have decided to allow my readers to enter into my secret closet, while I share a revelation the Holy Spirit ministered to me one evening in March 1983, as I was preparing to conduct a seminar on the subject of what is the role of a Deaconess (female officer) in the church.

The seminar’s scripture theme had been given to me by the organization’s president and it came from Saint John Chapter 15.  As I began to read the verses, one descriptive word started to formulate in my mind to summarize that verse(s).  As I continued reading through the entire chapter, by the time I finished reading and meditating on its content, I realized I had written down 10 single descriptive words and one short sentence, for a total of eleven single expressive thoughts that summarized the entire chapter.

The next thing that happened, I begin to softly sing an old familiar hymn entitled,  “He’ll Understand and Say, Well Done.”  I immediately grabbed a pen and paper and begin to compile my thoughts in a chart-like draft.  Below is a copy of what eventually came to fruition from John Chapter 15, with the aid and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Verse	Scripture	Single Descriptive Word	Lyrics to the song
5	I am the vine, ye are the branches:  He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit:  for without me ye can do nothing.	DEVOTED Very  Loyal,Very Faithful	If when you give the best of your service,
8   16	Here in is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain:  that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.	EVANGELIZE Proclaim the Good News	Telling the world. . . .
4 6	Abide in me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except ye abide in me. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.	ABIDE To remain	. . . .that the Savior is come.
1	I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman	CHRIST The expected Deliverer	The Savior. . . .
19       21	If ye were of the world, the world would love his own:  but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.	OFFENDED To hurt the feelings of	Be not dismay. . . .
3   24	Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin:  but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.	NEGATIVE Expressing Denial	When friends don’t believe you. . . .
9   17	As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you:  continue ye in my love. These things I command you, that ye love one another.	EMPATHY The capacity for participation in or infusion of another’s feelings (The highest of intellect)	He’ll understand and say WELL DONE.
20	Remember the word that I said unto you. The servant is not greater than his lord.  If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.	SOJOURNER To live somewhere temporarily	Oh, when I come, to the end of life’s journey. . . .
13	Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.	SACRIFICE An offering of a life or object to a deity	Weary of life and the battle is won!. . .
10	If you keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.	ETERNAL Without Beginning or End	Carrying the Staff and the Cross of Redemption. . . .
26	But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.	SPIRIT OF TRUTH Supernatural Being	He’ll understand and say, WELL DONE.

(*)  All Scripture references are from KJV

God’s Final Surprise For Me

All of those many years ago when I compiled this workshop for my church’s Deaconess Board, it took me a minute to realize the surprise ending the Holy Spirit had blessed me with.  Please observe that the first letter in the capitalized word in the “Single Descriptive Word” column actually spells out the description of the audience I was to conduct this workshop for:  D-E-A-C-O-N-E-S-S-E-S!  Hallelujah and praise God!!!

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

 

 

 

 

I’m not kidding.  It’s right there in the Scriptures.  Don’t be afraid.  God is not a Bogie Man or an alien from outer space.  God is Love and he definitely wants to have a little talk with us.  From the very beginning, God had a lot of astonishing things to tell us…concerning his creation and his personage, and also especially about his Son.  But most of all, God just wanted to talk and visit a while in your sanctuary and to find out “Whaz’zzz up, my brothers and my sisters!“

Besides this blessed invitation being written in the Holy Scriptures, and also extended to everyone in our hearts, His desire is to give to all of us a ‘high 5’. How do I know this? because whenever you find yourself faced with a conundrum or a situation where there is absolutely no clear solution of what is right or wrong, did you know that you subconsciously wish you could turn to someone who is more astute than yourself.

Jesus Christ whispers in your ear…I AM the answer! I AM that Someone!  Come, let’s have a little talk.

I’m not saying you recognized that still small whisper in your physic as the voice of the Holy Spirit, but that does not change things.  Allow me to provide you with two scriptures that attest to my words, followed by a personal example of excluding the One who knows all.

• Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your cares on him because he cares for you.  I Peter 5:6-7
• If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (without criticizing) ; and it shall be given him. James 1:5

God questioned my judgement… 

Earlier this year, around the beginning of Covid-19, I put a rental property I owned on the market ‘For Sale’.  Little did I realize the dramatic effects this pandemic would have on our society, health, financial livelihood, businesses, educational pursuits or our social encounters.  Although I received thousands of electronic views on real estate websites, after six months of having the condo on the market, I had not received any bonafide offers from buyers.

I forgot to mentioned, just before listing my unit, I was no longer accepting renters and had invested quite a large sum of money in remodeling and upgrading the unit.  Now it is six months later, and with nothing but expenses accruing on the apartment, and the fear of uncertainty surrounding the duration of the virus pandemic, I decided to pull my investment property off the market.

Then I turned ‘again’ to the Lord…

‘Wait, what did you say?  Were you talking to Me?  I don’t remember you asking Me anything about putting your house on the market!  Maybe you thought by merely explaining to Me what you had already intended to do was a conversation.  Excuse me, I beg the difference.

Oh, boy, I did it again, my bad….sorry, my Lord!

Epilogue:

Many Christians misinterpret God’s offering of help in times of decision making and find themselves in a heap of trouble and financial ruin.  But we should not allow our short-comings to hinder us from repenting and returning to the only One who can bring us out of despair. I know, because after I came to myself I asked for forgiveness and gave the Lord permission to order my steps.  And guess what!  He did!

God placed it upon my heart to investigate the possibility of turning my property into an AirBnB for visiting nurses and doctors that He would send to my area to assist the medical providers caring for those afflicted with Covid-19 in hospitals, nursing homes and prisons.  Since acting on this divine assignment, I cannot tell you how many doors have been opened to facilitate this project and to bring it to fruition.

Now that I have ask His advise for the property’s use, He has opened a new venture entirely for me…Now that I am seeking His guidance, He is allowing me to find the right organizations and expertise I need to complete the good work He intends to use to help others…Now that I hear His knock on my door, I am hurrying to let Him in and to have a meaningful, blessed and rewarding conversation.

GOD IS GOOD…ALL THE TIME!  Matthew 7:7

GOD IS LIKE A SATELLITE, RULING AND RECORDING THE ENTIRE WORLD

I borrowed the above title of this blog from a sentence in Bruce Wilkinson’s book entitled Beyond Jabez.   You remember Mr. Wilkinson.  He is the famous author of the parent book, The Prayer of Jabez.  The message in both books clears up the misconceptions of whether or not it is all right for a person to pray and ask God to specifically bless them by enlarging their territory.  I invite you to explore Mr. Wilkinson’s bible-based responses in both books and be ready for a rude awakening that will truly knock your socks off!!

As we dissect the words that God is the Ruler over the universe, what does that really mean?  First, we are not just talking about God being a Ruler over heads of state or governments.  God’s authority, rulership and supremacy is also over every day life situations such as finances, relationships, health and wellness, educational pursuits, spiritual growth, and situations that weigh heavily on your moral responsibilities to God and your fellow man.

All of these decisions gives us challenges and invokes fears that depend on the measure of faith one has in the Living God and the examples set forth in the life of his Son, Christ Jesus.

A real life rude awakening in Kingdom authority:

I can remember a time in my life, while on a mission trip in Costa Rica.  I was riding in a jitney cab with other missionaries, when we saw several young children running along the street waving at passing buses and cabs.  They were trying to draw attention to us foreign visitor passengers coming into their village.  They wanted to show us some love.

Suddenly, a large suitcase tumbled off the top of one of the buses in front of us and fell to the street.  Two older children ran hurriedly into the street, scooped up the suitcase and fled down a narrow alleyway and out of sight.  Those in my cab gasped but said nothing, and our local cab driver did not stop.  Everyone acted as though nothing had happened.  (Hold on to this thought…there is more.)

Later that day, after settling into our rooms, I decided to wash and dry a load of clothes,  along with my newly soiled tennis shoes, in the laundry mat located in the hotel lobby.  After supper, I went to the laundry room to retrieve my clothing.  To my surprise, when I opened the dryer, there was nothing inside but a handful of tiny rubber balls.  No newly dried clothes, no newly washed white tennis shoes.  Just a handful of tiny rubber balls.  Basically, just crumbs of melted rubber.

My knees became weak, I placed my hand over my mouth to keep from crying out, I looked around the room at the attendant and other customers.  I didn’t know what to do or who to accuse of my loss, when all of a sudden, I heard a still small voice say; My child, sit down…relax…listen to me.  I obeyed and sat down.  I buried my face in my hands and I said softly; Speak, Lord, thy servant is listening.

My beloved, Greater is He that is within you then he that is in the world.  And as you know, I oppose the proud but give grace to the humble.  Your assumption that someone robbed you of your possessions and your earlier ill thoughts of young children as thieves are misplaced.  Honestly, your actions and those of your mission team were the cause of it all.

Oh, my Lord, speak on.  How have I offended You?

Why have you come to this desolate place where there is so much poverty and physical need, with all of these fancy new clothes and a prideful attitude of your status with Me, when you know that I require obedience rather than sacrifice?  At dinner time, when you were asked by your host church what church did you belonged to in the states, instead of just naming your church, you pridefully reach into your purse and displayed a picture of a brand new multimillion dollar building, which caused your host to sadly exclaim, ‘My God, what a waste!’

You still do not understand why he said that.  So let me explain.  Your host was thinking just how many mouths all that money could have fed and/or provided medical supplies and housing with indoor plumbing for his people.  Also those children were desperate to sell  on the black market those clothes in the suitcase, to help support their families.  And by the way, you put too much money in the dryer and I alone burned up your brand new tennis shoes and gave your clothes away to someone in need. 

Oh, my God, say no more.   This conversation is too revealing for me.  I now see the error of my ways and understand Proverbs 25:2 more clearly.  For you have blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.

I understand now that You, my Lord, have crowned all missionaries as your chosen students being taught to become kings and queens in your vineyard.  We are being trained to be loving and compassionate to all Your subjects without prejudice.  Therefore, I sorely repent of my insensitive actions and for my teams haughtiness.  I humbly pray for Your forgiveness and thank You for ordering my steps in the way your servants should act when on the battle field.  For not only are you the Ruler over established monarchs, but also over the common and lowly hearts of your people.

He’s got the whole world in His hand!

Did you know that both sinner and saint, believer and non-believer, male and female, and false prophets and men who prophesied truth have all confessed at one time or another that “God is able to provide deliverance”? And also, did you realize that when they do acknowledge that God is able to overcome any and all adversities, these witnesses give us an unforgettable lesson in faithfulness and God’s goodness and mercies.

Allow me to pose another question to you:

Has there ever been a time in your life when an enemy/foe has overpowered you and rendered all your efforts of survival helpless and you found that your only weapon against your foe was to face destruction with your convictions and faith in tack?  Always remember that no weapon formed against you shall prosper… (excerpt from Isaiah 54:17)

I, personally, am grateful for recorded events and heroic stories retold by sages, eyewitnesses, or old wives tales, for without a doubt, they have been the cornerstone, seed and foundation of the church.

As I write this week’s blog, I am reminded of a specific event that is happening in our Nation today.  With the spread and devastation of the Corona virus, whether you agree with the methods put forth to curtail it or not, most everyone agrees that our Nation’s fate is in God’s hands and he and he alone is able to provide the relief and instructions to deliver and bring us out.

The most revealing Bible story that bares me out is found in the Old Testament Book of Daniel, Chapter 3; the story of three young Hebrew boys whose Babylonian names were Sharach, Meshach and Abed-nego.  They refused to bow down in a worshiping posture to the Babylonian king’s golden statue.  In spite of the fact that if they did not obey the king, they faced certain death, they put their trust in God and chose to disobey the king’s orders.

This defiance infuriated the king and he commanded that the young men be put to death by fire.  So the king ordered the furnace to be preheated seven times hotter than its usual temperature.  But in spite of that, the faithful boys were not afraid to face death because they knew that God was able to provide a method of survival.  And if not, they would never the less, bow down.  Subsequently, they were joined in the furnace by a fourth ‘Mystery Person’ who fanned the flames and reduced its temperature.  When the king saw this miracle, and perceived that the fourth Person was an Angel, he immediately commanded that the boys exit the furnace alive, and was amazed to see that they were unscaled by the smell of burnt clothing and hair.  Consequently, the three Hebrew boys  found favor with the king for their tenacity and strong commitment.

The moral of the story:

Some people believe that no situation has yet arrived in our Nation that calls for believers to personally demonstrate the scripture recorded in John 15:13:  “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”  Not even the nearly 144,000 Covid-19 deaths so far recorded in the USA, seems severe enough for someone to cry out in prayer, ‘Here am I, Lord, take me instead.’

Well, that prayer might seem a little extreme, but we can all certainly pray the prayer of Jabez, found in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10:  ‘Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain.’  

If the prayer of Jabez was our prayer, too, and the Lord granted it, we could oblige Him by extending our efforts to search out the needy, give comfort to the downhearted and encouragement to the down trodden.  I’m sure with God’s help and provisions, we all could make a difference during Covid-19.

Please allow these pictures to help me tell my story:

                                   

     Sharing time with family.                                                   People volunteering. 

     Protect yourself & others.                                                     Wash hands often.   

                     

           Why do these things?  To please our Provider!  And become an overcomer!

Scripture Lesson:   Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God.” Daniel 3:28

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

 

 

Is the man carrying the Cross a mystery to you?  Do you know him, really?

Yes, it has taken me 2 weeks to complete introducing you to the 12 Hebrew Names of God (*).  So, as promised, here is Part 2.  With the aid of the Holy Spirit, I will continue identifying the remaining 6 Jehovah Names of our Creator that are referenced in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible.

As we acquire a deeper understanding of the Jehovah names for God, it is my sincere hope that you will be able to compare their characteristic performances to the life of God’s only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ.  For, as it is written in Colossians 1:15-16:

“Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.” (New Living Translation)

So, with that being said, let us continue in our pursuit to acquaint ourselves with the Jehovah Names of God, in order that we might find completeness in knowing that God’s Son demonstrated in His earthly personage and His works, the splendor and glory of our Great Creator.

(May I suggest that before embarking on what is to follow below, that you take the time to review last week’s blog as a refresher course to broaden your understanding of God as Jehovah El-Shaddai.  Send up a quick short prayer and thank El-Shaddai for keeping you and your family and loved ones safe during this past week from the coronavirus that is wreaking havoc across this entire world.) 

7.     Jehovah-Nissi – (My Banner)  In ancient times, a “banner” did not necessarily represent a cloth flag as it does in today’s world.  But rather, a banner was a bare wooden pole with a shining ornament attached. This banner (pole) was used as a walking stick by Israelite men and represented God’s ability to deliver one from danger.  “Moses reflected this sentiment after a victory over one of Israel’s enemies:  “Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner.”  (Ex. 17:15)  So, whenever one of your enemies lift up their hands against a child of the King, (especially during a spiritual warfare) silently lift up your banner to Jehovah-Nissi, pray this Name and claim victory over your adversary.

8.     Jehovah-M’Kaddesh – This Name means the God who sanctifies, or the God who provides instructions to help you grow in him.  Since the people of God are called a royal priesthood, they are to take on the attributes and conduct of a priestly nation. We have been called out…set apart…hallowed…and made holy.  Just like God is set apart (Our Father which art in heaven, hollow be thy name…), you, too, are set apart in order to commune with Him.  Therefore, when you pray, ask the Holy Spirit (God’s teacher) to envelop your prayer requests, set yourself apart, select an appointed time, collect your sacred materials and get serious.  Pray God’s word back to him.  Ask Jehovah-M’Kaddesh to instruct, lead and guide you all the way.

9.     Jehovah-Shalom -The Lord is Peace.  If ever you needed to pray to God with this Name it is now during Covid-19.  Without a doubt, we are in a war with our governments (national and local) disputing each other as to how to approach this pandemic; how to relieve our first responders and medical staff; insensitive individuals not wearing their masks; thieves stealing life-saving medical supplies from warehouses and clinics, etc., etc., etc. In Judges 6:24 we read where the Lord of Peace used Gideon to rescue the Israelites from their overpowering enemies of war.  Gideon was victorious even though the Israelites’ sinful deeds brought this calamity upon themselves.  After Gideon’s victory, scripture says this is what he did.  “So, Gideon built an alter to the Lord there and called it The Lord is Peace.”  You should do likewise.  Sometimes children of God misstep and cause pain, destruction and suffering on themselves and others.  As we pray and repent, we can call upon the One who is peace…Jehovah-Shalom.  He alone can forgive us and bring peace and stability to every situation.

10.     Jehovah-tsidkenu – (The “t” is silent.)  The meaning is Jehovah our righteousness.  Scripture reveals in Isaiah 64:6 that all humanity has a sinful nature and our righteous acts are like filthy rags.  Therefore, in order to approach God’s throne of grace we must come to the Father by faith and in the Name of Jesus Christ.  For no man comes to the Father except by me. (John 6:44)  Because of this righteous Man, always end your prayers by saying, “In the Name of Jesus I pray, Amen.”  This is your confession that you believe in your heart in the Trinity.

11.     Jehovah-rohi – Perhaps you did not know that you can began reciting the 23rd Psalms in this manner.  Actually, rohi means Shepherd.  “The Lord is my Jehovah-rohi and I shall not want.”  May I suggest that you grab your Bible and turn to this scripture passage and begin using this Name right now.  Try it, you’ll love it!

12.     Jehovah-shammah – The meaning of this name is Jehovah is there.  Allow me to define ‘Jehovah’ for you.  God’s first name reveals Him as a God in special relationship with man; absolutely self-existence; and One who is infinite and eternal.  God is everywhere.  God’s moral and spiritual attributes are also revealed in His Creation.  After Joshua led his people into the Promise Land and allotted up the land to the 12 tribes of Israel, Ezekiel, the prophet, later wrote concerning the territory; “And the distance all around will be 18,000 cubits.  And the name of the city from that time on will be ‘The Lord is there.’ “  While traveling around the world on my many mission trips I could use this name in so many villages I visited…Surely, Jehovah-shammah was there.

(*) NOTE:  For an in-depth study of the Names of God I used a paperback book by the same title written by Nathan Stone.

I would like to share with you a personal experience I had with Jehovah-M’Kaddesh. The God who provides instructions to help you grow in him.

I am not a public-school teacher by trade but I have performed many years as a bible teacher. However, when I first became a volunteer missionary, we all had to wear many hats when out in the field.  One year while performing mission duties in the Bahamas, I was assigned to teach a small group of young children:  some could read, and some could not.  I instantly realized that the kids were not well disciplined and by reading a bible story to them, I would have a hard time holding their attention.   For it was my intent to read, explain and acquire feedback from the students.  And as you know, a missionary’s job is to plant seeds of Wisdom about our Lord and Savior, no matter if the pilgrim is young or old or even speaks your language.

So, while the children were giggling and playing tag with each other, I began looking around the room for some supplies to work with.  To my surprise, there were none to be found:  no desks, black boards, chaulk, writing paper, hand puppets, toys…nothing!  I began to panic.  The children were getting out of control.  Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I spied a stack of small brown sandwich bags over in a corner.  The children were to use these bags to carry home any small gifts the missionary team had brought to hand out to them at the end of our trip.

In my spirit, the Holy Spirit whispered…So you want to become a missionary, do you?  And your intent is to travel to far off places and visit cities anew.  I don’t remember hearing you praying and asking God to equip you with instructions on how to meet obstacles while on your journey that might prevent you from effectively sharing the gospel.  Now go get those lunch bags and I will show you what to do.

The second thing the Holy Spirit had me do was to ask the children to get out of their seats and onto their knees and to use their chair as a desk.

Immediately, I realized that the bags had four sides and a boxed bottom.  The Holy Spirit whispered for me to give a bag to each child and one crayon.  I was to tell the story of Mary and Joseph traveling on a donkey, arriving at a stable, surrounded by animals, and a baby being born and placed in a manger.  (I now had four scenes that the children could draw with stick figures and circles.) They loved it and were very excited about their finished project because the Spirit told me to have the children open their bags and put their small hand up into the sack and retell the story by turning the bag around and displaying their art work on all 4 sides.  At the top of the bag I had them print the title of the story:  “Mary and Joseph and Baby Jesus”.

I had truly experienced Jehovah-M’Kaddesh.  And in the process, I learned never to doubt the Lord’s intervention capabilities again.  His instructions to me to forget about myself and to look to Him for guidance is a lesson I will never forget.

Scripture Lesson:

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Is the man carrying the bible a mystery to you?  Do you know him? Really?

Whether you realize it or not, Our God desires for us to get to know him most specifically by his many Hebrew Names(*) in scripture.  So, with the aid of the Holy Spirit, I decided to choose that subject…the Names of God…for this week’s blog. And the Holy Bible with an exhaustive concordance is a good place to search out the Hebrew Names for God’s Son.

After all, just last week my blog was about reassuring you that God certainly knows our names, therefore it is only befitting that we also know his Name(s) since it is a name above every name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.  It is also a name where every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!

Ironically, in order to wholeheartedly commune with God, and to praise God, and to give him glory and thanksgiving for the gift of salvation, it is imperative that we know something about him and his wonderous works.  We find these instructive words in the New Testament and the Old Testament:

“Now this is eternal life; that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” John 17:3 TNIV My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me. Since you priests refuse to know me, I refuse to recognize you as my priests. Since you have forgotten the laws of your God, I will forget to bless your children. Hosea 4:6 NLT

You will notice that the second Bible quotation above is from the Old Testament and refers to us as ‘priests’.  In the New Testament, all those who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ are called a royal priesthood.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  1 Peter 2:9 TNIV

Now that we have established that God truly desires that you get to know him intimately, let us proceed with identifying six out of 12 Hebrew Names ascribed to God.  (The remaining six names will be discussed in next week’s blog…God willing.)

1.     Elohim – Whenever you want to express the general idea of God’s greatness and his glory that is manifested in the world.  Your demeanor in prayer should be a serious one.

2.     Jehovah – Whenever you want to express that God possesses essential life and can sustain a permanent existence (eternity).   God is specifically concerned with his creation and the preservation of the entire world.  So please remember to refer to him with this name as you pray for all nations during the Covid-19 pandemic.

3.     El-Shaddai – Whenever you want to express gratitude for God’s provisions, nourishment and supplies.  Especially as he keeps you during this Covid-19 crises may I suggest that you add ‘Almighty’ in front of El-Shaddai when you pray.  Because that is Who he is.

4.     Adonai – Usually, in most cases, this name is used interchangeably with the title Lord.  It denotes ownership of something or someone.  In prayer, to acknowledge God as Adonai means you understand that your body, soul and mind (your total being) belong to God.  He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings over all nations all by himself.

5.     Jehovah-jireh –  This is considered as a mighty name reference to God.  You may consider using it when you are praying for a miracle to happen.  You are literally praying to asking God to use his miracle-working powers to manifest (show/reveal) his provision to you.  In other words, you are asking God to make sure you recognize that the answer to your prayer is being provided by him and not some doctor, lawyer or Indian chief.  You are begging to SEE God’s glory and to profusely give thanks to him alone.  Abraham and his offering of his son Isaac are your examples.

6.     Jehovah-rophe (pronounced rah-pha) – Whenever there is a need for healing of the body by a physician, you can refer to God as Jehovah-rophe.   But, when we consider that many of the body’s aches and pains are cause by spiritual and mental stresses, we can also reach out to God by this name for spiritual restoration as well.

(*) NOTE:  For an in-depth study of the Names of God I used a paperback book by the same title written by Nathan Stone.

On a personal note, I have experienced God in all of these name-situations above, especially when on international mission trips.  Please allow me to recall just two:

1.                 While in Hanoi, Vietnam (a pagan nation) our mission team was only allowed by their government to distribute gifts, medicines and teach English as a second language.  But I witnessed a young girl in my class turn her paper over once she had finished her lesson and begin drawing a ‘man’ on the cross. (I had not mentioned anything about our Christian heritage and the profound surprise on my face when I saw it caused the Vietnam guard assigned to my class room to rush over to see what so surprised me.  His glaring stare on me caused me to tremble because I just knew he was blaming me and was deciding whether or not to dismiss the class and to report me.   At that moment all of the other children in the class left their seats and came over to see what all the excitement was about.  Everyone of them returned to their seats and begin to draw the same thing…Jesus on the Cross!  Oh, the power of Elohim…the greatness of his might!  Needless to say, that guard knew that his arms were too short to box with God. 
2.                While in  Nicaragua, Central America I remember sitting at a large pot of hot rice my mission team had prepared for a community high in the mountains.  We instructed the children to line up first to receive the food and the adults to follow.  My team leader ordered me to serve everyone first, so I took a seat on the short stool.  I noticed that no one in line had a bowl to receive the hot rice in.  When the first child approach me with a great big smile, he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small plastic bag similar to those in our grocery stores.  My eyes expanded to the size of half dollar coins.  My fear was that once I poured the hot rice into that plastic bag, the tremendous heat would cause the bag to burst.  (I surmised that no one had any bowls and I was right.)  So I sent up a quick prayer to my Jehovah-jireh.  Into the plastic bag went the hot rice.  And you guessed it…the plastic bag miraculously ‘solidified’ and held everyones’ portion of rice.  Hallelujah!

Scripture Lesson:

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:20

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From the beginning, God knew your name!

Dear Readers.  Did you know that from the beginning of your existence, God had a calling on your life.  I know this because I had a conversation with him during my adult transformation from worldly desires to seeking wisdom and understanding through reading God’s word.  Let me share with you how this came about.

God’s call on my life.

As I became more and more familiar with the bible and Jesus’ teachings, I began to realize a change in my demeanor and life style.  For some reason I didn’t crave the entertainment and people I used to.  I stopped dressing as provocative as I used to.  My attitude and demeanor was more comforting and not as confrontational.  I began to feel and act more obliging towards others.  I found solace in reading my Sunday School lessons and searching commentaries for deeper explanations of Scripture.  Needless to say, something got a hold of me.  And that Something was Jesus!

               Speak, Lord, Thy servant is listening.

He, at first, received a busy signal from me.

Although, God called me at a ripe-mature age, like most of you, at first, 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.  But thanks be to God, one day I said, ‘Enough, already!’  I surrendered under the Cross.

My humble advice to you is simply this; no matter what your age, begin seeking the love of Jesus today.  Start recognizing the extraordinary methods of operation He is performing in your lives.  When I came to myself, I repented and prayerfully asked the Lord to forgive me for procrastinating in performing His bidding.  I have also thanked Him profusely for silencing every negative voice that previously had dominion over me.

He changed my name!

One day, I finally got up enough nerve to prayerfully ask God a question since I felt strongly that I was on his team.  I said, Lord, in the scriptures I notice that those whom You call and send out on Your behalf, You change their names.  Have You given me a new name?  Jesus answered me in my spirit…My child, have you not read Isaiah 62:12a?  Your name to Me has always been ‘Sought Out’.  I have been seeking you out since your birth, but you have been running from Me.

What a revelation!  What a blessed nomenclature!  What a divine calling from my Lord and Savior!

He is no respecter of person!

I challenge you out there…those who are sincerely seeking the Lord to confess that perhaps the reason why you have not totally committed yourself to His service is because He is calling you by another name that you do not recognize.  Pray and ask God to open your eyes and to remove the worldly scales that have formed over them and to make it plain.  For the scriptures say to ask and it shall be given, seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be open unto you.  Begin to claim all that God has in store for you right now.  For Jesus alone can make your paths straight.

What He has done for others, He will do for you!

Always remember that God is calling you twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week.  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.”  Amen

Scripture Lesson: 

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