God Provides Instructions On How To Build A Healthy Spiritual Life Support System – Part 2

On By SonjaIn Uncategorized4 Comments

In September 2018, I posted a blog entitled “God Provides Instructions On How To Build A Healthy Spiritual Life Support System”.  The first component dealt within that post was the discipline of study.  If you would like to refresh your memory concerning that conversation I had with God, please select “September 2018” to the right of this page and scroll through those weekly blogs until you see the title listed above.  Basically, a quick review will help you better connect with this week’s blog.

Now, in this week’s blog, I would like to continue sharing about how to build a healthy spiritual life support system by once again revisiting my conversation with the Great Physician, who has never lost a case, for our Part 2 spiritual checkup.

Blog God Provides Instructions Part 2

So, let’s leave the office of “Dr. Discipline of Study” and go down the hall to the office of “Dr. Discipline of Solitude.”

The doctor takes our pulse and heart rate and immediately turns as white as a sheet.  He instantly realizes that we are all deficient in the component of Solitude.  He starts his examination with probing questions.  “How often does Jesus stop by your house to prepare a table before you?”  Followed by, “How frequently does He anoint your head with oil?”  (Psalm 23)  Surely, when recalling events of this magnitude you did not trust your memory.  You did write down the dates in your calendar, didn’t you?”

The very absence of the ability to regularly recognize an encounter with Jesus Christ is an indictment that we don’t understand the power of perfecting the Discipline of Solitude.  It goes without saying, as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, or putting it another way, as we go through life during distressing times and we can’t recognize the chastising presence of our Lord and Savior, we will surely fear evil.  Tell me, who among us does not have problems from time to time in this area?

NOW, AS A BLACK BAPTIST PREACHER WOULD SAY IN A LYRICAL MONOTONE: 

Winston Porter Large Musical Notes Wall Decor Image 1 of 1“LET ME-Ah–TAKE YOU-Ah–A LITTLE BIT-Ah–HIGHER.” 

Usually a Christian’s first conversion to walking by faith is tied to the first component: The Discipline of Study.  With that discipline we learned how necessary it is for new and seasoned believers to stay connected with God’s Word, the Holy Bible, while building up their spiritual houses based upon the following scripture in 2nd Tim. 3:16-17:  “All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man (or woman) of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  These verses basically deal with the outer man.

After thoroughly understanding the first conversion/component, you are now ready for the second conversion/component:  The Discipline of Solitude.  This discipline is based on the second most memorized Scripture by Christians which is found in Mark 12:29-31:  “And Jesus answered him, the first of all the commandments is, Hear O Israel:  The Lord our God is one Lord:  And thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength:  this is the first commandment and the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  There is none other commandment greater than these.”  These verses basically deal with the inner man.

So, to completely understand the Discipline of Solitude, let’s look at its meaning.  Solitude means being alone, without companions in a remote place from society.  “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he (Jesus) went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” Mark 1:35

Blog God Provides Instructions Man praying Pic 2

Be still and know that I am God!

It is extremely necessary for the believer to include The Discipline of Solitude in their quest towards building a healthy spiritual life support system because this is an opportunity for God to perform a cleansing act in your life.  This is God’s time to eradicate ‘self-love’ from your soul.

THE TRUE STATE OF THE DISCIPLINE OF SOLITUDE REQUIRES THAT IT BE INITIATED BY GOD AND THAT YOU COME INTO IT “EMPTY” AND FREE.

In my conversation with God, He made it quite clear for me that there is a distinct difference between quiet time, meditation time and solitude time.

Quiet time with the Lord often includes verbal as well as non-verbal communications:  audible prayers, devotional readings, singing of hymns, rehearsing of events of the day, etc.  To meditate means to engage in deep thought before prayer.  You are more focused on the attributes of God.  Your brain is highly activated.  Your emotions are heightened.  You may even design a special place in your home and position your body in a certain posture when meditating.  The common thread that binds quiet time with meditation is that you initiated the act.

There was an incident in the Apostle Peter’s life when he recognized the need for perfecting the Discipline of Solitude. He needed to get away to a quiet place far from society and companions.  Peter needed his deficiencies pointed out by God.

Peter experienced a rude awakening that what the Lord had prophesied over him had come true.  Peter had denied Him thrice before the cock crowed.  The realization was that because of Peter’s mind-set for ‘self-preservation’ or ‘self-love’ he had chosen not to stand on the first and second commands of Jesus’ words recorded in Mark 12:29-31.  And thus, Peter needed the holy chastising of the Lord. (In this case, just an accusing glance.)  Peter had to get away and to be alone with God to allow God to cleanse him of a virtue that all of us believers have…professing God, but only up to the point of ‘self-preservation’ or ‘self-love’.  Peter’s redeeming proclamation was he had to affirm Jesus thrice.  (You’ve heard that old adage…self-preservation is the first law of nature…..but it is not the first law of God!)

When God calls you to solitude, He puts breaks on every other activity in your life.  This includes your relationship with Him.  Even your spiritual growth is temporarily placed on hold.  God wants to come in and sup with you.  These periods are described as “the dark night of the soul.”  These periods usually happen after you have been to the mountain top.  [One of my pastors used to say, you have been to the mountain, now come back down to the valley.]  The purpose of the darkness is not to punish or afflict us.  It is to set us free.  But when this dark period of “rebirth” tries to take its rightful place in the inner man, the outer man tries to kill it. (See Psalm 32.)  Just remember that Jesus Christ has already conquered death, hell and the grave.

Finally, I want you to remember that the fruit of solitude is this:  increased awareness of your surroundings; increased sensitivity for others; increased compassion for all living things; increased appreciation for keeping your mouth shut; and increased respect for those times when you find yourself alone.

No more fear.  You are silently waiting on God Almighty while enjoying the spiritual maturity growth that is taking place within you.  God is building you up through the power and gospel of Jesus Christ for the sake of the brethren, while at the same time washing away self-love,  in order that you might love others for who they are and not for what they say.

The Lord closed our conversation with this question:  Are you ready to lay down your life for a friend even if “friend” not only includes your neighbor BUT me-myself-and I, too?

Scripture Lesson:  Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.  Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.  Hide your face from my sins (including self-love) and blot out my iniquity.  Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Amen  Psalms 51:7-10

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

GOD SANCTIONS AN OLD ADAGE:  LEADERS ARE MADE AND NOT BORN

On By SonjaIn Uncategorized2 Comments

 

Blog God scantions old adage Leaders are made.jpg

News Flash:  My blog followers are growing thanks to you guys out there who remain faithful in returning each week to “Conversations With God Using Scripture” to support, ‘like’ and leave comments on various subject materials written herein.  I just want you to know how grateful I am for your steadfastness and loyalty.  And in return, it is my intent to support those of you who have websites by praying for your continued success as well.

Believe it or not, the title for this week’s blog came to me as I revisited a page in my journal which catalogued an early morning conversation I had with God around 5:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 2, 2004.

After being gently awaken, I just laid there silently.  My mind vividly recalled the stirring testimonies of the night before at our Wednesday night prayer meeting.  Passages from Ezekiel and Isaiah were read during the closing and I began to reflect on them as I lied awake.

Out of nowhere I ‘felt’ a voice say, “My Child, you have to become your title…”Board of Christian Education.”  At first, I was confused and had no idea why my mind spoke to me in that fashion.  Suddenly, my subconscious was at work and reminded me that ever since the last Board meeting on November 13th, which I was a newly elected member of, I had been asking the Lord to speak to me concerning the question put to us by our president.  Her inquiry to us was what concerted new ideas would we be bringing to the table that would foster constructive change in the turbulent operations of various departments/ministries in the church family.

During those following nineteen days after that meeting I had received nothing from on high!  Then, finally, that morning (in God’s time), He decided to answer.  

“Is that You, Lord?” I said with excitement, and immediately grabbed my Bible and turned to the book of Ezekiel.  As I read Chapter 2 in it’s entirety, the Lord spoke again.

“Ezekiel’s life was a living parable or object lesson for the people.  And, Daughter of Education, I see you as I see Ezekiel.  A representative of Who is to come.  For I call Ezekiel, Ben Adam–which is when translated, Son of Man.   Now, Daughter of Education, get up, wake up, get a pen and write.  I am sending you to the children of this church, a rebellious congregation, who have rebelled against Me.  They and their fathers, like in the days of Ezekiel, have transgressed against Me to this day.”

So when I heard Him, I grabbed a pen and a piece of paper and I begin to write.  But then I said, “Oh, Lord, how have we rebelled against You?”  I did not hear or ‘feel’ anybody speak, but my spirit nudged me and caused me to have a fixation on the expression in the bible that referred to ‘eat the word.’

(From that time forward, whenever I was asked to pray for the congregation, I would always include those words…’eat the word’.  In addition, I personally began to ‘eat the word’.  I truly believed by doing so I was in training to become all that God intended for me in the household of faith,  Obviously, I was reminded spiritually, leaders are made not born.)

Then God said to me, “The Word I have for the Board of Christian Education is one of encouragement.  Persons on the Board are to see themselves as a Jeremiah and as an Ezekiel.  Both of these men’s messages to My people were proclamations.  Their preaching was laced with future event happenings.  Both of these men’s messages were warnings to the people, telling them to get ready for things to come.

So, when their prophecies did not happen in the time frame that suited the people, the people began to shut their ears and mock Ezekiel and Jeremiah and call them a bunch of names and hoped they would stumble in everything they did.

Even though both men were My appointed and ordained priests they were also human; their feelings were hurt and their personage was wounded.  Instead of getting angry at the people, they got angry with Me.  Jeremiah said, ‘I will not make mention of HIM.’

  BOARD OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION…BEWARE!!!!

Blog God Sanctions An Adage Leaders Meeting pic

My Child, you are to become Ben Christian Education–which is when translated, Daughter of Christian Education.  For like Jeremiah and Ezekiel, your words will be a stumbling block and a proverb to My people.  The captors are coming and My people will be swallowed up, but My Word will ring true.  My messengers need to be steadfast, unmovable, strong-willed and of good courage.”

To all my readers, my prayer, then and now is this:   I pray that during my entire time of service to the Lord I have rendered myself and my efforts to the teachings of the Holy Spirit and in accordance with the scripture text below.  For I, too, realize that servant leaders/managers are made (by God) and not born.

Scripture Lesson:  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!  Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable.  Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.  1 Corinthian 15:57-58   

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God and Me and the “Baby” Makes Three

On By SonjaIn Uncategorized5 Comments

NO!  NO!   NO!    My position in life is not to become Mother Mary #2.    Not for a moment!  Nor have I miraculously conceived a god-child.  I’m just me…who truly loves the Lord and the “baby” he gave me…simply my calling as a prayer warrior!

It has also been said that I have a fetish for God’s word and an innate ability to deliver or express his word in a palatable manner which makes it easier for people to digest, understand and to apply.  Many say I missed my calling as a school teacher.  Rubbish!!!

If you have been following my blogs, you can readily see that I constantly stay in touch with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ through conversations with Him.  I allow Him to order my steps each and every day.  I lean only on His understanding for my daily tasks.  Yes, sometimes I fall short but He picks me up, brushes me off and starts me all over again.   In other words, I’m just a sinner who falls down…but I get up!

And one way that I get up is through prayer and it’s not always while on my knees.  I pray while walking, riding, exercising, fasting, lying prostrate, singing and sitting at my computer and meditating!

So this week’s blog will be about one of my “babies”, a devoted audible prayer I composed under the guidance of the Holy Spirit for a group of ladies at a prayer breakfast in March 1999.  When seriously confronting the Lord in prayer, I always initiate my A-B-C method.  Why?  Because it helps me to forget about myself and concentrate on Him.

A.  First, I like to identify by name the god to whom I’m praying.

B.  Then I give thanks and praises to Him and begin to list His wonderful attributes.

C.  Next, I ask forgiveness for my transgressions, explicitly explaining the purpose for this prayer and reminding Him of His Almighty powers to intercede in this matter.

This is not an effort to ‘teach’ you how to pray…God forbid!  The Lord has already done that for you in Matthew 6:9-13.  I just want you to think while you do the following:   Pray biblically! 

Most Holy and Everlasting Father, our Jehovah Jirah, we, the women of this congregation do thank You for all our provisions for our lives.

We praise You, Father because You are an Om-ni-scient God!  You know everything…You are infinitely wise.  Thank You.

We also magnify and adore You because You are an Om-nip-o-tent God.  All power is thine.  Thank You.

We continue in prayer by saying Hallelujah to Your Name, this morning, Father, because of Your Om-ni-pres-ence.  Yes, You are not only glorified here in this place, put You are reigning with the men of this congregation as they worship You while on their retreat in West Virginia.  Thank You.

And now Lord, we humbly ask Your forgiveness in those areas of our lives where we have failed to put You first.  For those times when we have marched to the beat of an alien drummer.  It is for these times that we say, Lord forgive.

Also, when we have failed to respond to Your call in the manner in which Your Son and our Redeemer would have responded.  It is for those times that we say, Lord forgive.

It is only because You are a forgiving God and that You have undying love for Your people that we submit to You all those things that so easily beset us:

  • Depression reigns, Father, because some child has broken their mother’s heart.
  • Despair abounds, Father, because families are experiencing grief.
  • Physical and mental stresses, Father, are taking their toll because many souls are lost to the prince of this world.
  • Suicide rates are climbing, Father, because backs are bent over under the weight of the world’s heavy burdens.

Our cry this morning is that You will surely claim us as Your own; You will rescue us from our persecutions and fears and that we will survive; that in our state of perplexities and confusion, You will lift us up where we belong and remove us out of the pits of despair.

When we find ourselves cast down and we are unable to get up You will give us the courage and strength to bind Satan, in the Name of Jesus, and thus we will not be utterly destroyed.

Now Lord, as we come to the close of this prayer, may we always be reminded that no matter how devastating the circumstances, Jesus has already overcome the world and He has also put everything under man’s feet, in the Name of Jesus.

So, armed with this holy knowledge, we endeavor to always be joyful; to pray continually; to give thanks in all circumstances, for this is Your will for our lives.

All these things we pray and ask in the Matchless Name of Jesus the Christ.  AMEN.

You may have noticed that incorporated in my prayer I mention specific trials and tribulations that the congregation is experiencing.  I have either heard these requests during weekly prayer meetings or over the pulpit or directly from individuals privately.  This method of praying is a uniting tie that binds us as sisters and brothers in the family of the Lord.  It also allows the participants at the breakfast to affirm in retrospect your prayer requests to God because the subject matter is so real to them.

More than once when I ‘thought’ I had concluded praying for a group, participants in the audience were so moved that they actually ‘continued‘ the prayer by adding their own audible prayer request to the Lord.  Talk about connecting to heaven and ‘birthing’ a  hydrogen bomb of exuberance…Glory be to God!!!

Scripture Lesson:  Let Everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord! Psalm 150:6

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

God Speaks Truth To Power-less Mortals

On By SonjaIn Uncategorized3 Comments

For this week’s blog, I wish to pay tribute to the entire 28 days of February 2019 in celebration of Black History Month.  The title and theme was inspired by one of Dr. Martin Luther King’s favorite quotes.  But the meat and potatoes of the body of this blog is actually a message I received from God when I sought his wisdom, understanding  and knowledge as I prepared to conduct a workshop for a group of women at my church in 1983.

Many of these ladies were wives of pastors, assistant ministers, deacons, trustees, elders,  and other male officials of the church.  Privately, the women had often shared with me how they were at a loss on how to communicate with their spouses in certain circumstances.  For example, should their spouse be interrupted or disturbed if their office door was closed.  Or if dinner was ready.  Or if an unannounced visitor showed up on their door step and wanted an audience with their husband, should they be permitted to do so if he was in seclusion.  Honestly, one wife even confided in me that she wanted another child but was afraid to discuss the subject with her highly successful husband in the ministry.  She felt that a ‘new addition’ would somehow hinder his advancement and place additional demands on him and his quiet time ‘with the Lord’.

As you can imagine, my preparation for the workshop message/activities for this seminar would be daunting.  So my first position on this was to go to God in prayer and fasting.  Don’t laugh…but the first thing I heard from heaven was the title for the workshop.  The Lord said, here’s what you call it; “What every housewife wants to know about her role as a ‘helpmate’ but is afraid to ask.”                                                                                                      Blog God Speaks Truth to the Power-less

How cleaver I thought.  God, you’re the Greatest…What’s next?

His divine response (in so many words) was for me to remind the ladies just how he communicates to us when we don’t wont to be bothered: through action, through scriptures and by the incorporation of the ritual for the Lord’s Supper.  God even gave me my Scripture verse from Hebrews 13:8:  “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever.”   Just as the Father visually communicated to the Hebrew children in the wilderness, He is visually speaking to the wives (and us) today and also for posterity .

And that’s where Dr. King’s famous quote comes in (with a few revisions) as it mirrors and affirms Scripture:  “[Ladies,] Whatever your life’s work, do it well.  A [wo] man should do [her] his job so well that the living, the dead, and the unborn could do it no better.”

So, I reminded the ladies of the following 3 things:

1.  How God Communicated Yesterday

In the olden days, God communicated with the Children of Israel by a cloud.  They all saw it, they all followed it, and they all knew it was God! (Exodus 13:21)

Another way God communicated with them was to supply their groceries.  He quenched their thirst with cool water from the rocks.  He fed them quail meat that dropped from the sky. He gave them a freshly baked loaf of bread every morning.  (Duet. 8:15-16; Exodus 176:8)

(So, a workshop activity could be for the women to brain storm ways to be creative to subtly get their messages across to their spouses.)

2.  How God Communicates Today

Now, today, God still openly and visually communicates with us. How?  He has written us a Love Letter…the Holy Bible…telling us all about his Son, Jesus, and extending an invitation to dine and to celebrate with Him.  He wrote the Letters for posterity…for all those who were not there.  Take eat, ye, all of it.

In other words, God wanted to speak TRUTH to the powerless…Us Mortals!

He instructed us that after we have read the Letters, digested the Letters, believe in the Letters, and obey the Letters, that we perform a spiritual ritual on a periodic basis.  As often as you do this…

Namely, he asked us to be fed by taking the Cup and when we drink from it to remember the blood his Son shed and allow this demonstration to be used to reflect His death and His resurrection.  In our thought process (by thinking on these things) we are in communication with God.  (Sometimes, speaking audibly is overrated.)

He further asked us to be fed by taking the Bread, break it and eat it.  The Bread, as we know, represents Jesus’ body.  We ask ourselves (or we should think about) what does Jesus’ body represent (not withstanding the Church):  Of course, the answer is FREEDOM!!!  Freedom from sickness; freedom from sin; freedom from strife, freedom from financial problems; freedom from hatred; freedom from lustfulness; freedom from fear; freedom from want; etc.

So we eat the Bread with great expectation of overcoming our infirmities both in the home and in our churches, just like Jesus.  And we drink the Cup in anticipation of dying (resting, sleeping) and being raised up again eternally unto our Heavenly Father, just like Jesus.

(The conference activity was for the ladies to take a very soiled penny, some Q-tips and a dollop of silver polish and slowly clean only the ‘Lincoln head’ side of the penny.  The ladies were instructed to pretend that it was their own head image on the penny being cleansed by Jesus.  They were to realize that they were in Good Hands of the Almighty.  The other soiled side of the penny represented their past life, which they were forbade to polish.)

3.  How God Communicates With Tomorrow

Jesus communicates His future actions (judgements) towards us based on our present knowledge, discernment and attitudes as partakers of Holy Communion.  (See 1 Corinthians 11:26-31 below.)

26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.  27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.  28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.  29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.  30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.  31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

At this point, I would like to give you an example of how I would counsel one of the housewives mentioned above especially if she harbored any resentment towards her husband’s desire for long periods of solitude.  More specifically, if the housewife’s query to me would be…”Should I not partake of the Supper when I’m not feeling right towards someone, lest damnation come upon me.”

Based on my own experience, one interpretation revealed to me by the Holy Spirit was to ‘partake’, because I had confessed that I discerned and believed that by Christ’s stripes (His broken body [Bread] and spilled blood [Wine]), I am healed and Christ will set everything else in order when He comes (a future event).  The wife would then have to search her own soul and measure of faith.

So in closing, we should all live the best life we can as it is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.  We should participate often in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper as a reminder of the price freely paid for our salvation.  It also behooves us to always abide in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  The rest, He will set in order when He comes.

(The final workshop activity was to serve The Lord’s Supper and to allow each attendant an opportunity to share a short confession of their faith, if they so desired.  By that time, the Holy Spirit was alive and well…in the atmosphere!  HALLELUJAH!!!)

Scripture Lesson:     Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.  John 15:4-6

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

 

 

God Understands And Says Well Done

On By SonjaIn Uncategorized4 Comments

Just before reading my blog for this week, I invite you to click the face of Tennessee Ernie Ford and listen to a short version of the Christian hymn, “He’ll Understand and Say Well Done”.  Then come back to my blog.

This will help you to understand how God often converses with me in three dimension when he really wants me to understand the true meaning of certain scripture passages, especially when I have been asked to teach them to others.

To be perfectly honest with you, I never felt special or even looked upon this method of Bible study as being a privilege from God until he recently revealed it to me while preparing this week’s blog.  I naively thought that was how The Holy Spirit conversed with everybody.

During my prayer-prep time for entering into the Master’s mind/presence for preparing this week’s blog, I discretely heard the Lord say that He does not work with every biblical writer as He does with me.

My child, He said, you are continually asking Me questions all the while you are researching My Word and looking for validation and confirmation in other areas of scripture.  So since you are imparting information about the role of a Deaconess in the church, all I have to say to you through the Apostle Paul is the following:

“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.  With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”  Ephesians 4:1-6 KJV

Back in the day, when I was a Deaconess (*), I actually presented the following bible study teaching at the Deaconess Workshop, Saturday, March 5, 1983 at my Baptist church in Rockville, Maryland.  God empowered me to use his Scriptures from Saint John, Chapter 15 (KJV), Webster’s word definitions and a hymn to bring the message.  (The ‘red‘ letters spell out Deaconesses; Webster defined the conduct of a Deaconess; and the hymn describes the reward that will be bestowed on a faithful Deaconess.)

15:5  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,
15:8  Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

15:16  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…..
15:4  Abide in me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except ye abide in me.

15:6  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

…..is come
15:1  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Christ The Expected Deliverer

The Savior…..
15:19  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.

15:21  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…..
15:3  Now ye are clean through the word which I  have spoken unto you,

15:24  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…..
15:9  As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you:  continue ye in my love.

15:17  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.
15:20  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 my journey…..
15:13  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!…..

 
15:10  If ye 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…..
15:26  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.

 

I forgot to mention, when God wants me to be serious, he requires that I use the King James Version of Scripture because the words are more poetic and easier to memorize.

Blog He Understands and says Well Done

Speak, Lord, thy servant is listening.

(*) Note:  The ministry of a deaconess is, in modern times, a non-ordained ministry for women in some Protestant churches to provide pastoral care, especially for other women. The term is also applied to some women deacons in the early church.

Scripture Lesson:  Ephesians 4:1-6 KJV (See above.)

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

God’s Promises Given In A Still Small Voice

On By SonjaIn Uncategorized2 Comments

blog tell me oh pretty sky

“Tell Me Oh Pretty Sky”   

Tell me oh pretty sky, what makes the stars so high?  What makes the rivers and what makes the streams?  What makes the flowers and grass so green?  If I knew all of that, I’d be so happy and gay.  God knows it all. He’s the One who knows.  Tell me oh pretty sky.

The above song was written by my big sister, Marlene, and I when we were just kids about ten and eleven years old.   I remember we were sitting on our back porch of the little yellow house on Kimball Street in a small country town in Illinois.  We were looking up at the big white puffy clouds rolling by.  The sky was so beautiful and we watched its movements in total silence for a very long time.

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

I have since hummed that song or sang its words all of my life.  I love it!  But little did I know how authentic a prayer it was until one evening about 47 years later.  According to my journal, it was a Friday night in May 1996 about 12:30 a.m., and I was preparing my Sunday School lesson in my new home in Rockville, Maryland.

Often, I would begin my Bible study time with a song and that night I sang, “Tell Me Oh Pretty Sky”.  After I had prayed, I began my study by reading the following Bible scripture:

“I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist.”  Isaiah 44:22

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

Hallelujah!  At last I had confirmation to all those questions in that song.  The ‘what’ turned out to be the ‘Who”.  For indeed the Lord declares in a still small voice…

“I am the Lord who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by Myself.”  Isaiah 44:24b

          blog tell me oh pretty pic 2 girls            blog tell me oh pretty 2 girls braids

                              Thank God for Sisters

Scripture Lesson:   But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Luke 18:16

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God Is No Respecter Of Persons

On By SonjaIn Uncategorized2 Comments

There are times when not only do I want to converse with God, but God wants to converse with me.  In the past, I recognized those times when Daddy was on the line, but often I was too busy doing something else, so I said, I’ll call you back.  Well, in short order I recognized just how dangerous that could be.

blog god has no respecter of peresons

WHAM!!  Everything I touched after that call, was like riding on a Ferris Wheel.  Going around in circles.  Accomplishing nothing.

News Flash!

Don’t you know that God has an arsenal of obstacles that he can place in your path that will trip you up, big time.  So, take my advice and don’t even try it.  Program your phone with a special ring that identifies our Father’s call and do not allow it to ring more than once before you answer it. He always has something vital to say.

That was the case in June 1983.  I had just returned home from a highly inspiring weekend women’s retreat in Massanetta Springs, Va., and was still ‘high’ on the Lord even after 4 days.  I was walking around my home thinking about just how I could ‘bottle’ or immortalize all the excitement, energy, enthusiasm, hope, love, reverence and joy we had experienced.

Believe it or not, I was even calling on the Lord for answers.  Sure enough, He was responding by calling me, but my phone was busy (gossiping with other girlfriends), or I was out shopping (with credit cards), or casually discussing the matter with a familiar face in the mirror (my own) who hadn’t a clue about nothing.

Yes, I was guilty of ignoring the very Source that I had called on in the beginning.

Well, He got tired of it and laid me flat on my back.  After becoming totally exhausted, I resorted to the couch and fell into a deep daze.

blog god has no respect er of persons

I was sick and tired of being sick and tired.  I surrendered.

That’s when God said get up and grab your pencil and paper because I am about to turn you into Isaiah.  Just like I heard his cry, I have heard yours.  I was with all of you women at the retreat and I heard, seen and felt your compassion and love towards Me.  And you, my child, also saw Me high and lifted up sitting atop that hill in Massanetta Springs, and an ole rugged cross depicted My glory.

  The Old Rugged Cross

 So I did just what He said…arose, grabbed my pen and began to                                   write…paraphrasing Isaiah 6 beginning at verse 2.

Around the cross stood the female saints  each one holding two hands of two others; and each one having a multitude of prayers on her lips.

And one cried out unto each of us, and said, Pray, pray, pray to the Lord of host.  He’s got a job for you to do out there in the world; and he’s waiting on you to fulfill His will.

And a hazy light begin to appear above the cross as God opened the door called Morning and the atmosphere became filled with His glorious dew.

Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a woman who’s been playing church.  I have not completely aligned myself with the Saints of God:  for this morning my ears have heard and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts.

Then went I unto one of the Saints whose total being was on fire for the Lord, and as I took her hands in mine, they felt like live coals:

And the Holy Spirit laid it upon my heart and said Lo, ask your sister to pray for thee; and thine iniquity will be taken away and thy sin purged.

Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Eat the Word least I chew you up and spit you out.  Then fell I upon my knees and said, I will eat the word.

And he said, Get up, Go, return to your church and remember your promise to me; for if you do, I will surely reveal the scriptures to you and you shall have wisdom and understanding and you shall see me at work in you life.

You shall have power in teaching my babies and they, too, will yearn for the word; and I will open up their ears so they can understand.  I will close there eyes to the distractions around them and they shall look beyond the trash and tinfoil of this world and see only me.  And the parents will see the change in them and bring them forth to be baptized.

Then said I, Lord, how long must I eat the word and how long must I teach the gospel?  And he answered, Until the cities become more humanized and God fearing, and the inhabitants learn the power of prayer and the households are without strife and the land is filled with love.

So that no matter where the Children relocate to, if they should stray, there will be someone there to show them the way, thus many shall return, even a tenth, and shall be stronger and more faithful in their service then before.

And that tenth shall be like the mighty teil and oak trees with their leaves shaped like the hearts of man, bearing wing like fruit in all seasons; and when the inevitable comes and the leaves shall fall and the physical seed shall be planted for the last time:  Thanks be to God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and with the glorious forgiveness of every sin; our spiritual seed shall live on and continue to bear fruit for the Lord until He comes again.  Hallelujah!

Don’t you see…God’s response to my inquiry had been divinely answered with precise results and named rewards.  Who could ask for anything more?  Why had I been so stubborned in the beginning by thinking that I could resolve my own problems.   Click the video picture below and take a few minutes to review just how God is no respecter of persons.

Scripture Lesson:  Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path.  Proverbs 3:5, 6

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

God’s Perfect Gift Of Understanding

On By SonjaIn Uncategorized3 Comments

God’s Perfect Gift of Understanding. Jesus! To know God the Father is to know Jesus.

We have all just gone through a season of giving and making new resolutions.  No doubt you made a concerted effort to give God ‘a present’ for the bountiful blessings you received last year. You appreciated your ability, with his help, to ‘almost’ keep those resolutions you vowed in 2018.

First, count your blessings and name them one by one. Then, take a pencil and paper. Specifically write down the ‘gifts’ you gave to God for all of his input in the mix. I can guarantee you, you did not outgive him. Nor was whatever gift(s) you gave him as surprising and original as his gift to you.

Let me share with you the gift God gave me.  It was awesome.  And I did not realize my gift until I started to write this blog post for you this week.

I reviewed the materials I posted in the last two blogs. I said to God these words, “I guess You have finished talking to me about the mystical signs on the dollar bill. You are also through with the 13 five pointed stars above the eagle’s head. Now for this week, what do I need to blog about?”  Immediately, God responded with scripture:

“My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ  Jesus.”      Philippians 4:19

I also knew where to find the method. The attitude required of us when we fellowship or ‘give back’ to the Lord is clear.  In Micah 6:8 we find:

“He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Start a club with your friends. Come together to learn about Jesus.

Why have I frozen.  Speak, Lord.

 Just after I had finished typing the last word in the scripture above, I sat staring at the computer.  I said to myself, why have I frozen.  Speak Lord, thy servant is listening.  Immediately, I began to recall last week’s blog about the number 5 and its numerology meaning.  The number 5 represents God’s divine grace, mercy, goodness and favor toward humans.

And guess what!  Those two scriptures that the Lord had put into my psychic were a biblical numerology of the number 5!!

Now, in biblical numerology, single numbers can be a conglomerate of several numbers.  For example, 4 + 1 + 9 = 14, and 1 + 4 = 5.  God’s Grace!

Look again at Philippians 4:19.  It actually equals the biblical numerology number 5.

The next example is, 6 + 8 = 14, and again 1 + 4 = 5.  God’s Grace!

Look again at Micah 6:8.  It, too, actually equals the biblical numerology number 5.

You see, if you lean not unto your own understanding, but lean on God’s understanding, he will reveal to you the secrets of his knowledge and his wisdom.  He will also reveal his gifts to you.  What do you understand about the 23 Psalms?  (Exactly,..2 + 3 = 5.  And the 23rd Psalms is full of God’s grace, mercy, goodness and favor towards humankind.)

If you search your own biblical knowledge, I am sure you can come up with a number of scriptures that add up to the numerology number 5 and that depict God’s grace towards humans.  And don’t forget our extremities: 5 fingers per hand, 5 toes per foot, 5 senses, etc.  The biological creation of man was no accident either, folks.

What a blessed Christmas and New Year’s Gift I received from my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  He constantly shows me just how much He loves me through His word.  I love to have conversations with Him using scripture, and like Enoch, walk with Him in the cool of the day.

God’s final surprise for me was when he reminded me of John 3:16.  He said, My child, I leave you with a two-fold double whammy.  3 + 1 + 6 = 10 and 1 + 0 = 1 (God).  When I allowed my Only Begotten Son to come to earth  for 32 years, 3 + 2 = 5, to deliver you from death, hell and the grave, those two fetes alone represented my Grace and Mercy BIG TIME!!!!!

blog god's surprise, you rock, god

Oh yah and Amen!!  You Rock, God!!!

Scripture Lesson:  And they remembered that God was their rock, and the Most High God their Redeemer.  Psalms 78:35 (7+8+3+5=23 or 2+3=5)

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

 

 

 

 

God: My BFF

On By SonjaIn Uncategorized5 Comments

blog god: my bff selfie pic

  Hello God, our Beloved. Your beloveds are sending You a selfie.  Be sure to comment and reciprocate.  Thanks 

Who among us have not declared in so many words this expression;  “God Is My Best Friend Forever”.  Or, if you are a man, you might have said; “God Is My Co-Pilot”.  Or if you are a sentimentalist perhaps you declared; “Jesus Is All The World To Me.”

Oh, how inspirational to hear those unabridged words proclaimed by persons who love the Lord.  But, do they, really love the Lord?  Do they not only talk the talk, but also walk the walk?  Will God respond back to them in the same vernacular?  What I want to know is this…Is everybody on the same page?

Well, there is a very interesting story in the Bible where ten people who were all headed in the same direction, with the same goal in mind, thought they were going to meet up with their BFF, but only five were successful in doing so.

Check out the following parable:

(1) Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. (2) And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. (3) They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: (4) But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. (5) While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. (6) And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. (7) Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. (8) And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. (9) But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. (10) And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. (11) Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. (12) But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. (13) Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 25:1-13)

Question:  What in the world were the five foolish virgins thinking?

I asked God that question in my prayer time.  You see, I love to converse with Him on His own terms.  He often doesn’t answer me right away, but He is always on time.  In this incident, I was actually researching more information on the mysteries of the design of the one dollar bill…that part about the cluster of the 13 five-pointed star arrangement just above the head of the eagle, when ‘Google’ took me to the story of the ten virgins in Scripture.

I believe I ended up at the ten virgins story when I entered the words “5 pointed star” in the Google web browser…you know…’5 wise’ and ‘5 foolish’.  What popped up was an explanation for the number five.  Immediately, I also sensed God’s presence in communicating to me the fact that even though the Founding Fathers were attempting to illustrate that the 13 five pointed stars represented the initial 13 colonies; and the stars represented the celestial; and that the number 5 represented God’s grace, good health and marriage for all those brave souls who migrated to the New World for a new beginning, He had another purpose in mind.   There was no doubt in my mind that the Great Communicator felt that the Bible and not the dollar bill offered a much more penetrating and practical story with the ten virgins seeking marriage to depict humanity’s trek and good fortune into God’s New and Eternal World!!! (*)

blog god: my bff ten finger star

The Five Pointed Star, Designed With Ten ‘Virgin’ Fingers

HALLELUJAH!!!  LET’S TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO EXPLORE THE MESSAGE AND EXPLANATION GOD COMMUNICATED TO ME CONCERNING HIS OFFERING OF A PERFECT MARRIAGE AND HIS PREPARATION FOR A PROSPEROUS AND BRAVE NEW WORLD.

In the first picture above we see that the two best friends declare that they both love God and consider Him to be their best friend forever.  In the Scripture above, we also see that both the five wise and the five foolish virgins are approaching their Bridegroom (BFF) carrying their lamps (based on the Commandments) and expecting their lights (which represents the Law of the Torah) to be acceptable to Him.

“For the commandment is a lamp; and the law (Torah) is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of (eternal) life:”  Proverbs 6:23)

Of course you know that the life of Jesus, who is God incarnate, is our lamp and fulfilled all of God’s commandments.  Jesus is the Light (Torah) of the world.  John 8:12; 9:5

Now, the Scriptures also tell us that five of the virgins were foolish.  This means that even though they had lamps (knew the Commandments) they were not exercising the law (Torah).  Or said in another way, living out the Law; or better yet, on the same page as Jesus.

Now let’s regress to the 13 five pointed stars on the dollar bill.  Notice that the stars are surrounded by brilliance.  Question:  Does your star shine brightly into God’s universe?  Does your life style represent God’s grace, a good healthy and sober life and a marriage-like commitment to God’s Word?

Check yourself.  Make sure you are on the same page as our Lord and Savior least He says in the end;  “Depart from Me.  I never knew you!”

(*) Note:  You realized that God alone is the Master Storyteller.

Scripture Lesson:  “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you…” (Matthew 7:21-23a)

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

God Provides Innovative Ways To Spread The Gospel

On By SonjaIn Uncategorized4 Comments

Blog God provides innovative ways dollar bill 2

Blog dollar bill back side

       The U.S. Dollar is the most powerful currency in the world

Who doesn’t love money?  Who, in their life time, will not handle or spend money?  Who hasn’t talked about, invested, lost, earned, saved, deposited, exchanged, buried or stole money?  Need I say…Nobody or Everybody!!

Well, who would have thought that God would use the design of the American dollar bill to make it possible to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  Romans 8:28

God did this by first using the intellect of the founding fathers of this nation to commission the design for the Great Seal of America.  As you may know, the Great Seal has infused within its design many magical symbols.  Some historians and others believe that the reasoning for this was because several members of the founding fathers were Freemasons (or of similar persuasions) and subscribed to this school of thought.

Great Seal of the United States (obverse).svg  Great Seal of the United States (reverse).svg

The Great Seal of the United States:  Front and Back Imprints

But I believe that because the Great Seal of America was used as a pattern to design the dollar bill some centuries later, the tradition of using magical symbols to depict the destiny of America was incorporated.  And that’s where God stepped in.

Blog Dollar Sign

First, let’s examine the official symbol for the dollar.  As you converse with others about the Good News, your reference comes from Numbers, chapter 21 in the Bible.  The Israelites who began to speak against God were severely punished.  God sent fiery serpents to bit them.  Then God instructed Moses to make a fiery serpent image and place it on a pole.  Anyone who looked upon the pole would be cured.  Later, the design reference for the official symbol for the dollar, included the fact that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, was placed on a pole and all those who looked upon Him would receive eternal life.

Next, notice the Greek alphabet letter above which means “Omega”…in Christianity it means the end of things.  God is the beginning and ending (Alpha and Omega) of things.  God alone holds the past, present and future for the American nation…NOT George Washington.  Please note that it is Ole George’s portrait that is placed within the image of the Omega alphabet sign on the face of the dollar bill.

On the reverse side of the dollar bill there are 7 words written beneath the two roundels (circles):  “The Great Seal…Of The United States.”  Also, the English word ‘One’ appears 6 times and 1 time in Latin (unum, on the eagle’s upper wing) for a total of 7.  And as you know, the number seven is held extremely sacred in the Christian religion.  Seven denotes the completion and triumph of Spirit (3) over matter (4).

By now, I hope you are experiencing  the joy and excitement one can receive when holding a dollar bill and explaining it’s origin and design to a wayward traveler, family member of friend.  For me, I just want to shout the written words, “In God We Trust”, after I carryout this godly assignment of conversing with Him and others.

The last bit of information I want to leave with you is for you to take a look at the unfinished pyramid.  Examine it closely with a magnifying glass.  Not only is it unfinished, but there is famine vegetation growth in front and plenteousness vegetation at the rear.  This represents the present state of the world now.  And feast and famine will continue to reign until the return of Christ Jesus…the ‘all seeing’ Eye within the tip of the pyramid.

There are many more signs and symbols depicted on the face of the American dollar bill, but those explanations will have to wait until another blog post.  Research and explore the dollar bill for yourself…you just might learn something and be blessed as you have your own conversations with God using Scripture.

Blog God uses innovative ways to spread the Gospel pic 4

Plant seeds by using innovative ways to spread the Good News!

Scripture Lesson:  Preach the word of God; be prepared in season and out of season; rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instructions.  2 Timothy 4:2

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