There is a great dissatisfaction in our world. Hand after hand reaching out to quench our thirst and scratch our itch. But the thirst lingers and the itch stays on. One man said, “I learned that once I had what I wanted, I found I didn’t want what I had.”
Dr. James Dobson says, “Neither heredity nor environment will account for all human behavior. There is something else there, something from within!”
The human spirit makes a strong impact. It has been said that the human spirit imprints the environment in the same way that our fingers leave their print on objects they touch.
I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace while you trust in Him. Then your hope will overflow by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13, New Century Version)
Our lives should communicate a powerful message of hope, love, and faith. (James 2:17, New Century Version) Faith that does nothing is dead. Where is our faith taking us? Faith will cause us to move, to invest, and to make a difference.
The bottom line of true success, the kind that pleases God, can be measured in eight areas of our lives: Happiness, health, finances, emotional security, the quality of our friendships, our sense of hope, and our overall peace of mind.
We need to get acquainted with ourselves and recognize, develop, and use what we have. People who have “direction” in their lives go farther and faster and get more done in all areas of their lives.
Many of us know where we are; sometimes disappointed, dissatisfied, and having very little peace of mind. We know where we want to be; at peace, fulfilled, living life abundantly. We are not lost, we just need direction.
It doesn’t take much to find the road to success, but to reach it you need a plan. Your life cannot go according to plan if you have no plan. Sitting still and wishing makes nothing happen! The good Lord sends the fish, but we must dig the bait!
“Make the most of yourself for that is all there is of you” (Emerson) In life, we simply cannot be, do, and have everything. We need to choose, and the choices we make will ultimately determine how successful we are. As representatives of God, we answer for God, through our choices.
~Edwina Roberts~
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Saturday, January 12, 2008
The Power of Prayer
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”-Philippians 4:6-7
The Apostle Paul makes it clear that in all we do we should seek God first, even in the midst of circumstances that are filled with anxiety. Too often we put our anxiety ahead of prayer and in effect our anxiety becomes our god. The anxious moments and stressors in our lives become the moments we bow down to in worship, they command our time, our money and emotions.
In stark contrast when we pause first to pray, we acknowledge that God is ultimately in control of every aspect of our lives. As O. Hardman comments on the lives of individuals who face a challenging world with a desire to pray, in Dallas Willard’s book The Spirit of the Disciplines:
“Continuing instant in prayer…he will set himself to undertake every legitimate risk, to do the right without fear of consequences, and to embrace in loving purpose those who are opposed to him no less than those who are in agreement with him, in the attempt to relies the vision and to exercise the sympathy with which prayer has endowed him…he is caught up to God and filled with the joy of union. Economic, social, political, national, and racial antagonisms are waiting for this sole solution of the deadlock which they present. There is no other way.”
Indeed, prayer is the only way to commune with the God of the universe. He awaits our cry, because it is He, the omniscient ruler who commands the ends as well as the means. God desires that we pray, not in order that He may act, but it is He who will act when we pray.
As the Epistle of James points out, “…the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16 NIV) Prayer is effective, precisely because God has ordained it so! It is not the anxious moments which rule our lives, but a loving, powerful, and good God in the Lord Jesus Christ, who invites us to speak to him about every detail, and promises that His peace will be ever present. This is the power of prayer.
The Apostle Paul makes it clear that in all we do we should seek God first, even in the midst of circumstances that are filled with anxiety. Too often we put our anxiety ahead of prayer and in effect our anxiety becomes our god. The anxious moments and stressors in our lives become the moments we bow down to in worship, they command our time, our money and emotions.
In stark contrast when we pause first to pray, we acknowledge that God is ultimately in control of every aspect of our lives. As O. Hardman comments on the lives of individuals who face a challenging world with a desire to pray, in Dallas Willard’s book The Spirit of the Disciplines:
“Continuing instant in prayer…he will set himself to undertake every legitimate risk, to do the right without fear of consequences, and to embrace in loving purpose those who are opposed to him no less than those who are in agreement with him, in the attempt to relies the vision and to exercise the sympathy with which prayer has endowed him…he is caught up to God and filled with the joy of union. Economic, social, political, national, and racial antagonisms are waiting for this sole solution of the deadlock which they present. There is no other way.”
Indeed, prayer is the only way to commune with the God of the universe. He awaits our cry, because it is He, the omniscient ruler who commands the ends as well as the means. God desires that we pray, not in order that He may act, but it is He who will act when we pray.
As the Epistle of James points out, “…the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16 NIV) Prayer is effective, precisely because God has ordained it so! It is not the anxious moments which rule our lives, but a loving, powerful, and good God in the Lord Jesus Christ, who invites us to speak to him about every detail, and promises that His peace will be ever present. This is the power of prayer.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
The Key to the Vending Machine
Matthew 7: 7-11
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh recieveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”
“If God gave us every good gift beside himself would we be satisfied?” -John Piper
Have you ever been disappointed by a vending machine? I have and you have to. We approach the candy machine with the understanding that if I put in the correct change I will be rewarded with the candy of my choosing. Unfortunately, we learn early on that sometimes the vending machine doesn’t work, or that our candy gets stuck, or what we wanted is empty. How do we then respond to the candy machine? We kick it, beat it, shake it and otherwise accost it. We do all of this in an effort to manipulate out of the machine what we want. The problem is that too many bring to church a “vending machine philosophy” as they approach God. Somewhere along the way we have bought into the idea, “I’ll get out of it, what I put in it” the problem with that idea is that it places the emphasis on what I do, rather than on what God does for me and to me. But the Bible describes salvation not as something we earn, but as a gift.
John 14:26-27 “But the counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.”
Acts 2:1-2; 4 “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting…. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”
John 3:5-8 “Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, you should not be surprised at my saying, you must be born again. The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Sprit.”
Notice that in all three of these instances the scripture makes it clear that salvation in general, and the empowerment of the Spirit in particular is not a product of what the recipients do…notice words like give, and leave, and that “you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.” And what did they do in the Acts of the Apostles? Hard things like waiting and being together…in essence they showed up! There are too many of us who have become convinced that showing up is not enough. We’ve got to shake the machine; we’ve got to invest our money, time, effort, and ability if we want the candy. Wrong, Christ is the candy maker and he has promised us the key to the vending machine.
Matthew 16:13-19
“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is? They replied, some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. But what about you, he asked. Who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered you are the Christ, the son of the living God. Jesus replied, blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
In answer to Jesus’ question the disciples responded with the names of prophets, the candy distributors of God. But Peter correctly identified Christ as not just another candy distributor, but as the candy maker himself. The link of relationship to the key was firmly established. Those who have a key to my home, to my vehicles, unlimited access to my refrigerator is a very small number and they are all related to me. They have access because of their relationship to me.
This is what the lost son discovered in Luke 15, in verse 11 Jesus begins the story, “There was a man who had two sons, the younger one said to his father, Father give me my share of the estate. So he divided his property between them.” The young man was more interested in the “blessing” than he was in the “blesser”. In the end of the story when all the candy had been devoured with wild living verse 17 reports “When he came to his senses, he said how many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.” The lost son realized that the key to eating was being in relationship with the father. What was the father’s response to his returning son? Verse 22 tells us “But the father said to his servants, Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fatted calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” The key to everything the son desired was discovered not in performance but in relationship. The key to everything in God is not in performance but in relationship. We always focus on the younger brother in this story, but even the older brother had performance issues when it came to his father. Look at verse 28, “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, Look all these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fatted calf for him! My son, the father said, you are always with me and everything I have is yours.” In other words, it’s not about the candy, it’s about the relationship. The elder brother’s attitude was, I’ve put in my money, my time, my effort, and I’ve earned a fatted calf. Our attitude is the same as we so often approach Christ with manipulation and performance, when Christ says just come to me, be mine and I will be yours and you can have everything you need.
It’s not about the candy it’s about the relationship. Have you discovered the gift of God? Have you discovered a relationship with him?
Ephesians 2:8
“For by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.”
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh recieveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”
“If God gave us every good gift beside himself would we be satisfied?” -John Piper
Have you ever been disappointed by a vending machine? I have and you have to. We approach the candy machine with the understanding that if I put in the correct change I will be rewarded with the candy of my choosing. Unfortunately, we learn early on that sometimes the vending machine doesn’t work, or that our candy gets stuck, or what we wanted is empty. How do we then respond to the candy machine? We kick it, beat it, shake it and otherwise accost it. We do all of this in an effort to manipulate out of the machine what we want. The problem is that too many bring to church a “vending machine philosophy” as they approach God. Somewhere along the way we have bought into the idea, “I’ll get out of it, what I put in it” the problem with that idea is that it places the emphasis on what I do, rather than on what God does for me and to me. But the Bible describes salvation not as something we earn, but as a gift.
John 14:26-27 “But the counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.”
Acts 2:1-2; 4 “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting…. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”
John 3:5-8 “Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, you should not be surprised at my saying, you must be born again. The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Sprit.”
Notice that in all three of these instances the scripture makes it clear that salvation in general, and the empowerment of the Spirit in particular is not a product of what the recipients do…notice words like give, and leave, and that “you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.” And what did they do in the Acts of the Apostles? Hard things like waiting and being together…in essence they showed up! There are too many of us who have become convinced that showing up is not enough. We’ve got to shake the machine; we’ve got to invest our money, time, effort, and ability if we want the candy. Wrong, Christ is the candy maker and he has promised us the key to the vending machine.
Matthew 16:13-19
“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is? They replied, some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. But what about you, he asked. Who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered you are the Christ, the son of the living God. Jesus replied, blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
In answer to Jesus’ question the disciples responded with the names of prophets, the candy distributors of God. But Peter correctly identified Christ as not just another candy distributor, but as the candy maker himself. The link of relationship to the key was firmly established. Those who have a key to my home, to my vehicles, unlimited access to my refrigerator is a very small number and they are all related to me. They have access because of their relationship to me.
This is what the lost son discovered in Luke 15, in verse 11 Jesus begins the story, “There was a man who had two sons, the younger one said to his father, Father give me my share of the estate. So he divided his property between them.” The young man was more interested in the “blessing” than he was in the “blesser”. In the end of the story when all the candy had been devoured with wild living verse 17 reports “When he came to his senses, he said how many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.” The lost son realized that the key to eating was being in relationship with the father. What was the father’s response to his returning son? Verse 22 tells us “But the father said to his servants, Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fatted calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” The key to everything the son desired was discovered not in performance but in relationship. The key to everything in God is not in performance but in relationship. We always focus on the younger brother in this story, but even the older brother had performance issues when it came to his father. Look at verse 28, “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, Look all these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fatted calf for him! My son, the father said, you are always with me and everything I have is yours.” In other words, it’s not about the candy, it’s about the relationship. The elder brother’s attitude was, I’ve put in my money, my time, my effort, and I’ve earned a fatted calf. Our attitude is the same as we so often approach Christ with manipulation and performance, when Christ says just come to me, be mine and I will be yours and you can have everything you need.
It’s not about the candy it’s about the relationship. Have you discovered the gift of God? Have you discovered a relationship with him?
Ephesians 2:8
“For by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.”
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
A Savior is Born
Matthew begins his gospel with these words, "The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." These often overlooked words and passages of Scripture are rich with importance. Matthew writing to a uniquely Jewish audience is attempting to point out the legal claim of Jesus to the throne of his father David, which he accomplishes. What is so different about this particular genealogy, and its counterpart in Luke 3.23, is that it begins with Jesus. This is a departure from the Old Testament genealogies in which the oldest and most important person is mentioned first, as in Genesis five where Adam is mentioned first, and in Genesis ten with the sons of Noah. The New Testament begins not with Adam, Abraham or David, but with Jesus Christ, establishing him of preeminent importance. The first readers of these gospels would have immediately picked up on this point.
Some have attempted to point out an apparent inconsistency as to the claim of the gospel writers as to Jesus' identity as the son of David. If Jesus was born of a virgin as the gospels claim (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38), then technically is Jesus the son of David? The short answer is yes. The scriptures continually point to the legal claim of Jesus as the son of David. For example, when Jesus preached in his home town of Nazareth he was recognized after his sermon in Luke 4:22 "And all spoke well of him and marveled at his gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, 'Is this not Joseph's son?'" It is clear that people recognized Jesus as the son of Joseph who is the son of David, this passage was recorded by Luke who also recorded that Jesus was born of a virgin. So in a legal sense Jesus was both the son of David and born of virgin. Only in this way could he fulfill both the legal and prophetic requirements of what it meant to be the Messiah.
Beyond this, the scriptures testify that the identity of Jesus as both the "the root and the descendant of David"(Revelation 22:16). The point is clear if the legal line established by the genealogies of Matthew and Luke are not enough to convince you of the identity of Jesus as the prophesied savior, His claim that He was God and further demonstration of that fact through miracles, signs and wonders culminating in His own resurrection from the dead should once and for all trump any and all pedigrees, if any discrepancy existed, but none do.
This is most evident in the gospel of John, perhaps an overlooked genealogy is contained in the opening passage, "In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, the Word was God..." Then in John 1:14 "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us...", speaking of course of the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ. This is clearly what Jesus was pointing out when he quoted the Messianic prophecy found in Psalm 110:1, in Luke 20:41-43 "But he said to them, 'How can they say that Christ is David's son? For David himself says in the Book of Psalms, the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool. David thus calls him Lord, so how is he his son?'" Here Jesus was pointing out his identity as both God and Man, fully God and fully Man, both Messiah and Yahweh.
As Paul points out in 1 Timothy 2:5 "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." Indeed Jesus is uniquely qualified by word and deed to be the one and only savior of the world, this is the good news of Christmas. As Matthew declares by echoing the words of the prophet, "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which means God with us", and the angels declare to the shepherds in Luke 2:11 "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." We can rejoice along with all of history and creation, Jesus Christ, the son of David, the Son of God, is the Savior of the world!
Some have attempted to point out an apparent inconsistency as to the claim of the gospel writers as to Jesus' identity as the son of David. If Jesus was born of a virgin as the gospels claim (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38), then technically is Jesus the son of David? The short answer is yes. The scriptures continually point to the legal claim of Jesus as the son of David. For example, when Jesus preached in his home town of Nazareth he was recognized after his sermon in Luke 4:22 "And all spoke well of him and marveled at his gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, 'Is this not Joseph's son?'" It is clear that people recognized Jesus as the son of Joseph who is the son of David, this passage was recorded by Luke who also recorded that Jesus was born of a virgin. So in a legal sense Jesus was both the son of David and born of virgin. Only in this way could he fulfill both the legal and prophetic requirements of what it meant to be the Messiah.
Beyond this, the scriptures testify that the identity of Jesus as both the "the root and the descendant of David"(Revelation 22:16). The point is clear if the legal line established by the genealogies of Matthew and Luke are not enough to convince you of the identity of Jesus as the prophesied savior, His claim that He was God and further demonstration of that fact through miracles, signs and wonders culminating in His own resurrection from the dead should once and for all trump any and all pedigrees, if any discrepancy existed, but none do.
This is most evident in the gospel of John, perhaps an overlooked genealogy is contained in the opening passage, "In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, the Word was God..." Then in John 1:14 "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us...", speaking of course of the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ. This is clearly what Jesus was pointing out when he quoted the Messianic prophecy found in Psalm 110:1, in Luke 20:41-43 "But he said to them, 'How can they say that Christ is David's son? For David himself says in the Book of Psalms, the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool. David thus calls him Lord, so how is he his son?'" Here Jesus was pointing out his identity as both God and Man, fully God and fully Man, both Messiah and Yahweh.
As Paul points out in 1 Timothy 2:5 "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." Indeed Jesus is uniquely qualified by word and deed to be the one and only savior of the world, this is the good news of Christmas. As Matthew declares by echoing the words of the prophet, "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which means God with us", and the angels declare to the shepherds in Luke 2:11 "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." We can rejoice along with all of history and creation, Jesus Christ, the son of David, the Son of God, is the Savior of the world!
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Women of Prayer by Ja Juanna Ogborn
Women of Prayer
By: Ja Juanna Ogborn
In an article titled, “A Season” the author, Lisa Marshall, reminisces of a time when saints spent many hours praying, spending a season of prayer with the Lord. Then, things evolved and prayer was just a time spent with the Lord. She says that now it seems we only pause to have a word with the Lord. Prayer has gone from a SEASON, to a TIME, to a WORD.
We all know that there are times when all we can do is say a word of prayer. I work in an office on a computer all day and there have been times that I just laid my hand on my computer and said, “In the name of Jesus, Satan I command you to come out of this computer!” Y’all know what I mean. But that can’t be the only time of prayer that I spend with the Lord.
As women, we have been given a responsibility. That responsibility, that obligation, that duty (Bro. Kimsey preached on duty the other night), is to be a Titus 2 woman. The older women are to teach the younger women. We must set an example and I believe that it must begin with prayer.
We’ve all knelt down before the Lord and the phone rings, or the distractions from day-to-day come to mind, or our mind wanders. Maybe you feel like you don’t know how to pray. My little brother preached here at the beginning of the year and he said that our mother told him one time if you don’t know what to say when you’re praying, just say “JESUS.” Say it over and over and over again. There’s power and authority in that name!
One lady that I feel really knows how to pray (and I’m not here to embarrass her) is Sis. Marlene Case. I’ve sat beside her in the prayer room and it’s not like I was trying to listen, but I just couldn’t help myself. Her prayers just flowed. I found myself saying, “Yes, Lord, what she said Lord,” because she was praying the things that I wanted to pray, but I just couldn’t find the right words. The kind of prayer that I hear her pray comes from spending many seasons in prayer.
One night about 2 years ago, I was in the prayer room and I heard Lynelle Roberts praying before church. It was exuberance in the prayer room that night. Everybody was praying out loud, not in hushed tones. And Lynelle said, “Lord, let the Holy Ghost fall like a rushing, mighty wind.” If she said that prayer one time, she said it one hundred times. And the Holy Ghost fell that night. That’s what the power of prayer can do.
I’m very blessed to have praying women in my life. Both of my grandmothers were prayer warriors and that has filtered down to my mother and my aunts. What a legacy my cousins and I can leave when we get on our knees and touch God.
I don’t want the stars of Hollywood to be the role-model for the young girls of our church. Bro. Kimsey said the other night when he preached on duty: Anything other than duty is immaturity. I don’t want to be an immature Christian woman. I’m not a young girl or a young lady anymore. I’ve got a torch to carry on. I must become a Titus 2 woman. The very lives of our future Titus 2 young ladies are dependent on it.
You see:
Baby Girls turn into Little Girls and Little Girls turn into Big Girls and Big Girls turn into Tweens and Tweens turn into Teenage Girls and Teenage Girls turn into Young Ladies and Young Ladies turn into Young Women and Young Women turn into Middle-Aged Women and Middle-Aged Women should become Seasoned Women.
As godly women we must be a role-model. There are times that we may be the only example that some young ladies see. Can you think back to your younger days and think of any women that made an impact in your life? I can. My two grandmothers, Sis. Bertha Coody & Sis. Pearl Chelette, my mother, Robbie Evans, my aunts, Velma Gass, Lorraine Moore, Reba McManus, Patsy Hall, Annette Chelette, Louise Chelette, & Gwen Chelette, others include: Mary Whited, Ruby Willingham, Leoma Gass, Lille Mae Coody, Dorothy Brooks, Pebble Moore, Lorraine Bennett, Theo Cupp, Doris Malone, Cindy Malone, Debbie Camp, Patsy Brooks, Linda Brocato, Becky Bowen, and the list goes on and on. I can think of at least one thing from each of these ladies that exemplifies a Titus 2 woman. Will you be on someone’s godly woman list one day? I hope I am.
On the CD “Woman Thou Art Loosed, Worship 2000” Bishop T.D. Jakes says that Praise is when you give God thanks because you have shoes, and a house, and money to buy groceries, and a job. And we’ve got lots to Praise God for. We’ve got a beautiful church, with wonderful saints, tremendous pastors and pastors’ wives. But Worship is when you Praise God even if you don’t have shoes, or a house, or money to buy groceries, or a job. That’s true worship. When you Praise God just because he’s GOD. Not for what he’s done for you, but just BECAUSE. Another CD that I have from “The Anointed Pace Sisters” has a song called, “God’s World.” One of the phrases of the song is: from Prayer to Praise & from Praise to Worship. You can’t get to true Praise & Worship without prayer.
May God bless the women of The Sanctuary of Praise to be the women that He intended us to become. Women of power, authority, godliness, and most of all Women of Prayer.
By: Ja Juanna Ogborn
In an article titled, “A Season” the author, Lisa Marshall, reminisces of a time when saints spent many hours praying, spending a season of prayer with the Lord. Then, things evolved and prayer was just a time spent with the Lord. She says that now it seems we only pause to have a word with the Lord. Prayer has gone from a SEASON, to a TIME, to a WORD.
We all know that there are times when all we can do is say a word of prayer. I work in an office on a computer all day and there have been times that I just laid my hand on my computer and said, “In the name of Jesus, Satan I command you to come out of this computer!” Y’all know what I mean. But that can’t be the only time of prayer that I spend with the Lord.
As women, we have been given a responsibility. That responsibility, that obligation, that duty (Bro. Kimsey preached on duty the other night), is to be a Titus 2 woman. The older women are to teach the younger women. We must set an example and I believe that it must begin with prayer.
We’ve all knelt down before the Lord and the phone rings, or the distractions from day-to-day come to mind, or our mind wanders. Maybe you feel like you don’t know how to pray. My little brother preached here at the beginning of the year and he said that our mother told him one time if you don’t know what to say when you’re praying, just say “JESUS.” Say it over and over and over again. There’s power and authority in that name!
One lady that I feel really knows how to pray (and I’m not here to embarrass her) is Sis. Marlene Case. I’ve sat beside her in the prayer room and it’s not like I was trying to listen, but I just couldn’t help myself. Her prayers just flowed. I found myself saying, “Yes, Lord, what she said Lord,” because she was praying the things that I wanted to pray, but I just couldn’t find the right words. The kind of prayer that I hear her pray comes from spending many seasons in prayer.
One night about 2 years ago, I was in the prayer room and I heard Lynelle Roberts praying before church. It was exuberance in the prayer room that night. Everybody was praying out loud, not in hushed tones. And Lynelle said, “Lord, let the Holy Ghost fall like a rushing, mighty wind.” If she said that prayer one time, she said it one hundred times. And the Holy Ghost fell that night. That’s what the power of prayer can do.
I’m very blessed to have praying women in my life. Both of my grandmothers were prayer warriors and that has filtered down to my mother and my aunts. What a legacy my cousins and I can leave when we get on our knees and touch God.
I don’t want the stars of Hollywood to be the role-model for the young girls of our church. Bro. Kimsey said the other night when he preached on duty: Anything other than duty is immaturity. I don’t want to be an immature Christian woman. I’m not a young girl or a young lady anymore. I’ve got a torch to carry on. I must become a Titus 2 woman. The very lives of our future Titus 2 young ladies are dependent on it.
You see:
Baby Girls turn into Little Girls and Little Girls turn into Big Girls and Big Girls turn into Tweens and Tweens turn into Teenage Girls and Teenage Girls turn into Young Ladies and Young Ladies turn into Young Women and Young Women turn into Middle-Aged Women and Middle-Aged Women should become Seasoned Women.
As godly women we must be a role-model. There are times that we may be the only example that some young ladies see. Can you think back to your younger days and think of any women that made an impact in your life? I can. My two grandmothers, Sis. Bertha Coody & Sis. Pearl Chelette, my mother, Robbie Evans, my aunts, Velma Gass, Lorraine Moore, Reba McManus, Patsy Hall, Annette Chelette, Louise Chelette, & Gwen Chelette, others include: Mary Whited, Ruby Willingham, Leoma Gass, Lille Mae Coody, Dorothy Brooks, Pebble Moore, Lorraine Bennett, Theo Cupp, Doris Malone, Cindy Malone, Debbie Camp, Patsy Brooks, Linda Brocato, Becky Bowen, and the list goes on and on. I can think of at least one thing from each of these ladies that exemplifies a Titus 2 woman. Will you be on someone’s godly woman list one day? I hope I am.
On the CD “Woman Thou Art Loosed, Worship 2000” Bishop T.D. Jakes says that Praise is when you give God thanks because you have shoes, and a house, and money to buy groceries, and a job. And we’ve got lots to Praise God for. We’ve got a beautiful church, with wonderful saints, tremendous pastors and pastors’ wives. But Worship is when you Praise God even if you don’t have shoes, or a house, or money to buy groceries, or a job. That’s true worship. When you Praise God just because he’s GOD. Not for what he’s done for you, but just BECAUSE. Another CD that I have from “The Anointed Pace Sisters” has a song called, “God’s World.” One of the phrases of the song is: from Prayer to Praise & from Praise to Worship. You can’t get to true Praise & Worship without prayer.
May God bless the women of The Sanctuary of Praise to be the women that He intended us to become. Women of power, authority, godliness, and most of all Women of Prayer.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Why Give?
The Apostle Paul speaking to a group of Ephesian elders in Acts 20:32 reminded them of his faithfulness to the ministry, “And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than receive.’” Paul had a clear understanding that the gospel is propagated through giving.
Pastor Kimsey has challenged us from the Word of God to give, a challenge which is empowered by the Holy Spirit and the testimony of Scripture. So why should we give?
First, the Bible models it, over and over again when giving is exemplified it is rewarded. The principle of the New Testament is to give and give generously. A common characteristic of the early church is revealed in Acts 4:34-35 “There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.” If we are to be Apostolic then we must give. The Old Testament gives us the principle of the tithe, but the New Testament, while confirming that principle, challenges us to move beyond obligation to generosity. Jesus challenged the religious leaders of his day in Matthew 23:23 “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.” True justice, mercy and faithfulness necessitate stewardship and generosity.
Next, I give because by doing so; I participate in the ministry of the gospel. As Paul points out in 1 Corinthians 9 in his defense of gospel workers being remunerated for their service, “Who serves as a soldier at his own expense, who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit, or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? For it is written in the Law of Moses, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.’ Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?” Paul then goes on to point out in verse 15, “But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision….What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.” The Apostle clearly links giving with the propagation of the gospel. When you and I give we participate with every ministry at the Sanctuary of Praise and beyond.
Finally, by giving I leave a legacy and example for my children and grandchildren. It is always important to remind ourselves that the Kingdom of God is greater than ourselves and will extend far beyond our lifetime and influence. If I want my children to know the joy of a life lived unselfishly then I must exemplify it before them.
In conclusion, my brothers and sisters at the Sanctuary of Praise, my pledge to you is that from this point forward my family and I join with yours in giving in support of our church, our ministries, our building and ultimately the Kingdom of God which knows no end. To God be the glory!
Pastor Kimsey has challenged us from the Word of God to give, a challenge which is empowered by the Holy Spirit and the testimony of Scripture. So why should we give?
First, the Bible models it, over and over again when giving is exemplified it is rewarded. The principle of the New Testament is to give and give generously. A common characteristic of the early church is revealed in Acts 4:34-35 “There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.” If we are to be Apostolic then we must give. The Old Testament gives us the principle of the tithe, but the New Testament, while confirming that principle, challenges us to move beyond obligation to generosity. Jesus challenged the religious leaders of his day in Matthew 23:23 “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.” True justice, mercy and faithfulness necessitate stewardship and generosity.
Next, I give because by doing so; I participate in the ministry of the gospel. As Paul points out in 1 Corinthians 9 in his defense of gospel workers being remunerated for their service, “Who serves as a soldier at his own expense, who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit, or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? For it is written in the Law of Moses, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.’ Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?” Paul then goes on to point out in verse 15, “But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision….What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.” The Apostle clearly links giving with the propagation of the gospel. When you and I give we participate with every ministry at the Sanctuary of Praise and beyond.
Finally, by giving I leave a legacy and example for my children and grandchildren. It is always important to remind ourselves that the Kingdom of God is greater than ourselves and will extend far beyond our lifetime and influence. If I want my children to know the joy of a life lived unselfishly then I must exemplify it before them.
In conclusion, my brothers and sisters at the Sanctuary of Praise, my pledge to you is that from this point forward my family and I join with yours in giving in support of our church, our ministries, our building and ultimately the Kingdom of God which knows no end. To God be the glory!
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Seven Messages to Seven Churches; the Disgusting Church at Laodicea.
Revelation 3:14-22
• The Diagnosis of the Church
– The Laodicean Church is a compromising church
• The heart of man is described three different ways in the New Testament, a burning heart in Luke 24:32, and Matthew 24:12 speaks of a cold heart. But in the Laodicean church there was a lukewarm heart.
• A triad of cities (Colossians 4:12); A reference to the water situation, hot water springs in Hierapolis and cold water springs in Colosse, pipes and aqueducts transported the water result/lukewarm.
• The Laodicean Church is a conceited church.
– The church at Smyrna thought it was poor when in fact it was rich, the church at Laodicea though they were rich when in fact they were poor.
– “The Laodicea church was a half-hearted church, a Christianity which was both flabby and anemic. They had taken a lukewarm bath of religion.” –John Stott
• The Laodicean Church was a Christ less Church.
– Jesus is standing on the wrong side of the door. The Greek word for “dine” refers to the last meal before the dawning of a new day. He was ready to give the Church a new day but he had to be invited in.
– “When the Son of Man comes, will he really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)
The Counsel to the last Church
• Prescription one for spiritual compromise: Repent (Revelation 3:19)
• Prescription two for spiritual poverty: Gold refined by suffering (Revelation 3:18)
• Prescription three for spiritual nakedness: White garments of righteousness (Revelation 3:18)
• Prescription four for spiritual blindness: Salve (Revelation 3:18)
• Prescription five for their Christlessness: Open the door (Revelation 3:20)
Open the door
The only cure for the lukewarmness is the readmission of the excluded Christ. Apostasy must be confronted with His fidelity, looseness with conviction born of His authority, poverty with the fact of His wealth, frost with the mighty fire of His enthusiasm, and death with the life divine that is in His gift. There is no other cure for the loneliness of heaven, for the malady of the world, for the lukewarmness of the Church than the readmitted Christ.” - G. Campbell Morgan
• What do the following scriptures reveal to us about fervency in one’s walk with the Lord?
– Acts 18:25
– Romans 12:11
– Colossians 4:12
– James 5:16
– 1 Peter 1:22
– 1 Peter 4:8
• How could you apply the concept of “fervent heat” to the spiritual life? (2 Peter 3:10, 12)
• Describe as many different elements as you can from 1 Corinthians 15:58 about what it means to be fervent for the Lord:
• The Diagnosis of the Church
– The Laodicean Church is a compromising church
• The heart of man is described three different ways in the New Testament, a burning heart in Luke 24:32, and Matthew 24:12 speaks of a cold heart. But in the Laodicean church there was a lukewarm heart.
• A triad of cities (Colossians 4:12); A reference to the water situation, hot water springs in Hierapolis and cold water springs in Colosse, pipes and aqueducts transported the water result/lukewarm.
• The Laodicean Church is a conceited church.
– The church at Smyrna thought it was poor when in fact it was rich, the church at Laodicea though they were rich when in fact they were poor.
– “The Laodicea church was a half-hearted church, a Christianity which was both flabby and anemic. They had taken a lukewarm bath of religion.” –John Stott
• The Laodicean Church was a Christ less Church.
– Jesus is standing on the wrong side of the door. The Greek word for “dine” refers to the last meal before the dawning of a new day. He was ready to give the Church a new day but he had to be invited in.
– “When the Son of Man comes, will he really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)
The Counsel to the last Church
• Prescription one for spiritual compromise: Repent (Revelation 3:19)
• Prescription two for spiritual poverty: Gold refined by suffering (Revelation 3:18)
• Prescription three for spiritual nakedness: White garments of righteousness (Revelation 3:18)
• Prescription four for spiritual blindness: Salve (Revelation 3:18)
• Prescription five for their Christlessness: Open the door (Revelation 3:20)
Open the door
The only cure for the lukewarmness is the readmission of the excluded Christ. Apostasy must be confronted with His fidelity, looseness with conviction born of His authority, poverty with the fact of His wealth, frost with the mighty fire of His enthusiasm, and death with the life divine that is in His gift. There is no other cure for the loneliness of heaven, for the malady of the world, for the lukewarmness of the Church than the readmitted Christ.” - G. Campbell Morgan
• What do the following scriptures reveal to us about fervency in one’s walk with the Lord?
– Acts 18:25
– Romans 12:11
– Colossians 4:12
– James 5:16
– 1 Peter 1:22
– 1 Peter 4:8
• How could you apply the concept of “fervent heat” to the spiritual life? (2 Peter 3:10, 12)
• Describe as many different elements as you can from 1 Corinthians 15:58 about what it means to be fervent for the Lord:
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