It's Cry'in Time

A cry can be about sorrow or joy.  We can cry our eyes out over something meaningful or just watching a sad movie.  Who started the rumor that real men don't cry, Jesus wept (John 11:35), and we know that He was a man among men and also a Supreme Being at the same time.  It is okay to cry.  Ecclesiastes 3:4 says: "A time to cry and a time to laugh."  I can appreciate the way this scripture is written, because once you have had a good cry, in time, you will surely laugh.  Sometimes we can experience something very traumatic and/or devastating in our lives, and we want to cry, but the heaviness of the emotional pain has blocked the flow.  We must find our cry'in place.  When we find our cry'in place we will know because tears will flow and it will be cathartic.  I'm headed in the right direction with this cry'in time blog, how do I know because I keep getting conformation.  I was reading "Our Daily Bread" just yesterday (when I started this blog) and the scripture Romans 12:15 said: "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep."  Bishop T.D. Jakes said, and I paraphrase: are you ever laying in bed, late in the midnight hour, and you reflect on trying times and a tear rolls across the bridge of your nose?  People say, meaning well, don't cry it's going to be alright.  Yes! it will, if you would just leave me alone and let me cry.  We're always trying to put on a brave face, and hold back the tears, but somebody needs to know that it is alright to cry.  There is no greater cry than when we cry out to the Lord.  Only He truly understands why we cry, and only He can turn our tears of sorrow into joy, and our tears of joy into a blessing!

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.  All these things are gone forever.  Revelation 21:4 (NLT)

I'm Trusting in You, Lord !

This is a blog of confession; I'm trusting in You Lord.  I've tried to do things my way over and over again, and like insanity, I keep getting the same results.  Even when I knew You were the only answer, me being weak turned to my flesh first (the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak).  But I've had enough, and if I don't turn it all over to You, I'll go crazy!  I don't want to go crazy, and I know You only want the best for me, so that's it.  Thank You for being there for me in all my weakness and stupidity. Like the sheep, I need you as my Father, my Shepherd, and my Guide.  I am nothing without You and can provide myself nothing unless You make it happen.  I am dependent on You totally, and thank you for claiming me as a dependent.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5,6 (NIV)

We Can't Let Satan Slip in on a Simple Sentence

People need to be careful about what they say at all times.  Christians particulary, and especially need to govern what comes out of their mouths.

What are we speaking over ourselves and our loved ones?  What are we saying we trust God to do in our lives. 

Satan has no power, but he is always looking for an opportunity to use anything negative that we say as an opening to our power.  If he can plant a negative thought or send a temptation, based on what we say, he will use that as a conduit to get us to act on it.

We must speak victory at all times my brothers and sisters.  Now, we don't have to lie about our reality, but if we say: "I'm struggling right now and I don't see a way out, end that statement with, but I know that God is a keeper, and He can make the impossible possible."  And, by all means, don't forget to use scripture to defeat the enemy.  After all, Jesus quoted scripture to the devil to let him know that He knows what the Word says, and that the Word is all that counts.  That is why the Bible tells us to study to be approved.  In other words, know the Bible for yourself and you can't be fooled.

The tongue has the power of life and death, Proverbs 18:21A (NIV)

Like Moses, God used Dr. King to Free His People!

Today we celebrate, as a nation, the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  Dr. King was a man of God, who was annointed by God to do something special, something that would impact history and all of man-kind.  More than 3000 years ago, God appointed another great man of God to make an impact on humanity and correct an injustice that had been going on for 400 years.  Moses was given the great task of leading the Jewish people out of enslavement in Egypt to freedom.  This task seemed almost impossible, too hard for a man to accomplish; but this is where our great and mighty God comes in.  See God never gives us a job that he will not equip us to handle - " For his namesake."  God's reputation is on the line, not the person he uses.  He will provide all that is needed to the person He has assigned the task, whatever it may be.
Dr. King was given the assignment of presenting to the whole world the injustices that were taking place here in America concerning the equal rights of Blacks, as stated in the Declaration of Independance, the Constitution and The Bill of Rights, all founding documents on which the United States was created.  But, not only did his work pertain to his own race, but it pertained to all people.  It pertained to those suffering the same indignities in other parts of the world, but more importantly, it was profound in helping set the opressors free.  Yes, the freedom of those who thought prejudice was okay, needed to be freed also, mentally. Bondage not only enslaves the captured, it enslaves the captors.  Pharoh had to learn that thousands of years ago and people in 1960's and today have to learn it now.

God is the only one in charge and in control of the universe and all that exists.  Man has no right to believe or act as if he can control another human being!  "God gave us dominion over the birds of the air, the fish of the sea, and every thing that crawls and creeps upon the earth," but He did not give us dominion over each other ("paraphrased" from Genesis 1:26).

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1(ESV)

It May Be Cold Outside...

It's winter time, and even here in Texas that fact has not been missed.  It has been cold, with temperatures dipping unusually below freezing in the overnights.  It all actually started with, get this, a white Christmas!  Although this may not sound like much for people in other parts of the country, this is Texas, a hot state where the cold and especially snow are hardly ever seen.  But one thought gives me constant relief, constant warmth literally and figuratively through the cold times and storms of life, and that is that I have a God that provides for me and shelters me.  He provides peace, protection and provision. He created me, saved me and sustains me.  He's a keeper, yes He is!
It may be cold outside, but I'm comfortable in knowing my God is here, on the inside, for me at all times.

As one of the great old gospel hymnals puts it: "I stepped in the water and the water was cold, it chilled my body, but not my soul."
The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Psalm 23 (KJV)

A Real Pain, A REAL GOD

Pain is real, and it is different for everyone.  The biggest mistake we can make is to talk like we understand another's pain.  If someone shares their pain with us, we need to let them have their moment.  Just listen.  Don't try to fix it or analyze it.  And, if by chance, we have a Christian perspective to share, we need to save it for a better day.  When a person is expressing their pain they don't want to hear from us!  They want us to feel their heart in the matter at hand.  And for goodness sake, don't try to make them respond the way that we feel.  Have some compassion.  Pain is personal.  We all feel pain differently and respond to it differently as well.  Pain can be overwhelming,depressing, opressing, and paralyzing.  It can seize our thoughts, break our hearts, and shut down our forward progress.  But, pain like everything else is a process, and this is were we win with GOD.  Scripture says: "Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world."  So, no matter how great the pain is, we can get through it, we can get over it with GOD, because He is a very real GOD.  That is why the title shows pain in mostly lower case letters, and A REAL GOD in all upper case letters, because in the process we eventually tell our pain how big our GOD is, hallelujah!  We speak to the pain in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and we take authority over what once terrorized us, but NOW is no more!  Hallelujah, Thank You Jesus!  What the devil meant for our destruction, GOD used for our construction.  We are now wiser, better, and stronger in Jesus' name.

Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.  Psalm 55:22 (NLT) 

Hats off to Evangelist Yvett Freeman (To God Be the Glory)

We did not know Evangelist long, and we did not get to spend a lot of time with her, but the few moments we did are very memorable.  We will never forget how God spoke through this mighty woman-of-God on one occasion when she was visiting her brother's church-house.  Holy Spirit used her mightily, and it was a wonder to behold!  We remember breaking bread with her and her husband while visiting her hometown, Chicago.  We enjoyed their company so much because they were both so down to earth.

But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. 2 Timothy 4:5 (NIV)