Month: June 2024

Word Up!!

Word Up!!

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Word Up!!

“But if I say, “so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:17 NIV

Last weekend I was looking at some of my old cell phones. Yes, y’all I still have my first-generation iPhone. It is still in the black and pink case that I bought for it.  Unfortunately, It still only shows the red need to charge sign and then it shuts off. You know I may take it to the geek squad at Best Buy to see if there is any hope for it.

On the other hand, my iPhone 4, lit up like a Christmas tree, no service without the SIM card of course, but plenty of forgotten pictures from yesterday.  Both phones fit into the palm of my hand. I thought to myself, these were some powerful devices in their day.

You know what else is powerful? The Word of God. It is life changing to those who believe. Words have real power friends. God spoke this world into being by the power of His words, we were made by in his image by that same powerful Word. I like talking about all the wonderful things Words can do. They do more than just convey information; they can make an impact.

This past Monday I shared my So Good to know blog with my family. Let me share it with you today.

I titled it:

Grandma’s Kitchen

I see my grandmother in so many things, in her kitchen I saw the cornmeal, representing her diversity because she knew how to get her point across. There is the all-purpose flour and like it she was always suitable for any occasion. Oh yes, how about some sugar, she was sweet with plenty of love to go around. Here is the baking powder, and just like it, when she needed to be heard, she would increase her volume. She definitely provided the flavor of salt; it gave a lasting impression. With strong bones, like milk she was always there to give a helping hand.  Don’t forget the eggs, she was the protein that held us together. Finally, look what I found, the shortening (Crisco), it was like her too, coating things evenly. She was Our Fair Lady.

So good to know

After gathering all of those ingredients together, I realize I have her Cornbread. I can still taste it, fresh and hot right out of her cast iron skillet. When I think of my grandmother, I smile. There are so many beautiful moments and memories I shared with her. She was a beautiful lady who was both caring and loving. What a blessing it made in my life to have her.

Sharing the post with my family brought us together on common ground of someone we all loved and cared about. There was such an outpouring of love from everyone. It was like in that moment that we were all together around the kitchen table, waiting on that cornbread. Apart and together, we all took a trip back in time.

What does God’s Word do? Like my title Word Up, it reminds us it heals, restores, motivates, awakens, activates, equips, reveals, builds, provides correction in love and truth. King David knew the preciousness of God’s word when he declared, I seek you with all my heart, do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:10-11.

The Word of God is his alive with the power to inform, reform and transform!! Hallelujah!! Glory to his name!

Remember friends, we are each other’s keeper and the only time you should be looking down on someone is when we are helping them up.

Closer Walk With Thee

Closer Walk With Thee

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Closer Walk with Thee

“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8 NIV

The song, closer walk with thee, has been performed and recorded by many artists. Performed as either an instrumental or vocal. Did you know that it is one of the most frequently played song in traditional New Orleans jazz funerals?  The song was recorded in 1941. Notable recordings of the song have been performed by: Rosetta Tharpe, Mahalia Jackson, LaVern Baker, Louis Armstrong, Little Richard, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Ike & Tina Turner, Albertina Walker, and many more.

Today’s lesson comes from the book of James. He was the son of Mary and Joseph and brother of Jesus. He describes himself as “a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.” His letters deal more with Christian ethics and its theme is the outworking of faith. He writes about the roots of our quarrels, conflicts, and wrong motives. The scripture says, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

James reminds us that when we come near to God, He will respond with action by moving closer to us. This is nothing but God’s grace and mercy as he steps in our direction. It is a reminder of the importance of a more intimate and personal relationship with the Good Shepherd, who alone is our guiding Compass, and he wants to show us how much he loves us. Here are a few things to think about as you walk closer with God:

*Read his Word daily, we must have our spiritual vitamins that provide us with nourishment. Through God’s Word is how we speak life into our lives.

Friends, whether it’s through spoken words or silent meditation, prayer is our private conversations with God about our EVERYTHING. Prayer is the key to our closer walk with Him. Commit yourself to regular daily prayer.

Connect with other believers, we have a whole community of believers/support system. There is plenty to do in our communities as we get involved. There is strength in numbers.

Service to others. There is something awesome about service to those around us in love.  Our time and talents are meant to be a blessing to others. Do you sing? Are you organized? Do you like to help with the cooking? Reading to children? Assist the elderly?  When we show generosity, and compassion to those in need, we are living our faith and following the example of Jesus. James tells us that faith without works is show nuff is dead. The opportunity to serve is not just an act of kindness, but an act of worship that will bring us closer to God. Everywhere we go, God is right there with us y’all. He hears us from within our hearts and minds, He is guiding our steps, and he is our strength in the times of trials and joy.

Remember friends we are each others keeper, and the only time we should be looking down on someone is when we are helping them up.

Dem Bones

Dem Bones

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Dem Bones

“The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” Ezekiel 37:1-3 NIV

This is one of the most famous passages in Ezekiel which has inspired numerous Sunday school lessons, songs, and preaching. Speaking of preaching, this is one of my favorite sermons preached by my dad.

Who was Ezekiel? His name means “strengthened by God,” he grew up in Jerusalem, where he trained to be a priest in the temple. He was among the second group of captives taken to Babylon around 597 BC. While in Babylon he became a prophet of God; he is the author of the Old Testament book that bears his name. His vision of the valley of dry bones, pictures new life being breathed into the nation. That prophecy will be ultimately fulfilled in the reign of Christ on earth.

The scripture says that the hand of the lord was on Ezekiel, and the Lord brought him out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley, it was full of bones. Ezekiel said he saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, and they were very dry.

Friends, it’s something about those instructions that God gives to Ezekiel, as he is told to prophesy over those bones. It reminds me, that our God is always in teaching mode with purposeful intent. God speaks to those bones saying, “I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

Can these bones live again friends? In peace and not pieces, in health and not sickness, with joy and not sorrow, looking ahead instead of behind, and order out of chaos. Can these bones live again? Breathe on us Lord, breathe into us. Amen.

Remember friends, we are each other’s keeper and the only time we should be looking down on someone is when we are helping them up.

No Weapon

No Weapon

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No Weapon

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgement You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me, “Says the Lord.” Isaiah 54:17 NKJV

What is a weapon? It is anything designed to inflict harm. The apostle Paul tells us that we have been given tools to fight against our enemy, these weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. While I am thinking about it, you got your armor on? This spiritual body suit is designed with the power to demolish strongholds. The Lord has given us a sword, His Word and our shields, faith.

In our passage today, the prophet Isaiah delivers a message from God about the restoration of Jerusalem after its destruction by the Babylonians. The people had endured both chaos and confusion, but the Lord promises a future day when the city will be more glorious than ever. They would return to their land and live there without fear of further devastation. God promises the people of Jerusalem that no enemy will be able to produce successful weapons against them. The word prosper, means “succeed.”

No matter what the devil devises to throw at us, in the end it will fail because God is the sovereign ruler of our destiny. God is in command. He controls both those who make weapons and those who use them. The battle is not ours, but the Lords. He has already won the contest. Through Jesus Christ, He has defeated the final enemy, who is death, and purchased for us eternal life. The Lord will protect and uphold His children, no matter what we face. As God’s people, we can be confident in the Lord’s ultimate triumph over every enemy. In Isaiah’s time, as in all of history, and in the future in its fullest sense, every child of God can say, “No weapon formed against me shall prosper!”

Tell confusion and depression, it won’t prosper! Remind anxiety and fear that they don’t live here anymore. Take back your peace! Sometimes it gets hard on this journey, but we are not alone, we have other fellow soldier who are on the battlefield, and we have the God Lord who has been with us since our beginning.

Remember we are each other’s keeper, and the only time we should be looking down on someone is when we are helping them up.

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