Tag: #LOVE

A Good Friday

A Good Friday

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A Good Friday

“But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5 21st Century King James Version

Did you know, the crucifixion itself was one of the most brutal forms of execution, designed to prolong suffering. Jesus endured excruciating pain, not only from the nails that pierced His hands and feet but also from the weight of humanity’s sins. And yet, in His suffering, He continued to show love and mercy. Jesus came into this world because of love. Because of him we can have life and we can live.

Why “Good”? The term “good” is traditionally believed to be an old English synonym for “holy,” marking it as “Holy Friday”. It is deemed “good” because of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. He purchased salvation and demonstrated God’s love, setting the stage for his resurrection. Where would we be friends if he hadn’t come? 

If you haven’t excepted Him into your life. I wouldn’t wait another day. I would do it today. If you feel incomplete, like somethings missing or there’s something tugging at your heart strings. Say this prayer with me and receive Jesus into your life.

“Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe you died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust You as my Savior and follow You as Lord. In Jesus’ name, 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.

Twelve

Twelve

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Twelve

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 NKJV

🎶 On the first through the twelve days of Christmas my true love gave to me: a Partridge in a Pear Tree, Two Turtle Doves, Three French Hens, Four Calling Birds, Five Gold Rings, Six Geese a-Laying, Seven Swans a-Swimming, Eight Maids a-Milking, Nine Ladies Dancing, Ten Lords a-Leaping, Eleven Pipers Piping, and Twelve Drummers Drumming! 🎶 Did you know that this English Christmas carol and nursery rhymes was published in London around 1780.

In the Bible, the number 12 symbolizes divine perfection, completeness, and God’s governmental authority. Where do we see twelve in the scripture: The 12 Tribes of Israel which represents the whole nation. Jesus chose 12 apostles. Remember that woman who had an issue with blood for 12 years. Jesus mentioned He could call on more than twelve legions of angels, emphasizing His divine power. How about in the book of Revelations, New Jerusalem the city has 12 gates, 12 angels, 12 foundations, and 12 pearls, and the tree of life that Bears 12 kinds of fruit and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nation.

Christmas to me is about giving thanks to God, who loved us so that he sent Jesus into the world. He came here to die for the sins of the world. He was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Christmas isn’t just about caroling, gifts, decorating, and holiday meals. Jesus Christ is the real reason for the season.

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.

Follow That Star

Follow That Star

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Follow That Star

“Saying, where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east and are come to worship him. “ Matthew 2:2 KJV

Welcome to the Christmas season friends. I’ve already put up all four of my trees. They aren’t the standard sizes; they are all small enough to go on tabletops. Then I put out all my Santa Clauses and a Christmas reef for my door. My decorating took about 35 minutes.

To understand the significance the passage I chose today we must go back in time more than a thousand years before the birth of Jesus. During the time of exodus, there was a ruler of Moab named Balak. Balak and the Moabites began to feel the threat of the people of Israel so much that they wanted a curse to put on them. In the end there was no curse only blessings.

 This included a prediction that a star shall come forth from Jacob, and a scepter would rise from Israel. Let me break this down; Jacob is a patriarch of the Israelites, and his descendants are called the people of Israel. The prophecy is tied to the future king of this specific lineage. The scepter is a symbol of royal power and authority, and its rising signifies a new king and a new dynasty.

From three different nations, the wise men journeyed west to find the prophesied King. They saw His star in the east, and they came to the house where Mary, Joseph and Jesus were. They presented their gifts to baby Jesus and began to worship Him. Can you imagine what they must have all felt inside as they gazed upon baby Jesus. They saw with their own eyes, the savior of the World.  Before them was the One and true King of the Jews and the fulfillment of the prophecy.

The arrival of wise men from the East is also a pivotal moment showing the global purpose of God. Jesus came here for all of us. Why did He do this for us? He did it because he loves us.

John 3:16-17 say it this way,

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

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.

Secret Place

Secret Place

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Secret Place

“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” Matthew 6:6 NKJV

This blog is dedicated to my Beautiful, Amazing and Talented daughter, Cherelle Nicole Kozak, also known as Cherelle K. She has worked hard, staying committed to her dreams and goals.  She has made a lot of personal and professional decisions. Working a full and part time job, spitting out smooth liquid gold lyrics from her head in a studio booth on the microphone. That mix tape is coming soon. She is a performer on the stage commanding attention wherever she goes, content creator, owner of Kozylipz lipline, and somehow has found a way to fit in  time to earn her Masters. Selling a brand is a lot of hard work. But she didn’t come to play, she came driven, focused, and determined to see her goals through. You and I have been doing some heavy praying together and a part. And yes, there is so much more to come, like your  first movie. Aint God good? I gotta say it, can I say it? “Welcome to the table girl!!!”

 The scripture I chose today, is part of the Sermon on the Mount that instructs believers to pray in private rather than seeking public recognition. What is it like when you go to your secret place to talk to the Lord? As I get old I find myself taking advantage of it any and everywhere I go. It’s a confidential conversation about what surround me.

 Thoughts from within my Secret Place:

Thanksgiving, Lord I am glad to have you to talk with.

Understanding, it’s nothing like giving yourself over to God’s kind of thinking. It’s actually less work

Guidance, I know the Lord has a plan for me and it’s very important that I stay the course. His timing is PERFECT.

Faith, believe Him.

Love, love is so essential, it’s nothing like loving what you do and being able to do what you love, just because you love it. God’s love for us, its why He sent His Son Jesus Christ.

Watch, Take you, them, it, this, and that to Him and watch the Good Lord work it out.

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

Caravan of Love

Caravan of Love

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Caravan of Love

“And let’s consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds, not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10: 24-25 NASB

What does the word caravan mean? According to the Merriam Dictionary, it means, a company of travelers on a journey through desert or hostile regions, or a group of vehicles traveling together in a file. You know this got me thinking of when I was a kid, how we would travel as a church to different cities for various programs. Look out the back window, I could see all the cars following one another along the journey. Even then I loved traveling with my family.

Also, friends, it’s nothing like family or friends coming together to share what’s been up since we last graced each other with our presence. I have family and friends who I need to meet and greet with RIGHT NOW. We have a lot of catching up to do. What better way than to breaking bread together, along with plenty of talking, laughing, listening, love, and support. But isn’t how it should be?

There are a lot of good things that can come from meeting together. It gives us a chance to listen or to be heard, support, comfort, and understanding. It can be that gentle push of encouragement that gets and keep us moving toward our goals. It can be a hug, as we are reminded that God is working everything out for our good. Day to Day fellowship is an essential component of Christian growth and perseverance. Did you know early believers were devoted to meeting daily in their homes for teaching, fellowship, worship, eating meals, and praying together. These things were done with a glad and sincere heart.

Before Jesus was crucified, He gave His disciples a “new” command: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35) This call to love one another is repeated multiple times in scripture. The demonstration of love allows the world to see who God is and what a transformed life in Christ looks like.  Love is the key.

The scripture says, “ If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13: 1-3 KNJV).

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.

Bring Me My Coat

Bring Me My Coat

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Bring Me My Coat

“Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors. Genesis 37:3 NKJV

Ooh Wee, are you having your share of that wintery mix friends? When I got up this past Monday morning, I started by looking at some of my local news, but it wasn’t telling me much, so I looked out the peep hole on the front door, and all I could see was a blanket of white snow. I then tightened my robe a little tighter, telling myself, I aint going out there. This was going to be a stay-at-home kind of day. However, if I had to go out, I got my coat and accessories to help keep the chill off. As I think about our lesson on Joseph’s coat of many colors, I asked myself what does a coat do? Its job is to protect and cover. Let’s investigate this story shall we.

When Joseph was 17 years old, his father Jacob gave him a beautiful coat. However, this coat came with plenty of obstacles.  I see it like a soap opera right off your television screen. It has all the Young and the Restless drama, plenty of Days of our Lives jealousy, a large amount of All my Children betrayal, and its share of young bratty kids, yes, I am talking about General Hospital.

Joseph was conceived in Jacob’s old age and the coat of many colors symbolized favor.  It was also the beginning of sibling rivalry brought about by the favoritism Jacob showed Joseph. My grandparents had 8 children; growing up I remember asking my grandmother who was her favorite child was. She told me, all of them. My grandmother went on to explain to me, that she had enough love for each and every one of them and that her love was never going to change.

Joseph had the coat for a little while but there were several things that lead to the coat getting destroyed.  It would be safe to say the brothers saw him perhaps as a bit of a tattle tale. As he would bring bad reports back to their father about them. Joseph would also tell his brothers about his dreams showing they would bow down to him one day, suggesting Joseph would rule over them. Can you see how this could be perceived as a unary moment by Joseph, as he rubbed his dream in their faces?  Which only led to them hating him even more.

Again, Jacob sent Joseph out to the fields to check on his brothers as they work. Remember, Joseph had already brought back one bad report about some of his brothers, so they weren’t happy to see him coming. They came up with a plan to kill him when he arrived. However, the oldest brother, Reuben, talked them into throwing him into a pit instead of murdering him. But before Reuben could rescue him out of the pit, his brothers sold him to a passing caravan of Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver.

Now that the deed was done, what would they tell their father? They dipped the robe in slaughtered goats’ blood and brought it to their father, asking him to identify it. Their father did see it was his son Joseph’s coat thinking a fierce animal had devoured him and he was torn to pieces.

In the end Joseph took the way up. After the death of their father, Joseph’s brothers were afraid that Joseph would seek his revenge on them. But he was not that attention seeking kid anymore, he was a changed man. Friends when life doesn’t seem fair, consider His response to his brothers:

 “Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:19-20 NIV

It’s a reminder to me to continue to keep my seat and save my energy for prayer, worship, and praise. Into God’s capable hands do I put my everything.  No matter what life’s weather may bring, God has the right kind of coat for every season in our lives. 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.

Loving our Elderly

Loving our Elderly

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Together with kindness and in understanding, let’s take this time to self reflect. I am here to inspire, encourage, and remind you that God has given us the most important weapon we have to fight the enemy, his Word.

Now let’s dress our soul like we dress our bodies, EVERYDAY!

Loving our Elderly

“Do not cast me off in the time of old age; Do not forsake me when my strength fails.” Psalm 71:9 NKJV

As I reflect on memories of my grandmother, I always enjoyed helping her. Whether it was hanging the laundry on the clothes line, shelling a brown bag full of field peas, putting up can goods, or taking out the trash. I was blessed to have had my grandparents in my life as an adult. I watched examples of my mom, aunts, and uncles show me the importance of what it means to care with their actions. I saw all of them helping with things like, cutting the grass, repairs around the home, and picking up dinner. Nothing did Madea’s heart better than having her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren under one roof. I can still hear the laughter and smell the soul food coming out the kitchen, as we looked at all of the family pictures.

Our senior taught us by example in their lives. They showed us what it meant to work hard, the importance of a family who prays together stays together, and a commitment to building up and not tearing down. The love and sacrifices they gave, made room for our dreams and plans to become a reality. They took less, giving us more.  They deserve to be treated with respect. Nothing saddens my heart more than to hear someone talking down to an elderly person.  It just isn’t right. Our tone, attitude and how we speak to our seniors says a lot about where we come from and who raised us. I was personally raised in the era of “yes ma’am, and no sir.”  We must treat them with dignity. That means treating them the way we’d like to be treated ourselves. They still have a say in what is right for them.

Don’t put off what you can do today friends, the seniors in our life need their flowers while they yet live.  Let them know you love them by the way you talk, act, give, and care. Show them kindness, gentleness, joy, and laughter with your presence. Let there be no regrets of what I could or should have done! One of these old days, we too will be that senior needing all of the love, understanding and compassion others can give.

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

LOVE ANYWAY

LOVE ANYWAY

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Together with kindness and in understanding, let’s take this time to self reflect.  I am here to inspire, encourage, and remind you that God has given us the most important weapon we have to fight the enemy, his WORD.

Now let’s dress our bodies like we dress our souls, EVERYDAY!

Love Anyway

1 Corinthians 13

New International Version

13 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus, demonstrated love through his life on this earth. Even from the cross he died for us all. The Love Chapter of Corinthians tells us what love is and it also shows us best what love is not.

I read several quotes from famous people who gave their view of what love is.

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” Martin Luther king Jr.

“Love is like a virus. It can happen to anybody at any time.” Maya Angelou

“I know that love is real when it’s not convenient, when it’s not selfish,  when it’s challenged, sometimes even if it’s not reciprocated.” Viola Davis

“Falling out of love is like losing weight.  It’s a lot easier putting it on than taking it off.” Aretha Franklin

“We’ve got this gift of love, but love is like a precious plant. You can’t just accept it and leave it in the cupboard or just think it’s going to get on by itself. You’ve got to keep watering it. You’ve got to really look after it and nurture it.” John Lennon

Love keeps us as each others keeper. And remember the only time that you should be looking down on someone is when we are helping the up.

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