Exciting news!! (Well to me)

I haven't posted anything new in a while, I know. But that is because I have been busy working on my new website, Word2Lyfe.com! I am so excited about this new project. Its still in development, meaning new features and content are being added regularly. Check me out..... tell me what you think, join, etc.

PSA #7 Hating on Tithes and Offering

Contrary to popular belief and media, the majority of churches are NOT "stealing" your money. This does not excuse the minority that are hustling God's people. But the reality is that churches need money and funds to function to operate. It's not free just because it is a "church". Things to consider include: rent/mortgage/leases, electricity, gas/water, taxes, materials, savings, if the staff is on salary, maintenance, travel expenses, music equipment/rental, storage, etc. Let's face it, this is America...Everything costs money, a church is no exception. Besides that, why wouldn't you want to give to the place and/or people who are providing you with spiritual guidance, those who labor on your behalf, those that intercede for you and stand before God and give an account for your soul? The ones who most of the time contribute their own resources, financially, time away from their family etc and dedicate that to ministry. Not saying that they should be bought, but they should be taken care of by those who partake.

Not only the above mentioned reasons, but giving is a Biblical principle, meaning it is representative and teaches a more valuable lesson. Giving teaches us to manage our finances, to put God first, and to be disciplined and consistent. It teaches us the value of sacrificing of ourselves, and obedience, it teaches us/forces us to exercise our faith, and to trust God. Not just with our money, but we can give and contribute with our time and talents as well. Its not always about money....but money is what pays the bills!

Biblical references on Tithing/offering/giving:
Leviticus chapter 27, Malachi chapter 3, Mark 12:41-44, Luke 6:30, 6:38, 21:1-4, 2 Corinthians 8:7 etc.

Online Resources:
Generous Giving: The Bible on Money
Scripture Menu: Verses about Giving

PSA #6 Making Change in The Offering Plate

Now, I have been guilty of this one myself a time or two, I don't see anything wrong with it personally, but I have been informed that its bad etiquette to do this. So, I've learned or figured rather there are a couple of ways of avoiding this awkward situation. The best thing to do is to come prepared, meaning before you get to church or perhaps even the night before stop by the ATM or the store and get yourself some change, that way you have the right amount or exact amount you will need. Another idea is to just write a check. In the event that for whatever reason, these two suggestions are not an option at the time, I know many churches would have you just indicate on your envelope that you will be needing change and how much etc. and the responsible party will get back with you before the end of service with your change, or let an usher know.

You are dead WRONG if you are trying to get change back from a $5! Please report to altar call!

PSA #5 Please Be Mindful of Your Children

Don't get me wrong, I love children....
If your church does not offer services/ministries pertaining to children...please keep your children in mind when preparing for church on Sunday morning or classes during the week! Please know, that I fight kids for fun...and if Lil Tommy turns around and throws another Cheerio at me, its on! And why is Lil Sammy licking on my stockings? And Sarah is in my purse looking for candy, as baby James is doing push-ups under the pew?! Come on now... These kids are misbehaving in church because they are BORED and parents come unprepared. Kids have very short attention spans, prepare ahead of time, bring quiet activities for your youngsters, such as a coloring book and small snacks (preferably something that will not make a mess or noise). We do understand that babies cry and get fussy etc. in the event that this happens, please kindly excuse yourself while you calm baby down and get situated. It is extremely tough to stand in front of an audience and speak to begin with, especially to preach the Word and it is very easy to get distracted by such things. Surely, you can understand that, put yourself in that position. We would all greatly appreciate it!

PSA #4 The Holy Spirit Is Not A Ghost or A Cold

The Holy Spirit, third in the Trinity, our Comforter, our guide, our help here on earth, is just that, a Spirit...not a ghost...A ghost is defined as the soul of a dead person. A spirit however, is defined as a supernatural, incorporeal being, esp. one inhabiting a place, object, etc., or having a particular character; the divine influence as an agency working in the human heart; a divine, inspiring, or animating being or influence. The Holy Spirit is very much alive and not dead!

"Catching the Holy Ghost"-- First of all, He is not a ball or a cold and is not "caught". One does not catch the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives in and dwells inside of those who are born again, He is The Gift and is a very necessary part of the Salvation Package. He allows and causes those who He resides in to feel inexplicable and overwhelming feelings and sentiments of gratitude, adoration, and exuberant praise, which in turn causes us to express and release that energy in the form of praise, worship, dancing, clapping, shouting, running, jumping, etc!

References and Resources on the Holy Spirit, who He is and what He does:
Found on the net:
The Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit Explained
The Spirit is a Person

Bible References: Matthew 3:11, Mark 3:29, 13:11, John chapter 3, 4:23-24, 6:63, 7:39, chapters 14-16, Romans chapters 7-8, Acts chapter 2, 1 Corinthians chapter 2, 3:16, 6:19, 2 Corinthians 1:22, 3:6, 5:5, Galatians chapters 3-5, Ephesians 1:13, 2:22, 6:18, Philimon 3:3, 1 Thesselonians 1:6, 5:19, 2 Timothy 1:14, Titus 3:5, Hebrew 2:4, Jude 1:20, 1 John 3:24 (there are plenty more but here are just some for reference/study if you wish to do so)

PSA #3 Communion

FOLKS....Communion is not SNACK! No, you cannot have seconds; and don't be greedy and ask for your neighbors, "Hey man, since you not having communion today, do you mind if I get yours?" or "Let me get yours...you don't need it, your straight with HIM, I need double". WHAT?! Eat before you get to church if you're that hungry!

PSA #2 Cell Phones at Church

Ladies and gentlemen, please turn your cell phone ringer OFF before entering the sanctuary! Better yet, leave the phone in the car all together. There is nothing worse than hearing a phone go off in the middle of service....Then to realize it is YOUR phone going off! Doesn't it always seem as though you can never get to it to shut it off fast enough. At this point you fumble around in your purse or pocket trying to shut off the noise, you frantically try to push any button you can in hopes that the embarrassment will end.

Oh, but it gets worse...How about sitting in church enjoying service and all of a sudden you hear "Pop, lock, and drop it" or "Lollipop" blaring from across the aisle during altar call! And worst of all are the people who have the nerve and audacity to actually take a call during the service! It goes something like this:

(phone rings) "POP, LOCK, AND DROP IT....POP LOCK AND DROP IT..."
(person answers) "Hello...HELLO? Hey girl I'm at church right now. Girl, where you at, I thought you were coming today? You missing a bomb message!"

This person then has the nerve to get an attitude when people begin to shush her and look at her strange. Or the alternative to this scenario, is the "Excuse me, I gotta take this call" person. You must be thinking, surely I am exaggerating....and oh how I wish I was...however, I have seen each and every one of these scenes play out first hand!

Why Does God Allow Suffering?

I found this article/booklet thingy that discusses Why God Allows Suffering etc. For the most part I agree with its content. But it is just a resource for those seeking answers to the question. I would love to discuss it or take questions concerning this subject or any....(smile)

Christian PSA....

This is just a quick public service announcement to new or existing church goers.... please do not come to church unprepared... When you hit the front door you should have in hand your Bible...it don't even have to be yours, just A Bible, paper (a notebook is a great idea), and a pen/pencil (heck, crayon, marker, paint brush...some sort of writing utensil).

You wouldn't send your kids to school unprepared without their books, paper, pencils etc, so why would you come to school (Church is considered a learning enviornment) unprepared??

Do not give me that, "I don't need to write it down, I will remember it all" stuff...unless your brain is manufactered by memorex, you will more than likely NOT remember it all and it is helpful to jot down notes..... Okay, if not notes, the bare minimum should be the scripture references.... (yes even if they are showing an the jumbo-tron, or movie screen, or virtual reality, or whatever else they are using these days....)

The whole point is, you go to church on sunday, take notes, write down references, key points, and questions about anything you did not understand or need clarification on, or just whatever thoughts came to mind during the service....(the ones that actually had something to do with what was being said...) then, when you get home or some point during the week, you break out your notes and.....(plot thickens) STUDY!! Go further into what was said, look up more about the parts of the message that spoke to or related to you. Try to find answers to your questions on your own, double check to make sure what was said was in line with the Word, never just take anyones word for it, find out for yourself! Then, (nope the fun doesn't stop there!) attend a Bible Study class during the week, bring with you, your notes, and what you have studied...again come prepared for class! This is the setting where any questions, comments, concerns can be expressed and discussed. And any clarification you may need can be addressed.

Contrary to popular belief, once a week is not enough, you cannot learn all you need to know on Sunday morning! You don't send your kids to school one day a week do you? Bible Study is the training ground, Sunday morning is the refueling station.

Anyway, just a thought....

Sunday Morning Message: The Greatest Gift of God's Administration is LOVE

Today in church we began the first part of a series on LOVE... which I am personally very excited about, because it is one of my favorites and that one word alone contains so much within it.

Breaking down the title: The Greatest Gift of God's Administration is Love

Greatest- the highest of importance and/or meaning

Gift- something given voluntarily without payment in return

Love- penetrating to the depths of ones being, set apart, ordain for a deity and sacred purpose; affectionate concern for the well-being of others


Putting it all together:
The most important and meaningful thing/substance freely given by God is the affectionate concern for the well-being of others (mainly, His affectionate concern for us) that penetrates to the depths of our being, sets us apart, and ordains us for His purpose.

1 Corinthians 12:31
But eagerly desire the greater
gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.

-The first thing we must do is have an eager desire for this gift (which is love).

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal
life.

The Son= the greatest gift, because He was given by His father out of His love for us.

-Would you or do you know anyone that would sacrifice his/her child, let alone their only child to save or redeem others?

Love- affectionate concern for the well-being of others

Gave- sacrificed; surrendered for the sake of something/someone else

Putting it all together:
For God was so affectionately concerned about [insert your name here] that He sacrificed and surrendered His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him (His Son) shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16 is fundamental and key to this subject because this is where it all started, this verse is the foundation of our salvation. It lays the ground work for love. It defines and demonstrates love. It personifies love and brings it to life. If you don't believe and have not grasped on to this verse right here and what it is laying out for you, then you have not grasped on to REAL, unadulterated, uncut LOVE. Bottom line.

1 Corinthians 13:1
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

Gong- a shallow bell
Clanging- a loud sound or noise

Putting it all together:
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not the affectionate concern for the well-being of others, I am only a resounding shallow bell or a loud noise.

-In other words, I'm all talk, just a bunch of noise. I cannot speak in tongues and praise God with my mouth one minute and then curse you out the next and claim to have LOVE.


1 Corinthians 13:2
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 have not love, I am nothing.

Fathom- understand
Nothing- non existent

(You can put this one together yourselves I'm sure...lol)

-This is telling me that I can have all the degrees I want, all the letters behind my name, can read every book on the planet, and still it means nothing....not a thing without love... I can have all the faith in the world but without love it is still useless?!

-People get the impression that because they have a lot of "knowledge" that they are somehow ahead of the game, but what does all your "knowledge" mean or do for someone who is starving, lost, hungry, or hurting? I'm sure you can refer them to a good book on their condition...

-Even in the Church and within the body of Christ, we miss the mark so many times by thinking once we get a title or a position or because we have been in the church so long that we have somehow "arrived" and this could not be further from the truth. As Christians we can give people all the scriptures there are in the whole entire book, but the letters on the page mean nothing without the LOVE that they represent. In this cold and dying world, no one is looking for words on a page...they are searching for love and longing to fill a void in their lives, that unbeknownst to them, only HE can fill and satisfy.


1 Corinthian 13:3
If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

-Good deeds are not enough to capture the hearts of the broken...it is love that covers the multitude of sin, not good deeds and kind acts. The love of Christ brings about salvation. Not to knock selfless acts, but we must make sure that our motives remain selfless as well and not self-serving.


1 Corinthians 13:4
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

Patient- constant, to maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty or pain
Kind- showing awareness of anothers feelings
Envy- spite and resentment at seeing the success of another
Boast- to speak with exaggeration and excessive pride, esp. about oneself Proud- an excessively high opinion of oneself; conceit.

Putting it all together (this one really packs a punch):
Love is constant, and maintains it purpose through difficulty or pain, love shows awareness for the feelings of others. It does not harbor spite or resentment at seeing the success of another, it does not exaggerate, it is not conceited.

-We all know it is hard to love or feel love from an arrogant person or someone who is so full of themselves there is no room for anything else, like love...give up some of yourself, pour out some of yourself, so that you can receive some love, how about that?

-Attention: If you are a HATER, you are not operating in LOVE! Instead of us hating on each other, let us be glad for one another, encourage one another, congratulate those that are doing well around us.

-Be patient with others, I know its hard to believe, but everyone is not as perfect as you are! (smile)


1 Corinthians 13:5
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Rude- impolite
Self-seeking- the seeking of one's own interest or selfish ends
Angered- provoked; to bring about ill thoughts

Putting it all together:
It is not impolite, it does not seek its own interest or selfish ends, it is not easily provoked, IT KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS.

-That's right ladies and gentlemen...throw away your score cards!

-Road rage....nope...thats' not the kind of love He meant! (I'm guilty too)


1 Corinthians 13:6
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

Delight- to take pleasure in
Rejoice- to express great joy

Putting it all together:
Love does not take pleasure in evil but expresses great joy with the truth.

-Man, I wish that the young people (and not so young as well) would really take heed to this, that it would really sink in. Sometimes when choosing our friends and relationships we have a tendency to overlook the obvious.... anyone that is encouraging you to do wrong, who enjoys seeing you do wrong, who takes pleasure in participating in wrong with you, who stands by and watches and says/does nothing while you do wrong....I would really question their so called "love" for me.

-A lot of times we refrain from telling those we love the truth, because we are afraid of hurting their feelings or offending them, but when we withhold the truth from one another we are really doing each other a disservice and are not operating in love. I would rather run the risk of hurting your feelings and tell you the truth now, than to have you hurt by a lie later. And on the flip side of that, often times we do not want to hear the truth, because it is a lot easier to believe or live a lie, or because we don't want to face certain truths or be held accountable.

1 Corinthians 13:7
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Protects- to keep from being attacked, stolen, or damaged.
(wow, doesn't that sound familiar, satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy, so LOVE protects me from this happening? Amazing!)

Trusts- reliance on the integrity, strength, ability of a person or thing

Perseveres- remains constant to a purpose despite obstacles and discouragement

(You put it all together)

-Love keeps you focused

-Most people will not see the vision if/because they do not understand or recognize the LOVE behind it!

1 Corinthians 13:8
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

Fails- performs without producing results or fulfilling a need

Love NEVER performs without producing results or fulfilling a need!!!

- Love is the wellspring of all the gifts God gives. Salvation is based in love.

This is as far as I will go in this one post, there is more on the rest of the chapter, but I will come back and add that later, because I want to study it a bit more. But at this point I think anyone who reads this should have a clear understanding or at least definition/knowledge of what love is...

Knowing now, what really and truly love is, may cause you to examine your life, examine your relationships, friendships, to think more carefully before you throw that word around or claim to love someone... When you say "I love you" is your love conditional as the worlds love is or is it based on and rooted in what is presented here?

Its easy to love the ones we like, but real love, requires that we even love the ones we don't like, the ones that talk about us, that hurt us, that do us wrong, those that we don't even know. Do you have love? Are you operating in Christ's love (which is consistent and unconditional) or love the emotion aka the worlds love (which is based on conditions, its here today, gone tomorrow, shifting like the wind)?

I'll be back soon with part 2!

Impacted Christians...

Have you ever had an impacted wisdom tooth? Well I just had 3 removed....the pain the teeth caused was no joke, it made it hard to function, and medication did little to help, I finally had to have them removed by surgery...and afterwards I'm feeling better...

Impacted Christians, you know who you are. Those of you who are stuck just below the surface, wanting to go farther and uproot yourselves, but seem to run into opposition (whether from within or outside sources) every time you begin to grow forth. Being in an impacted position usually causes pain and friction in your life as you push to break past the surface. Sometimes being impacted calls for surgery....and there is none other qualified like our Lord Jesus, the master surgeon, whose Sword of Truth can divide even bone from marrow and cut away any unnecessary growths that may be in our way or hindering us from coming forth....So, if you're impacted today, uncover what it is that is keeping you below the surface, what is stopping you from growing and coming forth? Let the surgeon help you to break past the surface and spring forth....(smile)

Prayer

Prayer is our lifeline to Christ; we can and should pray anytime, anywhere and about anything-- the "big" and the "little" things. A little child has the same privilege as anyone the world would consider important. When someone faces a crisis or sorrow they pray.

Prayer can be as easy as talking to your best friend. To do it with Christ is much more demanding because we must abide in Him and know His Word to understand how He wants us to pray. So it is an art to be learned and developed, but not in terms of fancy "thees and thous".

We must not worry what others may think of our words, we aren't addressing them anyway! Usually prayers in church on Sunday morning aren't always the typical kind of prayers prayed in a more intimate setting. Because of time constraints they just touch the tip of the iceberg--that may be one of the worst short comings in The Church today. (Mark 7:6-8) There are many types of prayer and endless books about it yet nothing is more vital nor exciting than for us to JUST DO IT!!

Pray to the Lord in faith (mustard seed size is fine)!
Pray EVERYDAY!
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, James 4:2, Hebrews 4:16, Philippians 4:4

To teach us to trust Him, the Lord doesn't usually give us an easy way through a trial, but
1. He knows our need before we ask Him -Matthew 6:8
2. His promise is not to give us more than we can bear -1 Corinthians 10:13
3. He can "fix" our worst mistakes for His glory. We may reap what we sow, meaning there will still be consequences for our actions (Galatians 6:7) but He can and will still accomplish what He desires for us! -Romans 8:28, 37-39
4. His time table is not like ours, yet He is never late! -2 Peter 3:8,9 and Daniel 10:10-13 -This also is a vivid picture of the spiritual warfare we are in when we pray!
5. The purpose of the Christian life is to conform us to the image of Christ, to become more like Jesus -1 Peter 1:13-21, 2 Peter 3:14, 15 and 1 John 3:1-3

10 TIPS ON HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE -Part 2

1. Know it's a UNIQUE book. It tells us all we need to know about God, ourselves, and Jesus. It's not just facts, it's God's LOVE LETTER to His children. See 1 Corinthians ch. 1 and 2

2. There are lots of different versions of the Bible; choose one you can understand. Learn to use a concordance; a listing of important key words and where they are in the Bible. A good Bible can be a major purchase so compare them before you buy one.

3. Before reading/studying your Bible PRAY for the Holy Spirit to give you understanding and guide you into all truth. It's not an easy book because we need the Holy Spirit to overcome our "human" mindset and ignorance. See Jeremiah 17:9, Isaiah 55:6-9, Matthew 5:6, Hosea 4:6

4. START NOW. Read your Bible daily, it is "Spiritual Food". We eat daily, so feed your spirit daily too. We are all busy so we must CHOOSE to make time for this; we will never "have time". Underline what "speaks" to you.

5. Start with something that interests you, so it will relate to your life in a meaningful way. Study a Book, a word, a person, or a theme. Try to get the "basics" before the "heavy" things of God. See Hebrews 5:12 and 1 Corinthians 3:1-3.

6. Immediately apply what you have learned. A head full of facts is not the goal; becoming like Jesus, "conforming to His image" is our goal. It is when we apply the Bible to real life that it becomes real to us. Studying forgiveness? --FORGIVE, Studying prayer? --PRAY, studying witnessing? --WITNESS. God wants us to have "OJT" On the Job Training; if we wait to get our "act together" we'll never arrive. See James 2:17, 20 and 2 Corinthians 1:3, 4

7. Take your Bible to church, to Bible study, and have one handy just about always. You never know when you may need it or get free time to explore it, or share with someone else. Of course we are to "hide it in our heart" (see Psalms 119:11 and the rest of this psalm about God's word). Make it an everyday thing; don't save Bible study for just one day of the week. Learn to meditate on the Word.

8. Keep a notebook, or journal to write down whatever the Lord reveals to you. A verse will have a certain meaning to you at one point and later, under different circumstances God will shed new light on it and bless you again in a new way. Writing it helps us see those new shades of meaning and we can see how we are maturing in our faith. Writing also helps us clarify or think clearly about what God is doing in our lives. Keep a list of prayer requests and friends and situations to pray for. When the answer comes go over it with a highlighter and/or date it. It will build your faith. Write out your prayers and learn to pray using the Word.

9. If you don't understand something, pray for understanding and ask your Spiritual/church leaders/teachers perhaps in Bible study class. See Deut. 29:29, Luke 24:45, 1 John 2:20, 27. We are to learn from others but we are accountable for our own spiritual growth and must not make excuses. A baby is cute but if it never grows up/matures it is not so cute anymore. Matthew 22:37 tells us to love God with our heart, soul, and mind...All three.

10. Be open to look at the Bible without man's opinions, limitations, or restrictions. Mark 7:7

Giving credit where credit is due: This information was adapted from a handout I received over 10 years ago, the handout has no title or author or source(s) listed.

Studying the Word -Part 1

In order to study something, you must first understand what it is you're studying and the reason why you are studying. What do you intend on doing with the knowledge that you have acquired?

Study - the pursuit of knowledge, as by reading, observation, or research; to apply the mind to; to read and examine for the purpose of learning and understanding; to consider attentively; to examine closely

First, Identify the key words in the passage. To receive a full understanding of the passage, look up the meaning to each of the key words and while they may have more than one ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the meaning that is suitable. Then, put it all together. You will want to perhaps write out the passage in your notebook this time replacing the key words with the definitions you found. Now, reread the passage to yourself.... this method should unfold the passage a little more for you or shed some new light on what is being said by taking a closer look at what your key words truly mean.

(I will provide an example of this study method in a future post)

What does it take to study?
You must have a heart to study. Why? Because the Bible tells us that where your heart is there will your treasures also be. What you love the most, you will spend most of your time on/with. Not only a heart but you must also be willing to study.

Important Keys to Studying:

Discipline - Training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior; especially training that produces moral or mental improvement. Controlled behavior resulting from disciplinary training; self-control. A state of order based on submission to rules and authority, to train by intruction and practice, especially to teach self-control.

Sacrafice - The offering of anything to God, relinquishment of something at less than its presumed value. The act of offering something to a deity in propitiation of homage.

What are you willing to sacrifice, meaning, what are you willing to give up in order to receive what the Lord has for you?

Quality Time - Just as in any relationship, quality time with each other is essential to the relationship. Quality time allows for you and the Lord to communicate without intteruption or distraction, to grow closer, and to get to know each other better. Quality time builds intimacy in any relationship. Even in our relationship with Christ.

Tools that you will need to assist you in your studies:

• A good Study Bible
• A dictionary
• A notebook and pen/pencil
• Bible class/study- where you receive your foundation concerning the Word of God. It is the place where you can come and ask questions and get an understanding and also receive guidance!
• Extras may include: a Bible dicionary, a concordance (such as Strong's). There are many tools and resources available to Christians online now. Check around my blog to find some of these useful resources.

Rewards derived from studying:

Helping others, by sharing what you have learned, gaining knowledge concerning your spiritual walk, how you are to live, learning how to pray, fellowshipping with one another and being a witness for Christ, as well as how to defeat the enemy.

Giving credit where credit is due: Some of the information used in this post was based on a handout created by my ministry, Christians of Faith Teaching Ministries

Sunday Morning One-Liners!

This List is ever growing and will be updated with new one liners as often as possible!

*God doesn't shield us from life's storms, He shelters us in life's storms. Psalms 34:11-22

*Christ was delivered for our sins, so that we might be delivered from our sins

*If you want to master temptation let Christ master you

*Others see what we do, but the Lord sees why we do it

*God formed us, sin deformed us, Christ transforms us!

*When you're in the wrong place, He always has the right answer

*He doesn't call the equipped, He equips those He calls

*Grace is getting what you didn't have coming, Mercy is not getting what you did have coming!

*Stop chasing after everything you see, may not have everything you want, but you got everything you need -Kirk Franklin Hero CD

*Fantasy is what people want, reality is what they need

*Your opinion does not change the truth

*Your choices reflect your character

*What is right is not always popular, what is popular is not always right

*You can't stay where you are and be where Christ wants you to be

*Gotta see the invisible before we believe the impossible

*Get your eyes off Adam! (Stop being so concerned with what "man" thinks)

*Stop dealing with symptoms and start dealing with the problem

*We've "churched" so long, we forgot about BEING the Church

*If you starve it (sin) it will die, if you feed it, it will grow

*When you don't want to that's when you have to!

*"Try" is an excuse for why we can't achieve it

*Get up and grow up!

*What's worse than being blind? Being able to see but having no VISION.
*Not only did Christ die for me but as me
*Don't live a lie, just so you can live with a liar!
*Faith is a result of/response to your trust in God
*God measures what you give out of the backdrop of your need
*Average is an enemy. Be above average!
*Faith does not ignore reality, it just supersedes it
*Faith recognizes reality, but acknowledges a higher supernatural reality
*The Spirit is not something that is thrown and caught
*F.alse E.vidence A.ppearing R.eal =FEAR
*Your lifestyle will line up with your warfare
*With commitment comes conflict
*People try to make up in doing what they lack in being
*Pressure produces power
*You cannot change discipleship, discipleship changes you
*"That sure was a good message he/she preached!" If it's so good LIVE IT!
*Putting to death our flesh is so difficult because no one wants to be buried alive

Son, Flower, Seeds...

The Son flowers seeds... 1 Corinthians 3:5-9

Flower= to come out into full development, to mature, develop, flourish, bloom, blossom, ripen.
-the period of highest development, the peak, the period of greatest productivity, to produce

Seed= We know the seed is the Word according to Mark Ch. 4

Background info: Mark Ch. 4 is where Jesus gives the parable of the sower, who plants his seed and the seed falls on various types of ground: on the rocks, amongst the thorns etc. Then Jesus breaks down the meaning of this parable for his disciples.

Note: We know that our soil (our environment, lifestyle, our hearts) must be in order and in good condition to receive the seed (the Word). So that what we receive is not snatched away or easily forgotten, or misplaced when distractions, trials, circumstances come about.

Another very important element, which is needed for any seed, plant, tree, flower etc to grow is the sun! It provides light, heat, and energy necessary for proper growth and development (flowering)

So it is spiritually, in order for any Christian to grow and develop properly we need plenty of SON-light!

-In reading 1 Cor. 3:5-9, the point I want to drive home is that we cannot continue to depend on others to get it for us, to spoon feed us, or to hold our hand. Sometimes we become too dependent on our church leaders, our parents, friends, etc.

-There has to come a point or a maturing stage in which we begin to take what has been planted in us (the Word, our gifts etc.) and start producing on our own, by the leading of the Holy Spirit. Allowing Him to do the cultivating that needs to be done in us in order for us to grow, because it is the SON that flowers(develops) the seeds and multiplies them!

We have to be producing in order to REproduce!

When I was looking up information about plants and seeds and how things grow etc, I ran across a gardening website that had a Q and A section, and one of the questions in particular caught my eye...

Scott" wrote in message:

I'm wondering if I plant seeds in soil, say in a cardboard box, and then put
the box in a dark place such as a closet for a few weeks -what would happen to
the seeds? Could I pull the package out, put it in the sun and grow the plants,
or would the seeds rot or dry out?

Ask yourself these same questions spiritually.... What would happen to the seeds? Can I use them later? Will they rot or dry out?

Scott is a lot like us, a lot like me, imagine this conversation between us and the Holy Spirit... "Lord I was just wondering, how about I put these seeds...this Word, this gift, in a box, in the dark, in the back of the closet somewhere for a few weeks, for a few years, would that be okay? Because I have my own agenda I must tend to first, or because I'm too afraid to grow them and produce fruit. So can I just pull this Word out or this gift out when I need to, and expect for the SON to grow them? Or will my seeds rot or dry out?"

Spiritually we know that there is no standing still or "freeze framing" the Word, or our gifts, we are either growing spiritually or going backwards, there is no pause button or such thing as "saving it for later".

Maybe I'm the only one who has ever felt this way or experienced this type of situation. But, I thank God for His grace and mercy, and I thank Christ for being the SON and having more power than the SUN, because the SUN in all of its splendor and might, cannot bring those dry dusty seeds back to life naturally. But the SON has resurrection power and can spark life back into those seeds I had tucked away....hiding behind fear. Just wanted to remind you all today that the Son still flowers seeds!

Why Word2Lyfe?

I chose the title Word2Lyfe because (Word2Life was taken) and because one of my goals in Ministry is to bring the Word to life, not just in the life of others, but also in my own life. Every day I'm trying more and more to let the Word BECOME life in me, not only come to life, but become my "life source". The Word itself is already living according to Hebrews 4:12

12For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Living= in actual existence or use; active or thriving; not dead

Active= causing activity or change; effective; Marked by energetic activity; involving direct participation

Replace the Words living and active in the scripture with any of the above definitions....you get the idea. It lives!
I'll come back to this in a future post...this makes for a great study!

I hope you enjoy the journey, feel free to make use of any tool made available on this page and to contact me by comment or IM (see sidebar).