Spirit, Soul & Body II

The bible says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new and all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ…” (2Cor. 5:17-18)

But how is it that I am a new creature? I know that when I accepted Christ some things changed. But how is it that I am completely new. I may feel different and see some things differently but I am still me. And how is it that old things are passed away? There are still a lot of old things that I have. I still have old thoughts, feelings, emotional and physical problems. And how is it that all things are of God? That just doesn’t seem possible. I still have a lot of things that are not of God in my life. Just what is this scripture talking about, and just how can it be true?

Well, Paul is talking about our spirit. You see, the bible teaches that man is made up of three separate parts; spirit, soul, and body, and when you accept Christ as your savior, it is your spirit that is so radically changed. Your soul, (which is “who” you are; and comprises your mind, will and emotions) and your body, (which is your physical body) may be affected to some degree, but it is your spirit that is made new, and made like God. And because your spirit is your nature, (the very essence of “what” you are), Paul can say “if any man be in Christ, “he” is a new creature… (See 1Thess. 5:23)

Before we accepted Jesus as our savior, (becoming “born again,”) our spirit was “dead” in sin. It is not that our spirit did not exist; but because of sin, it was simply separated from the “life” of God. But when we accepted Christ, our sins were forgiven, the life of God was birthed once again into our spirit, the characteristics of our old spirit (and old life) passed away, and our spirit became changed and new; spiritually alive, connected to God and as righteous as he is. “That’s” how we are new creatures in Christ. It is our spirit within us that is made new. How else can we be holy and perfect enough for heaven? It certainly it is not from the outside, from what we “see” of ourselves. It is our spirit that is “a new creation.” It is our spirit that is made righteous and Christ-like and holy and complete and qualified for heaven, not our flesh. (2Cor. 5:21)

But most Christian’s don’t look at themselves as they are in the spirit, which is new and Christ-like. Rather, they look at themselves as they are in their natural lives and in their behavior; with faults, weaknesses and sin. They live according to the flesh instead of according to the spirit. They do not understand what it means to “walk in the spirit,” and they live by works instead of faith, trying to be in good standing with God and trying to change themselves, and trying to be good enough and trying to add up. They “try” to be good Christians and pleasing to God rather than “believing” they are already pleasing to him. But you can never please God in the flesh. It is only by faith that you can please God and be in right standing with him, and it is only by faith that real outer change can be made in our lives. Now, I am not saying that we should not “try” to be good Christians. We have a “natural” life and should do the best we can in it, but it is not in the natural that we will gain or maintain a right standing with God. Nor is it by trying harder that we will bring any real transformation in our lives. It ALL must come by faith. (Rom. 7:18, Heb. 11:6)

The point I am making is that “living” our lives as Christians is no different than how we became Christians. It is by faith. It does not come by doing the best we can. To those who understand salvation and gaining eternal life, you know that being good enough will never attain eternal life for us. Being good enough is never good enough; it can never bring about forgiveness and the change in our spirit that is necessary. That has to come from God. And it is only through faith in what Jesus has done for us that God is able to “save” us. And it is the same after we are saved. Trying to please God and maintain our right standing with him or trying to bring “change” in our lives by doing the best we can is just not possible. We simply do not have the power within ourselves to do either. It too has to be done by faith. (Rom. 7:18, 2Cor. 5:7, Eph. 2:8-9)

Now let’s address another misconception which is connected to all of this. I had said that a man or a woman’s spirit is their very nature. It is the essence of what they are. And because of sin; before we are born again, our spirit (and thus the very essence of our being) is the nature of sin. But once we are born again, our spirit becomes the nature of righteousness and of God. None-the-less, because of the struggle we have with sin and sinful desires after we have accepted the Lord, many Christians believe that we have two natures; one that is the nature of God, and the other the nature of sin. But that is impossible. Let’s consider a simple illustration. Think for a moment of your neighbor’s pet dog. It has only one nature and that is the nature of a dog. That is because that is the very essence of its being. That is what it is. It cannot have a nature of a dog and a nature of a cat. It can only have one nature, not two. It is the same with Christians. They cannot have two natures. They cannot have a righteous nature AND a sin nature. They can have only one nature, and that is the nature of God. “That” is the very essence of their being. The struggle we have with sin and sinful desires does not come from a sinful nature. It comes from our flesh. Paul clearly explains this in the book of Romans when he says that the reason he cannot do good even though he wants to is because of sin in his flesh. It is not because he has a sin nature. He said clearly that his sin nature was dead and gone. (Rom. 6:6-7, 7:17-20)

Now the reason that we still have sin in our flesh is because our flesh is not yet redeemed. It is not yet changed like our spirit is. We are waiting for the redemption of our bodies which will take place at the resurrection. It is then that all those who during their lives had accepted Christ as their savior will receive new and immortal bodies, like the one Jesus received when “he” was resurrected. Until then we must deal with bodies that are corruptible, susceptible to sickness, suffering and death. (Rom. 8:21-23, 1Cor. 15:51-54)

But we are not helpless or bound to a life of sickness, and suffering, and struggling with sin. God has made it so that our soul can be a “bridge” to our new spirit and through our soul we can gain a “transformation” in our bodies and in our behavior. What I mean is this. Instead of believing that we are like we see in the flesh we can choose to believe that we are like we are in our new spirit. And that kind of faith will, over the course of time, transform us on the outside into what we are already on the inside. (Rom. 12:1-2) Paul calls this “walking in the spirit.” This is the only way a Christian can have peace with God and confidence in their salvation. And it is the only way they can have victory over sin. Paul said, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Gal. 3:16-17, 2Cor. 5:7)

It takes a while for this concept to sink in. It is not natural. It is spiritual. It is living by faith and not by sight. And simply put, that means to believe what God’s word says about you (or anything else) even if it is different than what you see in this world. Your faith will then change what you see. It will be done unto you according to your faith. So, if you begin to think of yourself strictly as God says your new spirit is, a transformation will begin. The power of God’s word will begin to transform you into exactly what it says your spirit is, empowering you to live a Christ-like life in every way. If you believe that you are a saint, and perfect in Christ, you will be able to live righteously, healthfully, wisely, and powerfully. Your faith will be a bridge to your new spirit. However, if you believe you are a sinner and incomplete and imperfect, seeing yourself as you are in the natural; you will be bound by the very things you believe. You will have used your faith as a bridge to your flesh.

Believing is the course of the day since Jesus instituted the New Testament. The Old Testament was about what man was required to do. And that proved impossible. The New Testament is what man is required to believe. It is faith that will attain for us forgiveness and eternal life, it is faith that will bring peace and rest in God, and it is faith that will free us from problems we experience, enabling us to grow and develop and walk the Christian life.

You don’t need to become a better Christian. You need to believe that you are the best Christian you need to be. You don’t need to become more loving and forgiving. You need to believe that you are already loving and forgiving. You don’t need to try to get healed. You need to believe that you are healed already. And all of this faith will be based on the truth of what your new spirit is.

Jesus said this, “It is the spirit that quickeneth, (or gives life) the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. (Jn. 6:63) It is in believing the word of God that brings life and results. Trying harder does not. We are called to believe, not work. It is God’s word that will work. In the book of Isaiah, God said this about his word. “…it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing that I sent it.” (Isa. 55:11)

It is up us to believe and to live by faith and it is up to the word of God to accomplish that which it says; and if we believe God’s word that is exactly what it will do…! Like it says in the book of Zechariah, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit (that is my word) saith the Lord of hosts.” (Zech. 4:6, parenthesis mine)

Submitted by John B. Agati
Author of: “Suffering (God’s Will?)”

More information about this and an upcoming book “Suffering, Unanswered Prayer, (And How to Fix the Whole Thing),” along with a short bio may be found at: www. jbagati.com

FAMILY SOJOURN

photo © Dorothy Alexander

Lucille Clifton was born in Depew, New York, on June 27, 1936. Her first book of poems, Good Times, was rated one of the best books of the year by the New York Times in 1969.Clifton remained employed in state and federal government positions until 1971, when she became a writer in residence at Coppin State College in Baltimore, Maryland, where she completed two collections: Good News About the Earth (1972) and An Ordinary Woman (1974). Read mre about Lucille Clifton on Poets.org @

http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/79

blessing the boats

by Lucille Clifton

(at St. Mary's)
may the tidet hat is entering even now

the lip of our understanding

carry you out beyond the face of fear

may you kiss the wind

then turn from it

certain that it will love your back
may you open your eyes to water

water waving forever

and may you in your innocence

sail through this to that

This was my third Jones Lewis Family reunion celebrated with my husband's side of the family in Baltimore, Maryland; Dougie and Janice did an exemplary job as our host family from the start of the weekend through Sunday farewell gathering afternoon spent in their backyard.
Truly it was a memorable occassion and quite a whirlwind weekend filled with cutural and family appreciation. New connections were made, conversations had with favorite family members, laughter and lamenting opportunities had while we meander through the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture.

Why I never thought about Art History and eventually becoming a curator is beyond me? I love visiting museums, truly it's a great meeting place, and yes there's history, culture and art under one roof.

This was my second visitto this fine museum, but this moment provided me with an opportunity to journey through the exhibit A People's Geography. As my husband entertained and chased little Courtney around the museum, I eventually caught up with them in the gallery that featured A People's Geography: The Spaces of American Life and there was Lucille Clifton's blessing the boats poem painted on the wall.

There I stood transfixed rereading her blessing. I felt the words were as powerful as the beautiful quilts, the artistic impressions and the historical video.

I thanked God for how eloquent and appropriate Ms. Clifton's words were for this family sojourn. These were words were stenciled not only on this wall, but in my heart. Wordsthat captivated my soul. Words meant for our time, our ancestors and the generations yet to be born. Words that were a blessings for any visitor, any travelor to behold.

Here we were in the midst of this celebration of family and culture, why it couldn't have occured in a more approriate setting! Thank you and may God continue to keep you Sister Lucille!

Every Word of God is pure;
he is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him.
Proverbs 30:5

Joyfully Submitted by :
Linda Mose Meadows
The Blessedness of Believing
A Devotional Journey of Life’s Lessons and God’s Promises

http://blessednessofbelieving.blogspot.com/
blessedlm@hotmail.com

All rights reserved, no use without prior written permission of Linda M. Meadows

Spirit, Soul & Body

One of the most important biblical teachings concerning human beings is the teaching that man is a triune being like God.

In the bible it is taught that God is 3 in 1; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is also taught in the bible that man is 3 in 1; spirit, soul, and body.

In his first letter to the Thessalonians, the apostle Paul said this, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Thus, we have here, (as well as seen in other scripture verses) that man is made up of three distinct parts; spirit, soul and body. (1Thess. 5:23)

In order to understand this principle and how it affects us as humans and as Christians, I need to describe the three parts of man. And though all of this is difficult to explain in writing, it may even be harder to read, so I will keep it as simple as I can and try to make my points clear and understandable. Stick with me; I believe that you will be blessed.

The spirit of man may be hardest to understand. That is because it relates so much to the unseen “spirit” realm and our relationship to it. I believe however that the best way to describe our spirit is to say that the spirit of man is his or her very nature, that is to say, the way we really are on the inside. And according to the bible, our spirit is only one of two natures because there are only two basic natures in the spirit realm. There is the nature of God and there is the nature of the devil; the nature of God being a good and righteous nature and the nature of the devil being a nature of evil and of sin.

When God first created man and woman, they had the nature of God, a righteous nature. But when they chose to sin, they took on the nature of the devil, a sinful nature. And according to the bible this sinful nature is passed down to all men after them. That is, we are all born with this sinful nature. (Rom. 5:12) This sinful nature is the part of man that Jesus said must be “born again.” We must be "born again" and changed again into the nature of God, the nature that bAdam once had. This is done by accepting Jesus as our savior who died to remove our sin. But before this "new birth" occurs, man is spiritually dead, separated from God, and in spiritual darkness due to sin. (Jn. 3:3-5)

The soul of man is the personality of man. It is who we are and what makes us all individuals. The soul is comprised of our mind, our will and our emotions.

The body of man is just that, it is his or her physical body, and is the part of man that is in touch with this natural world through his five senses. The bible often calls this part of man his flesh.

One reason that this principle of spirit, soul and body is so important to understand is that in order for a human being to be a fully healthy and entirely whole, each of their three parts must be nurtured and fed and taken care of properly. Man’s spirit must first be given life through the new birth, then fed and nurtured through the Word of God. Man’s soul must be fed and nurtured through intellectual endeavor and love, and man’s body must be taken care of through a good diet, rest and exercise. Of course this is all very simplified but that is what I am endeavoring to do.

For Christians however, the significance of the spirit, soul and body principle goes beyond the basics of a normal healthy life. Understanding its deeper implications will determine whether a Christian has a toil free, power filled and productive life or a life of tedious “works,” trying hard to be something that they cannot be, do things that they cannot do, and trying to have things that they will not have… I will explain as I go along.

As mentioned before, when a man or a woman accepts Jesus as their personal savior, they become "born again;" bringing a major change to their spirit. Speaking of this change, Paul said this, “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ…” (2 Cor. 5:17-18) Paul is talking here about the change in our spirit when we accept Christ. When we accept Christ as our savior, our sins are forgiven, we receive spiritual life and light, and our spirit once again is restored to the nature of God. It is through this “new birth” that our spirit is made again into the image of God and made complete in him. And by complete I mean that our spirit becomes fully Christ-like in every way. How Christ is, our spirit becomes. (1Jn. 4:17)

The implications of our spirit becoming Christ-like are far reaching because this is now our “new” nature and the way we really are. We truly become Christ-like. However, a major problem arises when a Christian does not realize this and thinks that they are like what they “see” in their outer behavioral lives, that is, in their soul and in their flesh. (And indeed, it often seems anything but Christ-like). So, instead of identifying with and resting in the finished Christ-like work within themselves, they identify with what they see in themselves in the natural. Thus, they can feel inadequate, unworthy, sinful, guilty, powerless etc. etc., and thus are trapped into believing that they must in some way change to become more Christ-like. But this is a false notion and it is futile to try to accomplish. There is no way we can become Christ-like by “trying” to be Christ-like. It must be done by faith and must be a work of God, and in fact is already accomplished in our spirit when we become born again. We ARE new creatures and we ARE changed and we ARE Christ-like because our spirit has been made that way by God.

Simply put, most Christians try to be Christ-like instead of believing that they are Christ-like already. They live according to the flesh instead of according to the spirit; they live a life of works and what they see themselves doing instead of living according to faith and what God has made them on the inside. Yet, it is through understanding what has happened to our spirit in salvation, and believing that is the way we now are that is the key to living a really Christ-like life. It is only through faith that true confidence with God and effectiveness in our Christian lives can take place.

But most Christians don’t know how it can be that they are righteous when they see sin in their lives, how they can be healed and whole when sickness is in their body, how they can be fearless when they feel afraid, how they can be victorious when they fail, how they can be all they need to be and have all they need to have when they do not see these things in their lives. BUT, it is our spirit that is the fullness of all these things. It is not our soul or our flesh. And it is knowing this truth that gives Christians the right to say they are strong when they are weak, healed when they are sick, rich when poor, wise when simple, righteous even though they sin. They are not lying; they are speaking by faith and identifying themselves with their new spirit and true nature rather than their soul or body. This perspective is what Paul the apostle called living by faith rather than by sight, and is the life all Christians are called to live... “For the just shall live by faith and not by sight.” (2Cor. 5:7)

WHAT YOU ARE IS NOT WHAT YOU SEE! Just because you have problems in your soul or in your body does not mean that you are not new, or righteous or healed or whole or pleasing to God or qualified for heaven. The truth is that if you have accepted Jesus as your savior, your spirit and true nature is fully changed and made righteous, holy, wise, strong, healthy, sinless, and totally Christ-like and complete. And it is identifying yourself with your spirit rather than what you see in the flesh that will bring the peace and rest Jesus promised. And along with peace and rest, it will also bring a transformation to your outer life because this kind of faith will transform you, making it possible to live outwardly as you already are inwardly… and it will do it through the power of God rather than yourself. (Rom. 12:1-2, Gal. 5:16, Heb. 4:11)

God is the “Father of spirits,” (Heb. 12:9) and it is your new spirit that is always complete and pleasing to him because it is always Christ-like. It is because of your new spirit that God sees you as already changed, already holy, already pure and righteous, kind and loving, powerful and blessed in every way. And that is because that is the way your very nature is.

So you too should see yourself that way because this is the ONLY way you will ever please God and have the life and power of Christ in the flesh. Trying harder just doesn’t work, but having faith does… “For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Rom. 8:6-10, Heb. 11:6)

Submitted by John B. Agati
Author of: “Suffering (God’s Will?)”

More information about this and an upcoming book “Suffering, Unanswered Prayer, (And How to Fix the Whole Thing),” along with a short bio may be found at: www. jbagati.com

Celebrating~ Blessed and Breaking Through

“Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.”
—Pope John XXIII (1881-1963), 261st Pope of the Roman Catholic Churchwww foundationforabetterlife.org
~
I really don't think life is about the I-could-have-beens. Life is only about the I-tried-to-do. I don't mind the failure but I can't imagine that I'd forgive myself if I didn't try."
-Nikki Giovanni , Poet, Author, Extraordinary Human Being, Lecturer, Activist
http://www.famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/nikki_giovanni/quotes

Friends the honor was all mine; it was a surreal moment my holding the hand of one of the Moton School Student Protestors ( a spry senior citizen), meeting Julian Bond up close, taking a photo with Blair Underwood and chatting with the incomparable, esteemed, noble, tremendous poetess sister Nikki Giovanni! I really wanted to jump up and down and scream with uncontained joy, “Nikki, Nikki it’s really you in the flesh!” -but I think, well I’d like to believe that I was very composed as my husband and step daughter stood at the book signing table and smiled at wonderful Nikki. I had no clue that I’d be so privileged to have this divine encounter with one of my favorite poets! She was extremely cordial as we reminisced about our love for her poetry- It’s My House and her spoken word album and how during our college days her words ignited our hearts on and on and on.

Just an hour or so earlier she had dazzled our souls again, as she had given a heart rendering, heart clapping, heart song of a powerful celebratory poem honoring the wonderful and timely occasion saluting the unsung children who were heroines and heroes of the Virginia Civil Rights Movement. This historic occasion was an important moment in time and there we were witnessing the unveiling of a Civil Rights Monument that beautifully honored some very courageous youngsters that marched out of a segregated school causing this very act to snowball nationally into the Brown vs. Board of Education. Some of the surviving students that had been grade schoolers which protested shabby treatment and a substandard education, now stood proudly before the world being honored and validated as change agents in this national Civil Rights Movement! These fearless children now seasoned senior citizens are a testament that God does honor His own.

Well friends I can’t share an audio, but I certainly can share this link http://www.vacivilrightsmemorial.org/memorial/render/ and hope you’ll take the time to marvel at this very historical occasion and possibly venture out of your comfort zones to downtown Richmond,Virginia’s Capitol Square -find your way to this historic monument and converse with your travel companions and the other onlookers about the significance of placing a memorial depicting individuals from all walks of life ( especially the young African American girl leading the way) - hopeful, courageous, and insightful moving through the stony walls of all of societies ills and biases.

I’d like to believe with you also that a new day in dawning! No this isn't simply symbolish, but a new reality and a new opportunity to celebrate a national movement, the pioneers and the significance of a child's vision! We can without reluctance embrace the notion that God does delight us and awaken us with wonderful occasions to celebrate our humanity and dignity and even witness in the flesh another phenomenal human being, another heart lesson for our good.

To all the change agents who seek to live a better life and make a difference- I praise God for you!!! Take a bow Nikki, take a bow Julian, and take a bow all who know that the spirit of Barbara Johns lives within us!

…the Lord who created you says: "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.Isaiah 43: 1-3

Lord thank you! What a day, what a day, I lift my hands in praise to you!!!

Joyfully Submitted by Linda Mose Meadows

The Blessedness of Believing-A Devotional Journey of Life’s Lessons and God’s Promises

blessedlm@hotmail.com

All rights reserved, no use without prior written permission of Linda M. Meadows

Destructive Forces

Destructive forces are not intended to “accomplish" God’s will in our lives.
On the contrary; they are intended to “keep” God’s will from being done.

Destructive forces, (and all evil) come to steal God’s blessings from us, they come to kill us, to prevent us from performing God’s will, and to destroy God’s glory and our witness of his goodness in the earth. Destructive forces come to destroy.

Do you think that the storm that Jesus calmed in the Sea of Galilee came to accomplish God’s will? No, it came to destroy it. It came to keep Jesus and the apostles from reaching the other side and it came to keep them from fulfilling God’s will for their lives. It came to kill them. It was not sent by God nor “allowed” by God for his purposes. That is why Jesus calmed the storm, so that it could not do the evil that it could have done. If that storm were God at work and was God’s will to destroy, Jesus would never have rebuked it. He would have let it do its work. (Mk. 4:35-41)

Destructive forces were birthed from sin. Before sin, there were no destructive forces in the earth, and no evil harming men’s lives. And since destructive forces were birthed from sin and God is against sin, he is consequently against destructive forces. He is not for them. Destructive forces are an intrusion into God’s plan for man. They were released by man and out of God’s control who had warned man about the consequences of sin. God never wanted destructive forces in the earth and because God never changes still doesn’t. They destroy his creation and those he loves. That is why God sent Jesus, to deliver us from destruction!

Jesus said, “The thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly;” Period (Jn. 10:10, the “Period” is mine)

Good is good and evil is evil and never will the two ever meet. God is good and the devil is evil. God gives life, he creates, blesses and restores; the devil steals, kills and destroys. God’s works are works that are good and never evil. He does not purposely use evil as a tool. He does not destroy people’s homes and lives for his purposes. If the means is evil, it is not something God will choose to use. (Jas. 1:17)

Yes, God is big enough and good enough to bring good out of evil, but he never purposely uses evil to bring good. Do we really think that God needs evil to do his work? No, he does not. He never did and he never will. It is only the enemy that does. That is why Jesus always stood against evil and destruction, because destructive forces are the work of the enemy, not God. In fact, the purpose Jesus came was to DESTROY the works of the enemy. He never used them nor did he ever teach that the works of the enemy were God at work in anyone’s life. (1Jn. 5:8)

Jesus came to reveal God and God’s works to us. One day he said to one of his apostles, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father… How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.” (Jn. 14:8-11 NIV)

Jesus and the Father are one. And the words that Jesus spoke and the works that Jesus did were the Father at work through him. And those words and those works were always of deliverance and of restoration.

Jesus also said, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the father loves the Son and shows him all he does.” (Jn. 5:19 NIV) So, Jesus did ONLY what he saw the Father do and the Father showed Jesus ALL that he does. And all that Jesus ever did was to stop or destroy the works of the enemy. He NEVER used them or said it was God who was at work in them.

(It was Jesus who revealed God’s character and God’s will to us, and it was Jesus who was God at work. And if there is anything in scripture that seems to reveal anything about God that Jesus never did or ever taught; it is being misunderstood. In my book, “Suffering (God’s Will?)” I address and explain many of these misunderstood passages.)

Destructive forces are NOT God’s judgment on sin either. Not only does Jesus and the bible teach that judgment does not come until judgment day in the next world, after we die (Jn. 5:47-48, Heb. 9:27) …but listen to this… Paul said in his second letter to the Corinthians that God does not even hold anyone’s sin against them. That’s right. Read on.

“…God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.” (2Cor. 5:19)

That’s right, through Christ; God actually reconciled the “world” to himself, the WHOLE world. And, according to what is written, God does NOT impute ANY man’s sin against them, whether they are saved or not. WOW! Talk about not traditional, but nonetheless, SCRIPTURAL!

The truth is this; That Jesus paid the price for ALL men’s sin and because of that God is satisfied. (Isa. 53:11) He is no longer angry with ANYONE. He still hates sin and what sin produces, but all the sin that has ever been committed and ever will be committed has already been paid for. That is how and why we are in a time of GRACE, AND NOT JUDGMENT…because of what Jesus did for the WHOLE world!

The reality is that there is no more judgment necessary; Jesus bore that judgment for the whole world. God is not judging ANYBODY in this life, and does not want to judge anyone in the next. The price has been paid and eternal life is being offered. BUT, because men have a free will, God has left it up to them as to whether they enjoy this benefit or not. To enjoy it, men need to accept Jesus as their savior. If they don’t accept Christ in this world, they will suffer the consequences of their own sin, (here and now) according to the law of sowing and reaping, but not according to condemnation and judgment. It is after they die, (if they had not accepted Christ during their life), that they will suffer judgment and eternal death for sin. (Gal. 6:7-8, Heb. 9:27)

Now, the bible says that “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.” (Hos. 3:6) The reason God’s people are destroyed today (by destructive forces or anything else) is because of a lack of knowledge of God’s will, his ways, and the power that he has given us to keep destructive forces from stealing, killing and destroying. We are supposed to have and live the same life that Jesus lived. And before Jesus allowed evil men to take his life, though he faced destructive forces (just as we do), he was NEVER harmed by them. He always controlled them or defeated them or changed them. And not only did he control them in his own life, but he controlled them in the lives of ALL those who asked for his help. Now wouldn’t you like to live that kind of life? Well, we can!

Jesus came to give us life, not death. Of himself he said, “The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that bruised. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” This is the ministry of God to the human race; the only one he ever had, and the only one he has towards us now. (Lk. 4:18-19)

Destructive forces are a hindrance and an obstacle to the obtaining of God’s will for our lives, not a part of God’s will. We may learn something from them, but they are not here because God wants them to be here, and they are not here to do us any good. They were birthed from sin and from Satan and come only to steal, kill and to destroy. And if we believe anything other than God’s willingness to protect and deliver us from evil and destructive forces or if we doubt our dominance over Satan and his works, we will be opening the door for the enemy to destroy us. No faith means no power, no protection, and no deliverance. Yes, we may have to endure temptation, trial, and tribulation coming against us as did Jesus, but we have the same authority over them and protection from their harm that he had. We too can learn to protect ourselves, to dominate, to defeat, and to have victory over all evil. (1Pet. 5:8-9)

Total dominion over the devil and protection from all evil! Now doesn’t that sound like God to you? It sure does to me. And that’s because it is! (Ps. 91, Mk. 16:17-18, Eph. 6:10-18)

Submitted by John B. Agati
Author of : “Suffering (God’s Will?)”

More information about this and an upcoming book “Suffering, Unanswered Prayer, (And How to Fix the Whole Thing),” along with a short bio may be found at: www. jbagati.com

Part II V. Richardson's Appeal to Obama

Vera Richardson is the author of “A Case of Racial Discrimination and Retaliation Real or Imagined.” http://books.google.com/books?id=sx1cLRaobBQC

My Appeal To Senator Obama

Senator Obama I am a loyal supporter of your quest to be the President for "All" Americans. In an article on CNN.com you were quoted as saying, “I do think part of the role of president is to offer his or her opinions about critical issues, not all of which can be solved by government, but make a big difference in the quality of our society. That doesn’t mean that we’re going to solve these problems overnight, but I’d like to think that if a president says that something’s important, that some people might pay some attention.”

As a Black American I want what everyone else in America wants. I want to be treated fairly according to the rules, according to the law, and according to the United States Constitution. To be Black in America means that as a race of people we are not only victims of injustice in criminal court cases but also victims of an unjust civil court system. In my discrimination lawsuit and in my disability retirement legal proceedings the America judicial system including the United States Supreme Court failed me. A judicial system that has failed and continues to fail many Black citizens of this great nation.

Senator Obama please read all of my I-Reports on CNN that detail my discriminatory employment experience with NYS Department of Correction, the fact that Eliot Spitzer’s staff of the NYS Attorney General’s Office filed perjured declarations in federal court and the unjust ruling by the American judicial systems that included the United States Supreme Court. I have posted several I-Reports on CNN and my blogs on Oprah.com and yourblackworld.com that present my credible argument to support the fact that for twelve years I have been denied equal justice in America.

Senator Obama please help me to help myself. I need your personal and legal opinion on this critical issue (employment discrimination) in my life and the lives of many other hard working Americans. I am entitled to justice and my case of employment discrimination is "true" just like your statement that some black men have been missing in their children's physical and financial lives. If you mean what you said about personal accountability and responsibility for “black people” that same standard must be held for all people.

The New York State Attorney General’s Office must be held “ACCOUNTABLE” for their actions in my case. You can take a stand on this issue even if that stand means using your current status as the head of the Democratic Party. The current governor of New York (Patterson) and the current NYS Attorney General Cuomo are both members of our party. I have contact both Patterson and Cuomo and haven't gotten any results.

Respectfully Submitted,

Vera Richardson author of “A Case of Racial Discrimination and Retaliation Real or Imagined.” http://books.google.com/books?id=sx1cLRaobBQC

Blessed In The Rough Times

Hibiscus II Photography by Taylor J. Meadows, 2008

“Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will Isatisfy him, and show him my salvation.” saith the Lord.

Psalm 91:14-16

My son phoned from his internship today with that frantic undertone in his voice. My mother instinct kicked in when I heard his voice. He tried to mask it with a cordial “Hi Mom!” but I knew better.Finally we got to the heart of the matter, he needed money for food and I really don’t have to tell you that it was only several days ago that my paycheck was received and now there is little indication in my account that I was even paid.I honored his request the way most of our parents do and sailed to the convenient branch banking location in my neighborhood supermarket to deposit something in his account.

"Thank you Lord God!"

I chatted with my favorite Bank Teller/Manager and after we discussed favorite travel spots, she too got to the heart of the matter- the words fell from her lips, I am sure unexpectantly, that her husband was returning to the Middle East for his third tour of duty. I learned that after I inquired had he already been? My heart sank when she shared a faint smile. This smile belied the apparent truth that her heart was very heavy about her husband's approaching departure date. I promised I pray for them.

After leaving the bank/supermarket with a few grocery items that had shot up in price in a weeks time, I just shook my head in amazement. There was one more stop before going home. I drove to my neighborhood Shoe Repair Shop that had not been maintaining their usual business hours. I quickly ran in the shop surprised that the door was ajar and wondered why there had been a sign on the door with the handwritten words Closed for several weeks?

The young proprietor confessed in an apologetic tone that his family was facing difficulty and he worked elsewhere during the day. He shared that financially they were having difficulty with their mortgage and his elderly mother now covered the shop. Once again I knew well about mortgage woes. But friends what really resonated in my spirit was when the young man said, "But it’s going to be all right I guess!”Without a doubt these are some of the most difficult times that this many people have encountered simultaneously in a while. It feels like more than a pinch, it’s often a strangle hold to stay afloat making a living. Yes, indeed it’s rough-it’s real, it’s personal hardships on an intimate level!

But as our elders say,
"But God!"

God’s word reminds us that He loves us, you-his children; no matter the heartship, and the tumultuous hardships. With God's protection daily we can abide under His care: His Lordship, His deliverance and most assuredly His love and shelter will protect us even in the rough places.

Hang on friends and take to heart the scripture:

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is [our] my refudge and [our] my fortress [our] my God in who I trust.”Psalm 91:1,2

Joyfully Submitted by:
Linda Mose Meadows, author
The Blessedness of Believing
A Devotional Journey of Life’s Lesson’s and God’s Promises
Enjoy other writings Click on Blessed Chronicles http://blessednessofbelieving.blogspot.com/

The Judgment Of God II

Jesus said,

“And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not; for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” (Jn. 12:47-48)

So, the bible reveals to us that the judgment of God does not come until the “last day;” that is, in the next world, after we die.

“And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” (Heb. 9:27)

We are now in a time period of grace. Jesus has died for the sin of man and God is now offering salvation to all men, not judgment. “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (Jn. 3:17)

When the scribes and Pharisees caught a woman in adultery, they brought her to Jesus to see what he would do with her. Confronting Jesus, they said to him about the woman, “Now the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?” But Jesus refused to condemn her. In fact, he protected her from her accusers saying, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” And when this challenge compelled all of the woman’s accusers to leave, Jesus simply corrected her and commanded her to “go and sin no more.” (Jn. 8:3-11) Thus, Jesus would not judge this woman even though the law commanded her to be judged. He was bringing a time of grace to the earth instead of the law. (Jn. 1:17)

And when the apostles wanted to “call down fire from heaven” to consume a group of Samaritans for not receiving Jesus into their village, Jesus rebuked the apostles saying, “Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.” This spirit of judgment was not from the spirit of God and neither was “fire coming down from heaven” to consume those who reject Christ.” (Lk. 9:51-56)

Yet people today think that some calamities, disasters, and other bad things that happen in life are the hand of God judging people for sin or God “working” in people’s lives. But they are not.

When Jesus was on earth he refused to judge people, AND he refused to allow tragedies and disasters to destroy people lives. He ALWAYS delivered people from them. He healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out devils, fed the poor, and calmed storms, (so people would not be destroyed).

Well then, if Jesus came not to destroy but to save, and if he is not using destructive forces on men, (even those that reject him and his word) then where do these things come from and what is their purpose? And then of course, if God is against them, why doesn’t he do something about them?

Whew! That’s a lot of questions. But let’s start with the first and the second. They are the easiest to answer… Where do “destructive forces” come from and what is their purpose?

All destructive forces were birthed from sin and the devil, not from God. Destructive forces were not present in the beginning of creation. It was when man sinned in the Garden of Eden that these forces, (and all evil) were released into the earth. They were never part of God’s will for us nor were they active before sin. And ever since man released these forces, God has been trying to deliver us from them. In fact, he sent Jesus to “destroy the works of the devil,” (not to use them). It is actually the devil that has been using them to destroy us, not God… (1Jn. 3:8)

Speaking of the devil Jesus said, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…” (Jn. 10:10) Thus, the devil, and the devil’s works of destruction come to steal and to kill and to destroy; Period. They are not good, are not intended to bring good, are not the “hand of God” and are not the judgment of God. (Remember, God did not send Jesus to judge but to save and has reserved judgment until after we die).

But one way that the devil has misled men is to deceive them into believing that sickness, disease, death, destruction, or natural disaster of any kind has come from or is “allowed” by God to correct men or to teach, train, or judge them. However, the bible does not say that. The bible says that God uses the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to teach and to train and to correct men, not death and destruction. (Jn. 14:26; 16:8-13, 2Tim. 3:16-17) And as we have seen, when Jesus was present, he never allowed these forces to destroy for ANY reason, nor taught that they were from God to teach or train or to judge. But not knowing this truth keeps us from resisting the enemy and his work like Jesus did. When these forces come against us, many people either become confused and ineffectual against them, or simply “allow” them to occur, thinking they are from God. But in truth, they are not from God, they are from the devil and are evil, and have come to steal, to kill and to destroy.

It is good to note here that God does not control the devil (or the devil’s works) any more than he controls man. If God controlled the devil, God would NEVER allow him to steal or kill or destroy because stealing, killing and destroying is SIN. And God forbids sin. In fact, if God controlled the devil, (or man) neither would have sinned in the first place because it was against God’s will for them to do so. No, both Satan and man have free wills and choose to do as they please. And the devil will devour us if we let him, and so will some men.

That is why the scripture says to us,

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour;
Whom resist stedfast in the faith…” (1 Pet. 5:8-9)

If the devil can find a way to devour us, he will. But it is not God at work.

That leads us to our third question. If it is true that Jesus is against the devil and all destructive forces in the earth, then why doesn’t he do something about them? The answer really is simple; maybe too simple for some. The answer is that Jesus is not here anymore. It is “we” who are here in his place and “WE” are called to do his works for him.

The bible says that after Jesus offered himself a sacrifice for sin he sat down at the right hand of God, “Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool.” (Heb. 10:13 NIV)

Jesus is “waiting” for his enemies to be made his footstool because he gave us, (the Body of Christ) the power and authority to do God’s works on earth. When Jesus was on earth, he showed us what God’s works were and what God would do if he were here, and it is now OUR responsibility to continue those works, putting under our feet, (and under the Lord’s) the works of the devil. This is part of what we call the “Great Commission." (Mk. 16:15-18)

See what I mean about being too simple? But being too simple is not the problem. The problem is that we often complicate things when they are simple. Now I realize that we may complicate things because we are unsure and are searching for answers, but sometimes I think we do it as an excuse, avoiding the responsibility of learning how to control and destroy the works of the devil ourselves. But OUR responsibility it is! And if we don’t recognize our authority and learn how to use it, the works of Christ will not get done, and destruction will continue to destroy.

It is not God who is judging us or dealing with us in tragedy... It is God who redeemed us and set us free, breaking the power of sin and judgment over our lives. It is God who defeated Satan so that we do not have to suffer affliction from him, giving us armor to protect us from his works. It is God who gave us the authority to dominate evil and destruction. And it is God who gave us weapons to defeat the enemy on every front, just like Jesus did. Now it is up to us to believe God’s word and to appropriate what Jesus has purchased for us. We ALL have a part in learning about and developing God’s goodness and his power, and to use it for good as Jesus did, and we can do it as MANY, not just one as Jesus was. This is the only way that Jesus’ work will continue and spread throughout the earth as he had begun it.

Are you ready…? Jesus is waiting for us and so is the world!

(Rom. 8:2, Col. 2:15, 1 Jn. 5:18, Eph. 6:13-18, Mk. 16:15-18)

Submitted by John B. Agati
Author of : “Suffering (God’s Will?)”

More information about this and an upcoming book “Suffering, Unanswered Prayer, (And How to Fix the Whole Thing),” along with a short bio may be found at: www. jbagati.com

Serena Williams Not Voting for Obama, or Anyone

Why Serena Williams won't vote for Barack Obama. - By Jacob Leibenluft - Slate Magazine

Serena Williams told reporters at Wimbledon on Wednesday that she's excited about Barack Obama's candidacy but won't vote for him because Jehovah's Witnesses "don't get involved in politics." Her sister Venus—who is also a Jehovah's Witness—wouldn't even comment on the presidential election. Why don't Jehovah's Witnesses vote?

Because of John 17:14 and other passages in the Bible. In that verse, Jesus says of his followers: "They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world." Jehovah's Witnesses have interpreted that statement as a call to remain neutral in all political matters. (In some of the sect's literature, members are described as "representatives of God's heavenly kingdom"; they are thus obligated to stay out of local political affairs in keeping with the behavior of ambassadors.) Witnesses also refrain from serving in the military, running for public office, and pledging allegiance to the flag.

Voting is not expressly prohibited, but it is discouraged. The Watchtower, the official publication of the Jehovah's Witnesses, ran an article in 1999 suggesting that the decision whether to vote was one of personal conscience, although it carefully laid out reasons for staying out of the voting booth. In reference to countries that require all citizens to show up at the ballot box, the Watchtower has explained that "[w]here Caesar makes it compulsory for citizens to vote … [Jehovah's Witnesses] can go to the polls and enter the voting booths," but the Watchtower did not specify what Witnesses should do with the ballot itself. According to some, the requirement for political neutrality led to the violent persecution of Witnesses in Malawi during the late 1960s and early 1970s, when adherents refused to register with the ruling Congress Party.

Click to read more.

Visit www.YourBlackWorld.com for more Black News!

The Judgment Of God

Just hearing the statement, “the judgment of God” can strike fear in the hearts of Christians, but only because it is misunderstood.

Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (Jn. 5:24)

And Paul said, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 8:1 NIV)

Both of these scriptures (and many others) make it clear that there is no condemnation, (the same Greek word translated judgement) for Christians here on earth and in the after life.

But you might say, what about the sins that I commit now? Isn’t there judgment for them? Well, those sins have been paid for by the death of Jesus. Simply receive forgiveness for them if you feel guilty and afraid.

Well, what about the sins of non-Christians? Don’t they bring God’s judgment? Yes, but the bible makes it clear that their judgment is not in this world but in the next.

The bible says, “…it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. (Heb. 9:27)

The judgment of God comes AFTER we die, not before. (For Jesus “came not to judge the world but to save the world.”) (Jn. 12:47)

After we die, those who have accepted Christ as savior will be judged according to the perfect works and life of Christ; thus will pass from death unto eternal life. Those who have not accepted Christ as savior will be judged based upon their own imperfect works, which will not be good enough to earn them eternal life. And since they have not accepted the sacrifice of Jesus for their sins, (and all sin must be paid for) will eternally pay for them themselves. The reason it is eternal punishment is because the only payment good enough to remove sin is the Lord’s. That is why it is so vital to accept Christ’s sacrifice for our sins… NOW, in THIS world…!!! So we don’t have to pay for them in the next! (Jn. 3:16, 18, 5:24; Heb. 9:27, 1Jn. 5:11-12)

Let’s now look at what Jesus and the bible say about the judgment of God.

Jesus said, “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.” (Jn. 5:22)

So, first of all, we see here that the Father doesn’t judge men. He has left judgment up to the Son. And in the following scripture, we will see what Jesus does with his authority and when it is that judgment is planned for.

Jesus said, “And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” (Jn. 12:47-48)

So, even though Jesus has the authority to judge men, he will not do it. It is his word that will judge men, and then it will not be until the “last day,” that is judgment day, in the next world.

The point is this… We are not living in a time period that God is judging man. We are living in a time of grace. Jesus paid the price for all sin, so instead of judging, God is now offering salvation to all. Indeed there is a day of judgment coming, but it is not now.

Think for a moment about this. Even before Jesus went to the cross, do you remember him condemning the woman caught in adultery? If anyone would be judged for their sin, would it not be her? After all, the Law of Moses said that she should be judged and stoned. But Jesus would not condemn her; in fact he PROTECTED her from those wanting to condemn her. Then Jesus simply corrected her, telling her to go and sin no more. This he did despite not having died for sin yet and the fact that the Jews were still under the law, not grace. (Jn. 8:1-11)

Now consider this passage:

“And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.
And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
And when his disciples James and John saw this they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.” (Lk. 9:51-56)

Wow! If they didn’t know what manner of spirit they were of, just what “manner of spirit” were they of? It was not the spirit of God, or of Jesus, because Jesus rebuked them for it… “For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”

Despite all of this, I know that many people believe that certain disasters that occur here on earth are “the judgment of God,” or the “hand of God at work,” so let’s look at one of them. And that is destructive weather. There are a lot of people that think destructive weather is God “at work” in people’s lives or that he is judging man. However, neither is true.

God does not control the weather any more than he controls man, (unless he does it through a man, as he did through Jesus when he calmed the storm) (Mt. 8:23-26) Weather patterns have a “life” of their own, and along with all of creation were affected adversely by the sin of man. No longer do they act as God had intended. And because of the laws of nature, when certain atmospheric conditions interact with other conditions, we have certain kinds of weather. And some of it can be destructive, even deadly. (Gen. 3:17-19 Rom. 8:19-22)

It was the fall of man that gave rise to destructive storms, not God. And it is not God who initiates or “uses” these forces to deal with man now. In fact, Jesus came to “destroy the works of the devil,” not to use them. (1Jn. 3:8) If we want to control these weather patterns and these destructive storms, we can calm them just as Jesus did. “WE” can keep them from destroying us because Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also…” (Jn. 14:12)

Besides, we are not under the Old Covenant. We are under a New Covenant. (It is not that God was different in the Old Testament, but the covenant he had with man was different.) In the Old Testament, Jesus had not yet paid the price for sin, and man was under a covenant of law, which was a covenant of condemnation and death. (2 Cor. 3:6-9) But in the New Testament, man is under a covenant of life and grace, where Jesus paid the price for man’s sin, averting man’s judgment until after we die. (2Cor. 5:19, Heb. 8:6-13) Again, the point is that we are not in a time period where God is judging man, by destructive storms or by any other means. Judgment comes at the end of time.

Well then, if the bible teaches that Jesus came not to destroy but to save, and that he does not use natural destructive forces to deal with man, (even those that reject him and his word) then where do these things come from and what is their purpose?

It will be in my next article that I will touch on answers to these questions, but in order to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of this topic, you can read my book, "Suffering (God’s Will?)" In it I thoroughly cover this subject, supporting what I say with many biblical references. And along with a full study of suffering, you will be able to read a chapter on God’s Correction and Judgment and on the book of Job and how each has been traditionally misunderstood.

Submitted by John B. Agati
Author of : “Suffering (God’s Will?)”

More information about this and an upcoming book “Suffering, Unanswered Prayer, (And How to Fix the Whole Thing),” along with a short bio may be found at: www. jbagati.com

IN ARM'S REACH

“Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead. ”—Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), novelist (http://www.forbetterlife.org/)

There it was, plump and waddling around my front yard in plain sight. I glanced at it as I ran towards my car in a dash for my morning commute. I commented to myself that that seemed odd that normally when you approach a bird; it flutters away quickly -but not this little creature. Instead it reminded me of a toddler amiably moving around with no real destination, just glad to be moving, delighted with its new found freedom ,walking and stumbling with out the assistance of an eagle eye parent.

Then when I returned home, I noticed again the same little chick hopping around on the bricks. It wasn’t until the very next day that as I walked once again down my driveway to jump in my parked car that I glanced at the bird and then it occurred to me this was our baby-I was sure of it. As my husband stood in the doorway I called back, “Hey that’s our baby bird!” Several days prior to that I hadn’t really grasped that this was really a gift from God-in arm’s length!
As I reflect back, first it was the discovery of the beautiful Robin’s eggs displayed in the nest in our backyard-but now this was even better-the eggs had hatched and the dream, the long awaited arrival of the chicks had occurred and I had been totally oblivious of their birth and this divine wonder-well almost.

It’s no happen stance that today’s inspirational quote would tug on my heart strings and remain etched in my memory. As I read Exodus 17 and could picture the travelers weary and grumbling, Louise May Alcott’s words must have mirrored the sentiment of Moses. to look up and live, instead of looking out and grumbling.

“Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead. ”
—Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), novelist (http://www.forbetterlife.org/)

Often I too have been guilty of being oblivious of many of life’s lessons until well after the situation had concluded and the smoke cleared. I regret not embracing the gift of God’s grace (more) readily and honestly appreciating the (particular) trial, the (uninvited) circumstance, the(embarrassing) difficulty, the (long awaited and timely) blessing, the (tough) learning experience-whatever you wish to call it more sooner than later.

What might have happened had I been appreciative of the learning experience in the midst of it all? This must be what folks mean when they say; we should thank God while we are “going through” being pulled and shaped on the potter’s wheel during our uncomfortable valley experiences!

Be assured that we are all experts about trials, but I’d like to think that God wants us to be cognizant on this day-that so many gifts from God/blessings are in our midst, yes, right there before us! Theses blessings are like my baby chick –visible- and in arms reach, in direct view. I am sure that the Holy Spirit is sharing that with our new mind set we’ll negate our obstructed view and won’t loose sight of the divine gift that is presented to us.

I think you’ll agree that when the truth is told, we’re audibly or inaudibly caught up in our grumbling, sulking, hurting, rushing and consequently we fail to appreciate the beauty of the moment. Do you recall my bird’s nest in Expectant Joy? Well, I really appreciated the gift of the bird’s nest that was so symbolic for me. It represented so much: birth, new beginnings, expectant joy, blessings on the way, the good that was on the horizon, God’s gift’s and promises to come and on and on-but then even with that epiphany I missed it!

Yes, I needed to believe-get my faith in gear and mentally grasp the next level! What might that be you ask? I am glad you asked I believe the answer is: That God really had intended that my joy and yours evolve and spill over into something greater and erupt into our paying attention to all the blessings which are in arm's reach!!

Did I really think that I‘d behold the blessings in my own front yard? Nope! I almost missed that wonder.

Take some time and read Exodus 17, I expect that you’ll appreciate your wilderness experiences all the more and like Moses acknowledge God’s provision of resources, support and favor designed especially for the faint of heart and the weary traveler.

So, friends look outside your tents, go on and pull back your curtains, better yet stand in your front yards and behold what blessings are in your arm's reach!!! Have a wonderful day!

I will meet you by the rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and the water will come pouring out. then the people will be able to drink.” Moses did just as he was told;and as the leaders looked on water gushed out.” Exodus 17:6 (NLT)

Joyfully Submitted by:

Linda Mose Meadows, author

The Blessedness of Believing A Devotional Journey of Life’s Lesson’s and God’s Promises

Enjoy other writings Click on Blessed Chronicles

http://blessednessofbelieving.blogspot.com/

House of Yahweh Leaders' Doomsday Prediction Didn't Happen

It appears that "Buffalo Bill" Hawkins, founder of the House of Yahweh, wasn't correct in his prediction that the world was going to end on June 12. It's now June 13th at 1:18 am, so I guess his prediction of a nuclear holocaust that has persuaded many members of his cult to empty their bank accounts (giving money to him of course) is not going to happen.

Here is an excerpt of some of Hawkins' words:

'...Nuclear war will begin next Thursday, June 12, or sooner, according to the latest prediction of self-proclaimed prophet Yisrayl "Buffalo Bill" Hawkins, the founder of a religious sect in Abilene, Texas.

"It could be turned loose before then," Hawkins told 20/20 for a report to be broadcast tonight. "You're going to see this very soon, really soon," he said.

Hundreds of truck trailers have been loaded with food and water on the group's 44-acre compound, in preparation for the coming war...'

Hawkins is an interesting character. In the 20/20 special, he had all of his followers change their name to Hawkins. He was also recently arrested for a series of allegations, including polygamy. Sounds like the same old stuff. Hawkins does have that "Jim Jones" charisma, so you can see how his followers were fooled.

Here is a story on Hawkins.

The Key To Christianity

The key to Christianity is receiving. It is not giving and it is not doing.

Giving and doing is secondary and will flow out of our receiving.

The truth is; we can’t even become Christians without receiving. Christ must be received as savior in order to become a Christian. And the reason for this is simply because we need him and the salvation that he has for us. We cannot produce it ourselves.

And it is no different after we have accepted Christ as savior. In order to have what we lack, we must receive it from God.

The bible says that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights…” they come from God. They do not come from us. (Jas. 1:17)

And unless we receive what we need from God, we will not have anything from God to give… How can we forgive like God forgives if we have not received his forgiveness; and how can we love like God loves if we have not received God’s love? And how can we have finances and goods from God to give, unless we first receive them from God. If we do not receive God’s blessings, we will not have God’s blessings to give.

For those of you who are familiar with the story of the prodigal son, think for a moment of the elder brother, the one who stayed at home while his younger brother was in the world wasting his inheritance in sinful living. It turned out that this elder brother, (though loyal and committed) thought his life was about his work and serving his father, never knowing or taking advantage of his father’s provision. And because he did not know or receive his father’s goodness and blessings and love for himself, he had no love to give when his younger brother repentantly came home. He was resentful and bitter when his father received the wayward boy with joy and forgiveness, and when he put a robe on his back, a ring on his finger, and honored him with a great feast. The elder brother simply did not have the same love to give as the father had because he had never received it for himself.

And do you think this elder brother’s lack of understanding may have contributed to the younger brother leaving home in the first place? As the younger brother looked up to his older brother, (as younger brothers will do) he may have seen that his older brother was unfulfilled and bitter. Maybe the boy wanted no part of that kind of life. Why would he? He then mistakenly went into the world to get what he thought he could not get at home, only to find that this type of getting was destructive to his life and his substance.

How many of our children choose to live in the world and in sin because all they see is that Christianity is about serving and doing and demands? Ouch! (Lk. 15:11-32)

Christianity is about God and what he has done for us through Christ. It is not about what we can do for God. When Christianity becomes about what we can do for God, it then becomes about us and what WE do, not about God and what HE does. It becomes “self” centered and “self” righteousness, not God centered, not fulfilling and not loving. We then can become as the elder brother in this story became; dry, bitter, and law oriented.

But the enemy wants us to believe that receiving is selfish and that all Christianity is about is serving and doing and giving. He wants to drain us, make us miserable, self-righteous, bitter, unfulfilled and unable to bless the world. And he wants God to look like a demanding God who always “wants” something from us, rather than be the giver and blesser that he is.

But an attitude of receiving is NOT selfishness. It is in reality selflessness. It is thinking of God who wants to bless us. And it is thinking of Jesus, who suffered and died so we could be blessed, and it is thinking of those around us who need what we receive from God. And, yes, it is thinking about ourselves, but not in a selfish way. As I will explain receiving from God is how we are to love ourselves.

Jesus commanded us to love others as we love ourselves. We cannot love others unless we first love ourselves. And the way we love ourselves is to let God love us. For example, it is the best kind of self love when we receive Jesus and the forgiveness he offers us!

The truth is that God just loves us and wants to bless us and be a part of our lives. That is all he ever wanted. And he knows that if we receive from him, we will have “him” to give. And if we don’t, we won’t. Receiving from God is not selfishness. It is just the opposite.

When Jesus came to Peter to wash his feet, Peter said, “Thou shalt never wash my feet.” But Jesus answered him saying, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.”

Peter had it all backwards. He thought humility was to not let Jesus wash his feet, but that was actually pride and it was arrogance. Can you imagine telling Jesus no to what he wanted to do, as if Jesus was making a mistake? But Peter quickly corrected himself saying, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head.” True humility is to let God wash our feet. And if we don’t allow God to wash our feet and to serve us, we will not have any part with him. Yes, it takes humility to let God serve us, but that’s what it takes. (Jn. 13:8-9)

Think for a moment about the relationship of children and their fathers. Do children think it is their responsibility to meet their father’s needs? How can they? They rightfully expect the father to meet theirs, and a good father takes great pleasure in pouring his love and blessings and gifts on his children. Of course he wants them to be responsible and generous with what they have, but first and foremost he wants to bless them. And it is no different with God and his children.

God spoke through John the apostle when he said, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.” In other words, as much as God wants our souls to prosper is as much as he wants every part of our lives to prosper, (and above ALL things). That means that before anything else he wants to bless his children. That is first on a good father’s heart and it is first on God’s. (3Jn2)

Putting God first in our lives does not mean serving him. It means receiving from him.

And love is not about our loving God, it is about God loving us. Again St. John said, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loves us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1Jn. 4:10)

God is the greatest giver of all. And the only way to be part of him is to become a receiver. Without receiving from God, we’ll have nothing of God for ourselves or for the world, nor will the world be able to see what God is really like.

The key to Christianity is receiving!

One last point here… Things are simply different in the New Testament than they were in the Old. Jesus came to change them and he did. Whereas the Old Testament laid out the law and what man was required to do for God, (and was only given to prove that we could not do them) the New Testament is about grace and what God has done for us through Jesus. And the only way to enter into God’s grace and to have what we cannot produce ourselves is to receive.

Let’s let God be God and live a life of receiving from him as our God. It is what God always wanted for us and always will. He is a good Father and wants to pour his life and his blessings on us, and he has done so through his Son. And it is in receiving from him that we will be filled with all he is and all he has and then can be a blessing to the world around us.

The truth is; what goes in will come out, but nothing in, nothing out.

And don’t worry; God will never run out and neither will we if we live a life of receiving from him!

Submitted by John B. Agati
Author of : “Suffering (God’s Will?)”

More information about this and an upcoming book “Suffering, Unanswered Prayer, (And How to Fix the Whole Thing),” along with a short bio may be found at: www. jbagati.com

Each Day!!!!

Each and every day that we wake up is a true gift from God. It wasn't guaranteed that we'd see another day.

I think that we tend to take this for granted. We wake up, rush in the morning, & mainly head out the door. Do we stop and say a simple "Thanks" to God just for opening our eyes? Do we pray for travelling mercies? Are we truly grateful???

Slow down and see what God wants you to see in the midst of the new day arising. There may be something so simple that you're supposed to take in and grow from.

Thank you God for allowing me to see another day!!!

Psalm 118:24 This is the day which the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

photo from: greenvilledailyphoto.com

Thank You God For The Audacity of Hope

I watched and enjoyed Barack Obama's 2004 Democratic National Convention speech. The speech titled "The Audacity of Hope" was electrifying and gave Americans especially black Americans glimmers of hope. Those hopes include the possibility that Obama a black man might one day win, The Presidency, the highest office in the land.

I have been urging people to endorse Obama since his historic victory in Iowa. I was so excited about Ted Kennedy's endorsement of Senator Obama on Monday, January 28, 2008. Listening to the speeches of Obama and all of the Kennedy clan gave me great joy and hope.

(Thank you Senator Kennedy. May God continue to shower you with his grace and mercy during your current trial)

Hope that we will continue to seek God's face and that God will heal our land. Hope that we will come together as a one nation united under God. Hope that Obama will win the nomination of the Democratic Party and hope that he will become the next President of the United States of America.

Today, June 3, 2008, as a fifty-four year old black woman I hope that this man Obama time has come, that his time is now! Today I have the audacity to hope, pray, and believe that Senator Barack Obama will be the next President of the United States of America.

Vera Richardson is the author of “A Case of Racial Discrimination and Retaliation Real or Imagined." http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?r=1&EAN=9780615177014

Praying and Waiting with Expectation

One thing I've learned (and am continuing to learn) is to pray and to wait with expectation. I mean, many of us do pray out of habit and wonder why things aren't coming to pass. However, do we pray expecting that big thing or that event to occur or are we praying with "hope"?

Hebrews 11:1 & 6 states: 1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Faith and prayer, prayer and faith; the 2 go hand and hand.

What are your expectations? What are you seeking? God already knows, He just wants to know that your faith and expectations are in line with what He can do!

photo from: imses on www.flickr.com

EXPECTANT JOY!

Photography by Richard D. Meadows, Jr.

Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
Psalm 37:5

This was a real joy, seeing first hand this beautiful bird's nest with turquoise colored eggs in our backyard. My husband announced with joy, "We have a bird's nest in our yard that you need to see!" I said,"Ok show me, let's get the camera!"

He said in jest, "Ok at your own risk, don't be surprised if you get your eyes pecked out!" He reminded me that after we take the picture to be sure to cover the nest with the branch, he's orginally cut down, not knowing what lay underneathe. My husband pointed out that the bird is guarding the nest from predators.

Earlier that afternoon, Ricky had been busily working in our yard, mowing the lawn, cutting down bushes and clearing debris of leaves and branches. My husband said initally he ignored the bird's loud chirpping. But then wondered why a bird suddenly began acting erratic with his flight pattern.

Ricky then discerned that there was something that he stumbled upon that the bird obviously wanted him to leave alone. There it was an amazing creation, the bird's nest woven intricatley together with pieces of blue plastic strips, branches, sticks and whatever else the bird had selected from nature to create this sturdy nest. Not only did it appear sturdy, but it was a masterpiece, it's beautiful! I am so glad I could share the phot0 with you. Imagine the time and energy this small bird devoted to creating the nest? He or she conceived in it's mind the nest and then got to work making this idea a reality! The bird or maybe several birds collectively were devoted to creating a sturdy nest to lay these eggs. They are anticipating the arrival of their creation.

Friends this is really another gift from God, encouraging us to do the same, to use the birds as a model to conceive in our minds what we endeavor to accomplish:

What are dreaming of?
What is your heart's desire?
What has God commissioned you to birth?

Well, breathe deeply and take heart! I am confident that God desires that you to get busy not only dreaming, but creating an action plan to realize it! Pray about the direction, ask Him to guide your steps and when the doors open and opportunities present themselves, trust that you are on your way to the realization of your heart's desire. It's on the way! Tell your self, " it's on the way!! " Your dream(s) can come to pass. Guard it, believe in it and see it done-it's sacred.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Thank you precious Holy Ghost for encouraging our hearts not to be timid about executing the plan that God has given us. We are active and alive and grateful that when we follow your lead and trust You, the plans, and the dreams you placed in our hearts will wonderfully unfold right before your eyes. So we will believe and choose to celebrate now with expectant joy the gift of a dream come true!! Amen!

Friends, I pray you'll be encouraged as you marvel at the beauty of nature and carry the gift of an expectant joy in your hearts.

Joyfully Submitted by:
Linda Mose Meadows, author
The Blessedness of Believing A Devotional Journey of Life's Lessons and God's Promises
http://blessednessofbelieving.blogspot.com/