This is a word of encouragement for the people of God who maybe going through various trails. I was thinking about an area that I am being tested in…and I heard that still small voice speak to me; “afflictions are temporary and subject to change, for your light afflictions are for a moment.”  As we turn to the scriptures, we find that the Apostle Paul who experienced many trials gives us some comforting and encouraging words in 2 Cor.2:17-18 NIV. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Just to hear that still small voice speaking to me was encouraging. It helped me to not keep my focus on what I’m going through but to look beyond the situation to understand the ultimate benefit; the Holy Spirit is at work in me to build faith, character, endurance, steadfastness-virtues that are lasting for my good and His glory.

Apostle Paul also wrote in Romans 5:4b-5 NIV But we also rejoice in our sufferings(trials), because we know that suffering(trials) produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Trials ultimately produces hope, and that hope is like an anchor in your soul when you are going through and you don’t feel or see what God is doing in your life. No matter what we face in this life we must keep hope alive in our hearts. Hope will carry us thorough to the other side of going through. Be encouraged, meditate on the above scriptures, believe the word of God and apply them to your situation. Jesus told us something powerful in John 6:63b. The words I have spoken to you–they are full of the Spirit and life. We must believe his word and apply it and watch the Word work to encourage us when we are facing difficulties in life. I assure you; your situation will no longer weigh you down and you will rise up with courage and know that the Lord is working in you an eternal purpose that you can’t fully understand right now. Just rest in knowing that he has a plan for your life-it is for good not for evil to give you a future and a hope. Jer. 29:11 (my paraphrase) As you read this post, I want you to be encouraged don’t give up, or give out, don’t throw in the towel. Remember the darkest hour is just before day break. Your breakthrough is on the horizon!  Weeping may endure for a night but joy always comes in the morning. Ps 30:5c, so keep looking up, take comfort in knowing that this trial is just for a moment, it won’t last forever. I will end this post with James 1:2-4 ESV Count it all joy, my brothers when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness; and let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking for nothing.

Blessings to all,

GotWord

Yesterday I wrote about honoring the gift you have been given. I have been honing my gift of writing frevently this past year. As a creative person I am always thinking of writing something…it’s almost like I get these download of throughts that I have to write down on pieces of paper. I have file folders and notebooks full of teachings, sermons, poems, and spiritual thoughts.

During the month of September Holy Spirit began to speak the scripture verse from Prov.16:8 A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great. I have been working on this teaching for weeks and will publish it here once it is completed. A person never know the potential of thier gift while journeying to fulfill thier destiny…your gift if used for the glory of God will take you through doors never thought of. In this particular teaching I will be examining the life of Daniel and how God used him to minister to kings and brought glory to God during a dark time in history for the Israelites. God wants you use the gift he has given you make an impact in your sphere of influence so that the world may know that he is God.

Sinsce I have the gift of writing, I felt led today to share one of many poems that I have written. I pray that it will speak to you and cause you to remember the faithfulness of the God we serve. How many times has he been there for you?

HOW MANY TIMES

Lord I remember

The good times                                                                      

Happy times

Sad times

Peanut Butter and Jelly times

When this was all we had to eat times                                                           

Stretching every nickel and dimes times

Lord I remember

When you made a way out of no way times             

Back up against the wall times

You answered my call in the nick of time…Times

All alone times

Friends were few times

Didn’t know what to do times

Misunderstood times

Troubled times

Perplexed times

Distressed times

But the best times

I remember Lord

You were there all the time….                                  

Copyright 2002

GotWord

As I was going about my day this morning, I was thinking about people who have gifts or talents but do not really value them. I began to think we are to honor the gifts the Lord has given as well as honoring him as the giver of those gifts…. not for our glory, but for his glory and the good of others. I believe God has placed within people a unique one-of-a kind ability that should impact our society for his purposes. I like a quote by Dr. Myles Munroe.

No one came to earth empty; everybody came with a contribution to make to their generation. Most of them never find that gift and even more die never releasing it.

When I speak of the word honor, I am not saying to go around glorifying what you have been given by the Lord; but having a sense of regarding it as something valuable to be given away for his good and glory. I thought also about Esau who did not value his birthright and sold it for a bowl of rice and beans. He placed little value on what was rightfully his until he realized what he had lost. (see Gen. 25:29-35) I want to admonish those who are reading this post, to take an inventory of what gift the Lord has placed within you and begin to hone it, develop it, make full effective use of it.

Honor is defined as: to regard with respect, to fulfill (an obligation) or keep (an agreement). I like the synonyms that are associated with the word honor; keep, observe, be true to, implement, execute. So, if we are to honor the gift or gifts, we have been given we are to execute, be true to it and fulfill our responsibility to the Lord and to the good of others. I believe there are people waiting to be blessed by what we carry within us on a day to day basis.

I began to think about how Timothy was encouraged by his mentor Apostle Paul to not neglect his spiritual gift, and to stir it up (make full use) of his gift. 1Tim.4:14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through the prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. (NASB) see also 2Tim.1:6 so I ask you to make full use of the gift God gave you when I placed my hands on you. Use it (CEV)

I like what this author said; “It is not enough to simply identify our spiritual gifts. Through the improvement and development of spiritual gifts, we increase our effectiveness and efficiency. Until we discover and develop our gifts, we may waste valuable resources attempting to do things for which we are not equipped. Our world is filled with incredible need. God gives us both the opportunity and the gifts necessary to meet every need. God waits anxiously to see what we will do with these gifts.” Dan R. Dick https://nccumc.org/treasurer/files/Gifts-Ministry-Resources.pdf

Can I encourage you today to release the gift you have been given; you have been empowered to fulfill your purpose and destiny with your gift. Don’t hold back any longer! Use your gift!

Blessings to all,

GotWord

My thoughts on “Being Thankful”
Thankful: someone feeling or showing gratitude, when you are pleased and grateful for what you have this is a time when you are thankful.
Feeling or expressing thanks, grateful.
Aware and appreciative of a benefit,grateful. [yourdictionary.com]
Synonym :for thankful: grateful, appreciative giving thanks. [Thesaurus]

Psalm 107:10 O, give thanks unto the Lord for he is good his mercy endures forever 

Psalm 100:4 enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise give thanks to him and bless his name

I just want to share these thoughts with you today. My week started out with receiving a bad report from my doctor. I was so consumed with having a pity party this morning…woe is me I complained for a couple of hours. I shared my concerns with a friend on the phone, she would not join my party. Instead she began to sing songs of praise and reminded me of the goodness of God. My friend was like a spiritual midwife who helped me to expel that burden that I had been carrying. As I got up and prepared for my day, I heard one word spoken softly to me in my spirit “thankful” I stopped what I doing and as I begin to be thankful for all the past trials The Lord has brought me through and how he has promised in His Word to never leave me or forsake me I began to have a “Thankful Party” Hallelujah! Thank you Lord! I give you thanks for you are good.
I want to challenge those who are reading this post to have a “Thankful Party” I don’t care what you may be going through right now I can safely say that you are only a “thank you Lord” away from a breakthrough. Don’t let UN-thankfulness or ungratefulness keep you burdened down any longer. Throw yourself a “thankful party” right now in Jesus name.

Blessings to all,

GotWord

As I was reading the Word yesterday, I came across Psalm 119:171-172 and I had this awesome moment of thought!

Thought: What powerful tools, the Lord has given to us; our lips and our tongue to testify and fill the earth with the knowledge of his glory 

 My lips pour out praise, for you teach me your statutes. My tongue sings about your promise, for all your commands are righteous. Psalm 119:171-172 CSB

Even creation itself testifies!

The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; (where) Their voice is not heard Psalm 19:1-3 NASB

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord’s glory, as the water covers the sea. Habakkuk 2:14 CSB

Blessings to all,

GotWord

Salt: a white crystalline substance that consists of sodium and chlorine and is used in seasoning foods. Salty: seasoned with, or containing salt.

FACT – No two substances in the Bible are mentioned more than water and salt. Jesus has something profound to say to us about salt.

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, (savor, strength) how can it be made salty again? Mt. 5:13a NIV

Savor: to have a specified taste, or quality; Savory: pleasing to the sense of taste, esp.; by reason of effective seasoning. When something is savory it makes your mouth automatically begins to water…just looking at it makes you want it. When people look at your life as a Christian do, they want to partake of you?

Our lives should be so flavored that people automatically want what we have…Are you Salty, Seasoned or Not? One thing I have noticed in my walk as a leader in the Body of Christ is; some saints are out of balance in their walk.

• Some are too salty: too much judgmental attitudes, criticism.
• Some have no salt: anything goes, too compromising.
• Some are seasoned: their walk matches their talk…they know how to speak a word in due season… their lives minister grace to those around them. They can say they are blessed and highly FLAVORED. People love being around them…Let us do an honest final examination of where we are and make a decision to be the Salt of the earth that Jesus said we should be.

You may ask how I can balance myself in my walk to be the salt of the earth. I will share with you a few scriptures to help us get to that place.

Seasoned: Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. Col 4:6

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith. Col 2:7

Learning: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15

Transformed: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:1-2

Blessings to you,

GotWord