Today I found out that one of my former students was killed on Thursday. Sad, sad, sad. Was he a problem child in sixth grade, yes. He already had a record. Had been in juvie for stealing a car with some other boys. I only had him for sixth grade but it was apparent that if some truly strong intervention didn't happen then this outcome was inevitable. He never had a real chance. He didn't value education and had difficulty reading and staying focused. I could come up with dozens of reasons why he couldn't cope. He was one of ten children, his mother was/had been in jail, he had very low reading skills and reasoning and comprehension is difficult for him.
But despite all of this I would like to think that he could overcome these obstacles but he was still just a boy. He was a child. No more than 15 years old. What could he have know about taking care of himself and staying on the right track. Who was ever around to show him what to do? I just feel sorry for him. As I look at my students now I see two or three who can follow this same road. Its never all of them. Its just a few who are lost. So I try to encourage those who will take encouragement and lead them down the right path. We had our last Saturday school today. Thank God.
I really, really enjoyed last night. it was such an intimate evening. Everything was so enjoyable. I'm glad I decided to go. I thought it might be difficult but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank You for bring such a wonderful, interesting talent to our church. Thank You. Thank You.
Well, good night and God Bless. Its been a long day and I am praying for a good evening. Take Care of Yourself. We don't have a lot of time. Nothing is promised to us. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone. I love you.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Discipline
Good Morning Father God. I praise you and lift up your Holy Name. You are worthy to be praised. I make a commitment to you today Lord that I will obey your commandments. I strive to obey your will in my life.
Like the three boys who went into the fire, I will praise you whether you save me or not. I am committed to you. Lord I speak to you from my heart. My heart longs for you and I will commit my life to you.
Daniel 3:16-18
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
I do not need to defend myself in this matter. I do not need to make excuses or plea bargain. Do what you will but I will serve the Lord Our God. The Almighty. The Creator of Heaven and Earth. The Deliverer. The Sovereign King, The Holy One. Lord thank you for today and thank you for waking me up. I will look forward to this evening. I'm excited about seeing Gladys Knight. I want to make sure that I am feeling well and up to par for the evening. Glory be to God. You Are worthy to be praised.
God Bless You today. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone. I love you.
Like the three boys who went into the fire, I will praise you whether you save me or not. I am committed to you. Lord I speak to you from my heart. My heart longs for you and I will commit my life to you.
Daniel 3:16-18
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
I do not need to defend myself in this matter. I do not need to make excuses or plea bargain. Do what you will but I will serve the Lord Our God. The Almighty. The Creator of Heaven and Earth. The Deliverer. The Sovereign King, The Holy One. Lord thank you for today and thank you for waking me up. I will look forward to this evening. I'm excited about seeing Gladys Knight. I want to make sure that I am feeling well and up to par for the evening. Glory be to God. You Are worthy to be praised.
God Bless You today. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone. I love you.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Good Night
God Bless You Tonight. I pray that God will watch over you tonight during this very cold and harsh winter. I am truly tired of this winter. But that is another story. This week has been very rough for me weather wise. I have been late twice. Yesterday it took me two hours to get in and then I was blessed to be able to leave and go to the doctor so I could get some medicine to start getting better. Then today, I try another route and I am delayed because of a train. I pray that tomorrow is better. I found out that the substitute who worked for me yesterday had a problem. Someone stole five dollars from her purse. God I hate thieves. I heard they had security and everything trying to find out who stole her money. Its ridiculous that someone would do such a thing. We are just talking about six, seven, and eighth graders. I don't imagine we will ever see her again. Its so hard to get substitutes to come to our school as it is and when they do, something like this happens. Father God, help us to help our children learn that they can not keep abusing the people who are there to help them. We are preparing for the state test next week. A large majority of our students all over the city will sit down and find themselves confused and dazed when they begin to take this test that is constantly held in their face as the deciding factor of whether they will move to the next grade, what high school will accept them and whether they can choose a school or just accept what is given to them. This test gives us an idea how our children compete/compare/are judged by others who make decisions about their lives. Blessed be the name of the Lord. God, I pray that we are able to improve our scores. I pray that improvement is seen from our results. Let our children's light shine. Let them be able to think, and learn and produce a rich and cultured generation. Glory be to God. Thank You Jesus.
I am tired and I pray that I can get to sleep quickly and rest all night long until its time to get up. I have had such a restless week.
God Bless You tonight. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone. I love you.
I am tired and I pray that I can get to sleep quickly and rest all night long until its time to get up. I have had such a restless week.
God Bless You tonight. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone. I love you.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Communication
Father God I come to you humble and tired. I pray that I will feel better soon. I am fighting whatever this is that is trying to come over me. I trust in the Lord to see me through. No weapon formed against me shall prosper. While I dont accept the sickness, I will work through the symptoms. I will treat the symptoms to the best of my ability. I give glory and praise to you Father God.
I wonder, did somebody take something that was not theirs during the tour? I hate it when people steal from me. Whenever I am absent from school, my door stays unlocked all day and certain students, not all, just certain ones will come in and go through my desk. I wasn't there last Friday and some things are missing, again. They particularly like my markers. My dry erase markers especially. Of course if there is any candy or money, they go for that too. Thieves are the worst. I think that is why in God's commandments he not only says thou shall not steal, but thou shall not covet thy neighbors goods. Leave my stuff alone! We always say I would give it to you if you ask but I don't believe that to be true either. I would rather know that you want it so I can protect it better. Some things I would give to you and some I want to keep. Let me decide. Don't steal it from me. But as we are reminded daily, The Devil comes to KILL, STEAL and DESTROY. Don't think that he isnt doing all of those things to you on a daily basis.
God Bless You today. Be Blessed and be a blessing to someone. I love you.
I wonder, did somebody take something that was not theirs during the tour? I hate it when people steal from me. Whenever I am absent from school, my door stays unlocked all day and certain students, not all, just certain ones will come in and go through my desk. I wasn't there last Friday and some things are missing, again. They particularly like my markers. My dry erase markers especially. Of course if there is any candy or money, they go for that too. Thieves are the worst. I think that is why in God's commandments he not only says thou shall not steal, but thou shall not covet thy neighbors goods. Leave my stuff alone! We always say I would give it to you if you ask but I don't believe that to be true either. I would rather know that you want it so I can protect it better. Some things I would give to you and some I want to keep. Let me decide. Don't steal it from me. But as we are reminded daily, The Devil comes to KILL, STEAL and DESTROY. Don't think that he isnt doing all of those things to you on a daily basis.
God Bless You today. Be Blessed and be a blessing to someone. I love you.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Good Morning
Praise the Lord. I got up this morning after hitting the snooze for only two times. I want to renew my relationship. I want to be obedient to God's will.
Proverbs 2:5-10
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.
Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops, then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your vats will brim over with new wine.
So I trust in the Lord. I praise the Lord with my words and deeds. I am ready to start my day. I know the roads are wet, so I will give myself extra time. I am thankful to have another day to try to please you. I thank God for waking me up this morning. One more day. Thank You Lord. I look forward to the day when I see you again. God Bless You today. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone. I love you.
Proverbs 2:5-10
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.
Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops, then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your vats will brim over with new wine.
So I trust in the Lord. I praise the Lord with my words and deeds. I am ready to start my day. I know the roads are wet, so I will give myself extra time. I am thankful to have another day to try to please you. I thank God for waking me up this morning. One more day. Thank You Lord. I look forward to the day when I see you again. God Bless You today. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone. I love you.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
God Gets All of My Praises
I give all of my praise to God. I know that when the praises go up the blessings come down. God has the final say on my life. My breakthrough is coming. I feel closer to it. I will not be discouraged. I know that my future is in God's hand. Good night and God bless you. I love you.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Thank You
That was such a wonderful tour. It was so much to take in. I was just speechless. I wanted to look at everything. I could spend hours there just soaking in the rich history. You have African American culture, past and present. I love how your items bring the struggle alive. Actual documents, the black codes, the shackles, the bill of sale. The many pictures and signatures. You have to write a book. Just like that boy who was in my group who didn't know what you meant by the term black-face, there is so much rich history that needs to be told so that we dont forget. Never assume that people know, they just don't know. Walking us through your memories and collections allows us to remember that it was real, not just something you read about and forget. It makes me also know that you are real. You are multi-dimensional. Deep and inquisitive, yet very human. Thank you again for the tour. I will treasure the fact that you opened your home up to us, to me. I pray that you did not have a chance to regret doing that. I hope everything went well and you enjoyed it too. I hope it wasnt too exhausting. I was just in awe of all the wonderful antiques. I love antiques. I love history. Thank You, thank you, thank you.
Friday, February 19, 2010
God's Blessing
God requires me to have faith in all situations. No matter how hopeless they might seem. Faith without works is dead. But is faith only justified by works?
"The Apostle Paul makes this very point when he compares the relationship between the Mosaic covenant and the Abrahamic covenant in Galatians 3:17. He writes, "What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise." Romans 4:1-10 says "What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? "ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS." Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: "BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED. "BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT." Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, "FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS." How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised;" (NASV95)
This passage shows that the PROMISE that God makes is the basis for all hope for the Christian. A promise is only as good as the integrity and ability to carry out what is pledged, of the one making the promise. In this case it is God Himself Who made the promise to Abraham regarding his children. It was made to Abraham BEFORE he even practiced his end of the bargain i.e. circumcision because it was not contingent or conditioned upon Abraham's works but only on his faith in God's promise and ultimately in God's integrity!
"For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified; for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation. For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all" Romans 4:13-16" -Rev. Kevin S. Johnson
God's Promise is contingent upon my faith. I love the Lord and I promise to continue to seek his will in my life. I have to go to the hospital with my mom today. Its just a routine procedure but she cant go alone. My brother will be taking my dad for his appointment today too. We will all be out and about.
God Bless You today. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone. I love you.
"The Apostle Paul makes this very point when he compares the relationship between the Mosaic covenant and the Abrahamic covenant in Galatians 3:17. He writes, "What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise." Romans 4:1-10 says "What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? "ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS." Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: "BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED. "BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT." Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, "FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS." How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised;" (NASV95)
This passage shows that the PROMISE that God makes is the basis for all hope for the Christian. A promise is only as good as the integrity and ability to carry out what is pledged, of the one making the promise. In this case it is God Himself Who made the promise to Abraham regarding his children. It was made to Abraham BEFORE he even practiced his end of the bargain i.e. circumcision because it was not contingent or conditioned upon Abraham's works but only on his faith in God's promise and ultimately in God's integrity!
"For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified; for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation. For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all" Romans 4:13-16" -Rev. Kevin S. Johnson
God's Promise is contingent upon my faith. I love the Lord and I promise to continue to seek his will in my life. I have to go to the hospital with my mom today. Its just a routine procedure but she cant go alone. My brother will be taking my dad for his appointment today too. We will all be out and about.
God Bless You today. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone. I love you.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
More of Me
God wants more of me. More of me given freely and exclusively.
I want to give more of myself to God. I want to be excited and overjoyed about giving of myself. I want to connect with God and never let go. Never let go.
I want to dwell in His house forever and ever and ever. I want more of you. More of your time, more of your presence, more of your desire to want to be with me. I want to linger in your presence, I want more of you.
Over these next forty days I want to show my desire to give more of me. God doesn't care if I give up TV, chocolates or fast food. God does care if I have pulled away from him.
So my desire is to draw nearer. To spend more time with the Lord and His desire for me. To give back the morning time. To make my stay longer when I am with Him. To cherish every moment. To linger in His presence and know that this is a treasured time.
To not hit that snooze more than twice. That is going to be so hard right now. Winter is just like hibernation time for me. Its so cold and dark and cold. I'm going to put more of me into this. I am going to make it possible. March is almost here and the weather should break back into the 30's and 40's. I want to know that no matter what the day is like,I still have you in my life. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. All of my challenges and struggles are given over to the Lord. I can do nothing without God in front of me, leading and guiding me through it all.
God bless you today. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone. I love you.
I want to give more of myself to God. I want to be excited and overjoyed about giving of myself. I want to connect with God and never let go. Never let go.
I want to dwell in His house forever and ever and ever. I want more of you. More of your time, more of your presence, more of your desire to want to be with me. I want to linger in your presence, I want more of you.
Over these next forty days I want to show my desire to give more of me. God doesn't care if I give up TV, chocolates or fast food. God does care if I have pulled away from him.
So my desire is to draw nearer. To spend more time with the Lord and His desire for me. To give back the morning time. To make my stay longer when I am with Him. To cherish every moment. To linger in His presence and know that this is a treasured time.
To not hit that snooze more than twice. That is going to be so hard right now. Winter is just like hibernation time for me. Its so cold and dark and cold. I'm going to put more of me into this. I am going to make it possible. March is almost here and the weather should break back into the 30's and 40's. I want to know that no matter what the day is like,I still have you in my life. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. All of my challenges and struggles are given over to the Lord. I can do nothing without God in front of me, leading and guiding me through it all.
God bless you today. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone. I love you.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The Voice of The Lord
What are the ways that the Lord chooses to speak to us? Do we listen? Lord I thank you for all that you have doen in my life. If you never do another thing I am grateful for all that you have done. Lord I ask that you speak to me loud and clear. Make your presence know and your will know in my life. Thank You for coming into my life. I invite you into my life. I listen for your voice.
Psalm 29:3-5
The voice of the Lord is over the waters, the God of glory thunders,
the Lord thunders over the mighty waters
The voice of the Lord is powerful the voice of the Lord is majestic.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars, the Lord breaks tin pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
Let us hear your voice. Let your voice thunder over everything that is distracting in our lives and let us hear only your voice.
Thank You God. Glory to your name.
God bless you today. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone. I love you.
Psalm 29:3-5
The voice of the Lord is over the waters, the God of glory thunders,
the Lord thunders over the mighty waters
The voice of the Lord is powerful the voice of the Lord is majestic.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars, the Lord breaks tin pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
Let us hear your voice. Let your voice thunder over everything that is distracting in our lives and let us hear only your voice.
Thank You God. Glory to your name.
God bless you today. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone. I love you.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Unity and Harmony
Father God this continues to be one of the hardest things for me. I am at this position every day. I lift my heart up to you. I pray for your mercy and forgiveness.
Some days I can find the words to express my thoughts and feelings and some days I cannot. Everyday I am praying for the right words. Oh sure I can say anything, but anything just won't do. I want the right words. The words that inspire, encourage and uplift.
Father God I need the words to build unity and harmony in our world. I never want to come across as prideful, arrogant or snotty. Father God let my actions be the actions that you desire. Let me go where I must go. Do what must be done to please You.
Lord I give you authority over my life and I pray for the ability to hear your words in my life. Guide me and direct me on the narrow path. Stay close and never leave me. I am your servant and I am ready to serve you Lord.
In my readings this morning, Matthew 21: 1-27, I see that Jesus had a very triumphant return with lots of regalia. We love you Jesus, we worship you Hosanna. Jesus clears the temple of religious robbers and thieves and heals the blind. Jesus is busy being challenged by the authority of the day because the children are singing songs of praise to him. Jesus curses the fig tree and it immediately withers away. My faith continues to be the key to my success, If I have faith and do not doubt. Jesus' authority is challenged."By what authority are you doing these things and who gave you this authority?" Jesus is our Savior from Heaven and our King of Kings.
Jesus is King of King and Lord of Lord. Without Him we fail.
May God Bless You today. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone. I love you.
Some days I can find the words to express my thoughts and feelings and some days I cannot. Everyday I am praying for the right words. Oh sure I can say anything, but anything just won't do. I want the right words. The words that inspire, encourage and uplift.
Father God I need the words to build unity and harmony in our world. I never want to come across as prideful, arrogant or snotty. Father God let my actions be the actions that you desire. Let me go where I must go. Do what must be done to please You.
Lord I give you authority over my life and I pray for the ability to hear your words in my life. Guide me and direct me on the narrow path. Stay close and never leave me. I am your servant and I am ready to serve you Lord.
In my readings this morning, Matthew 21: 1-27, I see that Jesus had a very triumphant return with lots of regalia. We love you Jesus, we worship you Hosanna. Jesus clears the temple of religious robbers and thieves and heals the blind. Jesus is busy being challenged by the authority of the day because the children are singing songs of praise to him. Jesus curses the fig tree and it immediately withers away. My faith continues to be the key to my success, If I have faith and do not doubt. Jesus' authority is challenged."By what authority are you doing these things and who gave you this authority?" Jesus is our Savior from Heaven and our King of Kings.
Jesus is King of King and Lord of Lord. Without Him we fail.
May God Bless You today. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone. I love you.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
The Task
What task is God calling me to do that I have found difficult? What task am I continuing to be negligent and spiritually asleep? Why are the ways we betray Christ so easy to come upon us? We believe in our heart and mind that we are not the betrayer but nonetheless, we slip. With good intentions, we slip. We must learn to pray to allow God to help us keep our commitment to Him. Pray allows our will to bend to God's will. Prayer allows us the opportunity to hear God's word. I will prepare myself for today. I think this is going to be a difficult day. I look forward to our speaker today. What conquers all, gives you confidence to do anything, LOVE. Love is a powerful emotion. I thank God for his love and his wonderful provisions of forgiveness that he has given us through Christ Jesus. Love Never Fails. The true task is to love one another. That's the hard part. So I take my alabaster jar and pour it over you. I do not weaste my time or money when I spend them with you. I do not regret spending either of them for you. Be blessed today and be a blessing to someone. I love you.
" 'I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.'[a] 28But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee." 29Peter declared, "Even if all fall away, I will not."
30"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice[b] you yourself will disown me three times."
31But Peter insisted emphatically, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the others said the same.
37Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
39Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. 40When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
41Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"
Mark 14:27-42 (New International Version)
Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial
27"You will all fall away," Jesus told them, "for it is written:" 'I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.'[a] 28But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee." 29Peter declared, "Even if all fall away, I will not."
30"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice[b] you yourself will disown me three times."
31But Peter insisted emphatically, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the others said the same.
Gethsemane
32They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." 33He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34"My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch." 35Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36"Abba,[c] Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."37Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
39Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. 40When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
41Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"
Friday, February 12, 2010
1 John 4:1-18
Love, its all about love.
4-6My dear children, you come from God and belong to God. You have already won a big victory over those false teachers, for the Spirit in you is far stronger than anything in the world. These people belong to the Christ-denying world. They talk the world's language and the world eats it up. But we come from God and belong to God. Anyone who knows God understands us and listens. The person who has nothing to do with God will, of course, not listen to us. This is another test for telling the Spirit of Truth from the spirit of deception.
13-16This is how we know we're living steadily and deeply in him, and he in us: He's given us life from his life, from his very own Spirit. Also, we've seen for ourselves and continue to state openly that the Father sent his Son as Savior of the world. Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God's Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. We know it so well, we've embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God.
1 John 4:1-18 (The Message)
1 John 4
Don't Believe Everything You Hear
1 My dear friends, don't believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God. There are a lot of lying preachers loose in the world. 2-3Here's how you test for the genuine Spirit of God. Everyone who confesses openly his faith in Jesus Christ—the Son of God, who came as an actual flesh-and-blood person—comes from God and belongs to God. And everyone who refuses to confess faith in Jesus has nothing in common with God. This is the spirit of antichrist that you heard was coming. Well, here it is, sooner than we thought!4-6My dear children, you come from God and belong to God. You have already won a big victory over those false teachers, for the Spirit in you is far stronger than anything in the world. These people belong to the Christ-denying world. They talk the world's language and the world eats it up. But we come from God and belong to God. Anyone who knows God understands us and listens. The person who has nothing to do with God will, of course, not listen to us. This is another test for telling the Spirit of Truth from the spirit of deception.
God Is Love
7-10My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn't know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can't know him if you don't love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God. 11-12My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love!13-16This is how we know we're living steadily and deeply in him, and he in us: He's given us life from his life, from his very own Spirit. Also, we've seen for ourselves and continue to state openly that the Father sent his Son as Savior of the world. Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God's Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. We know it so well, we've embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God.
To Love, to Be Loved
17-18God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we're free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ's. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.Thursday, February 11, 2010
Good Morning
Psalm 119:81-83
81 I am worn out waiting for your rescue,
but I have put my hope in your word.
82 My eyes are straining to see your promises come true.
When will you comfort me?
83 I am shriveled like a wineskin in the smoke,
but I have not forgotten to obey your decrees.
Father God I am amazed at the dilligence that must happen.Daily, constant, never ending faith. I read this passage about pool maintenance and some things became clearer to me. This family had purchased a small home with a pool. They thought the pool was a nice gift, instead the daily maintenance was astounding. If a schedule was not maintained and followed daily, algae would begin to grow. It was there all the time but without daily chemicals and scrubbing, it would overtake the pool. So sudden this gift becomes a major responsibility. The family goes on vacation for a week and forgets to dump a heavy dose of chemicals in the pool and, so they return to a lot of gunk. Because of their initial neglect, algae or sin, is able to multiply and multiply and multiply. What a mess. Without daily devotion to God, without daily reading and meditating of the word, I allow gunk to get in. Gunk just waits, just like the algae in the pool. Its always there, its never going to go away. There is never a moment where I get to say finished, I dont have to do this anymore. So in order to enjoy my gift I have to maintain it daily. I dont forget that there is joy in my promise and that my heart, mind and soul need daily cleaning to maintain the right levels of worship and devotion. Sunday and Tuesdays are not enough. So when I wake in the morning, I know that without a doubt, I'm cleaning my pool. A place of enjoyment. I have the tools to clean it and if done daily, I will have a wonderful place to swim.
When I feel God's promise far off in my life I must ask God to stay near. I must cling to his promises' no matter what happens. God is God and that's all that matters. My time is not His time. My ways are not His ways. As verse 81 says, I am worn out waiting for your rescue but I put my hope in your word. I dont give up. Never, ever, ever. I know that God's word is true. I put a heavy dose of chemicals in the pool, kill the algae and scrub the gunk. Its a process and the time it takes to clean up a gunky pool is not immediate. The time it takes to clean up my messy devotional time is not easy either. I have to stop hitting that snooze button in the morning, even when I hit it, I dont go back to sleep, most times. I cant rely on just listening to cds in the car. I must take the quiet, individual time, early in the morning and recognize that this is the best time for me. Seek Him early, when He may be found.
Its time to get ready now. I'm running late and I know it, but this was important. Be blessed today and be a blessing to someone. God Bless You, I love you.
81 I am worn out waiting for your rescue,
but I have put my hope in your word.
82 My eyes are straining to see your promises come true.
When will you comfort me?
83 I am shriveled like a wineskin in the smoke,
but I have not forgotten to obey your decrees.
Father God I am amazed at the dilligence that must happen.Daily, constant, never ending faith. I read this passage about pool maintenance and some things became clearer to me. This family had purchased a small home with a pool. They thought the pool was a nice gift, instead the daily maintenance was astounding. If a schedule was not maintained and followed daily, algae would begin to grow. It was there all the time but without daily chemicals and scrubbing, it would overtake the pool. So sudden this gift becomes a major responsibility. The family goes on vacation for a week and forgets to dump a heavy dose of chemicals in the pool and, so they return to a lot of gunk. Because of their initial neglect, algae or sin, is able to multiply and multiply and multiply. What a mess. Without daily devotion to God, without daily reading and meditating of the word, I allow gunk to get in. Gunk just waits, just like the algae in the pool. Its always there, its never going to go away. There is never a moment where I get to say finished, I dont have to do this anymore. So in order to enjoy my gift I have to maintain it daily. I dont forget that there is joy in my promise and that my heart, mind and soul need daily cleaning to maintain the right levels of worship and devotion. Sunday and Tuesdays are not enough. So when I wake in the morning, I know that without a doubt, I'm cleaning my pool. A place of enjoyment. I have the tools to clean it and if done daily, I will have a wonderful place to swim.
When I feel God's promise far off in my life I must ask God to stay near. I must cling to his promises' no matter what happens. God is God and that's all that matters. My time is not His time. My ways are not His ways. As verse 81 says, I am worn out waiting for your rescue but I put my hope in your word. I dont give up. Never, ever, ever. I know that God's word is true. I put a heavy dose of chemicals in the pool, kill the algae and scrub the gunk. Its a process and the time it takes to clean up a gunky pool is not immediate. The time it takes to clean up my messy devotional time is not easy either. I have to stop hitting that snooze button in the morning, even when I hit it, I dont go back to sleep, most times. I cant rely on just listening to cds in the car. I must take the quiet, individual time, early in the morning and recognize that this is the best time for me. Seek Him early, when He may be found.
Its time to get ready now. I'm running late and I know it, but this was important. Be blessed today and be a blessing to someone. God Bless You, I love you.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Renew My Fellowship
I know Lord that your ways are higher than mine. I know that God is in control of everything in the universe including my life. I pray that I continue to realize that God knows the secrecy of my heart. The intimate details of my life and my heart's desire. The difficulty and struggles that I face are know to God. I ask God to show me wisdom in my decisions. I take pleasure in being able to spread God's word. I truly love to praise His name. We must obey God rather than man. I will get out in this weather today. I am going to go in. I dont look forward to two hours in traffic but I know that it will get better closer into the city. I will travel slow and steady. I must get ready to leave now. Its not going to get any better and I have to do this. Be blessed today and be a blessing to someone. I love you.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
The Waiting Room
Father God in the Name of Jesus I thank you for giving me life. For giving me the opportunity to be born in this world, at this time, in this place. I would like to think that if I am in this waiting period that it is for a purpose and reason greater than me.
I pray that I will not wait in vain. I believe in God's Promise in my life. I'm still here and I will not believe that God has taken me this far and left me. I have to believe there is more to this than meets the eye. I know that this job is not my final resting place. If it is, then I have disappointed God and myself. This kind of work is not for the faint of heart.
I believe I am being prepared for tough times. Who in their right mind would stay in such an abusive situation. The reality is the children are disrespectful,disinterested in learning and the fact that I have to compete with the world to get their attention is ridiculous. So I believe that I am making a difference in their lives, even if its only one person.
I have to believe that my time and effort is worth something. I have to believe that I am making a difference. If I dont then I become desensitized to the environment and they become a factory. No faces or names, just bodies taking up space in my classroom for a period of time. I pray that when we are at the next level that we are ready.
But I know one thing, ready or not a change is coming. God Bless You tonight. I would never want you to think that I dont want to make contact with you daily. You have my heart and I love the thought of that. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone special. I love you.
I'm sorry that the words seem empty and contradictory to you. I believe I am sincere, but as I am always saying, "You can show me better than you can tell me" I too, must show you better than I can tell you. Prove it. Where's the evidence. Back up your words with actions. Thank You Lord for giving me a chance to prove myself worthy. I am humbled at the opportunity. I am in the waiting room.
I pray that I will not wait in vain. I believe in God's Promise in my life. I'm still here and I will not believe that God has taken me this far and left me. I have to believe there is more to this than meets the eye. I know that this job is not my final resting place. If it is, then I have disappointed God and myself. This kind of work is not for the faint of heart.
I believe I am being prepared for tough times. Who in their right mind would stay in such an abusive situation. The reality is the children are disrespectful,disinterested in learning and the fact that I have to compete with the world to get their attention is ridiculous. So I believe that I am making a difference in their lives, even if its only one person.
I have to believe that my time and effort is worth something. I have to believe that I am making a difference. If I dont then I become desensitized to the environment and they become a factory. No faces or names, just bodies taking up space in my classroom for a period of time. I pray that when we are at the next level that we are ready.
But I know one thing, ready or not a change is coming. God Bless You tonight. I would never want you to think that I dont want to make contact with you daily. You have my heart and I love the thought of that. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone special. I love you.
I'm sorry that the words seem empty and contradictory to you. I believe I am sincere, but as I am always saying, "You can show me better than you can tell me" I too, must show you better than I can tell you. Prove it. Where's the evidence. Back up your words with actions. Thank You Lord for giving me a chance to prove myself worthy. I am humbled at the opportunity. I am in the waiting room.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Thank You
Father God I thank you for today. Thank you for waking me up this morning. Thank you for allowing me to have a job to go to. One that is capable of helping me somehow manage my bills. Thank you Father God. I will not complain nor will I be sarcastic about the situation. I am blessed and I love the fact that I have an opportunity to touch other people/s lives in a positive way. So I will get ready to leave now and go with a smile on my face and joy in my heart.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
I'm Not Satisfied
Father God I ask you to prepare me for my challenges. Prepare me for my future. Prepare me for my purpose. I dont want to move without knowing that God is in this.
I dont need to understand and analyze. Just know that this is God and thats all the information I need. Father God I ask that your will be done in my life.
Father God I ask for discernment as I face conflict in my spiritual life and in my professional life. Lord, As I am challenged in every area. Father God I submit to you to transform my heart, mind and soul to the way you want them to be.
I know that the weapons of my war are spiritual and I pray for the pulling down of strongholds in my life. I speak to the things that have me bound. The deep rooted things that are generational and seem to be ingrained.
I know the One who I have placed my confidence in is able to do all things. I know that I will worship Him whether I receive my breakthrough or not. I place my confidence in God, the Father Almighty, creator of Heaven and Earth.
I love the Lord. I am not satisfied with the way things are right now. I do not wake feeling that everything is alright and this is as good as its going to get.
I desire and earnestly seek God's righteousness.I come before you God expressing my desires. You know what I desire. We have spoken on this many times and I have not changed my desire. I'm not satisfied. This is not normal and I am not going to be satisfied until there is a change. Something new. I am placing it before you. I petition that your will be done in my life. I will continue to work for you, trusting you and relying only on you Lord.
God Bless You today. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone. I love you.
I dont need to understand and analyze. Just know that this is God and thats all the information I need. Father God I ask that your will be done in my life.
Father God I ask for discernment as I face conflict in my spiritual life and in my professional life. Lord, As I am challenged in every area. Father God I submit to you to transform my heart, mind and soul to the way you want them to be.
I know that the weapons of my war are spiritual and I pray for the pulling down of strongholds in my life. I speak to the things that have me bound. The deep rooted things that are generational and seem to be ingrained.
I know the One who I have placed my confidence in is able to do all things. I know that I will worship Him whether I receive my breakthrough or not. I place my confidence in God, the Father Almighty, creator of Heaven and Earth.
I love the Lord. I am not satisfied with the way things are right now. I do not wake feeling that everything is alright and this is as good as its going to get.
I desire and earnestly seek God's righteousness.I come before you God expressing my desires. You know what I desire. We have spoken on this many times and I have not changed my desire. I'm not satisfied. This is not normal and I am not going to be satisfied until there is a change. Something new. I am placing it before you. I petition that your will be done in my life. I will continue to work for you, trusting you and relying only on you Lord.
God Bless You today. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone. I love you.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
What a Wild Day
When the month changes, the behavior changes.It was like a full moon with all the wild animals out and on the rampage. The children were just wild. Its like they all want to fight. Its the girls mostly. A fight in the lunchroom. Verbally calling each other names, physically ripping each others hair out. Its disgusting. I started a new novel today, Fire from the Rock by Sharon Draper (she's a popular author for young adults). This story is about the Little Rock Nine and what it was like during that time. While its a fiction piece based on an actual event, the story is intriguing and their is lots of imagery. They really liked the beginning. I look forward to reading this book really quickly. I have finally found a novel that most of them like. Our students are working on making inferences because data tells us that they have difficulty drawing reliable and relevant conclusions from the text. So in our push for ISAT preparation we are studying inferences over and over and over again. Making Inferences is the hardest thing to do. Of course we have Saturday school this weekend also. So I came home early today.No staying late for me. I didnt stay late because I wanted to make sure that I voted. Even if the candidates were weak and the turnout was even weaker. What's your week been like so far? I know you are extremely busy. What's on your mind right now? I'm going to end now and stay positive and hopeful. Be Blessed Tonight. May God Bless You and Keep you tonight and always. I hope that your mind is rested and your body rejuvenated. I love you.
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