Month: August 2017

Peace and power,

You know what I’m talking about right.. the peace of your salvation and the power of the Lord working hand in hand..! Yeah that’s what I’m talking about.

The shunamite woman in 2nd Kings is Peace and Power. Her story was just a few chapters and verses in the book of 2nd Kings but her faith is an example to me.

The cliff notes, there was a prophet who used to come to town regularly so the woman and her husband made a room for him in their house, being kind. That’s the first thing, he didn’t ask them to provide for him, they saw his need and they listened to the God in them and provided something he needed. He didn’t have to beg, plead or shed blood, they offered. That represents true kindness and being the hands of God.

The prophet was so thankful he offered to do something wonderful for them. He knew they had no children so he told them they would have a child next year. I love her response.. “Elisha said, “About this time next spring, you will be holding your own baby boy in your arms.” The woman said, “No, sir! Man of God, don’t lie to me!””

‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭4:16‬ ‭ERV‬‬

http://bible.com/406/2ki.4.16.erv

See this was the desire of her heart ❤️. She wanted him to be sure because if he promised it and she didn’t get it, well you know how that goes. She could have become bitter and turn from God if he was not being truthful , but that’s not her story, nope she gets the child of her desire and life is good.

One day as the boy played in the fields he became ill, the father said “Take him to his mother”. Now my mind is all over the place with this statement, first I was thinking 🤔 you’re his dad, can’t you handle it? Then I thought, ok you are busy in the field and there is nothing like Mama When you don’t feel good. Ok ok that’s me thinking but he gets to his mama and dies. Lord! 🤦🏽‍♀️

Mama is no regular Mama right? So she lays the boy on the prophets bed in her house. Remember the boy was a reward for her faithfulness to Gods prophet. She then tells the servants to get the donkey ready and she heads out to see the man of God! Her husband wants to know why?

“And he said, “Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath.” She said, “All is well.””

‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭4:23‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/2ki.4.23.esv

All is well? What do you mean, our son is laying dead in that room and you leaving talking about ALL IS WELL! I’m sure he was thinking “where do they do this at?”

As she approaches the prophet he sends people out to greet her.

“Run at once to meet her and say to her, ‘Is all well with you? Is all well with your husband? Is all well with the child?'” And she answered, “All is well.””

‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭4:26‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/2ki.4.26.esv

ALL IS WELL.. I bet you’re thinking she is crazy.. butthat’s what Peace and Power looks like.

I’m going off script here, I’m using my very creative imagination to try and imagine what the people had to be thinking as they saw her. Her child was dead and she was getting on a donkey talking about going to search for the prophet. What can he do right? The kid is dead! They probably felt sorry for her and thought she was losing it. But their opinions did not stop her. She got on that donkey and went to find the man of God.

“Then she said, “Did I ask my lord for a son? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me?'””

‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭4:28‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/2ki.4.28.esv

She made a demand on the word of God, yes she did, she reminded the Prophet of their earlier conversation. Peace and Power! The prophet went home with her and made it right, and the son was restored to life.

Peace and Power.. when tragedy struck her house she did not weep and cry and fall apart. She grabbed the peace of her salvation and met her situation head on. She used the Power of God to speak to the situation and make it right. It’s like she knew if she could get to God that he would make it alright. She knew the situation appeared dead to everyone else but not to her. She did not care what others thought as long as she could get to God! Hallelujah a praise goes there. Peace and Power!

ALL IS WELL

“My brothers and sisters, God chose you to be free. But don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do what pleases your sinful selves. Instead, serve each other with love.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:13‬ ‭ERV‬‬

http://bible.com/406/gal.5.13.erv

“Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven’t stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you’ll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1:9-12‬ ‭MSG‬‬

http://bible.com/97/col.1.9-12.msg

“So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective.

Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life—even though invisible to spectators—is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you’ll show up, too—the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3:1-4‬ ‭MSG‬‬

http://bible.com/97/col.3.1-4.msg

Just God’s word today!

Church people, people who go to church but ain’t right. Yes, that is me.
I always hated church people, and I use the term hate loosely, I didn’t like them at all. I always felt church people were self righteous, judgemental and often times hateful. Church people talked about people like they were perfect. Church people loved looking down their nose at someone less fortunate.
Yes, I said all those things and some I can’t remember and I was not wrong. Nope, I was right the whole time and I still find myself sitting and worshipping right along side the Church People.
I bet you are asking, how could she let that happen? You would be right to ask that too, I often ask myself the same thing. Here is what happened.
One day as my life was falling to pieces; my marriage was in shambles, my child was acting a plumb fool, my mother, who was cross addicted to pain pills, alcohol, crack and many other things, health began to fail while she was living with me. One of my siblings was giving me the blues and I didn’t know if I was coming or going. At this period in my life I was invited to church. I said, uh huh, no way, I can’t stand Church people and this is not the time. Well I went anyway and guess what? Nothing happened at first but good music, kind people and a word that made me think about my situation. Well I went back again and again and it became a habit, but a good one. I started going to bible study and really listening to what the man of God had to say about me and what I needed to do. He rarely addressed the Church people and sometimes I would think he was tripping, they needed to know about themselves right? Wrong, I was there to learn about me, not them. I was prepared to be angry, mad and frustrated at the Church People but God kept me.
As the weeks went on I figured out that my relationship with God had nothing to do with the people around me and everything to do with what I wanted. God began to force me to deal with my issues, to see where I could learn and grow as a person. He began to heal the dark and ugly places in me, he began to shift my perceptions. My love for God caused me to be more open, more forgiving and more accepting of others. This did not happen over night nor over a year or two, it has been a twenty year journey. Yes, 20 years of church from a girl who refuses to go in a church for years.
I think the biggest thing I had to learn was that every single person that enters the sanctuary has admitted they have a problem and are there trying to find answers, solutions and healing. Those people have made a conscious decision to do better. They may not get it right, they may still have a million things that God needs to heal in them before he can begin to heal the gossiping and backbiting but trust me, if they keep showing up, they will be changed too.
“Try to be a little of this and a little of that. Even God’s followers will do some good things and some bad things.”
‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭7:18‬ ‭ERV‬‬
http://bible.com/406/ecc.7.18.erv

I challenge you, don’t let people keep you from church. I know you don’t have to go to church to love God or have a relationship with him, but it sure helps. I am sure there is someone there who encourages you, loves on you who helps you when times get rough.

“We must not quit meeting together, as some are doing. No, we need to keep on encouraging each other. This becomes more and more important as you see the Day getting closer.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:25‬ ‭ERV‬‬
http://bible.com/406/heb.10.25.erv

I encourage you to live free, free yourself from what others think of you, think of your situation or whatever. Free yourself from the same thing you are mad at others about. Let it go.. live your life as you see fit and give the people something to talk about. It will free them from talking about somebody else.