Saturday, November 29, 2014

Is This A Tare or Wheat?

Matthew 13:24-30 is a parable talking about the tare and the wheat.  For many years I’ve read this passage and kept it moving, but verse 30 has caught my attention:  Let both grow together until the harvest….
It made me reflect on “church hurt”.  Instead of seeing it as how this brother or sister can hurt my heart so, I now view it from a different level.   I now say to myself is this saint or a tare?  In reviewing The Handbook of Bible Applications, the characteristics of believers are:
1.      Imitate Christ’s merciful, forgiving attitude
2.      Let love guide their life
3.      Let peace of Christ rule in your heart
4.      Always be thankful
5.      Keep God’s word in you at all times
6.      Live as Christ representative

These characteristics are even to be viewed within our churches.  How do we treat one another?  How do we treat outsiders?  A true saint will not lead someone to go contrary to God’s word.  A true saint won’t let someone feel bad if God is taking them from carnality to spiritual mind set.  A true saint will not cause division or strife.  A true saint will not be so controlling.  These are not fruits of God’s kingdom.  So what are they….a tare.  When you think about it, what better place for tare to be then in church?

Matthew 7:6
Ye shall know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles?

“Church hurt”, let’s look at this from a different point of view.  If a person in church shows you fruit that is contrary to God’s kingdom, then note he or she is a tare and pray for their deliverance. Unfortunately, not everyone saying Lord, Lord in church is of God.  I have decided moving forward there is no such thing as “church hurt”, for those of the church don’t do such things due to the love of God within us.   Instead call it for what it is, “tares”…pray and keep your mind stayed on the one that can keep you in perfect peace.  

Stay encouraged!



Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Had I Known...


Someone tells you, particularly women, there was a fifty percent off sale at your favorite department store and you missed it…had I known.

Men, your friend had an opportunity to go to the game but he can only place the tickets for a particular day and you don’t have the money for it…had I known.

You didn't take heed to a warning in reference to a relationship seriously and it ended up hardening your heart...had I known.

Three simple words with such a profound thought behind them.

As Christians, we are enjoying the blessing of God’s kingdom so much that we have become a bit selfish.  We have forgotten our main purpose, to share the gospel!  Have we been hearing about Christ coming back for so long that we ourselves have become numb? Selah

Imagine the same three words:
I would have listened when the preaching was available had I known.
I would have repented and gave my heart to Christ had I known.

A deep thought is "had I known" can be too late.

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

Romans 10:9
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Some say only God can judge me.  Ok, then what?

Matthew 24:36
But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
The truth is Jesus will come back!   Those three words will be too late.  Give your heart to Him; it will change your life!  Not just for this life, but also for eternity.


Tuesday, September 23, 2014

What Are We Producing?

Every wise woman builds her house: but the foolish plucks (destroys) it down with her hands.
Proverbs 14:1

The foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knows nothing.
Proverbs 9:13

Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.
Proverbs 31:10

Here’s a simple question for us women, particularly wives…what are we producing? Selah

When our husbands come home, what do they see us producing?  Do they come home to peace? Do they come home to respect? Do they come home to order? OR do they come home to confusion?  Do they come home to chaos? Do they come home to a nagger?  Do they come to home to a sexless relationship?

What fruits are we showing?  Are we showing love?  Are we showing peace?  Are we showing patience?  Are we showing strength? OR are we showing anger?  Are we showing depression? Are we showing discouragement?  Are we showing bitterness?  ….by their fruit ye shall know them.

A virtuous woman:  serves God with all her heart, she respects her husband, she teaches her children, she cares for her body, she serves her husband/family/friends, she wise with money, she creates an inviting atmosphere, she time manages, and she has inner beauty that only comes from Christ (http://avirtuouswoman.org/10-virtues-of-the-proverbs-31-woman/).  Whewww…no wonder we can be better than rubies.

Women, we have the power in the home.  Let’s remember that.  We were created to be helpmeets.  Not tearing our men down or overruling them.  We also are to remember we have Christ to represent.  Should we be a stumbling block, yes even to our husbands?  No.  Let’s remember we are in the world, but we are NOT of the world.  Let’s strive to produce good fruit, even in our homes starting with our husbands. Let’s face it; our men need us to be that virtuous woman.  Amen!



Saturday, August 16, 2014

No Justice Just Pray

While having a conversation with my mom in regards to the current events going on with Ferguson and the Mike Brown case, I was telling her how I was asking the Lord earlier in prayer how to go about praying for this; as we all know prayer can change anything!  He revealed to her the following scripture:


Nehemiah 4:4-5

 Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads, and give them as plunder to a land of captivity! Do not cover their iniquity, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before you; for they have provoked you to anger before the builders.

Let’s face it, African Americans are being despised.  This is an attack on our men!  How many African American mothers we have watched bury their young sons?  How many times do we have to give our sons the same speech if ever approached by the police?  Our lives ARE worth more than animals, yet this young man was treated worse than an animal.

Emotions of anger, vexation, sadness, frustration, and discouragement all come to mind in regards to this situation and the other young African American men that has died unarmed by the hands of the very ones that are suppose to serve and protect.  To be fair, a cop’s job is not easy.  They have to be concerned for their lives as well.  We can also keep in mind that not all of them are bad cops.  However, it appears that the bad cops outweigh the good cops when it comes to our men.  As the saying goes “there’s no justice, just us”.

Yet I am reminded of the scripture that says the eyes of the Lord are everywhere, beholding the good and the evil.  The weapons of our warfare are NOT carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.  Yes I agree with peaceful marches and African Americans all over uniting for justice.  I also know that when the saints pray, change can come!  God can make ways better than men.  I know this for a fact within my own personal life.

So I am requesting for all prayer warriors to stand on this scripture with me and my family in regards to Ferguson and the Mike Brown/Eric Gardner cases asking the Lord to send His angels for justice to be served in Jesus name.



Saturday, July 12, 2014

There's Freedom in My Long Skirts



They say it doesn't matter.  God looks at the heart, not our outward appearance.  So I have a question for the ladies that have been born again for a year and over, with the two above pictures, which one do you think our men in the church would be able to focus on God more?  Selah

As women we have the power to seduce.  We seduce by what a man's eye can see.  Don’t get me wrong; when it’s husband and wife time, I encourage you to look like the bottom picture.  However, when it’s God time, you should be dressed accordingly.  Our men are men of God, but they are yet men!  How can our brothers get in the spirit if they are having their eyes on you?   You get to praising the Lord and everyone can see your glory.  How is that holy?  We always talk about the old time way and how strict there were.  Yet by now we should see that it was for decency and order, not bondage. Just like we have separation of church and state, let there be a separation between the sexy and the holy way of dressing.


There’s freedom in my long skirt! 

Monday, May 26, 2014

A Dirty Word-Correction

When we are newborns, our mothers feed us milk. Eventually we graduate from bottle to cup.  Then we graduate from milk to food.  The graduation process continues until one day, we have to leave the comforts of home and stand on our own.  In the process, there are plenty of times of correction.  Its start off with No, you can’t do that.  Then it proceeds to a time out.  Then it proceeds to that good old fashion spanking.  Then it proceeds to being grounded.  Why parents do all of this in our journey of growing up?  In those times of correction, it is for our own good.  In the long run it makes up a better woman or a better man for it.  You look back as an adult and appreciate it, as parents was only trying to keep you out of harm’s way and help you mature into a responsible young adults for society to prosper from.  What do some of us notice with kids and never received a form a discipline and get whatever they want?  They notice they become adult spoiled brats.  Having an attitude of  you are suppose to do this for them and now life having to show them it’s not all about them!

That same journey is in our relationship with God….

Titus 2:1-8
1But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: 2That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
3The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becomes holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
6Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. 7In all things showing you a pattern of good works: in doctrine showing incorruptness, gravity, sincerity, 8Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

Psalm 94:12
Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teaches him out of thy law;

Hebrews 12:6
For whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives.

Proverbs 22:15
Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Hmmmm… there is more than one scripture about correction or discipline.   See as we mature in God, there will be time of correction.  No ones like correction.  We all like the blessing, but when God says you acting too selfish, we freeze.  Children of God, how do you expect to grow to maturity without correction?  Even in the natural is has its place.  So when you've been coming to church for a while and the mother says “baby, let’s put that hem lower for we don’t want to excite the men in here”; that is not bullying, that is not judgment, that is correction.  And yes women, the older women are to teach us young women.  We may not like it all the time but God has them there for us to grow up!

I be the first one to admit when I was younger I use to take such correction as “they are old and done lived their life.  Now they want to ruin my fun”.  Now that I’m older, no…that is not what they were doing.  They were helping me mature in my walk with God.  When you come to church with your dress so tight, I can see your glory; my mind is not on the Lord so our men’s mind is definitely not.  Come as you are is for those just coming to God, not those sitting in church for over a year!  Let’s keep it real. 

I have experienced God correct me right through the pastor several times.  One example is I was having a personal conversation with my mom stating how I would get a breast augmentation...yes…hot mess.  We went to church service that night and the speaker busted out saying do you not like how God made you.  What is this talk about some plastic surgery.  My eyes popped out…but the scripture He will beautify the meek with salvation came to mind.   Saints, sometimes God will correct us.  He will use the pastor, the church mothers, another saint, or just plain show you Himself.  This is also part of God’s love.  It’s not all I will bless you with this or that, it's also will I will correct you. Read the word, God blesses with correction.  Let’s thank God for His correction, as he loves us.  No, it doesn't feel good but crucifying the flesh never feels good.  Marinate!




Saturday, May 24, 2014

What Will You Choose?

Ever look at how women walk?  Some walk with their heads held down, some walk in a spirit of defeat, and some walk with confidence.  You can always get a sense of how a woman perceives herself all within her walk.

The same lies true with our walk with God! Some of us walk as defeated foes for the devil to continue to devour, some walk knowing the word but doubting, and some walk in the confidence of their faith.  They know the God they serve.  You can always tell a child of God walk simple by their speech.


So what choice will you make in your walk with God?  Will you walk in doubt as Thomas once did?  Will you be mixed like Peter once did?  Or will you be like John and stand on God’s word no matter what?  The choice is simply up to you.  Choose wisely, as your journey depends on it.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

The Lessons In The Little Things....

Consider the lilies how they grow:  they toil not, they spin not, and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more will e clothe you, O ye of little faith?  Luke 12:27-28.

How many of us see this Word and say glory to God, but keeps it moving?  How many of us battle with the spirit of worry? 

Let’s face it, we can all turn on the news right now and before it’s over, we can find something to worry about.  We can worry about the kids and schools.  We can worry about walking down a street and getting robbed or murdered.  We can worry about our health.  We can worry about the economy.  Oh, it’s easy to worry.  Yet, is that walking in faith as a child of God or walking as a child of darkness? Do we really know that we are part of the Kingdom of God or just say it in church on Sunday?

The Lord reminded me of something.  See I just left the dentist (a professional I’m thankful for but hateJ), so I decided to go to the store to help relieve the hour I had to wait before eating again.  I saw this purse that was so cute.  Yet it didn’t have a price tag on it, it didn’t have the bar code needed, and it was the only one left in this store.  I contacted an employee and tried so hard to get the purse, but decided to let it go.  Besides it’s only a purse.

Being bum out by it, I decided to go next door to the shoe store just to look at some shoes since I couldn’t get the purse.  I come down the escalator and there it was the same purse I wanted from the previous store.  No problem with price tag, same design, and same color.  When I saw it, I felt myself leaping for joy and praising God in my car for this purse. Now, I know this is just a purse right. 

The lesson I got from that day was if God granted my desire of my heart with a purse, a desire, not a need; how much more He will grant my needs.  See I never said I prayed to find the purse somewhere else.  It was just given to me that way.  So the same God that granted my desire is the same God that can grant my needs.

The eyes of the Lord are every place, beholding the evil and the good.  Proverbs 15:3

God sees even when we feel like He doesn’t see!  He sees we need money.  He sees we need our health.  He sees we need our jobs.  He sees we need safe peaceful dwelling places.  He sees!  He knows!  Yet here’s the kicker…He cares!

So I encourage the saints to take authority that they have in Christ and tell the spirit of worry to depart from you in Jesus name!  We are part of God’s kingdom, not the kingdom of this world!  We have goodly heritage in Him!

The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea I have a goodly heritage. Psalm 16:6

Remember saints, nothing is too hard for the God we serve!



Thursday, March 13, 2014

Time To Graduate...

When you are a baby, your mother feeds you, bathes you, and protects you.  By the age of four, the road to letting you go beings as you head off to Pre-K.  As time goes on, she is letting you go more and more.  By eighteen, she has to trust what she has raised, as you begin your journey of becoming grown.  It’s not an easy process for her, but a process nonetheless.

Think about our walk with God.  We start off as babies needing to be fed and protected.  Then little by little we roll, crawl, and eventually walk.  We can get off the milk and enjoy the meat from our Father table.  Yet in our spiritual walk, it is up to us to grow!  He told us to work out our own salvation in Philippians 2:12.

My question for the saints is when are we going to graduate? 

The prosperity gospel alone is not working.  Yes, I said it.  It causes us as a body to say in a carnal minded state.  The carnal mind will make us lust after our flesh, not after our spirit.  We stay debating on the “it don’t take all that” topics:  how women should dress, this new method to reach souls, or on tithes.  Let’s face it, if we are REALLY seeking the things of God, He will let us know the answers to the topics anyhow.  Why are we wasting so much of our Sunday morning services to either debates or flesh?  Have we become the children of the give mes?  Do we view God as a genie? Are we seeking God for “blessings” or are we seeking God from our hearts?  Romans 8:7 states a carnal mind is enmity against God.  John 4:24 tells us how they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth!   The results of the flesh are: no power being demonstrated in our local services, no spiritual growth being warranted, and no souls coming to the altar to be saved like they use to.  I’m not stating this is happening to all churches, I can only speak for the African American churches here in NY.  It just makes me wonder is everybody satisfied with the state our churches are currently in?

Saints, we need to graduate.  There is so much more to God in the spirit realm that it can be mind blowing. We need to realize who we really are in God!  It’s time to either fully eat from the table or get off.  Yes I said it.  There are souls out there that have been discouraged by the church because the church is in a carnal state.  We don’t want to no longer come out and be separate.  We want to blend in.  The world doesn't respect that.  I don’t even respect that.   People need to see the difference again.  People need to experience deliverance, freedoms, healing, and spiritual growth!  We are at war saints.  If we don’t know who we really are in God, we are defeated.  Yes I said it.  It’s the anointing that destroys yokes, not carnality.  Time for us to get pass this prosperity phase and graduate.  Yes, this is a tight but its right reminder to me and to my brothers and sisters in Christ.  It’s time to graduate!