All things work together for good, for them that love the Lord!!

     Mishaps, trials and tribulations seem to be a natural and consistent part of life.  Things.... just happen in life.  Sometimes we suffer the consequences of the things that we have done.  Sometimes the devil, who is our enemy sets traps for us to fall into.  The good news is that whatever the reason for our trial, God causes "All things to work together for the good of those who love Him and who are called according to His good purpose".
     Sometimes when we are at the beginning of a trial we can't see how it might actually be beneficial to us one day.  All we see is the pain, inconvenience, trouble, and source of loss.  It isn't until later when we see that if we hadn't gone through the fire, we wouldn't have the strength and fortitude to move forward under any circumstance; always keeping before us the knowledge that we are victorious.  ("We always triumph in Christ")
     The trials are actually good at teaching us faith.  How could kidnapped Africans have ever known what would be in store for them in the new America?  Nothing but faith could have sustained them through the torture, and death that they endured.  The darkness was great.  Oh, how much greater was the light that shone through and shamed a nation into freeing slaves, and standing up to its own words  that "all men are created equal".  The country was changed, the laws gradually changed,  African Americans forged ahead making stride after stride against a seemingly unmovable force.  Today we have a president who is representative of all of us.  His family is truly multi-cultural.  He is African American.  Only God could have changed the hearts of man, and therefore the greatest country in the world.  The sacrifice was great and so was the reward.
"Sing a song, full of the faith that the dark past has taught us, sing a song, full of the hope that the present has brought us!" (verse from "Lift Every Voice and Sing" written by James Weldon Johnson).
      A country founded on the principles of Christianity stands as a light in a dark and lost world.  God could not let a country founded on his name become one that denied His principles, and caused the world to turn its back on Him.  He is love; agape love.  He extends mercy, grace, and forgiveness to everyone.  He requires repentance.  "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, then I will hear their prayers from heaven, and heal their land").  Our country is built on those principles.  It is built on the character of Jesus, the Christ.  Such a country couldn't condone Jim Crow laws, sundown towns, segregation, gender bias, and  the murder of innocent people based on an unjust law.  No matter who we are, we are at one time or another taken captive and made to be a slave to something.  Whether it is to shopping, eating, drinking, lying, sex, or any number of other things, we have become a captive and are abusive to our own minds and bodies.  All we need to remember is that help is a whispered prayer away.  Sometimes the best prayer we can utter is HELP!!
(song) "We have come over a way that with tears has been watered, we have come treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered, out of the gloomy past Till now we stand at last, under the gleam where our bright star is cast."  The verse from this poem/song was written by James Weldon Johnson.
      Scripture tells us to rejoice in the Lord, Always rejoice.  We don't have to rejoice that we are in the midst of a trial; we rejoice that we aren't in the trial alone.  We rejoice because we will come out victorious.  We are told to "Go boldly to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy in our time of need".  We are told that "We can do ALL THINGS through Christ who strengthens us".    We are told that "We always triumph in Christ", and we are told that "if we say unto the mountain be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea",  and if we believe and don't doubt, then no matter how big our trial is, it shall be moved.
     Heavenly Father, we sometimes have trials and tribulations.  Sometimes they are light, but sometimes they are almost too much to bear.  We thank you that we do not go through them alone.  You, dear Lord are always there with us, and though we may not understand, we can rest assured that You will have your way.  We know, dear Lord, that if you have your way, we will be all the better for it.  You are our alpha and omega- our beginning and our end.  You have made a way for us out of no way.  You are our all in all.  When we cry out to you, you hear us.  You are quick to answer, even if we are not quick to hear. Help us to be satisfied with what you say to us, knowing that you have our best interest at heart.  Truly, Lord if we can trust an airplane pilot, whom we do not often see, and whom we rarely ever know, then Lord, we can trust You.  Your track record is 100%.  Your promises are true, and your word is unblemished.  You are, who you say you are.  You do what you say you will do.  Help us not to stray from your side.  Help us through our trials.  Help us to cross our red sea and reach the other side unscathed.  May our feet never take us away from where You are.  May our minds never get clouded with the wants and fears of the world, such that we forget, even for a moment who you are.  May our hands never become so busy, that they lose their purpose.  May our hearts never faint, but always be full of faith.  Draw us near to you, Oh Lord, and keep us at Your chest.  Whisper in our ear oh Lord, and cause us to hear.  Help us then, oh Lord, that we may not be hearers of the word only, but help us to be doers of your word.  Help us to be workers who are not afraid.  Help us to boldly proclaim your presence in our lives.  Help us that we may always and forever be seekers of Your truth, knowing that if we look for you, we will find you.  Save us from our own insecurities oh most Holy God and lead us to your pathways of peace.  In Jesus name we pray.  Amen.
    

The Dark Side

    One day after work I was standing in my doorway and suddenly I was keenly aware of the atmosphere in my home.  It wasn't right.  It wasn't terrible, or frightening, or deep and dark, but it wasn't right.  I began to pray, and was reminded of the things that have happened to my family in the last few years, and how we have handled them.  The recession has hit us all.  Most of the members of my family have lost their jobs, and though they are working on changing and improving their lives, it is obvious that the lack of finances has hit us in more than just financial ways.  I had begun to notice the negativity that has just crept in - silent, invisible and deadly, like carbon dioxide.  There was a sort of 'down in the dumps' look in the heart of the members of my family and of myself as well.  There was little we had done about it because we hadn't noticed it creep in.  We had started to gripe, complain, and fuss about most things.  We began to see negative aspects of each other and most other things.  We had forgotten to be grateful.  We had forgotten to thank God.  Now all looked so bleak.  My family was increasingly watching depressing, subtly dark, or violent movies or documentaries on the television.  This activity alone was glaring evidence of our falling into "The Dark Side". It was making us feel more comfortable with negative talk, and being harsh with one another.  The atmosphere had definitely changed.  I felt as though I had become an apathetic observer, and then participant, at least in the complaining.  We had entered the dark side.  We had become like zombies walking into the darkness of doubt and depression. 
     Well, things had to change.  The atmosphere in our house needed to be cleaned out so that all the negativity and darkness of disappointment could be removed.  Our minds needed to have the cobwebs swept out.  I began to pray and to faithfully read scripture out loud in my house.  I began to ask God to help me to remind my family members of the many blessings that we live under everyday. We are blessed with a place to live, food to eat, a car to drive, and money to pay our bills.  Everyone has gotten into college again, and is doing well.  There are no extras like eating out, but eating at home has meant that we see each other at the table again.  There are no vacations, but we get to sit out in our backyard and enjoy the sunshine together.  We can't pay one of the neighborhood boys to do our yard work, but working on it together has been surprisingly rewarding.  Our bills aren't always on time, and they may not be the amount we'd like to pay, but we are able to pay something on each one. 
     God was and is with us in the midst of our trials.  We had forgotten to be thankful and to expect God to be faithful as we seek him and his grace.  We had forgotten that our wants have often exceeded our need.  We go to church, but we didn't reach for him in our lack.  We love the Lord, but we weren't talking to him as though we were close.  We didn't act as though we thought He knew what we were going through.  He cares.  He cares so much that He sent His only son.  He delivered us from sin, darkness, and the terror of the last days.  He had already made preparation for us.  He said He would make for us an oasis in the desert, a place of hope in the time of need, a tower of safety in troubled times.  He has done what he said.
     We regularly donate clothing, food, toys, books, etc to shelters and families in need.  God has repaid us with more than enough, and though bills are tight and maybe not as timely as we would like to pay them, they are getting paid, little by little.  God is here.  He has always been.  He promised never to leave nor forsake us.  He is true to his word.  We ask and we receive, we seek help, and it is found.  We knock on the door of mercy, and it is open to us.  We must certainly do our part, but sometimes doing our part means sitting still and opening our minds to faith.  When we dust out the cobwebs from our minds and begin eliminating doubt, fear, anger, disappointment, dispair, and hopelessness, we can begin to see hope, victory, guidance, healing, and  a path to move forward on.  God is with us.  He has not forsaken us.  We just forgot to "lift our eyes to the hills from whence our help cometh".  We know it comes from the Lord.  
     Heavenly Father You are awesome in all your ways.  We thank you for your grace and mercy.  You are the joy of our lives and the hope of our soul.  You are the light who guides our path and directs our future.  You are our all in all.  We hope and trust in You.  Without you all is lost.  With you, all of our tomorrows are secure.  There is no place of safety in the world, but there is a hiding place in your love which we can find when we call your name. There we find shelter in a storm, healing in an epidemic of dispair, and life in a dying world.  Our shelter, our rock is Jesus, the Christ.   We run to the rock of our salvation because we know that you are able.  When all around us fails, we run to the rock.  When all seems dark and bleary, we run to the rock.  We know that there is safety in the rock.  We know that there is peace in the rock.  We find light, hope, and faith in the Rock.  We know that you are able to deliver us from the troubles.  You are able Lord.  We thank you for our own personal space in the rock.  We thank you for loving us.  In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
     

Lift Every Voice and Sing - by James Weldon Johnson

These words were written as a poem by James Weldon Johnson.  My aunt, Phoebe Caldwell Bell was a concert pianist, and soloist for the Philadelphia Concert Opera many years ago.  She then became a music teacher and wife to Mr. John Bell.  Aunt Phoebe knew the son of Mr. James Weldon Johnson, and she loved this poem/song, so in her memory I am writing the words to James Weldon Johnson's Lift Every Voice and Sing.  Aunt Phoebe, I know you are singing in heaven and I know that your beautiful soprano voice is serenading the heavens with opera and hymns.  Please rest in peace at His side.

Lift every voice and sing, till earth and heaven ring
Ring with the harmonies of liberty
let our rejoicing rise, high as the listening skies
Let it resound, loud as the rolling sea.

Sing a song, full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
sing a song, full of the hope that the present has brought us
Facing the rising sun, of a new day begun, let us march on, till victory is won

Stony the road we trod, bitter the chastening rod
felt in the days when hope unborn had died
Yet with a steady beat, have not our weary feet
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed

We have come over a way that with tears has been watered
We have come treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered
Out of the gloomy past, till now we stand at last
'Neath the white gleam where our bright star is cast

God of our weary years, God of our silent tears
Thou who has kept us thus far on the way,
Thou who has by thy might, led us into the light
keep us forever in thy path we pray

Lest our feet stray from the places dear Lord where we met thee
Lest our minds drunk with the wine of the world we forget thee
Shadowed beneath thy hand, may we forever stand, true to our God, True to our native Land!!
written by Mr. James Weldon Johnson

It's nice to know you're not alone.

My daughter called me because her baby sounded funny.  She thought he was probably alright, but she sounded a little nervous, so I went to her house to check on them.  I had a feeling the baby was ok, but I wanted to reassure MY baby, and make sure she was ok.  My mother had done the same for me when my baby was new.  I'm sure she'll do the same for her children.  It's what mothers do. We comfort and nuture and make sure our children don't feel as though they are alone and without hope or help.  They may go through trials, but they never have to go through them alone. 
     God is like that with us.  He never leaves us.  He is always there to comfort, to guide, to reassure us, and to give us strength and courage to 'keep it moving' in the right direction.  We will have our trials, but we don't go through them alone.  He is always with us.  Our prayers of faith bring His intervention.  His love is without bounds and his grace (unmerited favor) is given freely.  He leads us out of the fire and into paths of righteousness.  We will not be burned.  We will find peace.  We are not alone.
     Heavenly Father, we are not alone because You are always with us.  Sometimes you solve our problems for us and sometimes you watch as we solve them ourselves.  The most important thing is that we are not alone.  We love you, glorify you, and offer you our praise.  We thank you for all that you do for us and for helping us to stand in the face of adversity when we no longer want to stand.  It is easier to sit or to give up when faced with trouble, but in you oh Lord, we have our strength.   Because we can do all things through our Christ who strengthens us, we always triumph in you.  Thank you Lord for planting our feet firmly on the ground and giving us wings like eagles.  We bless your name and give you our all so that we may stand, in faith, victorious.   In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

prayer - trust

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding of things, in all your ways acnowledge Him, and He will direct your path". 

We give no thought to getting on an airplane to go flying across the ocean, because we have simple blind faith in the airplane which we did not build, and the pilot whom we do not know.  Why would we put our trust in the unknown so blindly?  We have seen and heard witness that flight in an airplane works, and can take us a long distance quickly. It is the witness.   We trust that a multiple ton piece of metal will not only go up into the air, but will stay there until by some miracle, it lands. 
     We don't think twice when a doctor tells us to have surgery, or to get a shot, or to take some medicine.  All these things are potentially dangerous or even deadly.  We thank God that 90% of our doctors are doing the right thing, and that 90% of our airplanes go without incident.  Why do we trust so blindly in a doctor whom we know so little about, or in medicine that we may have never before used?  We have both seen and heard witnesses who have told of their positive reaction to the medicine and to the doctor who treated them.  It is the witness that makes us comfortable to use the unknown.
     How important is a witness? It is Important enough to be used throughout the bible and throughout history.  Important enough to be used as testimony in a court or as a part of a convincing ad campaign.  Witnesses, whether good or bad, change lives, give comfort and a feeling of security, create curiousity, bring anticipation and excitement, and win hearts over.  Jesus wants us to trust Him for all things.  We have a testimony.  We can witness.  We can help the lost to be saved and create or enhance trust in an all powerful God through our witness.  We can trust Him.  We should trust Him.  WE MUST TRUST HIM. 
      I would rather trust a doctor who does the right thing 100% of the time.  He is infallible.  His name is Jesus.  He is the one we should trust.  He never fails.  He died for us, so that we could spend eternity with him.
     Heavenly Father help us to let go of the "steering wheel" and trust wholly in you..  Help us to understand that we don't hold the future in our hands, but we stand in the palm of the hand of the one who created the future.  He who is and who was, and who ever shall be.  The Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.  In You oh Lord do we place our trust.  You have never let us down.  We may not have understood what was happening in our lives from time to time, but we know that "Your ways are higher than our ways, and Your thoughts are higher than our thought".  Our wisdom is to you, foolishness, for our wisdom did not accomplish the creation of the world or any of the magnificent creatures that are in it.  We trust in you Lord, so we will "lean not unto our own understanding of things, but in all our ways we shall acknowledge you, so that You, oh Lord, will direct our path".  Please comfort us, oh Lord in our time of need and lead us boldly to your throne of grace that we might obtain mercy in our time of need.  Then help us to trust that you will do what you have said you will do for us.  In Jesus name I pray.  Amen.