The word of God

"The Word of God is quick and alive, sharper than a two edged sword and able to separate the Bone from the marrow and the soul from the spirit. " Hebrews 4:12
The Lord God is able to separate things that seem completely intertwined and bound like the bone and marrow. He can separate the soul from the spirit.  No man can do that. Consider this; He can separate you from illness. He can separate you from sin. He can separate you from fear. He can separate you from your enemies. He can separate you from addiction to food, people, drugs, alcohol, bad habits and from poverty.  He is powerful in ways we can't understand. Ask...believe. ..receive... freedom from everything that holds you back. The Lord God is waiting.  He loves you.

Timing

Why was Lazarus already dead 3 days when Jesus came? Why was Sarah well past child bearing years when she had the promised child with Abraham? Why had witnesses already seen Jairus' daughter dead before Jesus came? Did Jesus forget? Was He too  busy?  Did He just not care?  No. It was none of those things.  No man could claim that "a human bring really did those things, but it just looked like God." Those were miracles because  Only God can do them.  Sometimes in your life you think God is too late, taking too long, or stressing you out with His timing.  Lift up your eyes to the hills from where your help comes. His timing is perfect.  He acts when He knows that no man can claim His victory. Then you can know that it's truly Him. Thank you Lord. You know us so well.  Thank you for your timing and for your grace.

Today

Today the 🌄 has risen again, the 🌎 is revolving and we are here together.  Let's focus with a vengeance on the things in our world that are wonderful, joyful, rewarding and that make our hearts soar. 
   Today I'm going to focus on you. You are my smile and my joy. You are my reward from God. I am thankful that each of you is a part of my life. You are my sunshine and my blessing. Thank you😊 for being in my life.

The shadow of the Almighty

Psalm 91 "He who abides in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him will I trust."
Keep His name on your lips. Memorize scripture verse and keep it in your heart. Write a verse and tape it to your mirror, put one in your wallet. Know that you ARE covered by your God. He sees you, he knows where you are, and you are His top priority.  Don't be afraid.  Walk with Him.

Father of lies ... Do you recognize a liar?

Making excuses for lies and for liars put you in a dangerous position. "Satan is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:44 "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." The gospel of John 8:44 Not my words, the words of scripture.
I guess the choice is yours.

Psalm 91

Psalm 91

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

¹⁴ “Because he^[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
¹⁵ He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

This is the day

This is the day that the Lord has made. The sun and clouds are above us. The moon rests until it comes out at night.  The stars blanket the heavens.  We inhale and oxygen fills our lungs. We exhale and the plants drink in our carbon dioxide.  We look to the heavens and we know that the Lord  is with us.  We arise ready to face the day because this is the day that the Lord has made. In it, we will rejoice and be safe and find our purpose.  In it we find our peace. In it we share our love. We belong to the Lord and He has given us this day.

Stand on your authority

Sometimes people look at the crime, disease, famine and poverty in the world and they question and blame God. I guess that's easier than rolling up your sleeves and becoming a part of the solution,  but it's based on misinformation. You see, when God created the earth  He put everything we needed in it before He put us in it. It's like when parents put a crib up and fill it with comfortable things before they put the baby in it.
    Next, he gave us dominion and authority over everything in our world - Genesis. We were then responsible for it. When we as parents, give our children pets or toys, we give them that same responsibility and we say responsibility is good for them. 
     Well, we humans are responsible for helping and maintaining our environment.  God gave us the responsibility.  We can speak out, help out, pay out, (with donations), work out, (roll up your sleeves) and put the Word out.  We've got to clean up our own playground, maintain our homes, train up our children, stop accepting inappropriate behavior, and stop blaming God for not doing our job. God IS good.  He's NOT a dictator.  He took his hands off, gave us access to his power, and helps when we ask for it. Let's start doing our part. Pray, donate, roll up our sleeves. MAKE A DIFFERENCE.  I know we can.

Give and it shall be given to you

Luke 6:38 says, "Give and it will be given to you good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will men give to you. FOR With the same measure that you give, it will be measured to you."
God's ways are not our ways. Isn't it amazing how the first word in that scripture is GIVE. Well, God says Give first, THEN you will receive. Not the other way around where we wait until we think we have enough before we give. "Good measure" means 'in abundance'. God doesn't believe in trickle down.  God's way is to tell us  'give in faith'.  It's like planting a seed. One little seed can create a beautiful plant which in turn creates more seeds. God says that if we trust him and give first, he'll see to it that we get much more in return. So much in fact that it will have to be shaken like flour to get the air out, and it will be pressed down so more can fit, and finally,  the blessings of finance, goods, situations, and people will be so much that they will spill out over the top. God gives to us every day.  Trust in Him. Give first, THEN your blessings will overflow.

The People United - Rev. G. H. Caldwell

The 2010 census reported that that the population of Asbury Park is 16,116. It is estimated
that there were 6,000 plus persons who participated in the March in Asbury Park. Some observations and comments.

1. It was good to be present on the platform and in the crowd with friends and colleagues;
Members of the Asbury Park Dialogue group, members of the AP City Council, a former City
Councilman with whom I had numerous contacts, residents of the North Beach condominium
where we live, members of the Church we attend, and the United Methodist Bishop of the
Greater New Jersey Conference.

2. I said that the gathering reminded me of the March on Washington, the Selma to Montgomery
March, and the Martin Luther King-led March to Boston Common. The crowd, enthusiasm, music, signs, laughter, candor, and hope etched on the faces of those present, countered the
collective depression caused by the presidential campaign and results of the election of 2016.

3. I suggested that now there are 4 words that begin with S that should shape the
Justice struggles of the 21st century; Seneca Falls, NY, the place of the first women's rights
gathering, Selma, the launching place for voting rights, Stonewall, the New York bar that was
the location that energized the gay rights movement, And SATURDAY, January 21, 2017, the
Women's March when women (and men) made "We the People" a reality, rather than rhetoric.

4. May the Organizers of ALL of the Women's Marches in every place, communicate, network,
plan, to create the Women's March of 2018 on the 3rd Saturday in January. And begin now, registration and education for the elections of 2018 and 2020.

"The People United Will Never Be Defeated".

The Tie I wore by Rev. G.H. Caldwell

Only one person asked about the tie I was wearing. She thought the words on it were the
Constitution. I said, "No, years ago I visited the New York Historical Society, and while
there, purchased a tie with the Emancipation Proclamation printed on it in script."

I suggest thousands/millions of women in Washington, DC, all over the nation and the world in their "Women's March"(es) issued a women's and human rights EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION, if expressed through solidarity, communication, political, educational, and economic activism, can turn the USA and the world upside down, so that they become right
side up.

I invite those who read this to allow these words to encourage you to help shape a 21st century
Women's influenced Emancipation Proclamation that if followed, will keep ALL of us from
going to hell. (A young African Methodist Episcopal Zion/AMEZ clergy woman at the Asbury
Park March told us to "Love the hell out of everybody".)

"The Emancipation Proclamation was a presidential and executive order issued by Abraham
Lincoln on January 1, 1863. It purported to change the federal legal status of more than 3
million enslaved people in the designated areas of the south from 'slave to free', although
the immediate effect was less. IT HAD THE PRACTICAL EFFECT THAT AS SOON AS A SLAVE
ESCAPED THE CONTROL OF THE CONFEDERATE GOVERNMENT, BY RUNNING AWAY OR
THROUGH ADVANCES OF FEDERAL TROOPS, THE SLAVE BECAME FREE."

The log

Have you ever had a friend, or frenemy who tried to fix your problem, when you know they have unresolved childrearing, or relationship problems  of their own. 
     Many of us have boarded a plane at one time or another and one of the first things that the stewards tell us is about the oxygen bags. They tell us that if needed, the oxygen masks will drop. Surprisingly, they say put the oxygen mask on yourself first.  Get your own head clear, THEN help others.  As I thought about that I said, "what a metaphor for life!" Get your own mind straight, get your own life straight, before you try to straighten someone else's life out.  The bible tells us to take the log out of our own eyes before we comment on the speck in someone else's eye. Matthew 7:3.
    It is good to be helpful,  but first take care of your own problems so that you are a gleaming example of God's victory.

The Reward

Raising children is hard,  but it is worthwhile.
Finding a job is hard, but it has rewards.
Building a career is very difficult, but it pays off in the end.
Holding a marriage together can be tough work, but nothing beats growing old together.
Training hard for a performance in the arts or athletics can be grueling, but a top performance can change your life.
Making decisions can be gut wrenching, but the right decision can be life changing.
LIVING LIFE AS A CHRISTIAN CAN BE HARD, BUT THE REWARD IS ETERNAL LIFE.
"The payment for sin is death,  but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ."  Romans 6:23

The Decision

THE DECISION

This is serious.  No more time for procrastination.  It’s time to decide.  Will you follow him unconditionally, or not?  He’s waiting for a decision.  Will He be the boss of your soul, or will you?  Watch what you feed your soul.  Watch who you hang out with and whose words you receive.  Don’t compromise.  There is only one name to call when the tsunami rises above your head, or when the fire surrounds you.  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding of things.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path.” 

    Life is like a jungle.  Some of it is bitter and some of it is sweet.  Some people, animals and plants are dangerous and some are not.  You need a guide when you’re in a jungle.  You need someone who has been there before, someone who can see, and someone who is an expert in the environment.  That someone is the Lord God almighty.  Trust in the Lord children of God.

The weapons of warfare

The bible tells us that our battle is not against flesh
And blood, but against evil ideas, thoughts, words and deeds from wickedness. The bible tells that those things come from the devil. If that's the case, we should fight our battles with prayer and scriptures and faith.  Otherwise, it would be like throwing popcorn at a tank, or spraying water at a tornado. Those weapons would be totally ineffective against the force of a tornado or a tank.  God is the force behind prayer, His word, and faith.  Our battle is not against flesh And blood. Pray, children pray.

Listening to Rev 1

I AM NOT GOING TO PASSIVELY EXPOSE MYSELF TO SOMEONE WHO IS POISONOUS TO
MY SOUL. I CANNOT COMBAT THAT POISON IF I'M EATING IT."

                     Lester has named the President-elect; "The Whining Tweeter"

POISON;

What impact will it have on democracy, the nation, the world, the Republican and Democratic
Parties, the young and not-so-young, people of faith, of no religious faith, humanists, the future,
teaching/learning, the Arts, capitalism, industry, education, values, etc., if we do not challenge
with every fiber of our being, the toxic, poisonous fumes being exposed as we make a presidential transition? None of us are without flaws, thus our resistance to the poisons of
these moments is not directed at one person, but at the poisonous assumptions, attitudes and
actions that seem to be affecting our minds, hearts and spirits. We, if we do not resist up front,
will as so many who were silent during slavery and segregation came to wonder, "How could I, how could we, have been silent amidst the pollution of our ideas and ideals?"

There is a "violence about silence", that poisons the present and the future.

Gil Caldwell

Watch what you say

WATCH WHAT YOU SAY

A coach who wants a winning team builds confidence, unity and a positive “can do” attitude.  He works hard to build strength, character and faith.  He spends quality time with his team.  They are his/her total focus.  Nothing interrupts that special quality time; not cooking, TV, reading, the phone, errands... nothing.  What is he practicing for?....Winning!   Why are we so afraid to speak positive things?  The bible tells us to speak of things that are not, as though they are.  It tells us to think on things that are worthy of praise and of good report.  No coach says, “We’re probably not going to win anyway, but let’s go out there.  Why do WE take the low road saying things like, “Oh, it may not work…well, I’ll believe it when I see it…(faith is the evidence of things not seen)…That’ll never happen for me… “ (Ask and you shall receive)

We speak failure, hopelessness, and defeat when we speak and think like that.  (As a man thinketh, so is he.” )  We do it so that we won’t be disappointed if it fails.  Wow, we prepare for failure and not for success.  Speak faith.  Give yourself a consequence when you think or speak negative things. Put a quarter in a jar each time. THEN change your words and change your mind.  People are looking at you and listening to you.  Your children and grandchildren will emulate you.  Speak positive things. Like the song says, "Free your mind and the rest will follow” Try it I think you’ll like it.

Ask, seek, knock

If your dad owned a huge store stocked the shelves for you and gave you the keys and a credit card of your own, then told you to go, would you hesitate ? Would you feel unworthy with a credit card in your hand? Well, your Heavenly Father has done just that. 
" The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who live in it". Psalm 24:1
He stocked the shelves and He owns the store.
Matthew 7:7-8 says "Ask and it will be given to you, seek, and you will find it, knock and the door will be opened".
He has given you the keys and the credit card.  Why are you afraid to ask and believe?  He's not a genie in a bottle.  He's in complete control,  but He is your shepherd,  you shall not want for anything. He's faithful.  He loves you.  Ask, seek, knock. If you're looking in the wrong direction He'll turn you around. Stand and believe in the God of more than enough.

Charter vs traditional public schools

http://m.njea.org/news/2017-01-04/njea-to-sboe-don-t-gut-charter-regulations

Let go and let God!

Stop and take a look at your life right now. Are you happy with your progress?  Are you confused about the direction you should be taking? Are you stagnant?  Have you reached a point of boredom? Are you looking for a change?  Make sure you pray and follow the plan that God has for you. There may still be some bumps, but your soul will be filled with joy and you will know that you're living out your purpose.
"I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord.  Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future. " Jeremiah 29:11
Follow His plans for you and you'll find joy everlasting!  Let go and let God.

One step at a time

One foot in front of the other. One step at a time. Pray, listen, move forward again. Sometimes stumbling blocks can be avoided if we look with the eyes of God, if we hear with the ears of Christ, and if we believe in our hearts that God is real and that He has our best interests in His  heart. He is able. God is able.  Think back on the time when you didn't think you could make it, but you did.  He is always there.
One foot in front of the other. One step at a time.  Pray, listen, move forward again.

Take the day

This morning I pray for you - love, health, joy, victory and faith in Jesus name. Go out and achieve whatever your goals are. Work towards making whatever is in your heart a reality. Embrace your dreams! Dance with hope. Shoo procrastination out the door and welcome in a "can do" attitude.  Now get busy making your dreams come true!  Amen.

Spiritual warfare -introduction

In any war you must know yourself  ( your heart, your skills, your courage, your breaking point ). 

You MUST know your enemies. (Their goals, their passion, their determination, their plans, their strength, their skills and strategies ). 

You must understand the purpose of the war.

Successful baseball, football and  soccer players; wrestlers, swimmers and runners all know about and study their opponents. They understand the goal,  purpose and outcomes of the game. They know their enemies' strengths and weaknesses.  They know their skills and strategies.
     This study, information gathering and practice determines winners and losers.
     In spiritual warfare we must "study to show ourselves workmen approved by God who don't need to be ashamed. ..". We need to practice and then we need to sum up all our faith and courage and then prepare for battle.
     When you walk into a meeting do you know who the attendees are? Do you know what they're thinking?  What their goal, purpose and strategies are? Have you practiced battling and responding so that when you face them you'll be not only prepared, but also victorious? It's time for us to prepare for intense spiritual warfare.

Hope

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace AS YOU TRUST IN HIM  so that you will overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Romans 15:13