Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6: 10-11

Ok so I’m not having a bad day, just one of those days where things are not working out like I would like them to. The stars are not aligned so to speak. I felt myself becoming overwhelmed in the nonsense and I decided to be late to my next meeting and write this message. It’s not a real meeting more like us going over stuff we already know, so they can miss me for 10 minutes so I can get my head right. Put on the full armor of God, I dig it, because the Lord will protect us. Right now as I type these words and today’s dramas are stressing me two things come to mind. 1. It could be way worst, trust me I know. 2. I think about the experience i had last night with my students and I am excited about what I will be able to teach them.

Stress is the devil’s best friend. It makes your blood pressure rise, you become irritated. You start worrying. While in church the Pastor said if you’re going to pray, don’t worry. If you’re going to worry, don’t pray. Great words on Sunday morning but everyday it is a struggle to remember the good that you have been taught to make it practical. So today even though I would like to blow my lid a little bit and I might just end up doing that. I am thankful that I can take a few seconds out of my day and remember that I have been taught a better way. That I do have options and that if I allow the Lord to strengthen me , then there’s no fuzzy wuzzy obstacle that I can’t overcome. FUZZY WUZZY, you liked that didn’t you, well it made me smile. Peace and Grace be unto you!

No matter how the long the winter, the spring is sure to follow.

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For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

I went to bed with a lot on my mind Saturday night so of course I woke up with the a lot on my mind Sunday morning. I was consumed with mental anguish about different things and asking God where was he with respect to different situations in my life. However, with it being Sunday morning I was quickly reminded of the Resurrection of Jesus and I wondered who was I to have these thoughts. All of this reminded me of a story I heard Shirley Caesar tell on one of her albums. The story was of a Minister who had a son who was fighting in Vietnam. The Pastor and family would pray every night that the Lord would bring this young man home, unfortunately the young man was killed on the front line. This death shocked the Minister and caused him to stay away from the church because he was angry that the Lord had failed him. The Minister asked where was God when he was praying all those nights; a close Deacon friend said the Lord was right where he was when gave his only begotten son right there at Calvary.

The Pastor realized that life is a battlefield and by him leaving the spiritual battlefield of a pastor people in the church were spiritually dying. I use this story because despite the pains and troubles that we endure in our lives we must remain faithful to the Lord. A God who would give up his only son for the sins of the world; so that we could get to him through the ways of Jesus Christ. Principles of nobility, a kind heart, and doing unto others as you would like them to do unto you. So today’s scripture is a reminder to me that I serve a God who too has been pierced by the sinful ways of man when they killed his only son. But through his son, in believing in his son, in believing in the great powers of the Lord I can fight whatever internal or external battle I may have. That no weapon formed against me shall prosper because my soul is connected to the Creator. So despite troubled times, think to the troubles our own God has faced and find hope in that through our connection to him we can ACHIEVE whatever greatness we allow our beautiful minds to conjure up. Peace and Grace be unto you!

All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:34-35

Love, deep term but what does it mean? This scripture teaches us to love one another as our Lord and Savior has loved us. That’s a very serious statement, what makes someone not worthy of love. If all of the skeletons in our closet were exposed then plenty of people would pass judgment on us and not show us the love that we feel we deserve. So the word is asking us to love, to stop the petty bickering and fussing. To stop judging other people for their wrongs because our wrongs are just as bad if not worse. But most of all by loving one another we show the world the faith that we so gloriously walk in.

How can we be viewed as walking with god when we are filled with hate and jealousy? How can we say that we represent the words that we read in the bible, the shouts we hear on Sunday morning and yet still walk around with venomous tongues? This is a walking contradiction, this is the same contradiction that has so many people going away from the church because these actions are inconsistent with the gospel.

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. By loving each other, smiling, speaking kind words to each other and lending a helping hand when we can. These are all ways that we can honor what our Creator has asked us to do. A friend of mine told me when you are thinking something negative, when you are about to show a side of you that is a little ugly just say AMEN and keep it pushing. I said it like 10 times the other day but the most important thing is that it worked. Lets love one another and support one another. Peace and Grace be unto you!

Man is like palm wine; when young sweet but without strength; in old age, strong but harsh.