GIVE ME JESUS

 https://youtu.be/Cwk1cAAKtu8?si=Y2fSz5b3IHfc5stZ

IN THE MORNING WHEN I RISE….

“IN THE MORNING!”

 Psalm 5:1-3                        (ESV)

Lead Me in YOUR Righteousness

To the choirmaster: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.

    “[1] Give ear to my words, O LORD;

        consider my groaning. 

    [2] Give attention to the sound of my cry,

        my KING and my GOD,

        for to YOU do I pray. 

    [3] O LORD, “IN THE MORNING” YOU hear my voice;

        “IN THE MORNING” I prepare a sacrifice for YOU and watch.”

I am CONVICTED that if I don’t begin my day with THE WORD OF GOD “IN THE MORNING” that I am basically permitting the enemy to have free access to my mind!!  

Why do I allow my mind to be altered by the cares of “this world” BEFORE I SEEK GUIDANCE from the CREATOR???  Before my day starts, I should be DOWNLOADING from THE ONE WHO SPOKE “this world” into existence!!

FATHER IN HEAVEN, cause this humble servant to understand what/who I am and to desire YOUR GUIDANCE “IN THE MORNING” before I mess things up!!!

“HAVING THE EYES OF YOUR HEARTS ENLIGHTENED!”

 Ephesians 1:15-23                          (ESV)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

“[15] For this reason, BECAUSE I HAVE HEARD OF YOUR FAITH IN THE LORD JESUS and your love toward all the saints, [16] I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, [17] that the GOD of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, the FATHER of Glory, MAY GIVE YOU THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND OF REVELATION in the knowledge of HIM, [18] “HAVING THE EYES OF YOUR HEARTS ENLIGHTENED”, THAT YOU MAY KNOW what is the hope to which HE HAS CALLED YOU, what are the riches of HIS GLORIOUS INHERITANCE in the saints, [19] and what is the immeasurable greatness of HIS power toward us who BELIEVE, according to the working of HIS great might [20] that HE worked in CHRIST when HE raised HIM from the dead and seated HIM at HIS right hand in the Heavenly places, [21] FAR ABOVE above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. [22] And HE put all things under HIS feet and gave HIM as HEAD over all things to the church, [23] which is HIS body, the fullness of HIM WHO fills all in all.”

The Apostle Paul is credited with writing several books of the New Testament of the Bible.  However, he did NOT automatically turn into the tried and true BELIEVER he was when writing his letters to the churches that have been included in the WORD OF GOD.  His JOURNEY even took him to Arabia for over three years (Galatians 1:19-20) as preparation for his ministry. 

The first mention of Apostle Paul in the New Testament is actually in Acts 7:58 as Saul, his name previous to his conversion, when he began “HAVING THE EYES OF YOUR HEARTS ENLIGHTENED”!  His TRANSFORMATION took him from watching “Jews” stoning Timothy in Acts 7:58, to Arabia in Galatians 1:19, and eventually to Rome in the early 60’s AD where he was beheaded at approximately 60 years of age by an order of Nero, according to Eusebius, an early church historian.   

“HAVING THE EYES OF YOUR HEARTS ENLIGHTENED” wasn’t a painless occurrence for the Apostle Paul.  He was imprisoned many times.  He listed his “accomplishments” in 2 Corinthians 11, and it was far from a “life of luxury”!  “HAVING THE EYES OF YOUR HEARTS ENLIGHTENED” didn’t promise a life of good times and successes for Paul, it DID, however, elevate the NAME of JESUS, which proved to be something that Paul gave his earthly life for in the end!!!

“HAVING THE EYES OF YOUR HEARTS ENLIGHTENED” could lead to the same “earthly” rewards that came to the Disciples of JESUS?  Or maybe the Apostle Paul??  Or even the SON OF GOD???  Whatever lies ahead for me, “HAVING THE EYES OF YOUR HEARTS ENLIGHTENED” by being a CHILD OF THE KING OF KINGS is worth it to me!!!

“IN HIM!”

 Colossians 1:17                  (ESV)

“[17] And HE (JESUS) is before ALL THINGS, and “IN HIM” ALL THINGS hold together.”

Recently there was a meme shared by a friend on social media that said “I’m not a 10.  I’m more like two 5s held together by mashed potatoes.”!!!  Of course, there were several emoticons of laughter about this statement, but it really caused me to think!!!

Colossians 1:17 immediately came to mind for me.  “And HE (JESUS) is before ALL THINGS, and “IN HIM” ALL THINGS hold together.”  As BELIEVERS, we sometimes fail to recall 1 Corinthians 7:23, which says “You were BOUGHT WITH A PRICE; DO NOT BECOME BONDSERVANTS OF MEN.”

Even though I AM CHOSEN (Ephesians 1:4), do I choose to inject “worldly passions” (Titus 2:12) into my life?  In Romans 7:21-25 the Apostle Paul writes “WHO will deliver me from this body of death”???  JESUS CHRIST our LORD is my ONLY HOPE!!!  “IN HIM” is the ONLY HOPE, not just for me, but for everyone and everything in “this world”!!!!

“From Bishop Robert E. Smith, Sr!

 From Bishop Robert E. Smith Sr.!

“Learning how to pray (Luke 11:1) and becoming effectual in it (James 5:16) requires scriptural knowledge (Daniel 9:2,3) and intimacy with Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:19,29; 3:10).”

“Philippians 4:12”

 Philippians 4:12                     (ESV)

“I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.”

“SET A GUARD!”

 Psalm 141:3                          (ESV)

    “[3] “SET A GUARD”, O LORD, over my mouth;

        KEEP WATCH over the door of my lips!”

ALMIGHTY GOD has an unimaginable number of ways to SPEAK to us!  I had always been of the “Leader of the Pack” mentality, wanting to be the FIRST to do whatever was before me….at least until July 09, 2007!  When I was brought out of the coma almost three weeks later, that mindset radically changed with NO INPUT from me!!  I wasn’t even capable of assisting in the breaths I was taking without assistance.  How could I assist in such a difficult situation when I wasn’t even able to breathe???

In 1 Kings 18-19 Elijah was “fleeing” from Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab, who “ruled” over the kingdom of Israel.  Elijah had JUST observed GOD engulfing with a mighty fire the offerings on the water soaked altar, along with the stones of the altar, yet Elijah chose to flee from King Ahab and Jezebel in FEAR???  Elijah had just witnessed the POWER of GOD through an unimaginable FIRE, and all of the sudden GOD wasn’t able to handle King Ahab and Jezebel??  

In verse 12 of 1 Kings 19, Elijah is told by GOD (KJV) NOT to get caught up in the cares of “this world” (strong wind, earthquakes and fires), but listen for a “still small voice” to guide him!!!  Isn’t it amazing that the SAME GOD WHO had just annihilated the offerings and the altar with a fire from Heaven now is telling Elijah to listen for a “still small voice”??  

King David says in Psalm 141:3 “SET A GUARD” over my mouth O LORD, requesting for THE ALMIGHTY to accomplish what only HE can!  KEEP WATCH over the door of my lips seems to me to be an admission that David might have had an inclination to say some words that GOD didn’t ordain to be said??  From GOD literally DESTROYING the altars and offerings in 1 Kings 18 to telling Elijah to listen for a “still small voice” in the very next chapter, GOD displays HIS abilities to accomplish HIS WILL!  Am I capable of LISTENING to HIM when I am busy with other things??  I implore YOU, O GOD, to “SET A GUARD” over me and cause me to LISTEN to and for YOUR DIRECTION!!!

“ALL SOULS ARE MINE!”

 Ezekiel 18:1-4                        (ESV)

The Soul Who Sins Shall Die

“[1] THE WORD OF THE LORD came to me: [2] “What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? [3] As I live, declares the LORD GOD, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. [4] Behold, “ALL SOULS ARE MINE”; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die.”

Recently I saw a video of a sermon from a minister offering the difference between a MIRACLE and a BLESSING.  Basically he offered that a BLESSING was something that GOD bestows upon us to make our life easier.  According to the sermon, a MIRACLE is where intervention from GOD is required to achieve the results that were obtained!?!

Ezekiel was a Priest that lived somewhere around 600 years before JESUS came to earth.  He writes in the Scripture above that THE WORD OF THE LORD came to him and said, “ALL SOULS ARE MINE”!  If “ALL SOULS ARE MINE”, then why are some delivered into HADES, a place of torment?  One translation of Scripture says ALL SOULS ARE MINE TO JUDGE!!!  JUDGEMENT is something that we ALL need to be prepared for!!!

Then why will some of us escape eternal separation from GOD and others be sent to HADES, the abode of the dead?  The MIRACLE OF JESUS (imputed righteousness!) is the only thing that we have that others don’t!  Our CREATOR CHOSE us (Ephesians 1:4) before the foundation of the world to GLORIFY HIS NAME forever and forever!  Not because any of us are worthy, but because HE CHOSE US!!

King David isn’t worthy!  Abraham isn’t worthy!  Ezekiel isn’t worthy!  And I am the LEAST worthy of any, with apologies to the Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 1:15!  Whether that is a MIRACLE or a BLESSING, you can judge??  But I AM CHOSEN because of HIS GRACE, certainly not because of anything I have done!!!  “ALL SOULS ARE MINE”, but will we be HIS in GLORY or will HE say “DEPART, I NEVER KNEW YOU”???

“ZECHARIAH 2:13”

 ‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬ ‭             (NASB)

“BE SILENT, all mankind, before the LORD; for HE has roused HIMSELF from HIS Holy dwelling.”

“WHEN YOU PRAY!”

 

“HEART Health Month!”

February is reportedly Heart Health Month?  I don’t know how it is decided to delegate a whole month to one organ, but we MUST have a heart to function properly as a human. 

I had quadruple bypass surgery on April 11, 2017.  They bypassed three semi-blocked arteries and bypassed one artery that was just too small to function properly.  Almost three years later I went to the hospital with chest pains AGAIN!!  While performing a “heart cath” the following morning the cardiologist said “everything is crystal clear!  You have no blockages!!”  Apparently the “bypasses blockages” broke loose and cause pretty severe discomfort going through my heart, but now I am free from blockages, per the cardiologist?!?!

It wasn’t as if I were worried about the blockages that were left in my heart, but it was as if ALMIGHTY GOD broke them loose and had the heart cath performed to convince me that HE WAS IN CONTROL, even of my coronary arteries??? 

Exodus 14:14 says “The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”!!  The Children of Israel didn’t need to “arm up” preparing for the battle against the oncoming Egyptians.  JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF said in Mark 4:9 “He who has EARS to HEAR, let him HEAR.”  Some (probably MOST) CANNOT absorb the MESSAGE that is being given to them today!  Can you HEAR the things of GOD???

“FEAR NOT!”

 

Isaiah 41:8-10                     (ESV)

    “[8] But you, Israel, MY servant,

        Jacob, whom I have CHOSEN,

        the offspring of Abraham, my friend; 

    [9] you whom I took from the ends of the earth,

        and called from its farthest corners,

    saying to you, “You are MY servant,

        I have CHOSEN you and NOT cast you off”; 

    [10] “FEAR NOT”, for I AM with you;

        be not dismayed, for I AM your GOD;

    I will strengthen you, I will help you,

        I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Briefly this morning, ALMIGHTY GOD is telling me in these verses that we should “FEAR NOT”, and until we completely understand and accept that our VERY BREATH (Isaiah 42:5) comes from HIM, it is very easy to FRET and be concerned with our future!!!

“FEAR NOT”, for our REDEEMER is in CONTROL and we as HIS CHOSEN need to act like HE is!!!

“A TIME FOR EVERY MATTER UNDER HEAVEN!”

 Ecclesiastes 3:1-8                        (ESV)

A Time for Everything

“[1] For everything there is a season, and “A TIME FOR EVERY MATTER UNDER HEAVEN”:

    [2] A TIME TO BE BORN, and A TIME TO DIE;

    a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 

    [3] a time to kill, and a time to heal;

    a time to break down, and a time to build up; 

    [4] a time to weep, and a time to laugh;

    a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 

    [5] a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

    a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 

    [6] a time to seek, and a time to lose;

    a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 

    [7] a time to tear, and a time to sew;

    a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 

    [8] a time to love, and a time to hate;

    a time for war, and a time for peace.”

Recently I was viewing videos on a social media site where a man who appeared to be young/middle aged was speaking about a life experience he recalled.  His mother wanted him to take the day off and spend some time with her.  He apologized and told her that he had some clients he had to see and that he would pencil her in on his calendar and they would spend some time together then.   His mother was dead four months later from Breast Cancer!

My story is quite different!  It was about 6 months following the Brain Hemorrhage in 2007 and my mom was at the doctor with me.  Our doctor gave me a release to go back to work, and in his next breath said “Miss Alice, I don’t have as good of news for you.  You have Breast Cancer”!  I was still excited about being released to get back into the whirlwind of work, and now he is telling me that my mom had cancer???  That was February 05, 2008, almost 16 years ago.  She died February 27, 2008, 22 days later!!!

My brain was still not in the best condition literally a few months following the Brain Hemorrhage. I was determined to ease my mom through this process as painless as possible.  She had given up so much on behalf of the three children she had birthed.  I didn’t want her “exodus” from “this world” to be a suffering event, instead it needed to be a CELEBRATION!!!

Scripture says in Ecclesiastes 3:1 “For everything there is a season, and “A TIME FOR EVERY MATTER UNDER HEAVEN”:”  In the following verses it lists several different things that we might experience.  In verse two above begins with “A TIME TO BE BORN, and A TIME TO DIE”.  We ALL will experience DEATH!  What happens next is determined by whether or not we are CHOSEN (Ephesians 1:4)!  My mom KNEW that she was on her way to SEE JESUS!  Her TIME had come!!!