This is Your Wake Up Call!

From Small Pieces

editor — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:01:28 +0000

Rev. Carmen Avery Walker
Mark 6:30-46
30The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
32So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
35By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. 36Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”
37But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”
They said to him, “That would take eight months of a man’s wages[a]! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”
38″How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”
When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”

39Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42They all ate and were satisfied, 43and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

An artisan sat quietly at her workbench painstakingly putting together small bits of glass and pottery, broken dishes and such into what would one day be a mosaic. The pieces that she gathered over time told the story of her life journey and in some way allowed those who observed her work to see the places she had traveled and the experiences she thought important enough to capture. Interestingly enough, the tools of her craft, the small pieces of this and that, things ill thought of by others because they were after all small things, turned out to be the kind of blessings that others held onto. This artist specialized in taking pieces from the rubble of the lives touched by tragedy, both natural and spiritual that she had encountered in her travels, to make masterpieces that remind them of how from small pieces one can be blessed with long-lasting memories.

In our text Jesus demonstrates the same principal that this artist used. After feeding the swelling crowd from the abundance of the Word of God to nourish their souls, he then uses the small things to feed their bodies. From two small fish and five loaves of bread the size of dinner rolls, small things in our eyes, Jesus furnishes a meal that satisfied thousands with much more remaining to feed others from. Surely this great memory became etched in their minds, blessing their souls an impacting their lives.

Each day the mosaic of our lives is created from our experiences, good, bad and indifferent. In the process of walking out our journey with Christ, the remnant of our refashioned lives should serve as a reminder of how God uses even the smallest of things to bless us.

Prayer: Lord help me to remember that in every experience we have with you, from the smallest of memories to the abundance of your grace, you want us to be changed by all of it-especially the small pieces that we might otherwise dismiss. Amen

Rev. Carmen Avery Walker, M.Div
Pastor, Mt. Zion AME Church
Opelika, AL
www.mtzioname.org

Can you be more than you are right now?

editor — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:14:25 +0000

Have you ever wondered what more you might do with your life? It is a question that compels us to move beyond our comfort zones to explore the answer.

Listen, share and subscribe. Remember to keep up with your Lenten Journey in the Read section.

Your daily prayer is now at www.vashtimckenzie.blogspot.com. New updates are available at www.twitter.com/vashtimckenzie.

Truth

editor — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:38:34 +0000

Carlene L. Douglas
Mark 6:13-29 (NIV)
13They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.
14King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying,[a]“John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
15Others said, “He is Elijah.” And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.” 16But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!”
17For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. 18For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled[b]; yet he liked to listen to him.
21Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”

24She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” “The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.
25At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
26The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, 28and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

“You see what you want to see.” How many times have we either heard or said these words in response to reluctance to face the truth? We have the information before us yet we conjure up fanciful and worthless images in our minds to blind the truth. No matter how creative the imagination, how skillful the ability to avoid the truth, the truth will stand.

Jesus was who He was. The people who encountered Him had extreme perceptions of who He really was. In their minds’ eye they saw Jesus for who they wanted Him to be to satisfy their beliefs or their denial of who He was. None of this changed who Jesus was. Herod knew that it was Jesus of whom the people spoke, but denying it would be exactly what he needed to cover his guilt and the sin of his past. Herod’s convenient untruth. It was Herod’s conscience that sealed the thought in his mind that Jesus was the resurrected John the Baptist. It was convenient for Herod to think that a resurrected John would bring him absolution from the sin of ordering John’s death. Accepting that it was Jesus would force Herod to confront his wrongdoing.

Whenever we fast and pray, truth will be revealed. When God shows us the truth, He gives no leverage for us to see the truth as anything else but the truth; no what we wish we had heard, nor what we wish we saw. God’s truth will force us to accept what is. It will confirm, clarify, or negate what we see in our human thinking.

Holding up your heart against God’s mirror, what do you need to accept as truth today?

Carlene L. Douglas
Kairos Community A.M.E. Church
Nashville, Tennessee

Try Again

editor — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:57:29 +0000

Everyone has experienced this, some a little and others a lot. Here are seven tips to help when this calls your name. If you like the messages on this site, share them with others. Be sure to keep up with the Lenten Devotions located in the Read Section on this site.

Your daily prayer is now at www.vashtimckenzie.blogspot.com. Stay connected at www.twitter.com/vashtimckenzie.

No Matter What You Do

editor — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:18:18 +0000

Tracey Bowen
Mark 6:1-13
1Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.
“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! 3Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,[a] Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
4Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.” 5He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6And he was amazed at their lack of faith.
Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. 7Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.
8These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts.9Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. 10Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them.”
12They went out and preached that people should repent. 13They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them
Rejection can hurt. It especially hurts when it comes from those who should know and believe in you the most. The hardest part about rejection is that you have no control over it. Bottom line, you cannot make anyone love you. It’s not even wise to try. Jesus didn’t.

In today’s passage we have Jesus in his hometown where he was known since his childhood. They marvel at his wisdom and even go as far as to ask how he became so wise. Yet even though they marvel they are still commenting “Ain’t that Mary’s boy? You know the one from Nazareth…ain’t nothing good ever come outta that place!” Even though they saw his wisdom and the anointing on his life, they would not believe.

The only response noted by Jesus is that he performed a few miracles and then left. No long discourse about “Do you know who I am?” No showy miracles to try and gain the approval of the people. He did what he could for the people who believed and for the others he simply left them to their own opinions. And it was their loss. The passage specifically states that he did not do more because of their unbelief.

The Spirit of the Lord once whispered to me that rejection at higher levels is protection. For one reason or another it is for our own good that everyone does not embrace us ─ no matter what we do. It’s as simple as that. From Jesus’ example we can learn how to deal with rejection when it comes. You do what you can for those who will receive you and for the others, keep moving forward. For everyone that will hold your past against you, there are new people on the way that will see the glory of the Lord living and active in your life and receive you.

Tracey Bowen
Bethel Apostolic Temple
Miami, Florida

You Need A Break

editor — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:40:11 +0000

Are you barely making it through the day? Do you need something more than expensive energy drinks and/or caffein? Listen to today’s message to discover your Lenten activity for the week. Try it and let me know how it works for you. Subscribe and share this message with others.

Your daily prayer is now at www.vashtimckenzie.blogspot.com. Don’t forget to read the Lenten Devotion in the Read Section on this site. Stay connected at www.twitter.com/vashtimckenzie.

Running Every Which Way?

editor — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:15:08 +0000

In paradoxical times, what is the best thing you can do? Listen to a portion of this sermon message “Set It Off” and see if this works for you. Keep up with your daily Lenten devotional in the Read Section on this site. Your daily prayer is located at www.vashtimckenzie.blogspot.com. Stay connected at www.twitter.com/vashtimckenzie.

How to Get the Attention of God

editor — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:20:54 +0000

Orletta E Caldwell
Mark 5:21-43 (NIV)
21When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet23and pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 24So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

30At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”
31″You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’”
32But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
35While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher any more?”
36Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
37He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40But they laughed at him.
After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” ). 42Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Jesus had had a full itinerary in today’s script. He had healed a possessed man from a legion of demons and was on his way to heal Jarius’ daughter. The Bible indicates that there was a huge crowd and it was jam-packed.

Though His schedule was full, a “by the way” moment occurs that is one of the greatest examples of faith illustrated in the Bible. This seemingly insignificant footnote has been spoken of frequently and has been the subject of many great gospel hits. The subject: The Woman with the Issue of Blood.

Why is she so heralded for so small a gesture? Because she had enough faith to get the attention of God! This nameless woman spent all of her money seeking to alleviate her failing health. She was probably physically drained from being in pain and emotionally drained from being ostracized from others around her. There’s no mention of a husband, but I am sure he checked out mentally, if not physically, a long time ago. In all of this despair and hopelessness most of us would have been in bed feeling sorry for ourselves, with justification. Not this woman. She was on a quest. In desperation and determination; she found Jesus, pressed through the crowd and thought, “If I can just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”

At the very moment she did so, Jesus stopped and asked “Who touched me”. This appears in the text, a “dumb” question, in light of the size of the crowd. The identity of the woman however was revealed and she received her healing that day.

Joe Hunt, Social Entrepreneur wrote that an Idealist is a person who believes “Everything is possible; the impossible just takes a little longer”. How do you get the attention of God…have faith that “Everything is possible; the impossible just takes a little longer.”

Orletta E Caldwell
St. Stephen AME
Detroit, Michigan

Listen, and Live!

editor — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 18:17:43 +0000

Luke 5:25-29 (New Living Translation)
25 “And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live. 26 The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son. 27 And he has given him authority to judge everyone because he is the Son of Man.[a] 28 Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, 29 and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment.

When can the failure to listen result in death? When the one speaking is the Spirit of God! It would then appear that one should simply listen to God. If only it were that easy. Listening to God possesses a certain degree of difficulty, yes, even for the Christian believer. Oft times to get to “God’s voice” we must walk through the maze of many “other voices”: the “well-intentioned” voices of family and friends, the over-hyped voices of the media, even the voice of our own will and desire, all voices that can quickly lead us away from the Voice of Life.
The Gospel of John informs us that “the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live.” Listening to God’s voice may place you in direct opposition to those you love. Listen anyway! Listening to God’s voice may place you in direct opposition to those in leadership over you. Listen anyway! Listening to God’s voice may even cause you to experience seasons of separation and isolation. Listen anyway!
As difficult as it may be sometimes, listening to the voice of God is to allow the power of God – the life-giving power of God – to work in your life! And with the power of God at work in your life, you can arise from and out of any situation of death and defeat.
To listen to the voice of God is to receive life. What is the voice of God speaking to you this Lenten season?
Michael W. Waters
Dallas, Texas
www.joytabernacleame.org

Come Out of the Tomb!

editor — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 13:56:39 +0000

Carol Croskey
Mark 5:1-20
And when He had stepped into the boat, the man who had been controlled by the unclean spirits kept begging Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus refused to permit him, but said to him, Go home to your own [family and relatives and friends] and bring back word to them of how much the Lord has done for you, and [how He has] had sympathy for you and mercy on you. And he departed and began to publicly proclaim in Decapolis [the region of the ten cities] how much Jesus had done for him, and all the people were astonished and marveled. (Mark 5:18-20)

The selected scripture follows the restless sea encounter of Jesus having just calmed his disciples’ nerves. He simply said, “Peace be still!” Even Jesus deserved an uninterrupted nap.
Chapter 5 begins on the other side of the “calmed sea” in the country of the Gerasenes. As soon as Jesus stepped out of the boat, he meets a man who is considered demon-possessed and lives in the cemetery. The cemetery, the place where the dead are buried; it is not a proper home for the living. Because of his madness, physical abuse of himself and the town’s inability to control him, this man lives among the dead. His encounter with Jesus is interesting. He knows who Jesus is because he kneels in worship and asks what does the “Son of the Most High God “want with him. Jesus goes further by asking the man his name. The answer is the all familiar, “Legion, for we are many.” Other translations give the name as army, lots or mob. A “legion” was at least six thousand military troops. It can be difficult to imagine a mind so tormented with so many personalities the he cannot tell Jesus his own name and yet this “man of the tombs” knows who Jesus is.
To make the twenty verses short, Jesus commands the tormenting spirit to come out of the man. The unclean spirit has no where to go and begs to be sent into a herd of pigs who fall off a cliff into the sea and drown. The town folk are upset because of what happened to the pigs and they ask Jesus to leave. Why do they want Jesus to leave instead of rejoicing over this man who is now clean, dressed and has no evidence of his previous behavior? He is healed - mentally, emotionally and spiritually! Why are these people more concerned for the pigs’ lives than receiving a “peace that passes all understanding?” It could be that the Gerasenes cared more for “swine” and their way of life and refused to recognized that Jesus cared more for human life and salvation. Like the man and yes the Gerasenes, what tombs do we need to give up? Do we want the things that keep us from Jesus? Do we care more about the way of the world, than the “light of the world?”

The man was so excited about his healing, that he begged Jesus to let him travel with him, probably to be a disciple. Jesus gave him another assignment instead. The man is now commissioned to tell his family, friends and all, “what the Lord has done for you and how he had mercy on you.” Not only his friends and family, the man goes to ten cities in the region and the people he told were amazed at what they heard.

Jesus asks us to give up the tombs, come out of the cemetery, drop the chains, pick up the pieces, let go of the unclean swine spirit (literally and figuratively) and become a new person in Christ. When we accept the Savior, we learn the lesson the Gerasenes missed: human life must be valued far more than a herd of pigs. The Lord has done so much for us! He died on the cross so that we would have life, better than that, “abundant life.” What will we do for Him?

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for calling us out of the tomb and to proclaim your love. Strengthen us to go far beyond ten cities to spread the good news to bring others to you. Amen.

Carol Croskey
St. Paul AME Church
Ocala, Florida

Attitude Adjustment

editor — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:14:32 +0000

Your attitude can help you see things differently. It’s possible. Listen and share with others you think need to hear this message.

You daily prayer now at www.vashtimckenzie.blogspot.com. Stay connected at www.twitter.com/vashtimckenzie.

Far From the Maddening Crowd

editor — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:10:55 +0000

Minister Colette L. Walker
Mark 4:35-41
“Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him” (v. 36 NIV).
In Mark 4:1 we find Jesus starting out his day beside the sea, using parables to teach people about the kingdom of God. As his ministry grew, larger crowds gathered. Crowds have power, momentum, and a mind of their own. Their actions and reactions can positively and negatively impact your mission, ideas, energy, and focus. Crowds can break loose and run you over! Crowds can also lift your flesh up, appeal to your base instincts and stroke your ego, trampling your body and running right over the spirit of God within you. “That was an awesome sermon you preached Rev!” “No one can pray like you Deacon!” “You’re the best ministry leader we’ve ever had!” It’s hard to hear the heavy, crushing work boots of the crowd when they’re encased in beautiful, sweet words!

Sometimes you must move away from the crowd to avoid being trampled by the crowd. At the end of the day Jesus left the crowd behind and crossed over to the other side, to venture into Gentile territory. How about you: can you move away from the crowd? Can you move away from the clichés and hype surrounding ministry without moving away from Jesus? As the crowd increases can you decrease? Never mind who’s following you; who are you following, Jesus or the crowd? Ultimately, no matter what corporation signs your pay check or what organization validates your call, the crowd does not own you. Jesus does. Don’t allow the crowd to dictate your travel itinerary.

Let’s Pray: Precious and Promise-fulfilling God, thank you for the crowd. Bless my feet to do exactly what you created them to do – get me to the other side. Today I leave the crowd behind and simply follow you.

Minister Colette L. Walker
Moring Star Community Christian Center Linden, NJ
www.morningstarccc.org

God’s Standard Operating Procedure Manual

editor — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:00:27 +0000

You can act like it, reflect it, use it, and trust God’s Word. Since life and death is in your mouth - speak life.

Join the Lenten Journey today. Sign up in the comment section to pray three times a day and/or join the Daniel Fast or choose the Bible or another book to study. Invite your friends. Daily prayer now at www.vashtimckenzie.blogspot.com. Stay connected at www.twittter.com/vashtimckenzie. Tech Fast today. Conversation continues on Friday! Stop, look, listen and be led by the Holy Spirit.

All Night Long

editor — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 10:30:38 +0000

Sometime you’ve got to go through something to get to something. Listen to see what happens. Be sure to subscribe today and share this message with others.

It’s week two of the Lenten Journey - Journey to the Heart of God. How are you doing? Are you yet holding on? Keep up with your prayers at www.vashtimckenzie.blogspot.com and your daily devotions in the Read section on this site. Invite others to join you.

Technological Fast is tomorrow. Choose one thing - television, radio, ipod, internet, texting, tweeting, Face Book, My Space and turn it off and turn away for 24 hours beginning tonight when you go to bed. Let the Holy Spirit lead you into what to do with the extra time. Scroll down in this section to Monday’s message for more information.

Stay connected at www.twitter.com/vashtimckenzie.

Let God’s Word Do the Work

editor — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:00:59 +0000

L’Tarra Moore
Mark 4:21-34 (NIV)
21He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? 22For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
24″Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. 25Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”
26He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”
30Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. 32Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade.”
33With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. 34He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

God will reveal His word for our lives and we are to share with others so that we can help others. Just like artwork, we do not buy it to put under our beds or in our closets. We display the artwork on our walls for all to see. We are to do the same with God’s word. Those things that God has yet to reveal, we are to wait patiently for and believe that it will be more effective at the right time. We are to take heed to what we hear from God. We are to use it to improve our lives. If we do this, God will reveal more to us. If we do not take heed to what God gives us, we will lose it. We have the opportunity to share God’s word (plant seeds) with others. God has caused His Word to be so powerful that all we have to do is share it. The kingdom of God, like the mustard seed, will start small and grow slowly. The more we share God’s word and what He has done for us, the more others will begin to believe and the kingdom of God will take over.

L’Tarra Moore
Atlanta, GA

Is Your Soul Good Soil?

editor — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 05:11:54 +0000

Tracey Bowen
Mark 4:1-20
1Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. 2He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3″Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.” 9Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
10When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12so that, ” ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’” 13Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14The farmer sows the word. 15Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.”
The parable of the sower is an often taught, often preached passage of scripture. It happens to be one of my favorites. Rather than preach it in writing, I would like to highlight some of the key points in the passage that teach us how to prepare the soil of our soul.
First, beware of listening to the wrong voice. When the Word of God is first shared, it is easy for a thought or word contray to what is spoken to come in and snuff out God’s Word. We must be diligent in holding on to God’s truth by writing it down, meditating on it, and praying about what we have heard. We also have to refuse to recieve any word that opposes the truth of God’s Word.
Second, we must take the time to be still long enough to establish roots. This has various meanings. The first and most important is to stay grounded in the Word, in season and out of season. It is not enough to seek God in the tough times and abandon him when there are good times. What happens is when the cycle repeats itself, when the bad times come again, there is no root to go deeper to nourish you. You become weary and frustrated and if you are not careful, you lose faith. Consistent prayer and meditation, along with fasting and reading your Bible, allows you to become rooted in God’s truth so that when adversity comes you can thrive. A second meaning is that you should be grounded and rooted in a church home, staying there long enough to be planted. “But they made me mad!” Endure it. “But the pastor hurt my feelings.” If they spoke the truth and not what made you feel good, deal with it. Running from church to church does not allow you the chance to grow. Be still.
Lastly, be mindful not to let the cares of the world ─ the fallacy that money solves everything, and the pursuit of stuff ─ draw your attention away from what really matters: God and Him being glorified. He should be at the center of all you do and the source of everything. My new motto is “It is what it is and I am so glad that He is who He is.” Because He is, I am that I am. I need not live without hope like the unbelieving do. If you are mindful of the items above, your soul is well prepared to receive the word of God and bear good fruit, knowing that God is in control.
Tracey Bowen
Bethel Apostolic Temple
Miami, Florida

Keep Standing For Christ

editor — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 12:48:34 +0000

Garrett J. Copeland, I
Mark 3:19b-35 (NRSV)
Then he went home; 20and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. 21When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, ‘He has gone out of his mind.’ 22And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, ‘He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.’ 23And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, ‘How can Satan cast out Satan? 24If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. 27But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.
28 ‘Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; 29but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin’— 30for they had said, ‘He has an unclean spirit.’
31 Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. 32A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, ‘Your mother and your brothers and sisters* are outside, asking for you.’ 33And he replied, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ 34And looking at those who sat around him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! 35Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.’

This passage teaches us that even while Jesus continued to do a good work, there were some who wanted to vilify his good deeds; even so with malicious and quite foolish comments like, “by the ruler of demons he cast out demon.” How absurd, but this was their attempt to come against Jesus’ stance to do the will of his father. It didn’t stop Jesus, and he wasn’t fazed by the fiery darts of the enemy, who is Satan! Jesus warned them about their blaspheming against the Holy Spirit, and that such blasphemy will not go unpunished.

So what does this say to us? Well surely if we are Christ’s we will also be vilified sometimes; because he was. Surely if we are going to stand in his righteousness, the fiery darts of the enemy will be shot our way. No matter how heavy the arsenal of weapons the enemy uses against us, we must stand, stand for righteousness and stand together as the family of Christ. We can be encouraged in knowing Isaiah 54:17, “No weapon that is fashioned against you shall prosper, and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, says the Lord.”

Garrett J. Copeland, I
Pastor, Trinity AME Church
Nashville, Tennessee

Precious Moments

editor — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:45:41 +0000

Without these, life would be utterly impossible and with them life is utterly powerful. Listen and share with others. Subscribe today, it’s free!

You can continue your Lenten Journey by reading the daily devotion in the Read Section on this site and praying the daily prayer at www.vashtimckenzie.blogspot.com.

Technological Fast? It’s Thursday. Twenty-four hours to fast from non-essential emails, television, radio, ipods or the internet. Choose one thing from the digital world and turn it off for 24 hours. Use the extra time to spend in a spiritual discipline (prayer, study, worship, praise) or be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Scroll down the archives in the Listen section for Can You Give It Up? for more information.

Stay connected at www.twitter.com/vashtimckenzie.

Can You Give it Up?

editor — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:04:14 +0000

It’s Lent. Some people have given up things and some have taken up things. Listen to a challenging idea that can be done on Thursday. Let me know what you think in the comment section. Can you handle the assignment?

Your daily prayer now at www.vashtimckenzie.blogspot.com. Stay connected at www.twitter.com/vashtimckenzie.

Jesus and the Crowd

editor — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:22:38 +0000

Toni Belin Ingram
Mark 3:7-19a
7Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. 8When they heard all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. 9Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. 10For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. 11Whenever the evil[a] spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12But he gave them strict orders not to tell who he was.
13Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14He appointed twelve—designating them apostles[b]—that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15and to have authority to drive out demons. 16These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder); 18Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Why do we really want to know Jesus? Is it for the many blessings, healings and miracles Jesus can provide for us? The text seems so crazy to me to realize that those who came to be healed and cured from all the diseases and concerns that they had would almost crush Jesus trying to get what they wanted from him. At the same time the unclean spirits would bow down to Jesus and the unclean spirits would obey Jesus.

It is though we are so busy trying to use Jesus as our healer and our miracle worker that we quickly show up where we believe Jesus might be, like on a Lenten Fast. We show up, we read and we stop eating, but are we really bowing down and obeying or are we simply bum rushing Jesus to get what we need?

I pray that we do not use this time to determine whether or not tofu and soy can really replace chicken and milk, or that we get so caught up in what constitutes fruit and veggies. I pray that we truly engage the texts and the prayers to really journey to the heart of God.

Let us Pray: Dear Lord have mercy on us. Forgive us for bum rushing you . Heal us of our frailties and our sicknesses and diseases. While you heal us merciful God, give us the heart to take this journey to be in your midst. Give us the wherewithal to seek you first in all that we do. Give us the determination to gain the power to heal and cast out demons in your name. Give us the courage to speak truth to power, to sing about hope and love and peace, to spread your Good News. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Toni Belin Ingram, Pastor
Greater Smith Chapel AME Church
Atlanta, Georgia

Get A Life

editor — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 11:27:55 +0000

Reverend Tyronda Howse Burgess
John 5:19-24 (NIV)
19Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. 21For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
24″I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.

You’ve heard expressions such as, “like father, like son,” or, “just a chip off the old block.” Basically these idioms say, “the offspring are similar to the parents.” But if you were to go up to a teenager and say, “you know, you remind me exactly of your parents,” a teen probably isn’t going to take that as a compliment. We value our individuality. We want to be our own person, and not be compared to our parents, even if they are good, godly people. Jesus didn’t think that way. Instead of distancing himself from his Father, he goes out of his way to stress the close relationship that he has with God the Father.

Listen to how Jesus expresses his closeness to the Father, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” Here in John, Jesus is interested in conformity, not uniqueness. He wants to be the same as the Father. And he is the same as the Father, and there is no need to hide it.

Jesus said, “the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it.” This raising to life refers to the inner raising of the dead that goes on inside the soul of an unbeliever when they hear and believe the Word. Without Jesus, a person is dead. Yeah, they might be living here on earth, but they’re dead. They don’t really have any purpose in life. They don’t have any meaning in life. They are just living for themselves and for the here and now. They are living a dead life. But listen to the change that occurs when you add Jesus into the mix, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life.” Pay attention to the tense of the verb. A believer has life. Here on earth. At conversion, all of a sudden there’s a shaking up of priorities. God fills the believer up with a life that now looks to serve others. That’s different than the selfish so-called life before faith. And…this life Jesus says is eternal. Believers have it now. They will have it forever.

“Get a life!” Back when I was in high school, that was a common expression to say to someone who spent too much time studying….too much time playing video games…too much time on the phone. “Get a life!” Go, do something useful with your time. How much more important it is that we get true life. Get to know Jesus, because the Son has life!

Prayer: Father, Thank you for life! In you I live, move and have my being. Because you live, I have life and I have it more abundantly. I am so glad to be your child. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reverend Tyronda Howse Burgess
Pastor, Jones Chapel A.M.E. Church
Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee

Stand up and stretch out your hand!

editor — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 10:17:39 +0000

Felecia Teasley
Mark 2:33-3:6 (NIV)
23One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. 24The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”
25He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”
27Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
Mark 3:1Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. 3Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”
4Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.
5He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

Monday, Tuesday Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sabbath! Yes, Sabbath! For some, their day to rest and worship comes on Saturday and others Sunday.

As a child I thought that on the day of Sabbath there were certain things that I was not permitted to do. I would hear “Don’t do this nor that” on Sunday, in respect of the day for the Lord. In my childish mind not understanding that my day of rest and worship was actually made for me not me for it. Childishly, I also thought that on my day of rest and worship that Jesus was resting and worshipping too. Work was only to be done during the week.

Becoming an adult and have grown in spirituality through study my childish tendencies have faded away. I’ve found myself needing the Lord more and more regardless of the day. I’ve needed him during a midnight hour, before the morning sun, at work, and while driving. To be honest, some of life’s circumstances have made me stand up and stretch out my hand to cry out, have mercy on me Lord! Realizing it doesn’t matter what time on any day Jesus is still Lord. Even on my day of rest and worship.

Don’t sit and do nothing if there is a time that you need Jesus. Stray away from your childish tendencies. He’s here for you in your time of need always. Stand up and stretch your hand!

Felecia Teasley
Nashville, Tennessee

Compassion

editor — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:42:06 +0000

Toni Belin Ingram
Mark 2:13-22
13Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. 14As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.
15While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ’sinners’?”
17On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
18Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”
19Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.
21″No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. 22And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins.”

When I first started pastoring, a couple of homeless people and a few drug addicts used to come to the church and ask for food and money, I would give them work to do. We would sometimes sit for hours talking about who they were and their goals and dreams for their lives. Because of these two people, I gained the capacity to not look so much at who people were on the outside, but who they were striving to be on the inside. Those first few months helped me formulate the vision and mission of our church – to be a place where everyone is welcome. Only through the hospitality that Jesus teaches us are we able to truly reach the masses.

Let us Pray: Most gracious and compassionate God, convict, compel and challenge our hearts to have the capacity to seek out the lost, to encourage the weary, and have compassion for the downtrodden. Show us what it means to fully live out the mission that you put before us so long ago. In Jesus’ name Amen.

Toni Belin Ingram, Pastor
Greater Smith Chapel AME Church
Atlanta, Georgia

Imagination

editor — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:18:17 +0000

Imagination has a best friend. Do you know what it is? Listen to this sermon and be encouraged. Don’t let the weekend weaken your resolve to stay focus during Lent: prayer, devotion, Daniel Fast and at least a walk around the block! If you blew the spiritual disciplines, then start again! Be sure to share this message and share your Lenten experiences in the comment section.

Daily prayer is now at www.vashtimckenzie.blogspot.com. Stay connected at www.twitter.com/vashtimckenzie.

Granting Power

editor — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:53:11 +0000

If God does this for you, then what exactly do you want God to do about it? Listen and let me know. We’re on to the second week of the Lenten Journey - Journey to the Heart of God. Be encouraged to continue to increase your prayer time, read the daily devotion in the Read section on this site and/or try the Daniel Fast. For more information about the Daniel Fast scroll down the archives of the Read section.

Your daily prayer is located at www.vashtimckenzie.blogspot.com. Stay connected at www.twitter.com/vashtimckenzie.

Just Say Yes!

editor — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:18:38 +0000

Rev. Maria Mallory White

Matthew 22: 37-40

Lent is here. It’s a time when I think of the sacrifice, the abstinence, the giving up-however you want to look at it-all as means of hitting my “spiritual reset button.”

Lent is when I seek to clear away the clutter, the spiritual rivals for God’s supremacy as LORD of my body, my heart, my mind and my soul; I try to clean house of those things hindering me from love of God with all my heart, my soul, my mind and my strength-the first and great commandment-and love of my neighbor as myself (Matthew 22:37-40).

As usual, I’ll be listening to a lot of music, but Lent affects my hearing. As I do an inventory of my life, my passions and my commitments, I’m wondering are there dangerous liaisons lurking anywhere so I’m slipping off like Atlantic Starr to some “Secret Lover”? Am I so caught up in something so, like Luther Ingram, my theme song is, “If loving you is wrong, I don’t wanna be right”? Am I so stuck that, as first Stevie Wonder and then Luther Vandross sang, before I can resist, there it goes: “Creep, creep, creep, creep…into my dreams”?
During Lent, I let go of anything that has a hold on me, that controls me, that calls my name in the midnight hour. I’m determined to, as En Vogue once sang, “Give it up! Turn it loose!” And then, too, I find a witness in Teddy Pendergrass, “I think I’d better let it go! Looks like another love TKO.” Lent is a time to say, “No.”

Lent transforms the music on my mind, and as I march toward Calvary, my soul sings with Jubliant Sykes, “Oh, fix me. Oh, Fix me, Jesus. Oh, fix me. Fix me, Jesus. Fix me!” In my quiet time, I’m with CeCe Winans singing, “All to Jesus, I surrender. Humbly at His feet I bow. Worldly pleasures all forsaken; take me, Jesus, take me now. I surrender all. I surrender all. All to Thee my blessed Savior. I surrender all.”
And then, there’s the “Yes” of Lent. When the sacrifices and the abstinence seems too much to bear, I’m confronted and convicted by the words of Shekinah Glory, “Will you still say yes? Will your heart and soul say yes? Will your spirit still say yes? There is more that [Jesus] require of thee. Will your heart and soul say yes?”

As we countdown to Calvary, it is my prayer that Lent becomes more than a time of just no, but more importantly a time of saying, “Yes.”
“Just say yes. Open up your heart and tell the Lord, yes. Say, yes. Say, I’ll obey, Jesus. I won’t stray, Jesus. But this time, I’ve made up in my mind, I’ll say, yes! My soul says, yes! My mind says, yes! My heart says, yes!” Say it. Pray it. Sing it. Shout it: “Yes!”

Rev. Maria Mallory White,

RevMaria4MTH@aol.com

Can We Touch?

editor — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 10:27:15 +0000

Denise L. Mitchell

Mark 1:29-45 (KJV)
29And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her. 31And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. 32And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. 33And all the city was gathered together at the door. 34And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him. 35And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. 36And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. 37And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee. 38And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth. 39And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils. 40And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 41And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. 42And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. 43And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; 44And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. 45But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.

During the flu season we are warned to avoid personal contact with people at work or in school who exhibit symptoms of infection or sickness. Even in churches it is suggested that we should find alternatives to shaking hands and hugging as signs of love and peace. We’re being programmed not to touch. But what would Jesus do?

Cries of “unclean” signaling that a person with leprosy or some other infectious disease was in the midst were prevalent during Jesus’ public ministry. Avoiding and isolating sick people was recommended then too. But that was not the way of Jesus our Savior, Healer and Deliverer.

When Simon’s mother-in-law was at home sick with fever – Jesus went inside, took her by the hand and lifted her up and she was healed. When a leper knelt at Jesus’ feet asking to be cleansed – moved by compassion Jesus put forth his hand and touched him and the leper was cleansed. When they brought people to Jesus suffering from soul diseases such as demon possession – he didn’t flee from the devils, he cast them out!

Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and was touched with the feeling of our infirmities. People touched Jesus and Jesus touched them back.

Prayer: Jesus we see you hanging on the cross, bruised, bloody, in pain. You suffered for our sins and left us an example of bearing our brother’s infirmities. We have the antidote for their ills– it’s in You. Help us not to turn away from those who need to know you as Savior and Healer.

Denise L. Mitchell
Tabernacle of Prayer for all People
Jamaica, N.Y.

Gimme, Gimme, Gimme

editor — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 08:14:44 +0000

Illustration by Michael Elins, Times Magazine 10 September 2006

Most of the time our focus is narrow and limited to this. Listen to see how you can realign your focus for better results. Don’t forget your Lenten devotion by Denise L. Mitchell today in the Read section on this site.

Your daily prayer is now at www.vashtimckenzie.blogspot.com. Share your prayer experiences and/or Lenten Journey in the comment section on both sites. Subscribe and share these messages with others.

Stay connected at www.twitter.com/vashtimckenzie. Help Haiti now at www.ame-church.com.

Forsake Your Nets and Follow God

editor — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:17:05 +0000

Terrance L. Culp
Mark 1:14-28 (NRSV)
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 15and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.’
16 As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. 17And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’ 18And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.
21 They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. 22They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, 24and he cried out, ‘What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.’ 25But Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be silent, and come out of him!’ 26And the unclean spirit, throwing him into convulsions and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, ‘What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.’ 28At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee

I often look at my life and say the phrase that others have said:”If only there were more hours in the day….” The inescapable reality is that if there were more hours in our day, we would probably continue to fill those hours with meaningless, mundane tasks that would leave us still seeking for more hours to continue these works of our hands. I see people who have so many irons in the fire that their lives become stagnant, continually striving to have the appearance of success, progress, and accomplishment. This is not a rebuke of industrious people, “for whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required :”( Luke 12:48B). This missive does serve to bring awareness to you and I who often use our life’s work as an escape of the call of God on our lives.

The call of God is not a call to preach or a call to pastor: it is a call to follow. The initial exuberance of following Christ can be lost in the work of ministry if the joy of following Christ is not properly maintained. The scary part for many believers, new and seasoned, is that the work of God is so intense and unending. It requires sacrifice and dedication, and for some, they believe that it is not worth it. Simon, Andrew, James, and John followed Christ based on an invitation and immediately they were introduced to the work of ministry. To go from fisherman to being a fisher of men is a daunting proposition, to say the least. But, if one seeks to experience God’s glory, we must understand that to love Him is to follow Him and to follow Him requires us to perform the work of Him. As we follow, we will see miracles, large and small. Following anything means that some things will be left behind. Leave your past behind. Leave your inhibitions behind. Forsake the nets that entangle you and answer the greatest call on your life: to follow God.

Prayer: Give us this day, our daily bread….

Terrance L. Culp, Associate Minister
The Life Cathedral
Orangeburg, SC
www.twitter.com/terrancelculp

“I owe, I owe, it’s off to work I go”

editor — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:30:10 +0000

These things are the physical representatives of the investment of our time, talent and treasure. Do you live beyond your monetary intake to get what you can’t afford? H,mm, listen and let me know in the comment section on this site.

The Lenten Journey has begun. Your Lenten prayer is now at www.vashtimckenzie.blogspot.com. Stay connected at www.twitter.com/vashtimckenzie/.

Listen, analize, share and subscribe. Join the journey today. Sign up in the comment section and share your experiences with us and others.