Wednesday's Word of Truth: Recent Episodes
Rev. Michelle Johnson, Ph.D.
Wednesday's Word of Truth is a motivational podcast designed to inspire, inform, and instruct. It focuses on the practical application of the lessons of life and faith traditions as instruments of personal and social transformation. It is unapologetic in its demand for social justice and a recognition of the inherent value of all creation. Let the transformation begin NOW!
Based On: 1 Chronicles 16:7-11 (NIV)
7 That day David first appointed Asaph and his associates to give praise to the Lord in this manner: 8 Givepraise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. 9 Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. 10 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.11 Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.
Excerpt: Every healthy relationship requires that each party make the other a priority. Such as it is with our relationship with God, Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit. With approximately eight billion people in this known world, by grace we still remain Heaven’s top priority. We praise God when we make Heaven our top priority by practicing a preference for God.
Based On: Hebrews 4:16 (KJV)
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.Excerpt:
It is impossible to come boldly before God whenwe are weighted down by the guilt of our sin. But when by the blood of Jesus the Christ, we lay our sins aside, we are freed and emboldened to with haste make our way to God’s throne.
Based on: Psalm 42:5 (NIV)
Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbedwithin me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him,my Savior and my God.
Excerpt:
Consequently, it is quite easy to find ourselves in a “sorrow season.” However, we get to choose whether to wallow in our “sorrow season” or “catch ourselves.” When we wallow we go deeper into the muck and mire of our pains and problems, but when we “catch ourselves” we remind ourselves of Who we are and Whose we are.
Based On: Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
Excerpt:
I suggest that one of the reasons that we fail to grasp the full benefit of this text is because we think it only refers to earthly circumstances, and human situations. The Truth is this text is not only describing the timing of earthly matters, but also the timing of the working of the Heavenly realm.
Based On: John 15:15 (NIV)
Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
Excerpt: Jesus always made it clear that after His work here on earth was completed, He would return to the heavenly realm. However, His relationship with His disciples would never end.
Based on: Luke 4:18b, 21 (NIV)He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners…
He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture isfulfilled in your hearing.”
Excerpt:
My Brothers and Sisters, because death could not keep Jesus in the tomb, our past mistakes and failures will not keep us in bondage. We are not just free; we are free indeed.
Based On: John 12:17-18 (NIV)
17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him.
Excerpt:
The “Many people…” never saw Jesus perform a miracle, show a sign, or display a wonder. Yet, based upon someone else’s testimony they still believed enough to gather up all of who they were and all that they had to join the eyewitnesses in an outpouring of praise and adoration to Jesus of Nazareth.
BasedOn: John 12:12-13a (NIV)
12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went outto meet him, shouting…
Excerpt:
The Truth is Jesus is calling us up and out of our places of suffering. It is quite simple. If the place that you are in is filled with pain and oppression, then leave that place and go out to meet Jesus.
Based On: Matthew 5:16 (NIV)
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Excerpt:
We have a personal life coach at our disposal 24/7. Whether it’s finances, relationships, children, or just plain ole family drama – Holy Spirit has a solution tailor made for every situation.
Based On: 2Corinthians 3:18 (CEB)
All of us are looking with unveiled faces at the glory of the Lord as if we were looking in a mirror. We are being transformed into that same image from one degree of glory to the next degree of glory. This comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Excerpt:
Our Lenten journey toward the empty tomb is a journey of transformation. As we make our way up to Jerusalem as Jesus did, we are being transformed from one degree of glory to the next degree of glory. Soon we will be able to say of ourselves with confidence, “Truly, the glory of the Lord is alive in me.”
Based On: Hebrews 12:1-2 (CEB)So then, with endurance, let’s also run the race that is laidout in front of us, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us. Let’s throw off any extra baggage, get rid of the sin that trips us up, 2 and fix our eyes on Jesus, faith’s pioneerand perfecter. He endured the cross, ignoring the shame, for the sake of the joy that was laid out in front of him, and sat down at the right side of God’s throne.
Excerpt:
Those of us who would dare claim relationship in the family of God through Jesus the Christ, must also by right of inheritance -- claim the role of disciple. As such, we must -- whether stumbling or staggering -- seek to live a life for which Heaven is not ashamed. A life that will cost us everything.
Based on : John 12:24 (NIV)
Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
Excerpt:
I suspect that this is why Winter also gives us the gift of Lent. The Lenten season always begins in the Winter. One might say that the two are contradictory. However, I believe that Winter and Lent are interdependent. One cannot exist without the other. It is the apparent death-like experience of Winter that lays the foundation for the transformative resurrections created by Lent.
Based on: Jeremiah 18:4 (NIV)
But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.
Excerpt: This all happened because Israel took the love of our God for granted. This amazing God who finds pleasure in taking the marred clays of our lives, and re-shaping them into a life that is beautiful and useful to God’s Kin-Dom.
Based On: Matthew 5:8 (NIV)Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Excerpt:
Often times we may not be aware of the wounds that are festering in our hearts. All that we have to do is listen to what we say. We may not even hear ourselves, but others do hear us. Our words will never contradict the substance of our hearts. Our words will always line up with what we are thinking and feeling.
Based On: Deuteronomy 33:27a (NIV)The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.
Excerpt:
In the place of “Oneness” with God, we find strength to be and to become. We find strength to do and to undo that which has been faultily done. We find strength to forgive and to be forgiven. We find strength to love and be loved.
Based On: Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it.
Excerpt:
The Truth is the closer we stay in step with God, the greater the likelihood that we will envision a life for ourselves that has Heaven’s stamp of approval. The moment we begin to forsake our intimacy with God is when we begin to veer off course. It is thenthat we develop tendencies that are in opposition to the mind of God. This is when we begin to want to do our own thing and expect God to bless it.
Based on: Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Excerpt:
Before we launch out into the deep of 2024, it is a wise thing to incline our thoughts toward Heaven. Surely, we know that God has plans for us – plans of a hope and a future -- but do we know what our assignment is in the realization of those plans? What is our role in receiving prosperity and protection? How are we to position ourselves to realize hope and a God ordained future?
Based On: Acts: 7:49-50 (NIV)“‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things?
Excerpt:
Yet, we must be reminded that a healthy new birth requires tending of the soil, the planting of good seed, and an active prayerful wait for the time of realization. During this time the evil one will try to kill our dreams, dash our hopes, and drain the life out of our desires.
Based On: Isaiah 43:19 (CEB)
Look! I’m doing a new thing; now it sprouts up; don’t you recognize it? I’m making a way in the desert, paths in the wilderness.
Excerpt:
The good news is that God has gifted each of us with the ability to imagine a thing and hold it in consciousness until it takes tangible form in our lives. It is true that if we can imagine it, it can manifest itself in our real world.
Based On: Luke 2:11 (NIV)Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
Excerpt:
There is no such thing as coincidence in the life of the believer in Jesus Christ. The Bethlehem story is time tested evidence that God is working all things out for our good. We serve a God who does extraordinary things in ordinary places.
Based On: Isaiah 40:1-2 (NIV)Comfort, comfort my people says your God. Speaktenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hardservice has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, thatshe has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.
Excerpt:
The long, short of the story is that before we chose tosin God thought through the salvific sacrifice of Jesus dying on a criminal’s cross, to save us from our sin. So, the Advent story is the fulfillment of the forethought of God’s merciful act of saving us from an eternal hell. It is not a story book to be read. It is His-Story to be told over and over and over again.
Based On: Luke 1:8-10 (NIV)
8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was servingas priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
Excerpt:Ain’t nothing changed with us. We are just on our assignment doing what we have been called to do. However, the future has now become present as the promise is no longer shall be. It is now. The intangible has become tangible as faith has taken the form of God’s manifested presence and His name is Jesus.
Based On: John 1:1 (NIV)In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Excerpt:
Jesus comes into our human life and human affairs clothed in human flesh. He brings two gifts that will never fit under the Christmas tree. They are the opportunity to end our old ways and the joy of beginning a new life in Jesus Christ.
Based on: Isaiah 53:5 (NIV)But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
Excerpt:
Therein lies the shout of the Advent season. It is the season where year after year we get to experience over and over again the great anticipation of the arrival of the Savior of our Souls.
Based On: I Kings 8:45 (NIV)
…then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause.
Excerpt:
Now God in this season of Thanksgiving, I ask in the name of Jesus that You send them a reminder that the best is yet to come! Let Your Daughters and Sons know that it ain’t over until You say it’s over. Give them double for their troubles. Restore the years the locusts and the cankerworm have eaten. Fulfill Your promise right before their eyes that nighttime weeping surely is the precursorto the morning’s joy.
Based on: James 5:4 (NIV)Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.
Excerpt:
The “ Lord Almighty” is the Commander-in-chief of theheavenly armies. Therefore, when the “Lord Almighty” comes to fight our battles, this warrior God does not come alone, but is accompanied by all the forces of heaven. In short, God and all of heaven respond to our prayers. This may be hard for some of us to wrap our heads around, but it is the real deal.
Based on: James 1:17 (NIV)
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
Excerpt:
There is nothing that you or I can do to create instability in the heavenly realm. The very foundation of this earth can quake,but the foundation of heaven will always hold steady. Wars can break out, family and friends can break up, but the family of God will remain intact.
Based On: Psalm 24:7-10 (NIV)
7 Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancientdoors, that the King of glory may come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 10 Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty—he is the King of glory.
Excerpt:
What does it profit us to name God our God and Jesus Christ our Savior if we never experience the glory of the heavenly realm here on earth? So the Psalmist admonishes us to claim our inheritance while we are yet alive.
Based On: Philippians 4:20 (NIV)
To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Excerpt:
To give God the glory in everything that we do may seem simple, but it ain’t for the faint of heart. Giving God the glory requires that we relinquish control over the outcomes. We can’t tell God howthings should turn out, and we can’t get mad with God when things don’t turn out the way we think they should.
Based On: Numbers 33: 1-2 (NIV)
1 Here are the stages in the journey of the Israelites when they came out of Egypt by divisions under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. 2 At the Lord’s command Moses recorded the stages intheir journey.
Excerpt:
You may be at a place in your life where you are about to achieve your long-desired goal. Conversely, you may be at a place in your life where you are frustrated, angry, and disappointed with life.Both stations in life require the same response—stop and remember the goodness of our God.
Based on: Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Excerpt:
The Truth of the matter is that you may have realized that when you set your intentions for the better, the opposition ramped up its resistance. Instead of things getting better they may have gotten worse. The good news is that you still stayed in the game. You did not quit!
Based on: Genesis 31:2 (KJV)
And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.
Excerpt:
Saints of God, it is so difficult for us to believe that someone whom we love and who once loved us could turn into our mortal enemy. Most of us love so deeply that we are the last to see the demonic change in countenance. Family and friends try to tell us, but we just can’t accept it.
Based on: Ruth 1:14 (NIV)
At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.
Excerpt:
A willingness to talk it out demonstrates a commitment to the highest good of all parties. I don’t mean cursing it out or arguing it out. The latter intends to hurt, wound, or even kill the spirit of the other.
Based on: Proverbs 1:7 (NIV)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Excerpt:We all know what might be behind the walls of our lives -- maybe faulty wiring, or outdated plumbing. If we neglect the reality of the condition of these systems, we could suffer the tragedy of fire or flooding. We also know what might be located in the underground places of our lives—critical sources like electrical, cable, or water lines. If we dig, without knowing we could cut off the electrical power, cable transmission, or water supply.
Based On: Matthew 3:12 (MSG)
He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.
Excerpt:
The word, “purge” is a transitive verb that generally includes the making free of something unwanted. The understanding is that if the unwanted presence lingers too long it will cause damage to its host vessel. It will also likely create an intolerable stench as in the case of rotted trash or the residue of sin.
Based On: Galatians 6:9 (GNT)
So let us not become tired of doing good; for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest.
Excerpt:
Saints of God, we have entered into the season of reaping for 2023. We all should be expecting a great harvest. If we have sown well, we will reap well. If we have not sown well, then we will not reap well.
Based On: Isaiah 43:19 (VOICE)
Watch closely: I am preparing something new; it’s happening now, even as I speak, and you’re about to see it. I am preparing a way through the desert; Waters will flow where there had been none.
Excerpt:
When we rest from the struggle and strife of doing things our old way and watch closely for something new, our eyes are opened to God’s movement of the mountains. These are the mountains that have stood in our way far too long. When we rest, we see new roads that lead to new opportunities to gain and manage wealth. We see forgiveness that softens the stony heart preparing it for God-ordained love. We see the forces of heaven coming together to bring about the total healing of mind, body and Soul.
Based on: Proverbs 27:4a (NIV)Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming...
Excerpt:
Prolonged and sustained anger is self-destructive. It takes its toll on the body creating a feeding ground for sickness and disease. It is dangerous to others because they often bear the brunt of our unresolved issues. This makes it extremely hard for people who care about us to love us.
Based On: Matthew 19:26 (NIV)
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Excerpt:
The disciples were so “astonished” by Jesus demands that even they asked, “Can anybody be saved?” This provided Jesus with the opportunity to lay the foundation upon which the great Truth of heaven rests:
“…with God all things are possible.”
Based on: Mark 1:35-37 (NIV)
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.36Simon and his companions went to look for him,37and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” 38Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”39So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
Excerpt: Show me a person whose life is spiraling out of control, and I will guarantee that he or she does not spend consecrated time with God.
Based on: Psalm 16:11 (GNT)
You will show me the path that leads to life; your presence fills me with joy and brings me pleasure forever.
Excerpt:
Saints of God, we spend too much time trying to forget when we really should be focusing on filling up our lives with the presence of God. Destructive thoughts can only occupy empty spaces. The fullness of the glory of God leaves no room for anything or anyone. Therefore, when the presence of God enters in all squatters have to leave.
Based On: Hebrews 12:1 (VOICE)
So since we stand surrounded by all those who have gone before, an enormous cloud of witnesses, let us drop every extra weight, every sin that clings to us and slackens our pace, and let us run with endurance the long race set before us.
Excerpt:
We don’t pretend that we were never victimized in the past. We do, however, allow God’s power to transform our mental and emotional mind set. Such that we no longer replay our sufferings over and over again. Likewise, the destructive behaviors that are the results of our past victimization, will have to release us and we will release them.
Based on: Exodus 14:10 (NIV) As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord.
Excerpt:
We started 2023 with God ordained intentions to do whatever it takes to live into the life that God created for us. We are over halfway there. There is nothing left for us in the Egypt of our past. Our land of promise is in our present and our future through Jesus the Christ. So, we can’t stop now. We must keep moving into God’s promises for our lives.
Based On: Luke:8:42b-48 (NIV)
As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.
Excerpt:
When we are children we are often asked the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” No one ever asks the question, “What will your purpose in life be when you grow up?”
Based on: Mark 10:45
“…For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Excerpt:
Saints of God, Jesus’ death is a partial payment of the ransom for our salvation. It is His resurrection that satisfies the full payment of the sins of humanity; once and for all.
Based On: Psalm 62: 11:12 (CEB)
God has spoken one thing — make it two things — that I myself have heard: that strength belongs to God, and faithful love comes from you, my Lord-- and that you will repay everyone according to their deeds.
Excerpt:
The Psalmist knew of God’s goodness the 1st time heaven spoke, but it was not until the 2nd time heaven spoke -- that the Psalmist was confidently sure. Who wouldn’t serve a God who tells me of Heaven’s goodness and then comes back a second time to make sure that I got the message right.
Based On: Numbers 23:19 (GW)
God is not like people. He tells no lies. He is not like humans. He doesn’t change his mind. When he says something, he does it. When he makes a promise, he keeps it.
Excerpt:
My Sisters and Brothers, it is God’s responsibility to fulfill heaven’s promise to us. It is our responsibility to walk into God’s fulfillment of heaven’s promise. We must be poised, positioned, and prepared. For the One who makes the promise will surely keep the promise. Perhaps, not in our time, but always on time.
Based On: Matthew 6:9 (CEB) Pray like this: Our Father who is in heaven, uphold the holiness of your name. Excerpt:
When Jesus says, “Our Father,” He is establishing the relationship between Himself, you, and I as the children of God. It is an assertion of relationship between the Creator and the Created. Jesus’ intent is to have us understand that we are praying to a living, loving Spirit who knows us by our names.
Based On: Acts 20:9-10 (NIV)
Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!”
Excerpt: We who are filled with Holy Spirit recognize its source and its power to even raise the dead. We don’t sleep on Holy Spirit.
Based on: Acts 2:3-4 (NIV)
They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Excerpt: The indwelling of Holy Spirit literally means that Jesus lives inside of us. When we totally surrender to Holy Spirit we become the mind, eyes, heart, hands and feet of Jesus. We see beyond hurt and hate as Jesus did and we love. We defy the finality of disease as Jesus did and we heal. We ignore the walls of difference as Jesus did, and we cross over into communities of conflict, and we bring peace.
Based On: Matthew 17:1-4, 14 – 16 (NIV)
After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.
Excerpt:
Jesus and the disciples may have been out of sight while on the top of the mountain, but they were never out of touch with the people in the valley.
Based on: Ezekiel 37: 4-6 (NIV)
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
Excerpt:
We all experienced global trauma and the world as we once knew it will never be that way again. We have lost our ability to stand as confident people of God. We feel as if we have been left out in the cold with no outer shield of protection. We feel as if we have been left dry and brittle -- like dry bones -- by the tragedies of this life.
Based on:
Matthew 16:16-17 (NIV)
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.
Excerpt: Just like Peter, by our faith we see the Christ – the Son of the living God. He is alive and abiding in every area of our lives. Our faith in God through Jesus Christ is our firm foundation upon which we stand as agents of hope, and healing in a hurting land.
Based on: Psalm 24:1 (NIV)
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;
Excerpt:
In short, we have been bamboozled and hoodwinked into believing that we are the tail and not the head. We have forgotten our royal status and now believe that we are the borrowers and not the lenders. It is as if we have been lulled into a deep sleep.
Based On: John 15:26 (NIV)
“But I will send you the Comforter—the Holy Spirit, the source of all truth. He will come to you from the Father and will tell you all about me..."
Excerpt:
The Truth is we are living in the overflow of heaven. God gifted us with Jesus who is now the resurrected Christ, and Jesus the Christ gifted us with Holy Spirit who is our comforter, guide, and teacher. The best news is -- they are all free
Based on: Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV)
13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Excerpt:
Each of us has a role in fulfilling Jesus’ present moment realization that, “Thy kingdom come.” We begin with our own transformations that day-by-day accurately reflect our true image and likeness of God.
Based On: Luke:24:13-14, 30-31 (NIV)13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened…
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
Excerpt:
I am and pray that I will always remain amazed at the power of God. The power of God to sustain Jesus through persecution, crucifixion, death, and the grave still blows my mind. I am both transfixed and transformed whenever I read or hear the story of God raising Jesus from the dead.
Based On: John 12: 12-19 (NIV)
The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!” 14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: 15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”
Excerpt: It is in the station of His personal agency that Jesus must make his way to Calvary. He must of His own power and by His own agency do what nobody else can do. That is to save humanity from eternal death. To do so Jesus must suffer, die, and rise from the dead so that you and I can live and live eternally.
Based on: Proverbs 4:25-26 (GNT)
Look straight ahead with honest confidence; don't hang your head in shame. Plan carefully what you do, and whatever you do will turn out right.
Excerpt:
It is when we are closest to the finish that we should pay the greatest attention to every deadline, decision, and detail. This is when we should be at our sharpest and our most observant. Any competitive runner will tell you that the greatest risk of error is when they are approaching the finish line.
Based on: Romans 5:5 (NIV)
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Excerpt: This morning I received a text with a picture of a dear friend who is celebrating 6 years of sobriety from alcohol. I rejoiced with her and encouraged her because I know her struggle. I also know that every day she wakes up and makes the decision to stay sober. Positive permanent transformation requires a life-time commitment for all of us. Either we are in for the long haul or not at all.
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Based on: Philippians 4:8 (GNT)
In conclusion, my friends, fill your minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable.
Excerpt:
I firmly believe that the thoughts we are thinking today determine where we will be, and what we will be doing a year from now. Like it or not, every thought is an active element of our future. That is why it is so important to think responsibly and intentionally.
Based On: John 10:17-18 NIV
17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
Excerpt:
Any permanent positive change in our lives can only be brought about by the power of God. We may call it will power, but at the end of the day it’s really God’s power. Try as we might, we can’t get better, do better, or be better without God.
Based on: Luke 4:1-2 (NIV)
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days,…
Excerpt:
By the power of God, we can truly release something or somebody. When we release God’s way, we will soon develop a distaste for old behaviors, practices, and relationships. We will bless them and let them go.
Based on: John 19:30 (NIV)
When he had received the drink, Jesus said “ It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Excerpt:
What a lesson this is for us who are waiting until the end of the Lenten season to see new life. Jesus has shown us that if we nail our habits, hurts, and hindrances to the Cross today, then “It is finished” today. We are forgiven and freed to begin a brand-new life today.
Based On: Deuteronomy 6:5 (NIV)
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
Excerpt:
So, just in case we’ve forgotten, or we’ve never been told, this is a news flash. We are commanded to love God first. Our love for God should be a forethought and not an afterthought.
Based On: Genesis 16:8a (NIV)
And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”
Excerpt:
The good news is that God is waiting for us to stop running and get somewhere and sit down. This is when and where we are best situated to have a come-to-meeting moment with our God. Oh, but don’t get it twisted. The tender mercy of our God meets us in our place of pain but does not focus on our pain.
Based On: Philippians 1:6 (NIV)
...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Excerpt:
Year after year we start out strong, but we sputter and quit before the end of the first quarter of the year. This is a vicious cycle that is hard to break because the time between January and December seems so long. But, I believe that if we fix our eyes on the finish line we will be compelled to finish and finish strong.
Based On: Luke 13:10-13 (NIV)
On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” 13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
Excerpt:
St. Luke’s gospel gives us a glimpse into a woman’s personal perpetual pain that was played out on a public stage. The woman had no name but her pain had notoriety. Everyone knew who she was. She was the woman who had “been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years.”
Based on: Psalm 32:8 (NIV)
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
Excerpt:
The only way that we will truly know our path for 2023 is to listen for God’s directions. Listening for God’s voice requires a commitment to finding and resting in the quiet. In today’s loud and noisy world quiet time is a gift. Yet, it is necessary for hearing God.
Based on: Genesis 31:49 (NIV)
It was also called Mizpah, because he said, “May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other.”
Excerpt:
My sisters and brothers, “game know game.” Every now and then God will allow someone to come into our world who can read us from head to toe. Even more they will play the same games on us that we have played on others for years. This is a good thing. Because it allows us to see ourselves as we really are.
Based On: Romans 3:19 (GNT)
Now we know that everything in the Law applies to those who live under the Law, in order to stop all human excuses and bring the whole world under God's judgment.
Excerpt:
The New Year is a gift of mercy and grace. It is the mercy of wiping out the mishaps and mistakes of the past year. It is also the grace of building on what we did right in the past year. God’s mercy and grace in the New Year gives us another chance to create the life that we are called to live.
Based On: 1 Samuel 10:6 (NIV)
The Spirit of the Lord will come upon you in power, and you will prophecy with them; and you will be changed into a different person.
Excerpt:
My sisters and brothers, God knows that change is frightening. God knows that doing something differently is not easy. It requires the courage and confidence that we are often short of. Yet, God is full of the power and promise that we need to press beyond our fear and embrace positive change. This is necessary to move us from where we are to where God wants us to be.
Based On: Micah 5:2 (NIV)
“But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah: for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people.”
Excerpt:
Saints of God this promise of Bethlehem has been fulfilled. Jesus the Christ of God was born in Bethlehem. But, the story does not stop there. Jesus continues to be born over and over again in the life of anyone who will make their heart a Bethlehem. The promise of Bethlehem is still being fulfilled for anyone who will open themselves up to the new and eternal life that only Jesus the Christ can give.
Based On: Luke 1:38 (GNT)
“I am the Lord's servant,” said Mary; “May it happen to me as you have said.” And the angel left her.
Excerpt:
God’s directives often make no sense and are beyond our understanding of time and order. They might even seem ridiculous or even incredulous. Such as God’s directive to Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, or Gabriel’s announcement to Mary that she was going to have a baby conceived by the Holy Spirit.
Based On: Colossians 1:15 (NIV)
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Excerpt:
We are so grateful that we serve a God who will always come through. Therein lies the shout. It is a glory praise for our God who is never a no show. If God says, “It will be done,” then we can boldly expect it to be done.
Based on: Isaiah 58:8 (NIV)
Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Excerpt:
If we could see what is coming up behind us, then we could prepare and protect ourselves. Since we cannot prepare and protect ourselves from what we cannot see, then we must count on God to do that for us. God is the only one who knows what is coming our way and is the only one who can protect us from potential harm or danger.
Based on: I Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Excerpt:
God is trusting us to learn from our ill guided wants, needs, and desires. Spiritual maturity grants us the vision to see what God can see. Eventually, we get to the place where we don’t make God work so hard. We learn from our mistakes and thank God for mercy that never runs out.
Based on: Acts 27:18 (NIV)
We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard.
Excerpt:
Like the Apostle Paul, we too may be sailing in a broken ship in a raging storm. The good news is that God will speak to the winds and the waves of our lives. God will command them to be still. Our job is to stay in the boat and hold on to the precious cargo of our lives. Don’t throw it away.
Based on: 2 Corinthians 9:10-11 (NIV)
10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
Excerpt:
The Apostle Paul tells the Church at Corinth that God will always make sure that they have seed to give away. Some folks miss the fundamental promise of this prophetic discourse. It simply says that as long as we give we will always receive more to give away.
Based on: James 1:16-18 (MSG)
So, my very dear friends, don’t get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.
Excerpt:
Truth can be tested when you find yourself in a situation where you have to make a critical decision. That feeling in the pit of your stomach means something isn't right. It's your Soul warning you that you are about to step off course.
Based on: Psalm 23:3a
…he restores my soul. (NIV)
Excerpt:
My friends, we serve a Soul restoring God. If you need to be restored, then just make your way to that place where the waters are still. Find yourself a corner of calm and let God restore your Soul.
Based on: Phillemon 15-16 (MSG)
Maybe it’s all for the best that you lost him for a while. You’re getting him back now for good—and no mere slave this time, but a true Christian brother! That’s what he was to me—he’ll be even more than that to you.
Excerpt:
My brothers and sisters, stop waiting for the apology and claim your freedom. It is your freedom. The price for which was paid by the death of an innocent Man on a criminal’s cross. It is your God given right to be free from the torment of your oppressor. Free from physical, mental, emotional, and verbal abuse. You are a daughter and son of the Most-High God and heaven has declared that you are unapologetically free.
Based On: Psalm 57:1 (GNT)
Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful, because I come to you for safety. In the shadow of your wings I find protection until the raging storms are over.
Excerpt:
Late in the evening of September 5, 2022, I discovered an abnormality in my right breast. My first reaction was shock. My second reaction was disbelief. My third reaction was fear. Saints of God, if any woman tells you that the discovery of a breast abnormality does not send her into an emotional and mental whirlwind, she is dancing around the truth.
Based on: Luke 7:9-10 (NIV)
9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.”
10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.
Excerpt:
When we exercise our faith it becomes a force that shakes the foundation of heaven. It disturbs the throne of God and creates an uneasiness in the ethers. It sets the angelic guard on alert. The totality of heaven knows that something is about to happen.
Based on: 1Corinthians 10:13 (GNT)
Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.
Excerpt:
For we have been kept by our God who is all powerful, but who also has limitations. God may not come when we want God to come, but God will always step-in right-on- time. There is a limit to what God will allow us to go through. So, hold on my brother. Hold on my sister. God’s limitation is our lifeline. God will pull us through.
Based on: Psalm 143:10 (NIV)
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God;
may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
Excerpt:
It’s up to us. We can go on scratching, digging, and wallowing in unproductive places, or we can pull up a chair in God’s heavenly classroom and allow our Souls to be opened up to the will, wisdom, and way of God.
Based on: Romans 1:12 (TLB)
For I long to visit you so that I can impart to you the faith that will help your church grow strong in the Lord. Then, too, I need your help, for I want not only to share my faith with you but to be encouraged by yours: Each of us will be a blessing to the other.
Excerpt:
The gifts of Holy Spirit have no respect of person per degree, status, or credential. The only qualification is that we have given our lives to God through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We are then qualified and expected to desire, receive, and dispense our spiritual gifts to strengthen the body of Christ.
Based on: Philippians 3:13 (GNT)
Of course, my friends, I really do not think that I have already won it; the one thing I do, however, is to forget what is behind me and do my best to reach what is ahead.
Excerpt:
For many, an honest self-assessment will reveal an old pain that has continued to block our progress. I am a firm believer that if we do not conquer the traumas of our past, then those traumas will conquer every area of our lives.
Based on: Ephesians 1:10 (GNT)
This plan, which God will complete when the time is right, is to bring all creation together, everything in heaven and on earth, with Christ as head.
Excerpt:
Saints of God there is more. More than pain and suffering. More than war and conflict. More than poverty and lack. More than racism and hatred. There is a heavenly realm where what we know of earth and what we believe of heaven will come together under one head who is the Christ of God.
Based on: I Corinthians 15:58 (NIV)
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm.
Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,
because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Excerpt:
God is notorious for showing up in unexpected, simple, uncomplicated spaces. And it’s the unassuming, uncelebrated moves in these spaces that create messianic moments. These are the moments when the Christ of God stands up in the middle of the room. These are the small spaces where the substance of Christ centered ministry is revealed.
Based On: Hebrews 6:1-3 (MSG)
So come on, let’s leave the preschool fingerpainting exercises on Christ and get on with the grand work of art. Grow up in Christ. The basic foundational truths are in place: turning your back on “salvation by self-help” and turning in trust toward God; baptismal instructions; laying on of hands; resurrection of the dead; eternal judgment. God helping us, we’ll stay true to all that. But there’s so much more. Let’s get on with it!
Excerpt:
Those of us who've been on life's journey for more than a few minutes should see a major difference between where we are now in Christ, and where we were 12 years ago. We should now be ready to move from the role of those who have been taught to the role of the teacher.
Based on: John 21:6 (NIV)
He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
Excerpt:
...this text reminds us that in God there is always another opportunity. When we have done all that we can do all is not lost. This is simply an opportunity for God to demonstrate the miraculous right before our very eyes. There is always another side of the boat.
Based on: Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven,
Excerpt: If there is something in our life that isn’t working, we can change it. If there is someone in our lives who does not have our best interest at heart, we can distance ourselves from them. If we find ourselves in a place that is not conducive to our good, we can bust a move.
Based on: Mark 5:2 (NIV)
When Jesus Got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him.
Excerpt:
If you read the story, you will see that the demon is trying to convince Jesus to be kind to him saying, “Swear to God that you won’t torture me.” It’s like a man who beats his wife and then begs her not to have him locked up. The couple dance a deadly dance treading the thin line between the next beating that might just end in her death.
Based on: Joshua 5:14b (NIV)
Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand… Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” “Joshua 5:14b (NIV)
Excerpt:
It takes a wise journeywoman to know when to stop fighting and bow down to God. Sometimes the struggle of life can be so intense that we don’t even know when the battle is over. We just keep fighting, and fighting, and fighting. Finally, we look up and see that the battle was not ours. It was God’s and God has won again.
Based on: Isaiah 43:19 (VOICE)
Watch closely: I am preparing something new; it’s happening now, even as I speak, and you’re about to see it. I am preparing a way through the desert; Waters will flow where there had been none.
Excerpt:
Anything that blocks us from God is captivity. And captivity always presents itself as something that we cannot get out of; no matter how hard we try. God’s something new is first the way out of captivity. Second, it is the way to get back to the safety of God. It is a clear pathway with every need provided.
Based on: Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV)
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
Excerpt:
It is this redemptive love of God that Paul says “works in” us to fulfill God’s purpose for our lives. Our efforts toward holy living are strengthened by the love of God. Even when we do not believe that we can be better or do better, God’s love shows that we can.
Based on Acts 27:9-11 (CEB)
Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Fast. So Paul warned them, “Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.” But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and the owner of the ship.
Excerpt:
Saints of God, at some point we must make the decision to be all in with God. Disobeying God’s directives will always end badly. We may escape by a hair, but the collateral damage is often devasting.
Based on: Psalm 94:17-19 (MSG)
If God hadn’t been there for me, I never would have made it.
The minute I said, “I’m slipping, I’m falling,” your love, God, took hold and held me fast.
When I was upset and beside myself, you calmed me down and cheered me up.
Excerpt:
Saints of God, armed with a knowledge of God we will rise, and survive and thrive. Yes, when you turn on the news this morning you will hear the same stories of doom and defeat. However, I admonish you to look not to what you hear but look to who you know. You know God.
Based on: Ezekiel 37: 6b (NIV)
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them…I will put breath in you and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
Excerpt:
Every now and then our lives can benefit from a fresh wind. That is the God ordained genius of Pentecost. It is the intentional outburst of heaven expressing a desire to give new life to dying or dead situations. This outpouring is not limited to what we know as the season of Pentecost. It can take place whenever we place a demand on heaven for renewal and restoration.
Based on: Acts 2:1-4 (NIV)
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Excerpt:
Living a life without the Holy Spirit is a set up for destruction and death. People are scrambling trying to find something to make sense out of the state that this world is in. They will give their last dollar for a few moments of sanity and peace. The Truth is the gift of the Holy Spirit is free to all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Based on: I Corinthians 16:5-9
After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you---for I will be going through Macedonia. Perhaps I will stay with you awhile, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go. I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door of effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.
Excerpt:
Obviously, Paul had found something that many of us are searching for. That is the ability to look beyond the adversity and see the victorious opportunity.
Based on: Exodus 2:23b (NIV)
The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God.
Excerpt:
After all that we have been through, they thought we would be dead by now. After all that we have been through, we ought to be dead by now. But what they did not know is that we are a resilient people. Whips and shackles could not hold us in. Bull Connor’s fire hoses, billy clubs, and biting dogs could not hold us back, and a knee on the neck will not hold us down.
Based on: Luke 24:44-49 (NIV)
44Then he said to them, “These are the very things I told you about while I was still with you: everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the writings of the prophets, and the Psalms had to come true.”45Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,46and said to them, “This is what is written: the Messiah must suffer and must rise from death three days later,47and in his name the message about repentance and the forgiveness of sins must be preached to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.48You are witnesses of these things.49And I myself will send upon you what my Father has promised. But you must wait in the city until the power from above comes down upon you.”
Excerpt:
So the disciples are directed to “stay in the city.” They were to stay in the city of Jerusalem where the best and worst of humankind had been on center stage. The city of love and hatred. The city of loyalty and betrayal. The city of brokenness and forgiveness. The city of death and resurrection.
Based on:
Isaiah 60:22b (MSG)
I am God. At the right time I’ll make it happen.
Excerpt:
We are a “now” people, but God is an “At the right time” God. It is at the right time that God moves. Not before. Not later, but at the right time. In the natural it may appear that God’s deliverance is long delayed. In the Spirit, God’s estimated time of arrival is right on time.
Based on: Acts 28:5 (NIV)
But Paul shook the viper off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.
Excerpt:
Healthy love knows when enough is enough. It recognizes self-care as a top priority. It quietly creates distance without abandonment. It says, “I am here when you are ready to take responsibility for your healing.”
Based On: Luke 24:31 (NIV)
Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
Excerpt:
Those two confused disciples who were on their way to Emmaus knew that something life-changing had happened. What they did not know was that the life-changer Himself was walking right beside them. In their downcast state they attempted to explain to Jesus all that happened over those past few days. They did not know that the answer to all their troubling questions would soon be provided.
Based on: Isaiah 53:11a (GNT)
After a life of suffering, he will again have joy; he will know that he did not suffer in vain.
Excerpt:
It takes courage to raise a self-reflective question.
Am I worth the ultimate sacrifice demonstrated on Calvary’s cross?
Did Christ die in vain? Is my life His gain?
Based on: John 4:29 (NIV)
Excerpt:
The “Survive to Thrive” stories of death and resurrection have given me a greater appreciation of the Lenten season. They have demonstrated the journey from death to new life that only the love of Jesus can take us on. A journey that carries us to our deepest depths and our highest heights. It is a journey of fear and faith. A journey of joy and sorrow. A journey of persistence and patience.
Mr. Sir Markadoo
Every now and then we meet someone who is truly living in the overflow of grace and mercy. That is the epitome of Mr. Sir Markadoo who took twelve t-shirts and built a million-dollar company. His journey from pain to prosperity is a source of healing and empowerment for us all. Sir’s life is a fitting example of what it means to “survive to thrive.” Fasten your seat belts as my conversation with Sir Markadoo overflows with the energy, enthusiasm, and enlightenment that only a life led by God can produce.
Based on: I Chronicles 20:15 (NIV)
The Conqueror's Prayer
He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for this battle is not yours, but God’s…”
Chris Hutchinson and James Boone have both traveled the “underground railroad” from addiction to recovery. At the end of the journey, they found freedom in friendship, fellowship, and family. Their brotherhood has withstood the test of time and space. Today, their walk is loud and real as they help others find their way to the freedom that only God can give. Listen as these men tell their story of surviving to thrive.
Based on:
John 4:4 (NIV) Now he had to go through Samaria.
Excerpt:
Jesus goes straight to work by asking the woman to share what she has, not what she does not have. He is not concerned about her personal deficits. He challenges her to draw from the inexhaustible life giving well of the love of God that has always been available to her.
Pastor Tyrone Hughes "27-18-4"
27 years in 18 prisons across 4 states. That’s the path that Pastor Tyrone Hughes traveled to get to Jesus Christ. Since that life-saving encounter Pastor Hughes has made it his life mission to meet the masses right where they are. On the street, in homeless shelters and even behind prison walls – Pastor Hughes is letting us know what it means to not only be free, but to be free indeed. Listen as he speaks his truth about what it means to not only survive, but also to thrive.
The Survive to Thrive Series
Kerry C. - Agent of Transformation
Most writers would say, “In walks Kerry C.” However, it’s more accurate for me to say, “Leaning against the frame of my office door is Kerry C.” That’s where our journey of friendship began. It was light casual conversation that found its way to the glaring light of authentic truth. And the rest is herstory.
What Kerry and I share most in common is our belief in the beauty of humanity. We believe in the indomitable power of the human Spirit to reach great lows and great highs. Remarkably, our Spirit learns life lessons as it moves through it all.
Kerry C. is a life-lesson in motion. By the Power of God that is greater than herself, Kerry has taken tragedy and turned it into triumph. Listen to her story as she speaks from a heart of gratitude that now lights the path of transformation for so many others.
Keith Gamble describes himself as “…a highly spiritual entity whose definite major purpose, is to impact the world in a way that we can all realize, the beautiful gifts that we possess.” That is a mighty powerful “purpose.” Keith Gamble is a mighty powerful brother who has found his way out of the darkness, into the light. He has done so by doing what he calls, “re-engineering” his past. I encourage you to listen closely, as Keith shares his truth about how he survived a damaging childhood and created a thriving life of healing and wholeness.
Rev. Rose Wright-Scott is one of the most amazing people that I have met in this incarnation. We met as seminary sisters at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University nearly 30 years ago. We have remained friends ever since. Rose is one of my Sheroes.
Rev. Scott is a woman of God, Mom, Grandmother, Sister, Friend, and Pastor to the masses. She is also a 3 time cancer survivor. However, that’s not how her story ends. Listen as Rev. Scott shares her Truth of how she chose to “Survive to Thrive.”
Kelly Diane Galloway "From Rage to Restoration"
Kelly Diane Galloway is a modern day abolitionist. While it may be difficult to think that human trafficking is a problem in Western New York, the reality is that this largely unreported crime affects women and girls throughout the region. Kelly has fought to eradicate this issue, often rescuing women from the bleakest of circumstances.
Yet, what is now a life that rescues, was once a life filled with rage. Listen as Kelly speaks her Truth about moving from rage to restoration.
Learn more about Kelly’s life transforming work by visiting www.projectmonashouse.com
Based on: Psalm 91:1 (NIV)
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
Excerpt:
The only way that we can continue to build up our reservoir of God’s strength is to slow down and sit down with God. Our time with God must be our top priority. No one and nothing should interfere with the time that we spend. “…in the shelter of the Most High.”
This week, Wednesday’s Word of Truth will launch a new series called “Survive to Thrive.” Every Wednesday for the next 12 weeks we will listen, as our guests speak their truth about how they overcame tragedy, and trauma to become the amazing world changers they are today. These sisters and brothers didn't just survive they went on to thrive.
Our first guest is Mr. John Nurse who is formerly of Atlantic Records, BET, and Sony Music Entertainment. John is now the Founder and CEO of tech company LYVEaffair.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and although not known by most people, John was diagnosed with dyslexia around the 5th grade. He says dyslexia, “Forced me to find other ways outside the traditional learning protocols applied in majority educational institutions, to help me succeed in school, career, and overall life.”
Today, John is an unstoppable force at negotiating and networking in high stakes media arenas. He attributes his success to his ability to turn a so-called deficit into a demonstration of what a supportive family, hard work, and faith will do.
Based on: Genesis 33:13-14 (CEB)
13But Jacob said to him, “My master knows that the children aren’t strong and that I am responsible for the nursing flocks and cattle. If I push them hard for even one day, all of the flocks will die. 14My master, go on ahead of your servant, but I’ve got to take it easy, going only as fast as the animals in front of me and the children are able to go, until I meet you in Seir.”
Excerpt:
It is worth noting that each time that Jacob had an encounter with God he had stopped to rest. It was in his resting state that he received a vision of God. It was in his resting state that he received the promises of God. It was in his resting state that he received the blessing of God.
Based on: Jeremiah 31:1
God told them, “I’ve never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love!”
Excerpt:
Ascending into love with God does not take us to a state of lighthearted euphoria. To the contrary, it renders us sober, clear headed, with a pre-determined, targeted destination. We know where we’re going, and we know when we arrive.
Based on: John 10:10 (NIV)
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Excerpt:
The differences between surviving and thriving are aptly depicted in Jesus’ discussion on “having life” and “having life to the full.” Most people are okay with having life and surviving. Others are determined to have life to the full and thriving. I believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead so that we could do more than just survive. Jesus rose so that we could also thrive.
Based on: Isaiah 40:28 (NIV)
*Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.*
Excerpt:
Saints of God, as we prepare to release this old year and embrace the possibilities of the new year, let’s commit to loving, laughing, and lingering in the fullness of everyday, like we know that tomorrow ain’t promised.
Based on: Luke 2:6 (NIV)
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born…
Excerpt:
When I arose from my sackcloth and ashes the bright star of God’s love was still there. It was guiding me toward my Bethlehem. I knew that even in the midst of my doubt and despair, God’s Spirit had carried me safely into the newness of the Christ. I had arrived where I was supposed to be, and in God’s perfect time.
Based on: Isaiah 43:19 (NIV)
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
Excerpt:
If the “new thing” of which the prophet speaks was readily attainable by all, then the question would not have been necessary. God raises the question to let us know that it is possible that some will struggle to “perceive it.” While others will grasp the “new thing” right away.
Based on: Isaiah 40:2 (NIV)
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.
Excerpt:
It is human nature to manufacture meaning when there is no logical understanding of our suffering. So, we call our suffering God's punishment. We could never be more wrong. God does not punish. God only loves.
Based on: Luke 1:18 (NIV)
18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
Excerpt:
As the daughters and sons of the most-high God, we have been given the privilege of expectation. We have a right to believe for it. Whatever “it” may be, as long as “it” is God’s will-- we have the right to expect it.
Based on: Matthew26:26-27
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks…. Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks….
Excerpt:
Jesus’ intentional sacrifice ought to prompt our intentional living that will result in our intentional thanks. Intentional living demonstrates that we understand the price that Jesus paid as a ransom for our lives. It demonstrates that we know that despite our crisis, Calvary set us up for a comeback.
Based on: Genesis 24:27 (NKJV)
“…As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me...”
Excerpt:
Saints of God, the easy thing for us to do is to stay where we are. The harder thing to do is to dream of where we want to be. The hardest thing to do is to start out toward the fulfillment of that dream.
Based on: Genesis 41:41 (NIV)
So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”
Excerpt:
God gave us the strength to survive, but God didn’t stop there. God also gave us the desire to thrive.
This desire to thrive enables us to outrun our past and rise above our pain.
Based on: Psalm 119:152 (NIV)
Long ago I learned from your statutes that you established them to last forever.
Excerpt:
I’m not sure of where you are or what you’re going through, but what I do know is that if you turn toward God, God will surely turn toward you.
Based on: John 21:22 (NIV)
Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”
Excerpt:
As followers of Christ we cannot afford to be distracted by what God is doing in someone else’s life. We must direct our attention with laser-like precision on the call that God has placed on our lives. Too much attention to the life of another may cause us to miss a move of God in our own lives.
Excerpt:
I have remained not only interested, but also committed to doing my part to create a safe and soft place for aging out foster care youth to land. This week’s Wednesday’s Word of Truth is a conversation with Chevonne Washington and Richard Good. Both of these triumphant Souls have come from struggle to strength. They have done so because of and in spite of their journey through America’s foster care system.
Based on: 1Samuel 7:17 (NIV)
17 But he always went back to Ramah, where his home was, and there he also held court for Israel.
And he built an altar there to the Lord.
Excerpt:
Acknowledgements are intentionally placed in the front of the book. Authors always acknowledge the bridges that brought them over. This practice recognizes the truth that none of us reaches success without a whisper in our ear, wind beneath our wings, or a hand in our back.
Based on: Isaiah 43:16-19 (NIV)
This is what the Lord says—he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters,17 who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:18 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
Excerpt:
I hear God calling out to us and saying, “Don’t settle.” Don’t settle for what you have when you can have more. Don’t settle for the possible when you can have the impossible. Don’t settle for less than when you can have more than.
Based on: Psalm 62:11-12 (NIV)
One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard; that you, O God are strong, and that you, O Lord are loving. Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done.
Excerpt:
What have you heard from the Lord? Whatever it is, God will back it up!
Based on: Psalm 143:9 (NIV)
Rescue me from my enemies, Lord, for I hide myself in you.
Excerpt:
David is not alone in having to hold right and wrong in tension. Truth be told, we all struggle with inner wars from time-to-time. We all have periods of conflicting moral decisions, or value laden perspectives that may run counter to what God means for right to look like.
Based on: Psalm 143:10 (NIV)
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
Excerpt:
It is God’s teachable servant who is triumphant. It is the one who is willing to be tutored by God who is transformed. It is the one who has been taught by God who can then teach others.
Based on: Psalm 138:3 (NIV)
When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted.
Excerpt:
Like the writer of Psalm 138 the caller knows what it’s like to get an answer from God. The answer from God made the psalmist “bold and stouthearted.” The answer from God has filled the psalmist with praise. The answer from God has made the psalmist want to testify of God’s goodness.
Based on: Psalm 12:6 (NIV)
And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.
Excerpt:
The good news is God is still speaking. Prophecies, visions, signs, and wonders are still showing up. God is still speaking in and over our lives. God is still making promises that will be kept. God is still whispering in our ear—turn here and then turn there. God is still digging out and filling up streams in the dry places of our lives. God is still breathing new life into dry bones.
Based on: Isaiah 49:4 (NIV)
*But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all.
Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.”*
Excerpt:
This rejected One is the Son of God who is Jesus Christ. He now sits at the right hand of God interceding on our behalf. His rejection on Calvary released us from sin, and raised us up from the despondency of darkness into the light of His resurrection.
Based on: Luke 11:2a (NIV)
He said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father…”
Excerpt:
When we speak the name “Father” we acknowledge the infinite power, wisdom, and presence of God. We are consciously made aware of the powerlessness of our fears, faults, and failures. We are raised above the limitations of this life and caught up into the reality of our divinity as the daughters and sons of a faithful Father.
Based on: I Corinthians 10:3a (NIV)
By the grace God has given me…
Excerpt:
When I came to truly know “grace,” it seemed to be a three dimensional visible presence that filled the entire room. It’s substance appeared to form a garment that took on the shape of my entire body. It was as if I was clothed in God’s grace.
Based on: Proverbs 24:30-31 (CEB) I happened upon the field of a lazy person, by the vineyard of one with no sense. Thorns grew all over it; weeds covered the ground, and the stone wall was falling down. Excerpt: I said earlier that some of the weeds in my front yard seemed to have been there for a while. That’s because I had not worked in that area in a long time. This reminded me that the work of a sanctified life is 24-7.
Based on: Psalm 86:17 (NIV)
Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
for you, Oh Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
Excerpt:
...an obedient faithful relationship with God through Jesus the Christ comes with heavenly privileges. One of those privileges is access to the inner court of heaven.
Based on : Jeremiah 8:22 (NIV)
Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?
Excerpt
A first responder in a time of life crisis can be the person who knows us best.
The person whom we allow to know us best.
It can be the person who knows our good stuff and our bad stuff.
They know our light side and our dark side.
Based on: Acts 2:42-43 (NIV)
They devoted themselves to the Apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.
Excerpt:
We are also grateful to the Churches who in the face of death and mounting despair responded with virtual mental health ministries. These Churches tapped into the practical aspect of Holy Spirt. They recognized the power of prayer, preaching and the pew, but they also understood the necessity for immediate, personalized, crisis intervention.
Based on: Psalm 14:7 (NIV)
Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
Excerpt:
While our human faculties teach us to deflect, our Soul knows the daily buffeting of Socially engineered racism. Our Soul knows that this is not of God’s design. Our Soul rises up in righteous indignation. It would do us well to follow the lead of the Soul and rise up too.
Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NIV)
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.
Excerpt:
My experience as a Black woman in America has afforded me the opportunity to sit at the feet of some of the strongest, bravest, most courageous women and men who have ever lived. That view from their feet also allowed me to see the physical deformities and disfigurements that resulted from repeated life wounds left unattended.
Based on: Isaiah 32:3-4(MSG)
Anyone who looks will see, anyone who listens will hear.
Excerpt:
The repression and suppression of traumatic experiences can have destructive consequences. It is like a wound that goes unattended. It may develop a scab that gives the appearance of healing, but under the scab there may be a festering infection.
Based on: Isaiah 32:3-4 (MSG)
Anyone who looks will see, anyone who listens will hear. The impulsive will make sound decisions, the tongue-tied will speak with eloquence.
Excerpt:
The sad reality is that other than news about vaccination rates, there is very little being said about the pandemic, its pearls and its perils. The pandemic blessed us in ways that we did not expect. It also robbed us in losses that we are still struggling to wrap our heads around. Not many of us have had the opportunity to process the pearls and pains of this past year.
Based on: Romans 6:6 (GNT)
And we know that our old being has been put to death with Christ on his cross, in order that the power of the sinful self might be destroyed, so that we should no longer be the slaves of sin.
Excerpt:
It is one thing to be at the foot of the cross. It is something else to be “on his cross.” Having been drawn there by His decision to die in our place. We finally get it. We realize the suffering that Jesus was willing to go through on our behalf. We then become fully present, acutely aware, active participants, in the priceless gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Based on: 1 Corinthians 16:5-7 (NIV)
After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you---for I will be going through Macedonia. Perhaps I will stay with you awhile, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go. I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.
Excerpt:
All too often life surrounds us with unsurety and unpredictability. We have no knowledge of what tomorrow will bring. We have visions that are not vivid and dreams that are shaded with doubt. Eventually, we too must come to grips with the harsh reality that we cannot assure our future, but God can.
Based on: I Corinthians 16:5-9
After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you---for I will be going through Macedonia. Perhaps I will stay with you awhile, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go. I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door of effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.
Excerpt:
Obviously, Paul had found something that many of us are searching for. That is the ability to look beyond the adversity and see the victorious opportunity.
Based On: Acts 2:1-4 (NIV)
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Excerpt:
Living a life without Holy Spirit is a set up for destruction and death. People are scrambling trying to find something to make sense out of the state that this world is in. They will give their last dollar for a few moments of sanity and peace. The Truth is the gift of Holy Spirit is free to all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Based on: Acts 1:8
“…But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Excerpt:
The process of ministry that Jesus demonstrates is so easy that it tends to confound those who need the works of God to be complicated. Yet, for someone who is familiar with the ways of God, the process that God uses to manifest works is not complicated at all. It is quite simple. By the power of Holy Spirit we Inspire, Design, Execute, and Assess the works of Christian ministry. By the power of God we manifest the IDEA or idea of God.
Based on: Acts 1:8
“…But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Excerpt:
A congregation that is built on “empty works” will soon begin to see its attendance dwindle. This is because empty works that are void of Holy Spirit cannot provide the spiritual nutrients that are essential for growing Christians. Empty works are nutrient deficient and do not provide the energy source needed to get us from one Sunday to the next.
Based on: First Corinthians 16:8-9 (NIV)
But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door of effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.
Excerpt:
My sisters and brothers I am not so sure, but I do know that like the Apostle Paul, God has opened a great door of opportunity for us. Yes, there is much opposition all around us, but a new Pentecost is on the way. A new outpouring of the Spirit of God sufficient to meet the days ahead. A new and fresh anointing from heaven on high.
Based on: Luke 24:44-49 (NIV)
44 Then he said to them, “These are the very things I told you about while I was still with you: everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the writings of the prophets, and the Psalms had to come true.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “This is what is written: the Messiah must suffer and must rise from death three days later, 47 and in his name the message about repentance and the forgiveness of sins must be preached to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And I myself will send upon you what my Father has promised. But you must wait in the city until the power from above comes down upon you.”
Excerpt:
What is common in both the gospel and the book of Acts is that Luke emphasizes Jesus’ command that the disciples do not leave Jerusalem until they have been baptized with the Holy Spirit. (Luke 24:49, Acts 1: 4-5)
Based on: Luke 24:13-16 (NIV)
13 That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. 16 But God kept them from recognizing him.
Excerpt:
I have always found that good things happen to me when I break away from the crowd. Especially during times of trouble and turmoil. It is the breaking away from the crowd that takes me out of the fog of friction and into the clarity of calm. It is in the open space that I can best sense the presence and promise of God.
Based on: John 3:16 (NIV)
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Excerpt:
Let love arise. For the enemy of heaven has been defeated. Let love arise. For the accuser has been cast down. Let love arise. For the forces of hell have been silenced. Let love arise. For the prince of darkness has been dethroned. For Jesus whom he thought He killed has risen from the dead.
Based on: Luke 19:37a (NIV)
When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives…
Excerpt:
Beloved, God sees you right where you are. God has you at the center of heaven’s radar and God is tracking the trajectory of your trials. God has dispatched special forces to what you perceive to be your failing functions. God has assigned Angels on point and on purpose to your predicament.
Based on: Luke 19:39-40 (NIV)
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
“I tell you, “He replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
Excerpt:
As Jesus approaches Jerusalem those who had seen the miracles he had performed, and no doubt those who had just heard about his mighty works; began to praise God. The whole crowd began to praise God with joy. The scripture says they began to praise God, “…in loud voices.”
Based on John 12:1-3 (NIV)
Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
Excerpt:
Such is the truth of our lives. We are the Bethany of good times and bad times where Jesus stops and stays. We are the house of welcome and the place of sickness and disease where Jesus stops and stays. We are the place of celebration and death where Jesus stops and stays.
Based on: John 4:4 (NIV) Now he had to go through Samaria.
Excerpt:
In essence, Jesus asks the woman to give back to Him what He and God the Creator had given to her. That is the gift of life itself. At first, the woman avoids Jesus’ request by offering a litany of excuses. This forces Jesus to cut to the marrow of the bone of her brokenness. This reveals to her the truth that she is fully known to God. She now knows that although she is fully exposed, she is still loved.
Based on John 7:41-42 (NIV)
Others said, “He is the Christ.” Still others asked, “How can the Christ come from Galilee. Does not the scripture say that the Christ will come from David’s family and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?”
Excerpt:
I believe that when our lives become an everyday Bethlehem, we provide the opportunity for the Christ of God to be born in our world over and over again. It is in this season of renewal called Lent that we are reminded to offer our lives as a safe, and soft place for the Christ of God to rest.
Based on: Exodus 2:23b (NIV)
The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God.
Excerpt:
From generation to generation Black families have passed on their stories, rituals, and recipes. We have maintained our ancestral traditions of celebration and mourning. We have welcomed strangers who had no kin. Like vines we grafted them in just like we shared the same blood.
Based on: Psalm 74:11 (NIV)
Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!
Excerpt:
This truth helped me to remember that just because I cannot see the right hand of God does not mean that it is not at work. I have come to believe that a byproduct of godly wisdom must be active empowered patience. To know the ways of God is to act on the basis of the all power of God with an understanding that the result of the action may appear delayed or denied.
Based on: Joshua 1:1-2 (NIV)
After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites.
Excerpt:
We still have a long way to go, but we have come a long way from where we have been. Just like the Israelites placed stones in the Jordan River so that their ancestors could remember their crossing over, we too are reminded to remember those who crossed over before us.
Based on: I Samuel 3:10 (NIV)
The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel, Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
Excerpt:
Beloved, our relationship with Jehovah God ought to be built on this kind of expectant trust. A trust that when all hell has broken out in our lives, and we have done all that we can do, God will step in and take the lead. If we follow, God will lead us to a marvelous light.
Based on Philippians 3:13-14 (CEB)
13 Brothers and sisters, I myself don’t think I’ve reached it, but I do this one thing: I forget about the things behind me and reach out for the things ahead of me. 14 The goal I pursue is the prize of God’s upward call in Christ Jesus.
Excerpt:
Herein lies the beauty of salvation through Jesus Christ. What Jesus did on Calvary’s cross opened the way to heaven for all who would believe. There is nothing that says we have to overcome all personal deficits in order to live eternally. All that we have to do is believe. So Paul does not allow the fact that he has not “reached it” to stop him from reaching for Him, who is the Christ.
Based on: Acts:9:18 (NIV)
Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and he was baptized…
Excerpt:
This is what happens when we release the pain of a suffering past. We are then set free to envision a new life in a new way. Every scale that has blocked our vision falls away and we are immersed in the redemptive, restorative, waters of a resurrected life in Jesus Christ.
Based on:
Exodus 14:13b (NIV) The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.
Excerpt:
Unwelcomed memories tend to blind-side us. They show up in routine activities like driving, taking a shower, and washing dishes. All of a sudden out of what appears to be nowhere comes the rush of a painful memory of the past. A dark foreboding feeling often accompanies the unwelcomed intruder. Its presence is like that of a demon that comes to torment the Christian believer. This presence can linger for moments, minutes, hours and days. It can be the cause of a sinister depression and even suicide.
Based on:
Exodus 14:13b -The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. (NIV)
Acts: 9:18 - Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and he was baptized… (NIV)
Philippians 4:14 - I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (NIV)
Excerpt:
Life has taught us that “reaching” is more than a physical enterprise. It is an act of the will that extends us beyond our finite ability and enables us to make the impossible, possible.
Based on: Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) Now Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Excerpt:
If each of us by the power of Holy Ghost will find our purpose and learn how to walk in God’s plan, we will look around and see that there is a faith framework built up all around us. And when life gets crazy and our faith gets shaky, we can rest assured that our faith may teeter totter, but it will never come tumbling down.
Based on Matthew 1:22-23 (NIV)
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: The virgin shall be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel
---which means, “God with us.”
Excerpt:
Jesus’ divinity transcends time and space, while His humanity keeps His feet grounded in the everyday trials, and tribulations of humankind. He can ascend to heaven to commune with the angels, and still make His way to rescue us from the pit of our hells. Wherever we are, and whatever state we are in, Jesus is with us.
Based on Luke 1:44 (NIV) - As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
Excerpt:
Each of us ought to surround ourselves with someone who has the Spirit of a Mary or Elizabeth. Someone who can see and celebrate the favor of God over our lives. Someone who when they hear the sound of our voice immediately knows that God is doing something amazing in our lives, and they are glad about it. So much so that when we are present, the Spirit of God in them jumps up and down in praise of God on our behalf.
This my beloved I believe is a glimpse of the heart of God in love with each of us just as we are.
Based on: Luke 1:37 (NIV)
For nothing is impossible with God.
Excerpt:
A “faith factor” is the reminder of the reliable constancy of God. It is that one movement in our lives that when we are reminded of it, we trust God all over again. For me my “faith factor” is the reminder that I was healed from ovarian cancer and blood clots in both lungs following surgery in 2006.
When my faith is low, I remember God’s track record. I reach back and grab the faith of the past and factor it into my present situation. In doing so, I literally bring the memory of the past miracle into the present and put it to work. I am immediately reminded that if God did it before, God will surely do it again.
Based on: Luke 1:13a(NIV) - But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid Zechariah; your prayer has been heard…”
Excerpt:
The space of time between prayer and manifestation can seem like an eternity. This is the time when we must guard our dreams. We must shelter them in an incubator of faith that constantly reminds us that the promises of God are “yes,” and “Amen.”
Based on:
Mark 6:41-44 (NIV)
Taking the five loaves and 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. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of men who had eaten was five thousand.
Excerpt:
Jesus shows them how it works by simply taking what they have and thanking God for it. It is the act of giving thanks that shifts their perspective and allows the disciples to see that everybody there has to have a little something to offer. If they put it all together and thank God for it, then they will have more than enough to meet the need of all the people.
Based on: Matthew 21:12-13
Excerpt:
A trigger can be a small seemingly inconsequential thing. However, it is seriously connected to numerous consequential events in one’s life. The innocent stranger has no knowledge of the far reaching roots of the trigger.
Based on Jeremiah 8:22 (NIV): Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why is there no healing for the wound of my people?
Excerpt: While we are transitioning, America is left with a gaping wound inflicted by friendly fire. We have not been attacked from external enemy forces as in a time of war, but in a time of peace we have been besieged by a weapon of mass destruction from within our own ranks. A three headed beast of racism, hatred and violence has been unchained, and is running rampant across America. Many feel that it will not be easily subdued.
Based on Revelation 21:1 (NIV)
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away…
Excerpt:
New life and new beginnings are clear indicators of God’s restoration. Beauty from ashes is a sign of God’s enduring presence. A way out of no way is evidence of God’s prevailing power.
The songwriter says, “I looked at my hands and my hands looked new. I looked at my feet and my feet did too.” This newness comes from having been tried in the fired and coming out as pure gold. We have come too far in 2020 to turn back now. We are going to see this year out to its end. By the power of God, we will push our way to new beginnings.
Based on: 2 Corinthians 2:17 (NIV)
Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.
Excerpt:
For those who are still trying to decide on the best candidate to lead this country out of its current state of crisis and into stability, your knowledge may be limited and you belief may be faulty, but your faith in God should always line up on the side of that which is just, merciful and true. These should be the determining factors as you vote. Ask yourself these final questions: Is the candidate just? Is the candidate merciful? Is the candidate truthful?
Based on - Romans 8:28 (VOICE)
We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful, when we love Him, and accept His invitation to live according to His plan.
Excerpt:
When our lives have been marked by a great deal of pain, it is easy to think that there is some negative force working against us. But Paul encourages us to tear up that old script and receive a new script. We are admonished to know that God has the master script of our lives, and it is engineered in our favor.
Based on: Haggai 2:9 (NIV)
Excerpt:
It is critical that the prophet emphasizes the present moment. 70 years of exile can cause one to become mired in the past or fixated on the future. Only those who see through the eyes of God, hear through the ears of God, and feel through the heart of God can find hope when the present seems hopeless.
Based on - Acts 27:23-24 (NIV)
Excerpt:
We have entered the last quarter of 2020. If this quarter is anything like the past two quarters, then we are in for a rocky ride. Many want to rush through to the end of 2020 and be done with the whole thing.
However, if we rush through, then we will miss out on a powerful season filled with infinite possibilities for growth. I know that 2020 has made many of us weak, but that does not mean that we can’t finish the year strong. We can go out better than when we came in. To do so we will have to steady ourselves and stand strong.
Title: “Hurt, Hurts Like Hell”
It is based on Psalm 126:4-5 (NIV). "Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy."
Excerpt:
With the experience of loss comes the unwelcomed presence of grief. This is a strange companion who takes up residence in our lives. Grief hovers in the morning, at noon, and throughout the night. It hangs around for what seems to be an eternity.
This episode is based on Isaiah 55:8-9.
Excerpt:
So often we question God’s timing. We ask, “Why now and why not then?” These are valid questions based upon the information available to us.
Yet, it is only the information that is not available to us that can provide a sufficient response. That information rests in the head, heart and hands of God. It is way too much for us to understand.
This episode is based on Psalm 51:6a (Message)
What you’re after is truth from the inside out.
Excerpt:
Still, God demands that the truth be told-- from the inside out. It is the act of confession that touches the heart of God. God is not moved by the prayer of someone who has done wrong. God is moved by the prayer of the one who has done wrong and is ready to do right. The confession of wrong by someone who is godly sorry moves the heart of God.
Beyond a Politics of Difference
Based onIsaiah: 32: 7-8 (VOICE)
As for the criminals—their schemes are vile and evil; they are constantly looking for ways to hurt the innocent, to ruin the poor with their lies, and to twist a justified complaint. By contrast, those who are noble have noble intentions, and they stand confidently by their honorable words and actions.
Excerpt:
I wish that I could say that this election is all about politics, but it’s so much more. This election is about the soul of our country and the lives of all of its people. For some this is a vote for life or death, and the death of some impacts the lives of us all...
Be Still and Know
Based on John 21:15a (NIV)
… Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?”
Excerpt:
We have entered a season that is marked by a major shift in the supernatural realm. This shift has rendered an opening that provides opportunities for each of us to cast our nets on the right, or on the left. This is a critical juncture that must be approached with utmost loyalty to the mind of Christ.
Based on Luke 9:59-60 (NIV)
Excerpt:
I am always inspired by the person who dreams a thing and then is willing to give all and risk all to do the thing. No excuses. No procrastination. They just put in the work and make it happen.
I am sure that the three men who confessed their desire to follow Jesus were sincere. They just didn’t want it bad enough. So, the question for us today is: How bad do we want it? If we want it bad enough, then we will just do the thing.
"The Marvelous Works of God" is based on Psalm 139:14 (CEV)
*I give thanks to you that I was marvelously set apart.
Your works are wonderful—I know that very well.*
Psalm 139 comes to remind us that we are so much bigger than our circumstances. In verse 14 the Psalmist brings to our attention the Truth that we have been marvelously set apart by God. This setting apart highlights the unique qualities that each of us brings to this world. By divine design we have been equipped with everything that we need to get through, get around, and get over life’s tragedies.