Tribute: Michael Jackson

"Somebody should tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day." - Pope Paul VI

Baby, Pray!

The best advice my mother ever gave me, and all of brothers and sisters for that matter, is to pray. She used to say, “Baby, when things get hard and you don’t know what to do, pray. You go and talk to God like you are sitting here talking to me. Go somewhere and shut the door and pray”


At my mother’s funeral, her best friend said that my mother was a praying woman. She said they would often pray together, and my mother always prayed for each of her children (there are nine of us), especially for my brother Glenn

Glenn was a drug addict who shot heroine for over 30 years. However, God delivered him from his addiction at the age of 50! To see him, you would never have imagined that he ever used drugs at all! My brother passed away four years ago in car accident. However, there is no doubt in my mind that God kept him all those years while in his addiction because of the prayers that my mother sent up.


The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16).
I used to be in an abusive relationship. One night we got into an argument, and he shoved my face into a wall so hard that it split my bottom lip completely open. I had to go to the hospital and get stitches. I remember coming home and contemplating taking my life. I was beat down physically and psychological. I felt worthless and that I had nothing to live for. I was completely broken.

But in the midst of all that pain, my mother’s words rang out: “Baby, pray!”At the time, I did not know Christ, I did not know the Bible, I did not know to confess the Blood of Jesus, but I did know that I could talk to God and He would hear me. “God please help me!” Sitting on the bathroom floor, crying, I begged God to please get me and my children out of that situation.

Not long after that incident, I moved out of town, out of that relationship, and have never looked back. God opened doors that I could have never imagined. Prayer really does change things! 



I thank God for a praying mother, who not only prayed for her children, but who taught her children to pray.

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

Denise

How Long, Lord?

How long will I be in this state? How long will things be like this? How long will I be alone? How long until you move?

I will allow the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to answer:

“I come to say to you this afternoon, however difficult the moment, however frustrating the hour, it will not be long because truth crushed to earth will rise again. How long? Not long because no lie can live forever. How long? Not long because you shall reap what you sow”

How Long? Not long. Today you are one step closer to receiving what you have been waiting for. How Long? Not long. Continue to confess and stand on the Truth of God's Word. How Long? Not long!

"God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: has he said, and shall he not do it? or has he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19)"My word, which comes from my mouth, is like the rain and snow. It will not come back to me without results. It will accomplish whatever I want and achieve whatever I send it to do." (Isaiah 55:11)"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap." (Galatians 6:7)

Denise

Take Your Seat!

"Rise Above the Nonsense"

It wasn't so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn't know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience.


We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It's a wonder God didn't lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us.


Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then He picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah. (Ephesians 2:1-6 Message Bible)

Denise

Complete In Christ

Most of us can point out certain areas in which we hold a low self-concept. We criticize ourselves, negatively compare ourselves to others, and are not accepting of who we are.

A lack of self- confidence is the belief that you are missing something, incomplete, cut off from life. A lack of self-confidence is the belief that someone else has what you desire or want of life. You believe that your life is incomplete and dependent on something or someone. A lack of self-confidence is the belief that you are less than other people.

“And you are complete in Him…”

Colossians 2:10 tells us that we are complete in Jesus Christ – nothing missing and nothing taken away. I like to say “No – thing”. All that you need has been provided.

If you believe in Christ, then you have to accept that your life is whole and complete: nothing can be added and nothing can be taken away. You are perfect in every way because the Great One lives inside of you – the Christ, the Anointed One, the Divine, the Father!

Stop listening to the lies of the enemy. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Walk in the Truth of who you really are. Life is too short!

Denise

I'm a psych major, and while learning about the different perspectives and theories of psychology, I always go back to the Word of God to apply a Biblical Truth. I recently had to do research on operant conditioning and the effects of punishment versus positive reinforcement on changing behavior.

I found that punishment definitely has its place; however, not in relationships!

Too often we try to change our spouse’s behavior through complaining and nagging, which normally does not work. Research studies find that positive reinforcement, such as complimenting your spouse for doing what is right, instead of punishing him or her for doing what is wrong, is much more effective in producing change.

The Bible says:

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.” (2 Corinthians 10:4)

If you want your spouse to change, try changing your approach:

• Express appreciation - Let your spouse know how much you appreciate him or her.
  

• Reinforce and affirm appropriate behavior - Let your spouse know how thankful you are for the things that they do, such as taking care of the family, working hard every day, washing the dishes, etc. Say thank you!

Change your perspective - Focus on the positive qualities of your spouse instead of the negative. It is so easy to take our spouses for granted and only look at what they lack according to our expectations, which are usually unfair and unrealistic!

• Speak Life - “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” (Proverbs 18:21) Watch what comes out of your mouth! The words that you sow, you will reap.

One last nugget: One of the best predictors of a successful relationship is when the positives outweigh the negatives.
Denise

"Preach the Kingdom of God, if necessary, use words!"

The Kingdom of God is Righteousness, and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Spirit. Jesus said the Kingdom of God is within you (Romans 14:17). Matthew 6:33 tells us to seek first the "Kingdom of God".

All that we need is inside of us. "Kingdom" is the Greek word basileia which means "realm" and is taken from basileus which mean "foundation of power".

Live and operate in the Kingdom - the inner realm of True Authority and Power - of God that is within you!

Denise