Words of Encouragement

Just as we would love to get away to enjoy a beautiful surrounding, so should we feel like this when we have the chance to get away with God to spend time in his presence.

About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. - Luke 9:28-31



What Changes us? Prayer changes us. Jesus had gone away from the crowds and the other disciples, but he took 3 of them with him. He went up on a mountain to pray. The first thing that jumps out at me from this scripture is that Jesus took himself away from the everyday, busy things to pray. He removed himself even from those that he spent time with, his disciples. It is a reminder for us today, that if we want to see somethings change, we are going to have to remove ourselves from some things and set ourselves aside to pray.



The second thing is Jesus went up on the mountain. While this may be only the telling of a location, it gives us some spiritual insight. Jesus moved upward to pray. You and I must move ourselves in an "upward" position before we can begin to pray. That means my mind, my actions, my focus must all move closer to God, upward. Then it states, he prayed.This point reminds us that we cannot begin to pray until we make some adjustments in our thinking if we want to see a change. I must make an adjustment in what I am seeking if I want to receive from God.

When Jesus was praying, it says the appearance of his face changed. This part of scripture is know as the transfiguration. Jesus was changed and Moses and Elijah appeared speaking with Jesus.The spiritual significance of this scripture is important for us to grasp. You and I can expect to see a change in our "faces" when we draw closer to God in prayer. Prayer takes us into the presence of God. There is no way for us to be in his presence, without reflecting his glory.





The question is what changes us? Prayer has a way of changing us. We move from "us" focus to "God" focus.We must take this steps as set out in scripture, we draw away for a time with God, we then move upward in our thinking and our actions which means we have to make a shifting in what we do. Then when we pray, it draws us into the presence of God.Today, Lord change us through prayer. Help us in our time of talking to you, to reflect more of your glory.

The Week In Review

Destined for Greatness

(Preached at Langley Avenue Church of God 2/17/08)

You were fearfully and wonderfully made so that God could receive the ultimate glory from your lives. The greatest thing you must do is seek him to find out what his will is for your life. If you don’t you set yourself up to become just another statistic. Is that what you want for your life? Well it isn’t what God wants. He took his time to form you in your mother’s womb because he knew that his destiny for you was greatness. I’m not talking about stuff. I’m not talking about big houses, and fancy cars, and lots of money. I’m talking about greatness God’s way. In each of you God determines what your greatness is, but you have to seek him to find out what it is.

See people, even if they mean well might look at what you hold and think they are worthless rocks, but God looks at them and sees giant killers. Some might look at your life and see you as an unknown, no great story to tell, but God looks at you and says you are favored (like Mary) because you have been chosen for a purpose that God wants to fulfill only through you.So today, I ask you, what do you choose? Do you want to step into the path that God has for you? You can make that step today. If you don’t know the Lord you first have to accept the gift of salvation so that God can anoint your life with his Holy Spirit and plant in you his purpose for your life. That is only the beginning. There is a process that must follow.

Don’t get discouraged if things don’t turn around quickly. If you confess Jesus as your savior, don’t let the devil tell you, you are not saved. Accept by faith and move as he leads. If you are saved, but simply have not figured out what to do next, then seek God for his direction so that you can begin to walk in the purpose he has just for you. So that he can anoint your gifts so that you can take your place and use your talents for his glory. You are destined for greatness, not because of who you are, or where you’ve been, or who you know, but simply because of who God is. Another awesome thing about God is this.

What if you are living a life a statistic right now? You don’t have to stay that way. God can forgive any transgression, which means sin and move you from a statistic to sanctified. He can move you from a sinner to saved. You are destined for greatness because you are fearfully and wonderfully made. So today, allow God to anoint you and begin to reveal to you what his purpose for you is. And then through whatever bitterness you might face, it is only to sweeten the completion of what God wants to do in you. Don’t allow the circumstances and situations of life to make you doubt that God wants to do something with your life. Hold on to his hand and turn your back on the negative but turn to God instead. He is the one that formed you in your mother’s womb, so he knows what he destined you for. Will you allow him to lead you to your purpose? Sometimes when I preach, I like to end with a poem. I wrote this in 2005, take a listen.

The Journey

From your very beginning, God knew

He had a plan and a purpose just for you

He is calling you from that place of sin

And your walk, your journey will begin

He will show you his wonders and delights

He will show you how to do what is right

He will comfort you in your sorrow

He will be your hope for tomorrow

He will show you joys unspeakable and full of glory

He will help you to write your life’s story

He will be the light, which lights your way

He gives you new mercies for each day

As you reflect on your yesterday,

You can kneel in reverence to pray.

You can say, Thank you God for your footprints before me on the ground,

Thank you for helping me to never, never turnaround.

Thank you God for your strength that will protect

And God, me you never neglect

Thank you God for your promises are true

You said it and you are able to see me through

Thank you for removing all doubt and fear

Because of it your way is made clear

And as I continue to run this race,

Help me be in my rightful place.

So that those that come behind me,

Christ’s reflection in me they will see.

Go find God’s purpose for your life!

The Week in Review

Invest in Your Marriage and Reap the Benefits

Marriage & family, God’s Plan

1. The first step in investing in our marriage is to seek our happiness and joy from the right source.
2. The second step in investing in our marriage is seeking our roles through God.
3. The third step is having a forgiving heart.
4. The fourth step is making marriage a priority.
5. The fifth step in praying for one another.
6. The sixth step is to remove all out clauses.


Sometimes when I talk to married people, they have a "out clause" in case things do not work. The belief (often among saved people) is if things do not work out and I am not happy, I can get out of the marriage and try again.


This is a dangerous belief to have, especially as a believer. This is not the guideline for marriage as set forth by God. Yes, I know that there are some situations that causes individuals to leave (safety purposes for example). This is however, not the truth for every marriage.

What God calls for the believer is to give their marriage over completely to him. When we do, we serve a greater purposes of showing the world what God is capable of doing for those that love him. God gives us hope and if we trust him there are a few steps he gives for us so that we can hold onto that hope. The first thing is we need to remember our spouses are human and they are touched with the selfishness of the human. The second thing we must remember is we too are humans and if we want to be forgiven for our wrong choices, we should be ready to forgive. The third and last thing is we should remember that God can change every situation.

We must seek God to keep our marriages strong. This is why we must remove all out clauses or defeat clauses. Are you ready to allow God access to your marriage?


For the current installment, go to the http://home.comcast.net/~inhisword/site/
 and look under Family First.

Words of Encouragement

Like Moses, God uses everyday people to lead his people. Like Moses, we too sometimes think, can I teach your people? Can I lead your people? Like God's answer to Moses, it is the same with us, I will go with you. This is me at a women's conference in Dallas. I taught three conferences on raising healthy children. And truly I thought, what can I tell these women? Yet God used me and many women came back later and told me of the blessing God gave to them. Praises to God!


Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, 'I know you by name and you have found favor with me.' If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people." The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." - Exodus 33:12-14



My Communion with God. Instructs me. Moses has been given an awesome challenge by God. I can call it awesome because any thing that we are told to do by God, can only be accomplished by the awesomeness of the one giving it. Moses understands this because he ask, who will go with me to do this great thing you are telling me to do.



Moses also understands something else, that he will not be able to do this great thing unless God teaches him how to do it. He knows he is not capable of the task. This isn't a pity party, but wisdom that lets you understand this is far greater than myself. If God is with me then I will be able to handle the awesome task.



God gives Moses reassurance of his presence. He tells him I will go with you and then he promises I will also give you rest. What an unusual answer, don't you think? Not really. What God promises is he will be with Moses and he does not have to worry, or fret, but he can be secure in the knowledge that the heavy task will be accomplished by God. That is the promise of rest God is giving to Moses. Don't worry Moses, I've got it handled.



This is what we too can receive when we go to our time of communion with God, instruction for our life's journey. God will be with us and he tells us, don't worry, I got it. I've got the difficulty handled. The problems in your finances, I've got it handled. The problems in your family situations, I got it handled. The problems with your health, your job, all your burdens, don't worry, I've got it handled. You have found favor with God because you are his child and his promise is that he will go with us and he will teach us his ways. He wants to teach us his ways so that we will not sin against him.



This is all the benefits that we receive with our communion with God. I end this lesson this week with this vital point, all the things listed this week are the benefits for our communion with God, not the purpose however for it. The true purpose for our communion with God, is simply to have time with the one that loves us. Not just so that we can receive answers, or give our list of desires, but just to get to know him. God sets the agenda for our time and in that time he wants to answer us, teach us, restore us, and purify us.



Let us thank God today for wanting to spend time with us. Lord thank you for loving us enough to want to talk to us and to teach us. Help us to always realize the importance of time with you.

Words of Encouragement

This butterfly, which was once a caterpillar must go through a pressing in order for it to come out of it's confinement. If it does not press, it will not be able to fly. God allows our confinements so that we can press our way out so that we are able to be free to soar.

Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, you who have done great things. Who, O God, is like you? Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again. - Psalm 71:19-21



My Communion with God. It restores me. I like to be transparent, because it helps people know they too can make it. This scripture is for me today. Sometimes going through something can really weigh you down and make you feel tired from the burden of that thing. Sometimes you battle so long that even when you see some light coming, it is dimmed out because you have to start something else and it feels like you're back where you were, starting all over again.



If people knew what was on our minds, they would hear us thinking, "Lord, when will this end?". Oh we don't want to voice it, because, well we are afraid of looking "unspiritual". Yet, I am thankful that some one in the scripture was willing to be transparent and pen how heavy the burdens were. If the writers had not said how discouraged they were, we would not be able to find out how they found encouragement.



Well today I come to share with you, that while I might feel burden and sometimes discouraged, I am thankful that God allows me to use it to encourage someone else. I can encourage you because in doing so, I find courage myself. I am too reminded that God will not wait forever before he comes to take care of us.



God will restore us. He will remove the bitterness of our situations and bring comfort into our lives. He will also increase our honor. While we are going through, we don't always feel honor, but in those time of communion with God he reveals to us that he is honoring us by allowing us to show the world who he is in the midst of difficulty.



Today, if you are feeling down and need to be restored, get away with God. Talk to him and listen to him for he will encourage your hearts. Lord, today we need to see you. We need to see you present in our everyday life situations and circumstances.

Words of Encouragement

Like a flowing water that does not become stagnant, neither does the word of God. It is like the water that rushes over us and cleanses our hearts from all wrong thinking and acting.


Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. - 1 Peter 1:22-23



My Communion with God. It purifies me. As believers we often believe that the only work that needed to be done, was done. However, what we do not realize is that we need to come daily to God for him to direct our thoughts and to give us the strength to "kill the flesh". We were purified when we were saved from our sins. What takes place in our time of communion with God is he "refreshes" us.



The blood of Christ covers all our sins and we are saved. Yet, we in this body must still contend with the desires of our flesh. The self still wants to have its own way and do its own thing. That time with God will refresh us with new strength to be able to die daily to the desires of our selfish flesh. It is the truth of God's word that purifies us.



The Holy Spirit equips us through the word which purifies. The Holy Spirit continually grows that seed that has been planted within us. We grow each time we allow the word to purify us, change us, direct us and correct us. Each time we allow the word of God to permeate who we are, we grow.

This is one of the reasons we need to come to a time of worship and devotion with the Lord. Otherwise, we will grow weak and become spiritually anemic. We will not be able to overcome the desires of the flesh for selfish gain if we do not spend time in the presence of God.



Today, I pray that we do not neglect our time with God. I pray that when you spend time with him today, he will refresh you and help you to continue to "die daily".

Words of Encouragement

What does it mean to "rest" in the Lord? Image yourself after busily handling a hectic day, to now be able to let go of those cares and simply relax. You don't have to think about trying to solve everything or take care of everything, you just take the time to rest. You rest your mind and your body. Well when you rest in the Lord, you rest your mind, your body and your spirit. The hectic days don't keep you in a frantic pace, but you simply relax because you trust in God.

Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. - 1 Chronicles 16:8-11



My Communion with God. To Honor. What is the reason why we spend time with God? There are many reasons one might give. One reason is so that I can find answers for my life's questions. Or maybe another reason might be, so that I can find encouragement or help.



Those are reasons, but they are not the main reason why we should talk to God or spend time in his presence. Those reasons (and many others) are some of the benefits we receive by being in God's presence, but they are not the total focus. The main reason why we should seek God is to simply honor him.



In this scripture today, the people are rejoicing and giving thanks because the Ark of the Covenant is in their midst. David gives thanks that does not end until around verse 36. David list some of the attributes of God, that he is ruler over all and that he is from everlasting to everlasting.



This is the main purpose of our time of communion or devotion. You and I cannot go to God with our own set agenda for the meeting. That might not be what God wants to talk about today. When we pray, we go with a list of things we want to tell God, but never stop to think, what does God want to tell me today? What does he want me to hear about him? When we change our time of communion focus, we go to God without a set agenda.



Instead, we go simply to honor him. In that time of honor, God will give us what we need, that's just the way God works. Aren't you glad about it.



Today, let us go to our time of communion with God without a set list of things, but simply to talk to him and honor him. I pray for us today, that we just honor God and listen to his voice. What might he say to you?

Words of Encouragement

For several years I have had "Williams' Camp". The children here were on a boat and looking for God's wonderful creatures in the sea. The children in their time of study and play, were open to have new truth revealed to them. This is how we must be as children of God.


He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king." - Daniel 2:21-23

My Communion with God. It reveals his plan. It is important to know that our walk with God, our spiritual life is not an automatic thing. When we are saved we do not instantly become mature in our walk. We can grow as we allow the Lord to take us through the process.



In this scripture, we see Daniel rejoicing at the fact that God will reveal the mysteries that are hidden from our eyesight. We cannot however understand or see the revealed mysteries of God if we are not taking time to commune with him.



Daniel could not receive the understanding for the king's dream if he had not taken the time to seek God. Daniel was joyful that God would reveal to him wisdom, joy, and knowledge.



This is not just something that he gave to Daniel only. He will reveal himself and his purpose to all his children. We must be willing to come and seek him. We do that through his word, through a time in prayer with God and yielding ourselves to him.



Today, I pray for us that we seek God in a relationship where we can receive his revealed truth. Lord help us to grow spiritually in you.

The Week in Review

The preparation for the marriage doesn't end when the wedding activities are over. In fact, the work is just beginning.

Invest in Your Marriage and Reap the Benefits
Marriage & family, God’s Plan

1. The first step in investing in our marriage is to seek our happiness and joy from the right source.
2. The second step in investing in our marriage is seeking our roles through God.
3. The third step is having a forgiving heart.
4. The fourth step is making marriage a priority.
5. The fifth step in praying for one another.



I can only speak for myself, but I have found that often times when things have gone wrong, I would sometimes forget to pray. Oh, I would say, "Lord, look at what is happening to me" or I would tell my friends about the situations. But I really didn't go to God in prayer.



I am thankful for God's grace and how he teaches us what is right for us to do. What I have learned in the 26 years of marriage is that when things are not going as I would want, I should take it to God in prayer, FIRST.
I have found that sometimes my disappointment comes not because things are wrong, but because I have allowed myself to slip in the first step as listed before. I have become disappointed because I have looked to my husband as my source of happiness and joy, and in doing so, I have become disappointed.



So I must go to God in prayer so that he can first get my vision back on the right path. When he does that, then I can pray and ask God that both my husband and myself are doing as he has instructed us to do.





There is something that is also important for us regarding what we invest in our marriages. We need not wait until things go bad before we pray, but instead we should pray daily that God would help our spouses be the husband or wife he has called them to be. We should pray for their strength at work and against the temptations that would come and try to defeat them. We should pray that God would grant them the ability to stand no matter what comes their way.



When you and I invest in our marriage, we do more than just seek what we can get out of it. We seek to invest in our spouses ability to be successful God's way. So let us remember that if we want a good marriage, we need to first seek God for the source of our happiness and joy. We also need to seek God for what his call is for us within our marriage.



We then must have a forgiving heart because our spouses are human and as people we will not always get everything right. We then must put our marriage as a priority and one way to do that is to seek God for the development of our marriage and as individual people. When we do this, we can see our marriages becoming what God planned for them to be.

The Week in Review

Destined for Greatness
(Preached at Langley Avenue Church of God 2/17/08)

Now let’s look at Mary’s life for a few momentsLuke 1:26-38: The Birth of Jesus Foretold In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God." "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

The writer of Luke gives us this recanting of a story about a young virgin girl that has just been given an unusual assignment. We do not have any other information about Mary, but she simply shows up in the telling of this story. The writer, just as the writer of David’s life simply begins to tell the events. Yet Mary did not just appear, but was also on the mind of God before she was yet born. He formed Mary fearfully – with great care. As he formed her he knew he was forming the mother of the savior. Just as he knew in Mary’s womb the savior would be formed. God knows even when the child is yet unborn the greatness he wants to fulfill within. Why do you think the devil wants so much for us to kill the unborn? If he can cut the seed off before it even gets here, he can cut off greatness yet unborn. Mary was a simple and ordinary girl; one Bible dictionary says she was probably a peasant girl. So she wasn’t rich, famous or sought after. There isn’t anything really great mention about her, yet she is being chosen for such a wonderful assignment. She is being called to have strength, character, perseverance, determination and an ability to sacrifice. Her very name means bitter. Mary is being asked to take on a bitter assignment, because she will have to watch her very son crucified for the sins of the world. Mary’s first response was, how can this happen, I don’t know a man?
In other words Mary is asking how can this natural thing, childbirth, happen without help or a man’s intervention? God’s answer through the angel is it will not be a natural thing, but a supernatural thing, because nothing is impossible with God. It will be by my spirit that this is done. When Mary hears all the information, she says let it be done unto your servant. In other words, I surrender myself to you.

Mary shows us something important. Sometimes we cannot see the greatness inside because we are looking at it from the natural. We say, this is great, but what man will help me? I want to go to law school or start a business, but if I can’t get someone to open doors for me, I won’t be able to. God then speaks and says it won’t be by man’s efforts but by my spirit. God wants to do some supernatural things in our lives if we only release ourselves into his hands. He is calling for some young people to be like Mary to say Lord, let your will be done in my life. What he wants to do is plant his spirit in you and allow the Spirits influence to grow you. And when the time comes he will bring forth life. Do you know God wants you, young people (all of us really) to be willing to be sacrifices so that his Spirit can reach someone else? See I cannot reach all the people you can. You are called for that very purpose to reach your friends and peers and those you have contact with. Yeah, some will talk about you, some will ridicule you and others might even think you are a joke, don’t you think there was probably talk about Mary a virgin that was pregnant. That had to be the joke of the village. However, God is looking for some young people to make a commitment right now to live completely for him and accept their unusual assignment to carry his son. He wants you to carry his son to a dying world and when you do, he promises you that he will make you a royal nation. You will become royalty because you are the child of the King. You are a nation of priest that comes to tell the world about God.
Come back next week for the next and final installment of this message.

Words of Encouragement

When we come together to praise God, our voices can blend together like a sweet melody in the ears of God. Shall we worship him together?


Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. - Colossians 3:15-17



Feed my Sheep. Seeking God Together. We are encouraged in this scripture to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts because we are all members together in one body. God's word should dwell within us as we teach and encourage one another on to good works. We are encouraged to worship together.



We sing songs of praise together. We give our testimonies about God's goodness together. We worship, we learn, we are thankful and we rejoice all together.



In all that we do and say, we are encouraged to do it with thanksgiving unto God. Why is this so important in feeding God's sheep? When we say we love God then we are obedient to his commandments. God calls us to come together and worship with one another because this is how we help to strengthen each other. We help to build faith in each other.



When I can see what God has done for you, I am encouraged. If I am going through a hard time and you give a testimony about what God has brought you through, I can rejoice because I know we serve the same God and what he did for you, he can do for me.



We are encouraged to learn together, to teach one another and to grow together because as a body of "sheep" we need to be healthy so that the entire bunch can be healthy. If there is disease going through the herd, then the other sheep can catch it and become sick. Well if there is sin sickness going through the people of God and no one is encouraging others to live right, then that sin sickness can take over the entire body.



We are called today to answer a question that Jesus asked several times to Peter, do you love me? What is your answer to this question? If it is yes, then Jesus say, feed my sheep. Teach them my way so that the wolves will not come in and capture them. Treat them as the shepherd and not as the hired help, do not run away when things get hard. Love them as you love me. And then worship together, share together so that you both can grow.

Lord, help us to love your people as you love them. Help us to allow you to lead us as you say and not try to decide our own way. This day, help us to release anything we are holding into your hands. Because today we say, we love you and we will feed your sheep.

Words of Encouragement

Children have a unique way of loving. You do something that hurts their feelings, but they will quickly forgive you and continue to be your friend as if, that thing never happened. Can we learn from the children? Can we quickly forgive the hurt and injustice done to us by others and continue to be brothers and sisters in Christ?


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



Feed my Sheep. Love one Another. Jesus took the time to example to his disciples the importance of relationship. He taught and showed them how important the needs of the people were to him. He showed them how important they were to him. Jesus did all this so that he could write on the hearts of the disciples the importance of the sheep.



Jesus tells the disciples to love another. In doing this the world would know they were different. In a world were everyone is looking out for themselves, it is something new and different to see people giving of themselves for someone else. Jesus question is still ringing in the air, do you love me? Then if we do, we will obey his will. One way we do that is to love each other.



When you love some one you seek what is best for them and what will make them healthy and whole. You will love each other as Jesus loved. He sought what was best for those he loved. Are we doing the same? Or do we have selfish motives for what we do?

Lord, today help us to have right motives when we interact with one another. Help us to express the love you first expressed to us. You loved us first where we were and then you encourage us to grow. Help us to love our brothers and sisters, first where they are and then to seek to encourage them to grow in you. When you ask us, do you love me? We can answer yes, and we are feeding your sheep. We are encouraging them and feeding them with the love of God that will help them to grow in you.

Words of Encouragement

Can you image this mother leaving her child alone to take care of herself? No, she would not leave her young child alone. Instead she would willingly sacrifice herself for her child's safety. She carried this child and cannot think of doing anything to harm her. That is the same with God. He "birth" us as his children and he will not leave us alone to take care of ourselves. He willingly sacrificed his Son so that we would not have to be lost and alone.


I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. - John 10:11-15



Feed my Sheep. I love my Sheep. Jesus uses the example of the shepherd to bring the message of how important the people are to him. He tells about himself being the shepherd. The shepherd cares so much for the sheep that he does not think his life is more important than the sheep, because he willingly will lay it down to protect them.



He then uses the contrast of what the hired help looks like. The hired help as soon as trouble comes will abandon the sheep and leave them at the prey of those that will kill or destroy the sheep.



This is true for the Father. God knows Jesus because he is his son. Jesus says he willingly lay down his life for the sheep because they belong to his Father and his love for the Father is what is most important.



What is the lesson for you and I? The question arises again that Jesus asked Peter, do you love me? Then feed my sheep. Jesus loves the sheep. He is willing to lay his own life down so that the sheep are protected. What Jesus then calls you and I to is to be Him in the lives of his people. Oh we are not able to save as Jesus, but just as Jesus stood to represent the Father, we must be willing to represent the Son. When I stand for Jesus as his representative I cannot run away like a hired hand at the first sign of trouble. Instead, I must be willing to stand with the sheep (the people) and help them fight off the destroyer.



This is just another way of saying God calls us to intercede in the lives of our brothers and sisters. When they are going through a hard place we cannot run away, but we must stand just as Jesus would. We stand because when Jesus asked us the vital question of do you love me, we answered yes. And when we answered yes he then said show it, take care of my sheep.

Jesus loves his sheep, aren't you glad about that? Jesus does not leave you and I alone to fight our battles. His presence is with us, and he will also place us on the hearts of others so they too will stand with us.



Today, Lord help us to be willing to love your sheep, because you love them as well. You call us to love you and to love another. Help us this day to feed your sheep. There is someone this day, that will need us to stand for you in their lives, help us not run away, but to stand with spiritual weapons in hand, and fight for your sheep that you love.

Words of Encouragement

I did not know "Aunt Maudie" personally, but I heard about how she would preach the word of God to the people. Now she is older, but she can still be heard giving praises to God. She loved God's people because she was willing to feed them as long as she could. Her family beside her is a testimony of what she planted in their lives. Whose life are you planting in?




Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." - Matthew 28:18-20




Feed my Sheep. Go make Disciples. Jesus asked Peter a vital question, do you love me? His words to Peter were, then feed my sheep. Today's, scripture tells us how Jesus calls for his followers to go about feeding his sheep.



Jesus tells his disciples that they have God's power and authority. To have the power and authority of God means that as followers of Christ, nothing can stop you from fulfilling the purpose of God. Even though things in life may seem to have us defeated, Jesus tells us otherwise. We cannot be defeated. The devil, however tries to make us think we are and in doing so, we give up our victory. Because the disciples have the power of God, Jesus tells them to do something.

What Jesus tells them to do is to go and gather others. In fact Jesus is telling them go and do what I have done for you. I brought you to myself. I walked with you, I taught you. When you asked me to teach you to pray, I taught you how. When you were unsure of things, I took time and explained them to you. I never casted you away from me, instead I walked with you, prayed for you and equipped you for the place of leadership that I am now calling you to.




This is one of the things Jesus is calling us to. When he ask, do you love me and then tells us to feed his sheep, he is telling us to go and equip others to be followers of Christ. You and I do not save anyone, but when we present the word of God to them, his Spirit will convict the heart. when he does, then it is our responsiblity to invest in them so that they too can go and do likewise.




We feed God's sheep by teaching them the truth of God's word. If we do not teach God's word, we leave God's sheep defenseless against the "wolves" that would come and try to snatch them away from the shepherd.




Today, Lord help us to show you we love you by teaching others the truth about your word. Help us show our love for your sheep by presenting to them the shepherd so they no longer have to be wondering sheep, without a shepherd to guide them.

Words of Encouragement

Jesus calls us to feed his sheep. This means he wants us to give them the "good" things that will help them to grow. Lord help us to feed your sheep from the goodness from your word.

Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep." The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." - John 21:16-18



Feed my Sheep. If you love me, you'll do as I command. As I was finishing up my leadership Formation class, there was a wonderful book that helped us to understand what true leadership is about. The book, titled, In the Name of Jesus, helped the students to get a better glimpse of what true leadership looks like. This book reminded us that true leadership is not about you being spectacular, or having power, or even being relevant. A true leader, the servant leader is one that allows God to led them even in areas they do not want to go.



Peter was troubled with Jesus' question. He did not understand why he continued to ask him the same question. But Jesus wanted Peter to understand something important. If we love Jesus, we will take care of his sheep (his people). He also told Peter that there would come a time when he would be led where he did not want to go. Peter in a later time would be led to his death for Christ.



Jesus says to all that claim him as Lord, do you love me? He ask it more than once. He ask it because he does not want us to give him a quick answer, but a well thought out one that says, Yes. And when we answer yes, he tells us feed my sheep.



Today, Let us understand what God's call is to the life of his people. God does not call us to a greatness of position, but to one of sacrifice. God does not call us to doing the spectacular so that men and women will pat us on the back, but he calls us to seeking to touch the lives of the one that others forget because of their lowly status. God does not call us to power so that we can be great before men, but he calls us to humility so that we will lower ourselves so that others can go before us.



Today, I pray for us that we hear Jesus' words to us, do you love me? Let us say yes Lord help us so that we can feed your sheep. Help us to be willing to be led even in those areas that we would rather not, but help us to be willing because you are the one doing the leading.

Week in Review

Destined For Greatness
(Preached at Langley Avenue Church of God on 2/17/08)

We ended last week with David handling the negative from others. We pick up this week with how you can handle the negative:

So if you can sing, do math, whatever it is, give it to God and watch him take what looks useless and make it into giant killers. Not only will you have victory over the Goliath situations, but you encourage those that see you to go forward in the battle to win as well. I had people tell me I couldn’t be anything. I was told I would be nothing but a statistic. I would be a girl on welfare with a bunch of babies with nothing to offer. But God said, “NO. You will not be a statistic because I have you destined for greatness”. Sometimes you have to tell the naysayers in your life, if you don’t have anything good to say, please be quiet and stop talking to me. My rocks are not useless they are giant killers. So people of God, let us stop looking on the outside and seek to see what God sees, the heart.

Let’s stop looking at the negative and start to seeing the positive. If we have a child that doesn’t come to Sunday school often, let us not jump on them for only being there for 15 minutes or for only coming once a month, lets give them the best 15 minutes they can get and drench that seed in them. Let’s stop jumping on our youth because they don’t look like we think. “OH what a sin before God” Well if what they look like is a sin before God let’s pray for them, and then when we see them tell them, I am so happy to see you. I miss you when you aren’t here. I’m glad your doing well in school. I love your smile. I’m praying for you. and the praises goes on and on. You know what happens? We invest so much in that young person, they will want to come back to us because they have found love and acceptance and not rejection and ridicule. Guess what then happens, you can tell them things that may help them grow and change. You can’t do it until you have established a relationship with them first.

I had a friend’s mother when I was young that would allow me to come and talk to her no matter how long I needed to talk. She didn’t tell me my shorts were too short, and they were. She didn’t tell me all the negative things about me (because there were some), instead she talked about the good things. If I needed 10 minutes or 2 hours, she gave it to me. Her name is Barbara Ellis and she invested in me. Do you know that investment in me saved me at times? When my stepfather thought it was his job to ridicule me daily I would replay the messages she gave over and over again in my head.

Do you know because she invested in me I didn’t have to become another negative statistic? Church do you know when we ridicule our young people we are grooming them to become a statistic? So when we wag our tongues about how bad they are or how lazy they are or some other complaint we can come up with, be assured you are adding to the negative numbers.
Young people, God wants you to find assurance in what you can become in him. It is your choice, you can decide to accept his calling for you and allow his Spirit to direct you even now, or you can reject it and choose to become just another statistic. You can know with assurance that God ‘s purpose in you will be fulfilled if you give yourself to him. God does not invest himself in anything or anyone he does not plan to complete. So you can stand boldly when some come and say the negative things. Even if those words hurt, you can do like David and determine in your heart to continue to go forward. David didn’t stop short of becoming the king he was anointed to be, don’t stop short of reaching your place of purpose, the place God destined you to fulfill. Now I want you to understand David was not anointed king one day and then became king the next. He had to go through some bitter times before that thing was fulfilled. Yet, I believe in those bitter times he was able to remember the calling on his life and to continue to move toward that goal.

Week in Review

Invest in Your Marriage and Reap the Benefits
Marriage & family, God’s Plan

1. The first step in investing in our marriage is to seek our happiness and joy from the right source.

2. The second step in investing in our marriage is seeking our roles through God.

3. The third step is having a forgiving heart.

4. The fourth step is making marriage a priority.

Often times marriages find themselves in times of trouble because of the lack of care that was invested in the marriage. It does not hit you quickly but if you are so busy with other things, the lack of investment in ones marriage can slowly creep up on you and you can find yourself going in different directions. When you final pay attention, it is sometimes past repair (not in God's eyes but in our own).

As mothers, we often focus on the children, house, work and a list of other task and chores. All of these things are important and need our attention. However, so does the investment into our marriage. Our husbands were here before the children, and all the other task. If we do not continue to invest in the marriage when the children are gone we will find ourselves married to a stranger if the marriage hasn't completely dissolved before then.

Men, before the pursuit of careers, business ventures, hobbies, and other things, there was your wife. If you allow other things to take first place in your life, how do you expect your wife to feel loved when she is always standing next in line behind something else?

This is why the word of God instructs us about some important roles. Husband are to love their wives. This love is shown by placing her before all the other pursuits in your life. This is why the word tells us to respect our husbands. How do we expect our husbands to feel loved if we never have a place for them and our complaints are always about what he is doing wrong and how he isn't meeting our needs?

That is why we have to go back to the first point, finding our happiness and joy in God. Once we find our joy in God then we can focus on being the best we can be in our marriage. I can be the best wife and pray to God when my husband isn't being the best husband and vice verse.
You must make it up in your mind that you will invest in your marriage. If you want your checking account to grow, you cannot not neglect it and expect it by some act of God to grow. You didn't put anything in! It is the same with marriage. You must invest time, effort, prayer, care, love and a listening and forgiving ear and heart. When you invest these things into your marriage, you will be able to see the result of your investment. I know the hardest time to believe this is when you are the only one investing in the marriage.

What if your spouse isn't investing, but you are? That is where your prayers come into play. You can go to God and ask him to correct what is wrong. You can go and ask him to because you are being faithful and God says he is faithful to the faithful. You can trust that God will help you through those difficult times in your marriage. Come back next week and let's continue to talk about investing in your marriage. How do you keep hope alive and continue to invest, when it seems one sided?

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Words of Encouragement

The children came to worship the Lord. They rejoiced and celebrated the awesomeness of God.

All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing praise to your name." Selah Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man's behalf! He turned the sea into dry land, they passed through the waters on foot— come, let us rejoice in him. - Psalm 66:4-6



Come and Go. God's Awesome Work. The psalmist calls for God's people to sing praises to his name. The psalmist calls for the people to "come" and see what God has done for mankind. The psalmist reminds the people of how God parted the waters and they walked across on dry ground. He says, rejoice in God.



This call for the people to come is also a call for us today. God calls us to come to him and to rejoice at what he has done for us. He also wants us to "go" and tell others. The psalmist had to go and tell others to come and rejoice as he reminded them of what God had done.



We are to come and go as God directs. As children of God we must always be ready to heed what we are instructed to do. This "coming and going" calls for us to be active and moving. The Christian life is not one of settling in and being stagnant. It is one that calls for action, life and movement.



Today, God we pray that you help us to be always moving as you direct. We are not to become stagnant or comfortable where we are, because as soon as we become comfortable, God calls us to move again. So when we go to worship this weekend, help us to hear your call to us for movement as directed by your spirit.

Words of Encouragement

Can you image if you needed to get across this body of water. Can you step into the edge of the water and believe it will open to you? What if this is what those of Joshua's time thought? Yet, God did promise to separate the water and he did. It reminds us to trust even those things that seem impossible to happen, if God says he will do it, he will.


So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, "Go over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. - Joshua 4:4-6



Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Command the priests carrying the ark of the Testimony to come up out of the Jordan." So Joshua commanded the priests, "Come up out of the Jordan." And the priests came up out of the river carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD. No sooner had they set their feet on the dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and ran at flood stage as before. - Joshua 4:15-18

Come and Go. Following God, brings about the miracles. God gave instruction to Joshua for the people to cross over the Jordan. God has opened the Jordan so that the people can walk over on dry ground. In the midst of their crossing, God requires that appointed men go before and pick up a stone to use as a marking on the other side.



The priest then are told to come up out of the Jordan because the people have crossed over. When they come up out of the Jordan, it goes back to its original state.



What does this "coming and going" telling us? God wants to work some miracles in the lives of his people and he is requiring his children to play a part in the miracles. God has called some appointed people to go and gather something that will remind others of the miracles they have experienced. There are times when those coming behind will need to be reminded of the great things God can do. He is calling some to bring a testimony to the next generation that were not present when God worked some situations out in our lives. You and I are called to give a testimony of what God has done for us to the next generation. When someone sees the "marking" and they ask, what does this mean, we can tell them about what God has done.



Then there are some that God has used to stand in the midst to hold back the floods for others to cross over on dry ground. Those that have come into the midst to intercede for others after they have done what God has asked, will be called out of the midst.



Today, we are called to come and go as God desires so that we can give testimony to others of God's goodness as well as to be positioned to intercede for others.



I pray for us today that God would continue to use us as he desires so that we can help others out of the floods that would drown them. Lord help us to continually hear you calling us to come to your purpose and to go do as you say.

Words of Encouragement

I do not consider myself an artist, but I drew this picture of a mountain. As I thought about this lesson, I thought about what the mountain may have looked like. This cloud around the base of the mountain keeps anyone from going up the mountain. It must have been the same for the people of Moses' day. Aren't you glad God has opened the way for us to come to him?


The LORD said to Moses, "I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you." Then Moses told the LORD what the people had said. And the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.- Exodus 19:9-10



Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, 'Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.' " The LORD replied, "Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the LORD, or he will break out against them." So Moses went down to the people and told them. - Exodus 19:23-25



Come and Go. The Lord comes so that we can go. The Lord is speaking to Moses and tells him he will "come" to him so that the people will know that God is with Moses and trust in his leadership. After he does this, he tells Moses to "go" to the people and consecrate them (set them apart) for the time when God will visit with them. After they have consecrated themselves, God says he will "come" to them.



God will come down to the people, but the people cannot come up the mountain to where God is. He tells Moses other than himself, only Aaron is able to come up the mountain. If the people try to brake through and come up the mountain, they will die.



As we look at this interaction of "coming and going" we see some vital information. The first thing we see is that God will come and show himself in his servants so that those that follow will have confidence in the one leading. God gives his approval on his servants. And when his people prepare themselves for his coming, he will also show himself to the people.



Another point that is important is that God came "down" to man because man could not go up to God. This is true again in the New Testament because we see Jesus come down from heaven to be with man, because man could not stand in the presence of God on his holy hill, least he would die.



Only Moses and Aaron could come up the mountain but when Jesus came down to be with man, he called all to go into the presence of his father. Jesus made a way for all to come to God and to dwell with him in his presence. Now we can stand before him when once man was not able to do so. God came to mankind through his Son, Jesus so that we could come to him and be cleansed to stand in his presence.



Today, I pray that we thank God for coming down to us from his holy hill. Let us thank him for removing the barrier that kept us from going up to him and dwelling in his presence. Lord thank you for letting us come to stand in his presence and for cleansing us so that we do not die from being in your glory.

Words of Encouragement

Do you know where this road will lead? Most times than not, we do not know the path our lives will take. We have to trust God and allow him to direct us which way to go, even through the difficulties. (picture by James S. Williams)


"Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams." - Genesis 37:20





How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come upon my father." - Genesis 44:34

Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! -Genesis 45:4

Come and Go. It's all in God's Plan. This is the story of Joseph. He was loved greatly by his father and this caused his other brothers to be jealous of him as well as because of the things he said. He told his family about a dream he had and they were not to happy about what he dreamed. We come now to the first scripture where the brothers have decided to "come" together and kill their own brother. The figured if they could get rid of him, they would get rid of his dreams.

It is a shame that brothers would allow the devil to tempt them to destroy one of their own. Jealousy of anothers gifts causes many to want to destroy their own brother. Yet, we find out that God will even use this plot that was set to destroy, to build up.

Joseph was not killed by his brothers, however he was sold into slavery. Many things happened to Joseph, but with each turn he made, it took him not away from God but to the completion of God's plan. Joseph was eventually made a great ruler in Egypt and was over the provisions being set aside for the people. In the second scripture Joseph did several things and his brothers did not know it was him. What he requested they go back and get his younger brother, Benjamin, they did. What happened is Joseph set a trap where Benjamin would have to be left behind. Yet his brother says, how can I go to my father without his son. They knew the pain this would cause they father and they did not want to inflict him any more.

The brothers seem to have learned a lesson. Maybe it was the years of seeing their father hurt for the lost of his son Joseph. Maybe they realized the sin of what they did, however we do not have record that they ever confessed it. So now they are instead trying to protect the youngest son. They do not want to go to the father and tell him something else has happened to one of his sons.

This is important for us to know. We should not be so quick to come together for evil so that we won't have to be unwilling to go and tell of the harm inflicted because of our disobedience.

Joseph eventually reveals himself to them. Joseph was willing to call his brothers closer even after the evil they had done in his life. Joseph was able to do this because he realized that all the evil done to him, was used by God to bring him to the place he now stood, a provider of provisions for many.

The lesson for us today is that when others come together for your destruction know that God will use it to call you to come to him. He uses it to call you to the plan and purpose he has for you. The enemy wants to destroy you, but God wants to fulfill your life plan. He calls us to come to him and go into the land and place that I have for you. And some of the very people you must provide for are the same ones that tried to take your life.

Lord, help us today to accept that all things work together for our good. You allow others to come together against us, but you use that planned destruction to build us up and create that in us which will help others to survive. Help us Lord this day.

Words of Encouragement

The Langley youth danced to Kirk Franklin's "Last Jesus". What if you are the one God has said "come" to me and then "go" to reach the lost? Yet, isn't that a call to all that belong to him?


I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you. You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. - Genesis 6:17-19



Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. - Genesis 8:16



Come and Go. God's Provision. Noah was born during a time when the earth was wicked. There was no one that was upon the earth that God said was faithful, except for Noah. God allowed Noah to know his plans. He told Noah that he was going to destroy the earth with water and all life would be destroyed.





God also told Noah, I will establish a covenant with you and I will protect you from this flood. God calls to Noah to "come". He calls to Noah to come out of the sins of the world. He calls him to come to a place of protection and safety.

When God calls Noah to come, he also gives him instruction to "go". Noah is to go into the ark for a time of safety and when he does, he is to bring others with him. When the time for the flood has ended and God restores the earth, he will then give Noah another command to "come". He will call Noah to come out of the ark. When God calls to Noah to "go" into this newness and teach the world about him, Noah must do as he is commanded.



The lesson for us is we will have times when God will call us to come to him. In those times he will provide us with special provisions from the destruction of this world. What he wants us to do when we recieve this call is to gather our families and others that we love and that he loves into the ark of safety from the destuction of this world. He will then call us to come out of the provision when he has done what he wills so that we can come out and worship him. When we come to worship him he will then send us to go into the world to help save someone else, just as we were saved from the destruction caused by sin.



Lord today, help us to rejoice in knowing that you will call us to "come" to you for safety and then you will send us and tell us to "go" help someone else.

Week in Review

This is my father, my stepmother and one of my older brothers. Do you see the family resemblance? That should be the same with our father, God. We should resemble him.

Invest in Your Marriage and Reap the Benefits
Marriage & family, God’s Plan

1. The first step in investing in our marriage is to seek our happiness and joy from the right source.

2. The second step in investing in our marriage is seeking our roles through God.

3. The third step is having a forgiving heart.

There are many that believe you cannot forgive someone once you have been hurt. Yet, we must always be ready to be forgiving. In relationships, especially marriages we will find ourselves letting each other down even when this is not our intention. We will find ourselves hurting those that we love.

What are we to do then when we face these difficulties in marriage? We must first look are ourselves before God. When we were not saved (and even in our Christian walk) we have hurt God. How did we hurt God? Our sinful behavior and disobedience to what is right, hurts God.

When you and I come to the realization that we have hurt God we go to him and ask for forgiveness. God is waiting in anticipation for us to come and ask for forgiveness. So as quickly as we ask, he is ready to forgive.
I remember when I prayed the offender’s prayer regarding my husband. The Lord impressed upon my heart to not only ask God to forgive him for the offense he had done then, but to forgive him for whatever offenses he would do. God showed me why. He showed me that he not only forgave me at the time of salvation but he has forgiveness awaiting me even for those things that I have not done yet. So he let me know that he would be quick to forgive and I should do likewise.

In order for a marriage to have success we must invest in the art of forgiveness. We must be willing to forgive because forgiveness was offered to us. When you are willing to forgive you reap the benefits of how God can bless your marriage as well as the benefits of your spiritual growth in Christ. Some may worry, but what if the offense is so great? My answer to that is, there anything to hard for God? We simply have to be willing to forgive and then let God direct us.