Tag: Jesus

Draw Nigh to God

On January 9, 2017

For this new year of 2017, first and foremost, I must draw nigh to God. I believe that with each new year, everyone should strive for better. What do you desire? What new ventures are you ready to take on?

* Do you desire to go back to school?
* Do you desire a better job, perhaps one that is more fulfilling?
* Are you ready to purchase your first home?
* Do you want to lose weight?
* Do you need to get healthier?

I believe any goals you and I may have can be achieved with faith and perseverance. However, God reminds me that our first priority should always be to pursue Him. Yes, we can and SHOULD pursue our dreams, so long as we keep God at the forefront. If we pursue GOD first, then He will guide our footsteps towards our dreams and enable us to achieve our goals. Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” To do anything outside of God comes with unnecessary headaches and stress. Now, who wants that?!!

To draw nigh to God means to come close to God or to come closer to God. That can be achieved by spending more time in prayer, in worship, in the reading and studying of the Scriptures, and in the house of God with other believers. Regardless of how long a person has been a Christian, one can never get too much of God. We are ever learning and evolving.

In the 4th chapter of the book of James, the writer James (Biblical scholars say he was a brother of Jesus) was addressing the early Christians and expressing to them the necessity of drawing close to God.

James 4:1-10 (New Living Translation)

(1) “What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires that war within you?

(2) You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.

(3) And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.”

According to verses 1-3, these early Christians were arguing and fighting. These were people of God in conflict with each other! Believers in Christ Jesus! Church folk! And why were these people, to whom James was writing, at odds with one another? As the scriptures point out, instead of just coming together on one accord, seeking the will of God, and focusing on pleasing God, each person wanted things to go his or her way. Each person wanted to do only what made him or her happy. As a result, they resorted to doing evil. They were lying, cheating, stealing and even committing murder. Because they had taken their focus off God and weren’t right inwardly, they were treating each other with contempt.

(4) You adulterers (or unfaithful people of God)! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.

(5) Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him.

If we say that we are children of God, but are not faithful to God, then we’re walking in disobedience to God, and are following the ways of the world. That, in turn, makes us God’s enemies. As harsh as it sounds, it’s the truth. To disobey God is to behave like His enemy!

(6) And He gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Those who humble themselves before God, FREELY receive His grace (unmerited/undeserved favor, mercy, lovingkindness). Why do we need God’s grace? Romans 6:14-15 say, “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” God’s grace is so powerful that sin no longer has power over those of us who surrender to Him. During the Old Testament era, God’s people continued disobeying His laws because they didn’t have the ability to keep them. However, thanks to Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, His grace empowers us to obey God and to grow spiritually. Morevoer, we must understand that we have to respect and appreciate His grace, and not take it for granted by using it as a license to sin. Yes, God is loving and forgiving, but Galatians 6:7 let’s us know that He will not be mocked (or made a fool of), and we will reap what we sow. Therefore, God may forgive us for things we choose to do that we know are wrong, but we dare not think there won’t be consequences behind those choices.

Although these early Christians were out of order with God, it wasn’t too late for them. Fortunately, that same truth applies to us today!

7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

We cannot resist the devil, the world, our flesh or sinful, human nature, until we first submit or surrender to God. It is GOD who empowers us to say NO to our enemies!

8 Draw nigh or come close to God, and God will draw nigh to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.

It is a personal choice to draw nigh to God, to allow Him to cleanse us, and to become totally loyal to Him. According to James 1:6-8, when our interests are divided between God and those things that don’t please Him, we are unstable. So, if you’re looking for stability or balance in your life, stop fighting and SURRENDER!

9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.

We have to have repentant hearts and truly be sorry for our sins and past mistakes. When we’re truly sorry, then we’re less likely to repeat them.

10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor.

Once we recognize just how much we need God and submit sincerely and totally to Him, then in time, He will raise us up and make our lives significant and honorable.

This year of 2017, I will draw nigh to God, and I encourage you to do the same! Drawing nigh or coming close to God must be an ongoing process because of the wickedness that is prevalent in this world and because of our flesh or sinful, human nature. Galatians 5:16 says, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” In other words, when we allow the Holy Spirit to guide our lives, we won’t give in to our sinful nature. Everything we need is, therefore, in GOD!

The following video is from my radio broadcast “The Kimberly Joy Show: Draw Nigh to GOD”:

http://https://youtu.be/OwHefVD4GRA

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I Love YOU!

By Kimberly Joy

On October 3, 2016

In Love

I love you! Yes….YOU! I don’t have to know you personally to love you, for God has placed a love inside my heart for His children. And you are His child! Whether you acknowledge Him or not, whether you serve Him or not, you are His. After all, He created you in His image and likeness. Genesis 1:26-27 says, “And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.”

With everything that is going on in today’s world, I must remind myself daily to LOVE. “And you must love the Lord your God with all with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these,” (Mark 12:30-31). I admit that it’s not always easy loving those who may abuse and hate you, but God commands it. The old adage says, “Love conquers all!” Not hate! Why would the originator of this quote make such a bold statement that LOVE conquers? It’s very simple. GOD is LOVE! I John 4:7-8 declares, “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

Personally speaking, I can’t see where possessing hatred ever made a person’s life better. In fact, holding a grudge against another individual only made me miserable. The mere mention of his or her name caused me to cringe. Now, as a child of God, that should not be. I am to be an example of love, not hate. John 13:34-35 states, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.”

How can I witness to people about Jesus, while picking and choosing whom I’m going to love? I must love everyone. I’m not at all suggesting that to love everyone means to endure abuse! For instance, if a woman is being physically or even verbally abused by her husband, then, by all means, she should remove herself from that toxic situation. Again, the scripture says that we’re to love our neighbors as ourselves, which indicates that we MUST love ourselves also. So a woman, who chooses to love herself by creating distance from her abusive husband, can still love him from afar by praying for him and hoping the best for his life.

This current Presidential election and the increase of unarmed black boys and men being fatally shot by law enforcement have made it apparent that racism is still very much alive in this country. Unfortunately, hate begets hate! So if I’m not careful, as a black woman who loves and honors the black men in her life, I will find myself hating those who hate me simply because of skin color. Nevertheless, my relationship with God has taught me to love, in spite of the negativity thrown my way. Let me give an example. Several years ago I was emotionally hurt by a friend, and it left me very angry. Although I understood that as a Christian I wasn’t supposed to harbor any negative feelings, I yet found myself resenting this individual. I hated the way the negative emotions affected me and knew I needed to be set free through forgiveness. I’ll be the first to admit that forgiveness didn’t come overnight because the resentment didn’t build up in one day. So, I had to continually ask God to cleanse my heart and renew my mind. In addition, every night before going to sleep I read I Corinthians 13 aloud to myself, focusing on verses 4-7, and made it personal by replacing the word “love” with “I”.

“[I am] patient. [I am] kind. [I do] not envy. [I do] not boast. [I am] not proud. [I do] not dishonor others. [I am] not self-seeking. [I am] not easily angered. [I keep] no record of wrongs. [I do] not delight in evil, but [I rejoice] with the truth. [I] always protect, always trust, always hope, always persevere.”

Speaking and hearing God’s Word uprooted the unforgiveness that had taken residence in my heart. However, I would not have been set free if I hadn’t accepted God’s truth over my own.

Each day I leave my home and encounter various people throughout the day, I am well aware that some may despise me because I don’t look like they do. Nevertheless, I choose not to entertain such thoughts! It doesn’t matter if they hate me or not because I am STILL commanded to love. In fact, I am now built to love through God’s love. So regardless of who you are, I declare today that I LOVE YOU!
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PUSH! Your Blessing Is on the Other Side of the Door!

By Kimberly Joy

On September 26, 2016

In Prayer

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PUSH! Your blessing is on the other side of the door! Yes! That’s right! P.U.S.H! Pray Until Something Happens! The first time I heard that phrase, it truly resonated with me! Oftentimes, we give up on God AND on ourselves too quickly! However, some blessings take time. We’re on God’s schedule, not our own. Recently, I was afforded the opportunity to minister on this topic at my church. This is some of what God had me share with the congregation.

P(ray)USH
It’s safe to assume that many people, at least, know the dictionary definition of prayer. To pray means “to communicate with God; to make our petitions (our needs and desires) known to Him.” To take it a step further, as Christians prayer is part of our covenant relationship with God. If we go back to the beginning, we see that God created the first man Adam to have open communication with Him. Adam’s bond with God was so tight that when he and his wife Eve chose to disobey God by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they felt compelled to hide once they heard God’s voice. They recognized God’s voice because of the relationship.

Genesis 3:7-10:
“7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.
9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10 And he said, I heard Thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

When Adam and Eve sinned, it caused a rift between God and man and brought sin and death into the world. Nevertheless, we can be thankful for Jesus coming to this earth to serve as our Mediator!

II Corinthians 5:17-18a:
“17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
18a And all of this is a gift from God, Who brought us back to Himself through Christ.”

For those of us who now have a relationship with God through His Son Jesus, we have direct access to Him. Therefore, God expects and WANTS to hear from us. John 10:27 states, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” However, in order for any of us to KNOW the voice of God (like Adam and Eve did), we must spend considerable time with Him in prayer, worship, and studying His Word. Throughout the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, we see how even JESUS spent time alone praying to God. He acknowledged His Father and never did anything without His consent. So just like the Savior of the world, God EXPECTS us to talk to Him. Philippians 4:6 says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.” God always wants to be the FIRST one we consult.

PU(ntil)SH
Now that we understand that we must pray, how long should we pray, perhaps about a particular situation or person? We pray UNTIL! Until is defined as “up to (a particular time); used as a function word to indicate continuance (as of an action or condition) to a specified time.” In other words, the Bible says that we are to “pray without ceasing,” (I Thessalonians 5:17). As I stated earlier, some blessings take more time than others, or a greater PUSH!!! For instance, my brother and his wife have three children who are all blessings! In fact, I was fortunate to be present at the hospital the day each of their two sons were born. Although both sons are indeed blessings to their parents, the oldest required a greater PUSH. My sister-in-law went into labor on a Friday afternoon. However, the baby didn’t make his entrance into the world until approximately 4 AM Saturday morning. When she went into labor with their second son three years later, I assumed it would be a similar experience. Upon arriving at the hospital soon after receiving the call that my brother was taking her there, I was shocked to discover my sister-in-law already holding the newly born infant. So again, even though both of my nephews are a tremendous blessing, one required a longer wait and a greater PUSH. This doesn’t imply that the eldest child is more special than his brother and sister; it’s just the way God set it up. We don’t always understand everything God does. But, we don’t have to understand, we just have to TRUST Him!

PUS(omething)H
That “something” is whatever we’re believing God to do. Now, if that “something” is not in God’s plan, He’ll let us know. If and when He does, we shouldn’t fight it! Stepping outside of God’s will is a risk none of us should take. Rather, we should trust that the Creator of all mankind knows what’s best. He assures us of that truth in Jeremiah 29:11. “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.'” However, if God confirms that what we’re praying for is in His will, then we dare not give up!

PUSH(appens)
Why do we sometimes have to wait for the blessing? In the process of waiting, God is building and preparing us inwardly for what is on the other side of the door. Just because we strongly desire a particular blessing doesn’t mean we’re ready to receive it. For example, I may have a vision to own my own business and be my own boss. However, God may not allow that door to open yet because He knows I need a little more knowledge and patience. If He let’s me start a business prematurely, I may lose it due to a lack of preparation. God loves us so much that He’s willing to cause a delay to insure our protection and future successes! Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” So, keep praying! Keep praising! Keep declaring God’s Word and promises! Keep persevering! Keep preparing! Keep obeying! Keep BELIEVING……until you PUSH the door OPEN!!!!!

The following video clip is an excerpt from the message I preached “PUSH! Pray Until Something Happens!” You may visit my youtube channel to hear more of the message.

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Do You Honor the King?

By Kimberly Joy

On September 6, 2016

In Faith

Do you honor the King? Which King, you ask? The King that the psalmist recognizes when he says, “For God is the King of all the earth…” (Psalms 47:7). If “yes” is your response, how do you show God honor? Do you have a checklist?

* Pray before each meal
* Attend church every Easter
* Sing in the church choir
* Volunteer at church
* Attend Bible study
* Send children to Sunday school

Pretty good list, you think? So, is that all that is required to honor the King? Is saying your prayers before going to bed sufficient?

“Now I lay me down to sleep.
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.”

Is that suitable? Or is it enough to just reverence Him on Sundays? Is that all that is needed to honor the Creator?

Personally speaking, although the “checklist” is noble, simply abiding by a set of rules doesn’t signify that we honor God.

Honoring God comes from the heart. When we truly honor God, we do so with sincerity. We’re not doing it for accolades or to prove how holy we are. Rather, we honor God because we love Him. Mark 12:30 says, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” We don’t need anyone to acknowledge that we’re such “great Christians” as long as we know we’re pleasing God.

We honor God because He honors us. God honors us with a LOVE that will never fade. Romans 8:38-39 says, “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” No matter what, God loves us. When we don’t deserve it, He is willing to extend His grace and mercy, giving us time to get it right. Just look at David who impregnated a married woman and later had her husband killed (II Samuel 11). Or, consider the story of the apostle Paul who once persecuted those who professed Jesus Christ (Acts 8 & 9). Despite their past transgressions, they were still forgiven and raised up to be mighty men of God.

We honor God when we honor Jesus as His Son. In order to honor God, we must also acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” I John 4:15 also states, “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” There are people who only want to honor God, while reducing Jesus to the level of men in the Bible, like Moses and Elijah. Although they were great men whom God used mightily, neither one held the position of God’s “only begotten Son”. As God’s Son, Jesus was the only one who could redeem us from our sins. Paul says in I Corinthians 15:3-4, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” Moreover, John 5:23 tells us that God expects “that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent Him.”

We honor God when we obey Him and stay away from sin. Jesus says in John 14:15, “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” God wants us to live free from sin because it only leads to eternal death. Instead, He wants us to enjoy life in Him. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord,” (Romans 6:23). Once we confess and turn away from our sins, God is guaranteed to forgive us (I John 1:9). We are then made brand new. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new,” (II Corinthians 5:17).

We honor God by developing and maintaining a relationship with Him. Jesus says in John 15:15, “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” God doesn’t beat us over the heads like slaves, but He loves us unconditionally. All He asks is that we do the same! In other words, see Him as your BEST friend! See Him as the one with whom you share all your secrets because you know He won’t run and tell! Let Him be your shoulder to cry on, for He knows just how to comfort you. Shower Him with gifts of praise and worship, and be selfless of your time and money in order to help others. Brag often about His AWESOMENESS! Defend Him when naysayers want to disrespect Him. Listen to Him and obey when He speaks to you through His Word and in times of prayer. He has great plans for your life and knows what’s best for you!

By honoring God we bring honor to ourselves. God says He will honor those who honor Him (I Samuel 2:30). In other words, we will be blessed! Jesus promises in John 15:7, “If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” He also emphasizes in Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Furthermore, because we honor God with our hearts, we can look forward to seeing Him. “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God”, (Matthew 5:8).

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You Are FREE!!!

By Kimberly Joy

On August 22, 2016

In Faith

“You are FREE!” God spoke to me as I walked around the empty sanctuary worshipping Him. Although He had uttered those words in my ear many times before, this particular afternoon was different. This time I really took notice of what He was saying and asked myself, “What does it mean to be FREE?”

Oftentimes in the wake of a person’s death, I hear people express how that individual is now FREE, especially if he or she suffered mentally, emotionally or physically while on earth. So, does that mean that one has to die in order to be FREE? No, absolutely not! We all can be FREE in Christ Jesus!

When I consider what it means to be FREE in Jesus, I think of a well-loved child. I specify “well-loved” because, unfortunately, some children aren’t loved and cared for as they ought to be. However, a well-loved child doesn’t have a care in the world because Mommy and Daddy have everything under control. The child can play joyfully during the day and sleep peacefully at night. He or she is FREE with no worries or concerns.

While attending Landmark Christian School as a second grader, I was set FREE the moment I confessed my sins and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior! What did He set me FREE from? Sin and eternal death or damnation! So if I was saved long ago, what is God speaking of when He now declares, “You are FREE”?

From my own personal experience, I find that Christianity is a process. We learn and grow as we go. Growth occurs each moment we spend time with God in prayer, praise, worship and learning His Word. Simply being a church-goer, reciting a few memorized scriptures, or claiming to “believe in God” doesn’t produce spiritual growth. Rather, it takes sincerely pursuing a relationship with God.

As I grow in my relationship with the Lord, in the words of Pastor Marvin Sapp, I become “stronger, wiser, better!” So things, like fear, that had me bound before, no longer have control over me. In fact, I’m realizing that much of my “captivity” was mental! Yes, mental! It was only in my mind! Why do I make that statement? Let’s look at Jesus! After fasting in the wilderness for 40 days and nights, Jesus was presented with temptations from Satan himself (Matthew 4:1-11). In other words, the devil was trying to play with His MIND. However, because Jesus knew who He was—–a FREE man—–He didn’t yield to the devil’s suggestions. Moreover, nor did he cower and hide. Instead, He stood on God’s Word with undeniable confidence! Consequently, after three attempts, Satan left Jesus alone because he realized he couldn’t change His MIND.

When God repeatedly states, “You are FREE,” He wants me to live my life day to day with a clear understanding of this truth. I live what I understand and BELIEVE. If I BELIEVE that Jesus has set me FREE, then I am indeed FREE (John 8:36). Since I know that I’m FREE, then I also know that sin, fear, worry, stress, sickness and anything else that is contrary to what God says, no longer have power over me (Romans 6:14). I belong to GOD! If imperfect people are capable of lovingly caring for their children, then there must be no doubt in my mind that the PERFECT GOD cares for me (Matthew 7:11)! Therefore, I don’t have to worry or be afraid because I can rest peacefully in my Father’s arms! I AM FREE!!!!!

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If you would like, you can give your life to Jesus TODAY, and then YOU will also experience the TRUE FREEDOM in Him I celebrate!!! Just pray the following prayer of salvation. Then I encourage you to find a good Bible-based church, so you can grow in your relationship with Him.

PRAYER OF SALVATION

Romans 10:9 says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Dear Jesus, I come to You confessing that I am a sinner in need of a Savior. I believe that You shed Your blood on the cross and died for my sins, was buried and rose again so that I could be FREE! Please forgive me for my sins and the life I have lived. I confess You Jesus as Lord and accept You as my own personal Savior. According to the Word of God, I am now saved! Hallelujah! I AM FREE!!!!!

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Crime…Violence…Death…Presidential Election! What’s the Answer?

By Kimberly Joy

On August 14, 2016

In Prayer

Whenever I turn on the TV or browse the internet, every news story involves crime, violence, death and this year’s Presidential election! Ok…..maybe not EVERY news story, but the media definitely devotes a considerable amount of time to sharing these reports. Although it is necessary to stay informed on what’s going on in the world, constantly hearing such news can become wearisome and discouraging. So in that case, is it better to turn off the television, shut down the internet and escape into oblivion? That may sound good and even work for a minute, but pretending these serious issues don’t exist won’t make them disappear.

So, what do we do? How do we move forward? What is the answer?

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PRAYER!!!!!!!!

Now, I know some may not agree with me. They may even say, “Prayer?! That’s so cliche! That’s not the answer! Time out for praying! Time out for talking! It’s time to DO something!” And for anyone who feels that way, I completely understand where you’re coming from. It’s easy to sit back, pray and, even, talk, so long as it keeps us in our comfort zones. However, the Bible says in James 2:26, that “… faith without works is dead…” In other words, our faith that things will change is activated when we ACT!

So again, what do we do? For instance, how do we end the cycle of wrongful deaths at the hands of law enforcement? The answer is indeed PRAYER! Is that the only action that should be taken? No, but it should be the FIRST step! In fact, prayer should always be the first step. Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Notice it says to pray to God “in every situation.” Why should we go to God in EVERY situation? Isaiah 55:8-9 states, “’For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.'” Not even the most skilled and educated individual can surpass God’s wisdom. How to end police brutality, reduce the crime rate and select the best candidate for President are all serious issues that should be presented to the all-knowing, all-powerful God! When we sincerely and faithfully go to Him with our concerns and LISTEN, He provides us with the answers we need in His timing. In some instances, He tells us to be still, while in others, He gives us knowledge, resources and strategies.

Throughout the four Gospels of the New Testament, Jesus is recorded spending time in prayer regularly. He never allowed His title or popularity to convince Him that he no longer needed to pray. In fact, in the garden of Gethsemane, He prayed earnestly to God regarding his assignment of being crucified. While on earth, Jesus was a human who felt pain like you and me. So, one can only imagine that Jesus was not looking forward to an agonizing death. Jesus pleaded with His Father to alter the assignment. However, by the end of the prayer, Jesus knew that God still expected Him to sacrifice His life for all humanity! Rather than taking matters into His own hands, Jesus presented His concern to God the Father, listened and obeyed. Because of His sacrificial death, we all have a chance to be redeemed! I am truly thankful for that prayer in the garden!

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