A member of the church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him.

It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire.

Guessing the reason for his pastor’s visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited.

The pastor made himself at home but said nothing.

In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone then he sat back in his chair, still silent.

The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember’s flame flickered and diminished, there
was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead.

Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting.

The pastor glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.

As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, ‘Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I will be back in church next Sunday.’

We live in a world today, which tries to say too much with too little. Consequently, few listen. Sometimes the best sermons are the ones left unspoken. —The Yates

No matter what you are going through, stay close to God. He will bring you through!

Flatlined In The Spirit

There are times when we go “flat” in our faith walk.

These are periods when our jubilance and rejoicing over all that God has done and continues to do in our lives is taken for granted.

Are you stalled in your faith journey?

If we are honest with ourselves, we have all fallen prey to periods of spiritual flatlining where we have put our journey on pause, or it is stalled or we have become self-absorbed in worldly matters that we no longer put God first!

This my friends is a period of demonic exposure to Satan and his minions to enter into our homes, families, lives and purpose in Jesus Christ.

God’s covering ultimately protects us, but you may go through some trials and tribulations during this “break!” They may be life-altering, shattering and disruptive.

It is imperative that if you know or feel yourself flatlining or pulling away from your faith as your full-time pursuit, this is the time to go deeper with God in prayer, daily talks and walks.

God already knows us, our weaknesses and what distracts and causes us to become stalled in our Christian journey and pull away from our family, church family, purpose, and relationship with Him.

In His Word are the examples of what happens to those who wander away, pursue their own desires, or abandon their destiny — Jonah, David, Samson, Saul and the list goes on.

What we must takeaway is that we cannot afford a minute, an hour, a day, week, month or years to be away from His presence or doing His work. Or to be outside of His Word or incognito with your faith (as someone may be touched or moved by your life to ask about Jesus and salvation).

When you want to give up… go deeper!

When you feel flat in your faith…go deeper!

When someone hurts your feelings in church…go deeper!

When you are abandoned by your spouse, loved ones or friends…go deeper!

Increase your prayer and meditation time.

Increase your fasting for deliverance.

God knew you would come to this juncture. Don’t leave yourself exposed to the evils of this world, now is the time you must draw deeper in your relationship with God.

Psalms 19:15

Increase your walks and talks with Him.

Volunteer with a ministry of evangelism or the choir or children’s church.

You must actively seek out God and increase your service.

The idol mind and hands are ripe to be used as the devil’s folly. Don’t get caught in that cyclic trap. Search out fervently your purpose through consultation with God and get busy at Kingdom building. Amen 🙏🏽

EVE-God’s first daughter

Eve was God’s second creation, His first daughter formed on the 6th day to be Adam’s companion!

Artwork by Lester Kern

Her story teaches us the important role of women and men—complements of one another, supporters, and each other’s helpmate formed to uplift and empower each other!

We often misconstrue or limit the role of helper or helpmate to the marital relationship. However, women are historically helpers to many outside of marriage. Look at the story of Naomi and Ruth, a beautiful story of being not only a helper, but a daughter, supporter, caretaker, provider for her aging mother-in-law.

Women also are familial caretakers of parents, elderly relatives, siblings and most of all their kids.

As a community, women support each other, their churches, communities, schools and coworkers.

There are many lessons to be learned from the story of Eve.

One is adherence to God’s commands and the repercussions when we do not. It magnifies the difference between listening and hearing.

Oft times we listen to others but do we really “hear” them?

When we fail to hear God’s voice and hear and respond to our own or that of others…we sin just as Eve did when she ignored God’s voice and heeded the serpent’s.

The beauty of being in relationship with The Creator is that He is a forgiving Father. He disciplines out of His Love for us, and then restores us if we are repentant and have made amends to those who we hurt.

We are His creation, made in His image. He has emboldened us, inspired us, taught us, empowered us, raised us and by His Grace keeps us daily to be helpers, accomplished role models and spiritual sisters to other women, spouses to our men and caretakers of our families and marriages.

Love is Forever

She said, “Don’t call the doctor, I want to fall asleep peacefully, with your hand in mine.”
He told her about the past, how they met, their first kiss. they didn’t cry, they smiled.

They didn’t regret anything, they were grateful.

Then she repeated softly, ‘I love you forever!’

He returned her words, gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. She closed her eyes and fell asleep peacefully with her hand in his.


Love is really all that matters because everyone comes into this world with nothing other than love and leaves with nothing other than love.

Think about it.

Profession, career, bank account, our goods are just tools, nothing more. Everything stays here.

So just love….Love those that really love you.

Love, as if there was nothing more important in your life.

Joy!

Lord, give us Thy Joy!

That Joy that no man, no poverty, no heartbreak, no loss, no circumstance and no condition can take from us!

Give us Thy Everlasting Joy!

That Joy that sustains and nourishes us so that we hunger and thirst no more!

Yes Lord! Give us That Unspeakable Joy!

That Joy that is effusive, effervescent, exhilarating. Joy that overcomes us and leaves us speechless.

Thy Word is Joy! Thy Light brings Joy! Thy Love fills us with Joy!

Amen 🙏🏽

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