The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. Psalm 19:1-7

This is yet another masterpiece of creative artistry in words! David not only brings our attention to the handywork of God but enlightens us on how each proclaims and testifies of Him; His mindfulness, His attentiveness, His carefulness, but most importantly, His magnificence. Take a moment and go with me on a visual journey and see some of the intricate details of His glory.

David said the heavens proclaim His glory, His brilliance, and His beauty; the earth and the skies show of His creations. The day begins a conversation with us; it utters softly and quietly in the morning (my favorite time) as the sun rises in the east, you begin to see the beauty that it brings; the singing of the birds voicing His glory; flowers begin to awaken and stretch as they start their day and testify of God. As the sun begins to set in the west, it announces the evening and there is a changing of the guard; and night proudly takes over. If you have ever been camping or to the country, it affords you the opportunity to see the night “come to life” as the stars dance and twinkle as if they are listening to music and entertain us with their splendor. They provide unique formations, that are not just random, but constant. They also testify of God glory.

Is there anywhere in the world without day or night? No, because His glory is throughout the ends of the earth. David said His going forth is from one end of the heavens and He encompasses the entire journey around the earth and even unto the ends of it; He covers all and there is not one place where their voice is not heard. The voice of His glory is heard everywhere; even the deaf can observe His glory and the blind can definitely hear of that glory. How much more should we declare His glory?

Everything in the heaven and in the earth testifies of God’s infinite wisdom; how all works together; each piece of what we see, touch or feel was given divine thought, as well as being created to bring glory. His handywork speak of themselves as proof of His authority and preeminence; showing insight and His omnipotence, which cannot be compared. No other can make this claim, no other can match His sovereignty; this is the testimony of our God and it helps us to understand the need to share who God is and to tell others of His magnificence in all the earth... sounds like we better testify, all of creation is doing it, faithfully, everyday!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jeremiah 29:11

This thought has been in my spirit for some years now, so today, I finally get to release it. It comes with my favorite and familiar passage of scripture and one that is frequently used by many because it holds promise and expectation; it also speaks hope.

Some many years back, I preached a message entitled, “expected the unexpected.” The message simply implied that you can expect God to do some unexpected things in your life that will blow your mind, things you could not have imagined and things that speak for themselves and say, “nobody but the Lord could have done this” and those around you would know without a doubt that it was of the Lord’s doing. Needless to say, when we use the word unexpected, we are saying that we are unsure of what’s coming; something surprising, which was not the case here.

God’s people during this time were exiled and held captive in Babylon. Jeremiah writes here what God has told him and lets them know that yes, you are living under the conditions and the rule of the king, but while doing so, build houses, plant gardens and eat the fruit of them, take wives, have children and increase while you are in bondage. Seek to live your lives quietly, work and do well, live godly and remember my Word, believe not another, live honestly, peaceably and wait patiently on God until the appointed time of deliverance. Surely, He was going to deliver them out of the hands of Babylon because He said He would and God is not a man, that He should lie (Num 23:19). They may not have thought that they had the "comforts of life" due to being captive for 70 years, but they had the assurance and could expect to be delivered as God promised. What a word to be given by the man of God; told of your expected end. That word stands true for us today in more ways the one.

First, we must know that even when we don’t understand it, God knows what He’s doing without a doubt. He knows His plan and His purpose for us regardless of what we think the time frame should be. We must continue on as Jeremiah told the Israelites; seek to live our lives quietly, work and do well; live godly, remember His word; live it and not stray from His word, live honestly, peaceably and wait patiently on the Lord until His appointed time when He reveals it to us. Our timing is not God's timing, Israel’s captivity in Babylon shows us that, but God is faithful to do what He says; in His time and according to His purpose. We have to learn to take God at His word; if He said He’s going to do it, then consider it done. Expect it!

The word expected means confidently believing, waiting in anticipation that something is about to happen; expecting God to do just what He promised. Are you expecting today?

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. Psalms 3:2-4

David wrote this passage because he had been “in flight” from his rebellious and arrogant son. David was forced to leave Jerusalem (II Samuel 15); fleeing and seeking a place of safety, a place of refuge from him until he was able to regroup. God keeps Absalom from pursuing his father until that time; unfortunately, the story does not end well for his son. I can only imagine his thoughts, being a parent, and his physical and mental state during this time ... yet, through all of this, he trusted God. I pray that I would always trust God in precarious situations and have the faith needed, even when my "states" are unbalanced.

The enemy is in hot pursuit; he is out to steal, kill and destroy us. He would have us to believe that nothing is going to work out for our good and constantly feeds us every negative thought imaginable. He is relentless in his efforts of trying to work us over to the point of giving in, waving the white flag and surrendering. Trust me, he’s got an army and they are assigned for duty; studied up and very sure of their target. It can be overwhelming at times especially when you've gotten wounded, or you are weary and worn from battle. It's in those times that we could find ourselves with our head bowed down because this is a natural response in a state of sadness, depression, sorrow, despair, and even hopelessness. Sometimes in the midst of heated trials and tribulation we can become withdrawn and listless.

Honestly, I don't know about you, but I have had times when it seems as if I'm being pursued heavily by the enemy; I’m feeling alone and tired, and seemingly having no hope at all; I’m ready to take flight and throw in the towel from it all! I feel like fleeing to a place of safety and security. Somewhere I can't be found, reached, talked to, or bothered ... a "just me" place. Unfortunately, this is not always an option; so after a good cry; screaming and yelling at the top of my lungs, I come to myself, remember who I am in Him, I get up, wipe my tears, lift my head, and get back on track; hold my ground and wait on God. He will hold back the enemy until we regroup... so glad about that! I'm glad that He guards my heart and mind even in the midst of "my" moments.

I bless God today that He is the protector of His people; He shields and keeps us from harm and danger; He is the source of our strength. When we are weak, He is strong in us! Like David, when we cry unto the Lord He hears us because He is never in a place where He can't hear or He won’t answer. That is a wonderful thing to know. We also have to know that our present circumstance does not negate our future glory. Now, just knowing this is enough to make us say, Lord, you are the lifter up of mine head!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. I John 2:5-6

One question always bugs me when asked, "Are you going to keep your word?" Unless there are circumstances beyond my control, I always keep my word. The people, who know me, know that.... because my word is my bond.

We have been given the awesome responsibility of keeping the Word of God. If we keep His word, then the love of God is made perfect in us. This love made perfect, helps us to understand that through our obedience to the word there is no doubt that the love of God abides in us and we know that we are in Him. Along with this, everything else will fall in line; the right spirit, the right attitude, and the right motives in how we walk and represent this word. The more we know about God, the more we can effectively keep His word. It would stand to reason that we can only keep His word, if we know his word. We get to know His word through reading and meditating; abiding in Him and fellowship with Him. Come to know God and you'll come to know His word … just like the process of any relationship, you have to spend time together; the more time you spend, the more you'll know the person.

Today’s scripture simply tells us, whosoever treasures God’s Word, and observes the instruction and the principles of His Word, truly has the love of God in him and this love makes us complete; it lets us know that we are in Him; because we have this love and keep this Word, then we will find ourselves walking and conducting ourselves as He would. Doesn't that sound doable? Treasuring His Word enough to keep it? Sounds like something we could do easily. Just as I want to be known for keeping my word, I also want to be known as one who is keeping His Word!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. Col 3:12-14

On a daily basis, we arise from our sleep, we do all that’s necessary before we start our day; we put on the coffee, put on our make up, put on our clothing, put on our shoes, and lastly, we put on our face… you know, the one that we will be wearing that day before we enter the office or wherever the destination might be.

I began to think about this scripture in a new light today and our need to put on this face. We have developed a habit of putting on an attitude of grace in order to confront whatever challenge we come up against. We are good at perfecting the look, the feel and the posture of the new man, whether or not we possess the qualities; as believers, this ought not be. Frankly, if we are going to talk the talk, then let’s walk the walk. We all come with some flaws, faults, and imperfections, that’s a given. Admittedly, we are all different, yet He is still tolerant and merciful with us (and I know this is true for me). He endures us and our ways; He forgives us whenever we ask and expect this of God, even though we find it hard to forgive one another. Even in our conflicts, our misunderstandings and disputes, we must learn to resolve them quickly and not look back. Not letting anything linger or fester to the point of arguing or ill-feelings. We should be loving and compassionate always; having patience with one another just as Christ does with us on a continual basis, every day, all day.

Here in this passage, Paul talks about the position or the role of the believer, he tells the Colossians to put off the old man and the old man ways, in which you walked at one time and lived in them, now that Christ is in you. As believers, you need to put on the new man. When you are a new man (or woman) in Christ, the old you needs to be taken off; especially if the word of God dwells in you, along with the wisdom and the knowledge of His teachings, and you are wrapped up in His love. With this new man comes a responsibility to put on the new mercies or the new qualities that are perfected by this love. We are reminded, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Cor 5:17).

As the chosen people of God, we must possess the characteristics of Christ. This comes with spending time with Him and learning of Him and His ways. We need to put on Jesus daily, the One who is holy, righteous and just; who is kind, meek and humble; full of mercy and loves us from the depths of his heart. If we don’t allow ourselves to learn how Christ wants us to live and to be, it will affect us putting on the most important aspect of all … love. The scripture said “put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness." A bond implies, a link or an adhesive substance that binds. If we reread the scripture, it would simply tell us to put on love, which is the connection, the adhesive, the substance that links us together, makes us whole and complete as one body, as the people of God. The fact that Paul has to address this issue should tell us that in spite of what we think, we have not arrived; and that we all need to continually work on developing our Christ-like characteristics and qualities. There is always something about ourselves that needs work or some improvement… and what a great example we have in Christ.

Today, my goal is to think about what I need to put off, but more importantly, what I need to put on.

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. Rev 8:3-4

This scripture is deeply embedded in my heart since hearing my sister preach from this passage awhile back. Sometimes you hear a Word and it literally leaps off the page and you'll get a right now revelation. It made such an impression in me that whenever I think of the words fragrance and prayers; an indescribable joy comes over me. The definition of fragrance according to the dictionary is an aroma: a distinctive (different from others, uniquely characteristic, distinguishable) scent that is pleasant or sweet smelling. Please remember that definition, because as you continue to read; distinctive and uniquely characteristic become the operative words.

John, while exiled, writes of the vision that the Lord allows him to see. Today, is the opening of the seventh seal and John saw seven angels standing before God with seven trumpets. Then he sees another angel who has a golden censer filled with incense and takes it to the golden altar. The aroma from the smoking censer, as well as the prayers of all the saints would go up before the presence of God; from the angel’s hand directly to God’s nostrils; representation that the offering had been accepted. I envisioned the Catholic priests walking with the long golden rod and a dangling golden ball on the end with curls of smoke seeping out. Incense has been used and mentioned throughout history as an offering, as well as the fragrant odor that followed, as it was sent up before the presence of God.

Incense always smells good when it has not yet been burned, but it doesn’t release its greatest fragrance until heat is applied. I’m going to put a pause right there… Spiritually, it is when our trials and tribulations are great that our prayers have the most fervor. How we allow our trials to affect our attitude determines how our prayers will smell in God’s nostrils. We cannot allow ourselves to become bitter, angry or resentful during our time of testing. The scripture tells us to “do all things without murmurings and disputings,” because it is in our nature naturally, to complain and be disagreeable. We should always offer our prayers in proper worship to the Lord. Psalm 141:2 says, "Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”

I am in a place in my life and in my walk with the Lord, where it is so important that He receives sweet smelling, perfumed, aromatic prayers from my lips. I don’t want to be found sending up smelly prayers, or a horrible stench due to the way I handle the trials of my life, or any ungodliness in my actions because of them. I want to send up prayers that can be kept and cherished by Him. Sweet fragrances and pleasing aromas are what I want Him to smell from me; my fragrance, distinct and uniquely characteristic of who I am in Him.

My sister said that morning to imagine that when we send up prayers, along with the sweet fragrance of the incense, that we immediately get God's attention because He recognizes our scent (she got me good right there!) and says, Oh, that is my child, Cynde and then attends His ear to me. The thought that the Almighty God, in all His splendor, can recognize me out of all of His children by my unique fragrance, absolutely amazed me. I thank my sister (you know who you are) for imparting a rich and vibrant Word into my life. Let's continue to be a sweet-smelling savor to the Lord because He knows who you are by your distinct and uniquely characteristic fragrance!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
II Cor 11:13-15

In the world today, there is so much going on in the way of identity theft; over nine million each year and growing; personally, I’ve been victimized several times. Certainly, there is no joy in replacing, changing and repairing your good name because someone wants to use your identifying information, to become you without your permission; to commit fraud and deception for their own gain. What I love about the Lord, He alerted me each time and I managed to catch the thief in the nick of time, without major consequence. Now, I am cautious and aware of how the thief operates, so I'm watchful that he does not have an easy access to my life or my identity.

This however, is exactly what the enemy; he steals the identity of Christ and parades around and gives the appearance of being the real deal. He transforms himself to look, speak and act accordingly, as to trick us into believing his deceptive qualities. He can present himself in so many forms; because he is the master of disguises. Certainly, if he was a snake in the Garden of Eden, he can transform himself into a handsome man or a gorgeous woman speaking enticing words that are very desirable and hard to resist; tempting you with the melodic and sultry sound of their voice and then will turn you every which way but loose. His only interest is to deceive you for his own gain, committing fraud, rummaging through your life, and reeking havoc. The thief’s plan is simple, he comes, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy you; to leave you as evidence that he's been here and boast about what he’s done.

Paul writes this letter to the Corinthians to alert them about this very subject and he gives them a good verbal thrashing; honestly, we need some Paul-like apostles today to shake us up and get us back on track. He goes on to let them know that he was concerned that they were becoming victims and being led astray from what they knew was the truth he’d preached. He tells them, have I not come to you and preached as the truth of Christ that is in me? And that no man will stop me from boasting this truth. Have I not preached this because I love you, only God knows how much? I tell you that I do, what I do and will continue to do what I do, in order to dispute their claim that they are doing a work for and according to the Word of God. They are deceitful; and pretending to be something that they are not. They glory only in themselves and from such, turn away, for their end is destruction.

It is vital to our existence in Christ that we are not led astray by strange men with strange doctrine that have stolen His identity and are perpetrating lies in His name. The importance of studying the Word is crucial, so that we are not a victim of being led astray. Spending time with the Lord and in His Word helps to keep us in tune; asking Him to reveal His Word to you because there is nothing like getting it first hand. There are so many doctrines, so many interpretations, and so many that come in His name, that we must seek the face of God for ourselves in order to discern if what we are hearing, is truth or not. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world; this is what the Word teaches (I John 4:1). The Corinthians were in the process of throwing away everything they had learned from Paul; and preferred what they were hearing from the new "apostles.”

The scriptures remind us about the days coming when men would have itching ears, desiring not sound doctrine and turn their ears away from the truth. Let us stand fast on what we’ve heard, believed, and learned according to the gospel, so we won’t be deceived by the one, who is the master in the master of disguises.

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee. And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him. I Sam 17:37-39 (Ref: I Sam 17)

The passage today is about the transition of leadership wrapped up in a story about courage, faith and confidence. This story of David, the little shepherd boy who goes up against the giant is a very familiar story. We find ourselves in the midst of a battle brewing and waiting to happen. Both sides, the Philistines and Israel had great armies but were in what I call the valley of decision because neither had initiated an attack. Now Goliath, who stood alittle over 9 feet tall, steps up and proposes a challenge to Israel. I can only imagined looking at this massive man who was amoured and geared for battle, and being terrified because of what I was seeing before me. After seeing this giant, Saul and all of Israel were greatly afraid; among them were three of David’s older brothers. After this challenge is made, David shows up at the camp, sent by his father to take food and he gets there just in time to hear Goliath make his challenge again. This is what I called being strategically placed at the right time, so that God can use you to get the glory and to let it be known that He is the God of salvation.

David is described as being young, small. ruddy and the youngest of his brothers, yet he speaks up and offers to fight Goliath. He then commences to tell Saul what the Lord has done for him, how He had delivered him and how he would deliver him out of the hand of Goliath. I'm sure Saul is amazed and stunned at the courage of this young boy, but agrees and proceeds to armour David with everything needed to fight. David tells him that he has not tested nor proved this armour so I can't go with this on and he takes off the armour. However, David was armed and dangerous with what he knew worked, a slingshot, some smooth stones and a God that was on his side (Read verses 44-47). Needless to say, one shot to the forehead and it was a done deal.

I don’t care how fully armoured our enemy comes, we have to go up against him with the same spirit of David, go with same faith of David, go in the power and strength of the Word of God, and nothing shall be able to stand against us. What if David had looked at Goliath's size and had not known how much bigger, stronger and mightier his God was? He could not have defeated this giant. Fear and unbelief keeps us stagnant, and unmoving against the enemy, against our problems, against our circumstances, against life. The Word says put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles or the strategies of the devil, the whole armour is needed for this battle, but the most important piece is the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph 6:11-17)!

We are going to have some giants in our lives, some things that will tower over us and at first glance they may look scary or even terrify us, but we need to know in whom we trust; in whom we have faith. We have to know that we are ready for a battle at all times; we have to know that God is bigger that any of our circumstances and that he has equipped us with everything we need to rush in and take the enemy head on. David had his slingshot; we have the word and His word is our weapon of destruction. It lets us know that God is our deliver, our way maker, our strong tower, our very present help in times of trouble and that we are already victorious. David knew that victory was his, he was not only confident, but assured by the Word of the Lord … not only was he equipped and ready for battle but he was armed and dangerous ... with a slingshot!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23

There is a phrase of scripture that I love, “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” It is my desire to always be known for my fruit!

Today’s verses give us the attributes of the fruit of the Spirit. These are desirable characteristics and qualities to have and every believer should possess them. The New Testament speaks quite a bit in regards to fruit; bearing fruit, producing fruit, good fruit, evil fruit, just to name a few. It’s good to take a self examination and ask yourself, “What fruit do I possess?" What fruit am I lacking?"

Paul writes this letter to the Galatians based on the news he received about them going in another direction away from the faith they had been taught and the path they had taken consisted of thinking they were fine based on their works. Paul is disturbed by this to say the least and tells them that blessings come from God based on faith, not law. The law keeps them bound, but faith sets them free; free to enjoy the liberty that only comes through Christ. He reminds them that freedom in Christ and living a lifestyle led by the Spirit of God is only way to produce the fruits unto righteousness. It doesn’t come any other way.

Sometimes, we too are found of desiring a better way; moving away from grace, moving away from faith, moving away from the gospel we've heard and received. We go about doing works in the name of the Lord, but are not from the Lord. Works that are frankly, out of self. Our lives as believers are based on the same as Paul told the Galatians, we have to walk in the Spirit, love and serve one another as God intended, produce fruit that will result in liberty. There is no law that will assist or help us in that way; for we have been set free from bondage through the indwelling of God’s Spirit. However, this liberty is not given for us to indulge in the works of the flesh but rather it gives us the opportunity to bear fruit. Fruit that we can build on; fruit that is essential to our walk and our work. If we are going to live in the spirit, then we must walk in the spirit. In order to walk effectively, we need the fruit… love, joy, peace, longsuffering, and faith; in order to serve effectively, we need the fruit … goodness, gentleness, temperance, and meekness. Our lives and the lives of others are dependent upon them. The gifts that come with God's Spirit are worthless unless they are put to use in our service to God and His church (I speak not of a physical building).

Everyone, both Christian and non Christian alike, as well as professing and part time Christians are watching us; ever ready to speak quickly to the actions of the believer. Therefore, we cannot be motivated by pride, or vain glory; nor walk in the way of others, not provoking one another and not envying one another, and all the other works of the flesh, such as hatred, jealousy, strife, etc.; let this not be said among you. Let's always strive for a spirit of love and a submissiveness to the Spirit of God who guides us into righteousness; leads us to the way in which we should walk, as well as provide us with the fruit needed to live according to how God intended.

So, the question of the day is, “got fruit?”

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
Hebrews 8:10

As we officially transition into the Valentine’s Day weekend, I thought it only befitting to end the week with love.

I remember a story entitled “Diary of a Love”, that I had begun writing years ago. Immediately, I started thinking of how God writes in our hearts. God, the ultimate ready writer, tells each of us through His words, how He is feeling, along with His innermost thoughts. These are His memoirs; His personal thoughts, intentions, expectations, compassion, but most importantly, His love for us.

In this verse, the writer tells us about the covenant that God made with the house of Israel, in which we were so graciously engrafted. He writes that I will put my laws in their mind and write them in their hearts; a place where it’s imprinted and will stay forever; a place where it has no chance of getting lost; a place of continual access, whenever needed. He loved us enough to think about every aspect of what we would need or want and then gives it to us in such a way that it would enlighten our very understanding of who He is, as well as being able to experience who we are to Him and in Him. He then considered us His peculiar treasure, His royal priesthood, His beloved children, His chosen generation (I Pet 2:9). What kind of wondrous love is this ... it's extraordinary and certainly amazing!

I love being able to read how He loves me (it's personal)! What better way to profess a love; it's sincerely written, easily found, readily available and constantly comforting… just for us in His Dairy of Love!

Sending you love, be blessed,
Cynde

Diary of a Love (excerpt)
I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures. Proverbs 8:17-21

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: Jeremiah 31:3

While growing up, playing make believe was a part of our childhood experience. For most girls, it was dreaming of a life consisting of a husband, a house with a white picket fence, children and the happily ever after. In my coming up, those daydreams probably came from watching too much “Leave it to Beaver”; June Cleaver was the perfect wife with the perfect life. As wonderfully as it sounds, some little girls grew to become women and unfortunately, may not have had the dream come to fruition and there was no happily ever after.

The mere thought and the essence of love continues to intrigue me even as an adult. From a youth, my visions of grandeur of a perfect or idealized version of perfection of how love should look or feel have continued to capture my interest. Never really encapsulating its spirit, just a form of what I thought it should be. Love is an overpowering and intense emotion and honestly, how can we really understand it. We have been in love with the idea of love and unless we understand God’s love, we never really know love in its fullness or in its entirety.

The scripture, although familiar, took a different turn for me this morning. It spoke with volume today as God said, “My love is not one of momentary impulse or desire, that’s passion; and with man’s love, it cannot be compared, it’s seemingly everlasting but it’s only temporal; it would be hard to say that it would last. My love is eternal, because I am eternal; My love is unchanging and will never end.” Did you pause right there? I had too. Who wouldn’t want a love of that magnitude or depth? God’s love is not to be compared; which tells me that no one can love us like He does. He loves us in spite of who we are; He loves us with our flaws, imperfections, our faults and He is not deterred by them; He won’t love us today because we agree or disagree with what He’s said or done. His love is unconditional and has no boundaries, no limitations; and it goes beyond what our minds can fathom.

His Word reminds me today of His love for us and it’s so good to know that we are loved with a love that has no end; a love that will never give up nor abandon us; a love that will always be there, an eternal love, an everlasting love.

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

Oil and perfume rejoice the heart; so does the sweetness of a friend's counsel that comes from the heart. Proverbs 27:9 Amplified

The King James version in the latter part of this verse said it this way … “so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel, which translates: “just as the beautiful smells of oils and perfumes pleases the senses of our heart and makes it happy, so does it please the heart to have the sweet, kind and thoughtfulness of a friend’s warm and sincere, and wholehearted advice.

Most of us have at least one good friend in which we can share our innermost thoughts; someone who we can pour out our hearts to; someone that we know won’t judge us but will give us the truth, as well as sound advice; a friend who will support our efforts and advise us on personal and even professional matters. Someone who we can simply just bounce ideas off of because you know they will listen with an open mind and help you brainstorm. There are times when we need that friend whose shoulder is always available for our tears. In whatever capacity needed, it is comforting to know that you have a friend that you can count on at all times.

Now in the event that you don’t have the sweet counsel of a friend naturally; someone that you can share your innermost thoughts with or maybe you only have fair-weather friends, let me tell you that there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother (Prov 18:24). A friend who loves to listen to our needs, our wants, our desires, our burdens, our troubles, our personal struggles and yes, even our victories. Someone who will always be there to listen to our ideas, our thoughts or to bounce things off of; listen to the matters of our heart and provide a shoulder for our tears whenever we need one. He is a friend that will allow us to take refuge in order to get relief from our emotional distresses and provide us with a source of comfort. Somewhere we can go to take every weakness, every discouragement, and every problem, no matter the issue.

This friend is one that I’ll even share with you because I'm not selfish. He is able to listen, counsel and be a friend to more than just me alone; He is a friend that will faithfully provide you with the advice you need and the counsel you can trust. His counsel comes with knowledge and understanding (Prov 2:6). He’ll keep your words hidden in His heart; what goes to Jesus, stays with Jesus; you’ll never have to worry about Him sharing your conversations with others. He is someone whom you can put your confidence in. His counsel is loving, warm, heartfelt and most importantly, it is sweet.

Remembering a song right now… “what a friend we have in Jesus!” How sweet is that?

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Ephesians 1:17-19

I heard a Pastor speak some encouraging words a few years back that has stayed in my spirit and I felt the need to share them today. He began by talking about when the Lord allows you to see Him (not in the physical sense of course); it takes you to another level of faith. The Pastor also said that his prayer every morning is, "Lord let me see You today." Now for me, the statement alone made me want to press on; because I know and have experienced how God will allow you to see Him and by seeing Him working in His power, it allows you to believe more, want to do more, and definitely your faith is strengthen more.

After the excitement of hearing that word, I started to think about what that really meant and especially how it applied to my life. The more he talked, the more I was reminded of how God has blessed my life and has allowed me to see Him in order to get me to the place where I am now, as well as anticipating the places He’s taking me. I'm happy to just be able to stand firmly on His Word and His promises and watch God be God.

I could share many stories of how the Lord has allowed me to see Him strategically, precisely and divinely, maneuver my life. I have gone through some major trials and tribulations and I’ve seen God move miraculously; talking about going from faith to faith and from glory to glory! However, I recognize that our faith will always be the deciding factor on how things turn out; our eyes can be opened and our understanding enlightened of Who God is as a result; especially when we are allowed to see Him and how He is working things out on our behalf; knowing that it could have only been Him showing us what is His exceeding greatness of power. Letting us know that I'm here, I'm always here; trust and have faith to believe that I have already fixed the situation or the condition, see me stepping in your finances, see me saving your loved ones, see me showing up in your job, and see me touching the heart of your spouse, see me in whatever it may be, I’m there. Look for Me to show up. Tell me that this won’t move us from faith to faith.

Needless to say, I'm excited about the possibilities of things as I pray and make this request everyday, "Lord let me see You today" and then watch God move!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the Lord loved you… Deut 7:6-8

I am, without a doubt, a hopeful romantic; for as long as I can remember. Even as a young girl, I have always believed in all the mushy, girlie stuff that is associated with the word; getting all teary eyed over the smallest of gestures because I just believe in love.

As I was remembering a conversation from the weekend in regards to Valentine’s Day, a friend and I spoke about how we would like to celebrate the day personally. We both agreed that the perfect day is complete with roses, dinner and candlelight. I think that I can speak for most women who love the romance that the day brings and because it is the one day of the year that we come together in the name of love. However, we both also agreed that everyday of the year should be a love day!

In this passage, God lets the people know that He has chosen them to be special people for Himself; that He had not set His love towards them or chose them because they were greater in number, but simply because He loved them. Because He made a promise, we have also been made a part of that love agreement. Why? Because He loved us; He sent His Son to prove how great that love was. I love how His love is not contained to one specific day a year, it’s constant, it’s continual and He shows me how much He loves me, daily.

As we head towards the official “love day”, let’s remember that everyday of the year should be celebrated as such. Let’s not wait to show one another how much we love each other; let’s go outside of the norm. Let’s set another pattern of behavior that is above standard. Let’s love without dissimulation all year round and of course that would mean not hiding your true feelings, sharing your thoughts, and even showing love in tangible ways. A simple “I love you” or “I just called to see how your day is going” can make all the difference in someone’s life. We don't know how we uplift a spirit with simple gestures of love. Let’s make a choice to just do things without cause or motives, just because you love enough to do your very best … okay, now I’m sounding like a Hallmark card!

Make it a point to show some love today and everyday. We have been set apart for purpose, we should evoke change that has an effect of noticeable difference… all in the name of love.

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. Psalm 107:28-30

The movie, a Perfect Storm, depicts a horrendous storm with raging killer waves that absolutely no boat, ship or otherwise could have possibly survived. I was on the edge of my seat throughout most of the movie, hoping that there would be a happy ending to this story of the fishermen who were caught out at sea. Sadly, it did not end as I had hope. Today’s passage parallels that movie; in that these men are at sea and the storm is raging with high winds; the staggering waves have them at their wit’s end. Unlike the movie, these men cry out to God to save them… and He does. He calms the storm and makes the waves be still. Needless to say, they are relieved and delighted that He has made everything quiet and gets them to their destination safely and without harm.

We are no match for the storms of life, duly noted, especially when they are storms of great magnitude. Some storms we are able to ride out and others are ones that only the Lord can calm and make quiet. He can turn a storm into a whisper, make the waves at His command, be still and then bring us into a safe place with a simple "shhh." Without a doubt, whatever storm is raging in your life today, with one hush from the Lord, everything must obey; everything must come under control at His command. With a cry from you, the Lord can move on your behalf. The men in this passage cried out and He answered. Can you imagine their faith level after that experience? I’m sure they praised Him for hearing their cry, for being mindful of them. Oh that men would praise the Lord for His wonderful works! Can you hear their witness once they arrived on dry land? After kissing the ground, I'm sure they went about telling others of His goodness and His mercy and how He quieted the storm of the sea with His command.

As I was typing, a song came to mind by Douglas Miller, the lyrics simply, yet powerfully say this: Though the storms keep on raging in my life, and sometimes it's hard to tell my night from day. Still that hope that lies within is reassured as I keep my eyes upon the distant shore; I know He'll lead me safely to that blessed place He has prepared … I'm so glad that He is still calming and quieting storms in the lives of His people today!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. Isaiah 58:11

When I read this verse, it gives such an overwhelming feeling of happyness, rolled up in some comfort, peace, a lot of joy, along with a refreshment or a pick me up if you will; just pure satisfaction, can you feel it? My mind races in many directions this morning (which explains my lateness) as to how I would even begin to express what I’m feeling. Perhaps if you knew my circumstance, you’d get a sense of the reassurance that this Word brings today. Not only is it exciting to know that the Lord is always there to lead and guide us but He’s readily available for counsel and direction; however, we need an ear to hear what He is saying, so that we know we are on the right path. Can I tell you that I’m hearing today?

Life is filled with many twists and turns, that you don’t know what any particular day will bring. It is wonderful to know that we can find contentment and strength in the midst of it all. God promises to fill our soul during our periods of dryness, when there is seemingly not enough to replenish us, He will send a refreshing. We know what a drought brings naturally, it can be detrimental to farmers crops, the land and even our own gardens; they become weak without the nourishment they need and are unable to grow. As a consequence, without it, they shrivel and die. The same could be said of us. The scripture states that He will satisfy your drought, your lack, whatever is deficient in your life; that He would renew your strength during and cause you to continually have what you need because He will supply all that is needed to sustain you.

He then tells us that we shall be like a watered garden. Just close your eyes for a moment and think about the most beautiful garden you’ve seen and imagine yourself as that well kept garden, one that has not been deprived of the nourishment it needs to grow; complete with a brook and water that is ever flowing. A garden that has no wants or lacks nothing because it is tended to by the Master Gardener. Who loves and cares for it daily with love. Maintains its upkeep, keeps it healthy so that it can flourish and be fragrant as it blooms. He is also the water that sustains it, the living water; water that will never run dry, that will never fail, a continual flow of blessings even unto us, His people, His garden. In the midst of all we face today, whatever your dry places, God is our ever present help, always there to tend to us.

My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad;(PS 34) because my soul is satisfied today.

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

"A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver or gold" Proverbs 22:1

Fortune and fame has been one of the most popular phrases used to describe a social standing to attain in life… to become a part of the very elite, the upper echelon, or the crème de la crème of society. It certainly applies today when we think of how the world searches for that “status” as defined by society. Not to mention the depths in which one will attempt in order to get their name in lights. It’s regrettable what people will do in order to have the prestige they want, at all costs, and most times, ending with their names slandered for life.

Our name, contrary to popular belief and according to scripture is our most valuable asset. Our name should represent, as well as characterize who we are. Normally when we hear the name of someone it automatically and without fail, sends an image to our mind, be it positive or negative. It is especially true if it’s a negative about that person, being truthful, we are capable of total recall. What's in a name? While you think about that, let me give you a couple: Jesus, how about Judas? We have to know that the same happens when others see or think of us. What does your name say about you? What we project to others has everything to do with what we believe and practice. Is what we believe and practice as truth, according to God's Word? It is summed up in our ethical behavior which derives mainly from the morals that we have been taught from a child; but once we have become a new creature in Christ, we should take on new behaviors in order to become the image that is pleasing to God. It becomes our witness and what's in a name takes on a greater meaning. What kind of witness are we displaying and how does that affect your name? We have to remember we represent Christ, if others see differently; it then becomes a stumbling block. A life is at stake and our integrity is on the line – we don’t want to ruin our reputation or the reputation of the God we say we love and represent; the God of mercy, the God of love, the God of forgiveness, the God of grace, and the God of hope, the One whose Name is above every name.

A good name is definitely important and certainly vital to our Christian walk. The more I continue to walk this walk of faith; I realize just how this rings true because it is a fact that your reputation, your name, your character always precedes you; whether good or bad and of course, the bad has a tendency to spread like wildfire. Make sure that in our mission to spread the gospel, a good name, and good works are all that's spoken on the lips of others regarding you ... because that good name is to be desired rather than great wealth and fame. You will be amazed how far a good name and the favor of God will get you! That name will take you farther than great riches on any day.

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. Romans 15:13-14

To blossom, is to flourish or to grow into. When we think of blossoming, we think of a beautiful flower or we use it to describe our daughters when they are becoming of age. It gives us a sense of grand gesture, which is wonderful, enjoyable and satisfying. I believe this is the feeling that Paul was having as he spoke to the Gentiles in this passage.

Paul tells the Romans in this letter that the people should rejoice and sing that the prophet Isaiah has said that there would be a root from Jesse that would rise up and reign over them and in Him they would trust. He then blesses them by saying, “now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, in accepting as truth, that you may be plentiful in hope through the power which comes from the Spirit of God. He tells them that I am persuaded, as well as convinced that you are full of goodness and filled with all knowledge because you have been taught and have heeded well. You are able without me being there with you to advise one another, to encourage and uplift one another. The people of God had been bound together as one, with one goal and the same hope, flourish in this. This reminds me of the saying, “reach one, teach one.” It is a beautiful concept that we, as people of God should also adhere to.

God has provided us with all the essential ingredients needed to blossom in hope, such as joy, peace, knowledge, goodness, love and power through the Spirit of God that we may prosper in hope. Hope is a powerful motivator and it will enable us to endure the wiles of life. Hope encourages you to go on because it is the very foundation of our relationship with Christ. Without hope, what would be our motivation? Hope keeps us connected because we cannot do this on our own and we are helpers one to another along this journey. It is important that we encourage, as well as have concern, compassion and regard for each other. Also, in our concern, when we are sharing of our knowledge, please know that we are not able to make someone be obedient to the Word, but we can only advise them according to the Word as Paul does here. We are ministers of the Gospel, entrusted to preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine (II Tim 4:2). Let’s be mindful as to how we entreat one another, using the same sweet, loving and caring spirit that Jesus had.

Through the peace, joy and the knowledge we attain through the Word, we increase our hope. Our assurance will motivate us to continue to give that confidence to the people of God; be helpers one to another, admonish each another, and care enough to come together with one purpose in mind. God is counting on each of us with the assurance of hope that we’ve been given, to share with it passion that others might also blossom in hope.

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Psalm 37:3-7

Three very simple words are, in my opinion of course, sometimes the hardest for us to do; trust (rely on, depend on, have confidence and faith in), delight (savor, bask or take pleasure in) and commit (entrust, give, hand over, place). When paraphrased, it sounds something like this: Depend on and put your confidence in the Lord, and always do good, no matter what is going on around you so that you will be able to dwell peaceably, calmly and with the full assurance that the Lord will take care of you. Also, take pleasure in the Lord and whatever your heart has desired; the Lord will see that it is given to you because of your faithfulness. And lastly, hand over your life’s direction to the Lord, give everything to Him in the manner in which you live and He will fulfill all that we have need of and many shall see you prosper and will know that it was God that has done these wonderful things on your behalf. Sounds good doesn’t it, sounds like something that should be easy for us to do. Unfortunately, that is not always the case and we find it difficult to follow the three steps to contentment.

In the 80’s, a phrase was rekindled, “Don’t worry, be happy"; this too sometimes, is easier said than done. Especially, in the midst of the world’s circumstances; there is so much going on, even on a personal level; our homes, our finances, our jobs or the lack thereof, our children, and our families. We have to trust, delight and commit ourselves to the Lord completely or we find ourselves in a state of uncertainty. The Lord is saying that we must make it our business to keep our mind on Him (Phil 2:5). We must keep our hearts and minds stayed on things above. When we allow our mind to wander on the how, the why, or the what could or what should, we leave ourselves open for anxiety and then we began to fret and worry about things we have no control over. As hard as it may seem, we must leave everything in His hands. If we find ourselves busy at doing the good that God has placed in us to do, it helps to keep the mind from going into the dark places, and we leave no room for complaining or murmuring. We can’t worry about what is going on around us because He knows our future; He knows what we have need of. Regardless of what we see or hear, we are to stay focused, believe God at His word, and stand still until He gives us the unction to move.Then we gotta move!

Even though we don’t see or understand what He’s doing, know that He is working it all out for our good. There are so many scriptures that confirm His love for us. If we could just trust God and stand firmly on those promises, we can without fail, expect His blessings because He is faithful; He will do just what He said. The Lord will uphold the righteous, His peculiar and precious ones. David tells us in verse 25, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread”, I can personally testify to that fact on both accounts.

I'll leave you with this. David said, "and he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday... my words, "He will bring forth your righteousness as the light; His justice, His fair-dealing, His integrity for your life will be as the noonday light… noon is the brightest time of the day when the sun shines"… I’m just saying.

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde