Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. John 6:27

As we enter into the month that's dedicated and set aside for black history, you begin to see various advertisements for scrumptious soul food dinners. You can find plenty of it being served up anywhere in the city; catfish, fried chicken, collard greens, yams, green beans, macaroni and cheese, bread pudding or some sweet potato pie. Of course, if you are at my house, you will definitely have some fried corn and possibly, fried green tomatoes included in that meal. As wonderful, and as fatteningly yummy as that sounds, it cannot compare to what only the Lord can dish up.

John gives us his interpretation or account of what was going on during this time with Jesus. He tells of the miracles Jesus performed; the feeding of 5000 and the walking on the water. Jesus had slipped away because He knew how the crowd was reacting to what they had just seen and experienced and because they knew they could also be fed naturally. The people were so amazed by the miracles and were drawn to Him that they followed him on boats to where He had gone to rest across the sea. After arriving, Jesus gave them a serious piece of conversation about Him being the true bread to the soul. Letting them know He is the bread of Heaven (verse 35). You need not labor so diligently for the bread that will perish but labor for the meat that will last you forever. I can give you this meat; it is yours for the asking. Simply ours for the asking; just as easy as Jesus told them, come believing on Me, the One that God the Father has sent to give them the meat, the living bread (and water, I might add) that was for their salvation. The same God who allowed their fathers to have bread that fell from heaven so that they might eat, had sent them His Son.

Yes, we need natural food for our bodies, it’s needed for nourishment and for strength, however, if left out for awhile, it will not last and it will perish and began to rot, but the meat that Jesus described, is meat that would sustain us for life. Spiritually as we look at this soul food, this meat, it supplies all your wants, it nourishes, and strengthens you when you are weak, comforts you when you need consoling, without the fat; a meat that will not rot or decay. God, Himself has confirmed and sealed it to be so, that is a promise you can hold on to.

Seek after the food that is essential to life. The Word says, O, taste and see that the Lord is good! I would have to concur on that one, He is good and has the best when it comes to some soul food!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1

I decided long ago that I would stand fast in the freedom that I have been given through Christ. However, that did not and does not exempt me from being attacked by the enemy to see if I am going to really firm in my stand. I didn’t always stand fast or stand strong; I wobbled sometimes and occasionally, I got taken out; failed some trials, got knocked around and sometimes, I fell for the okie doke. Yet, God in His infinite mercy and grace allowed me to get up and try it again. With each test, I found myself getting stronger and wiser, each time gaining more strength to stand and learn the tricks of the enemy. In fact, it becomes more of a challenge now for him to see if I have really decided or made up in my mind not to get entangled again with the yoke of bondage. In terms of enemy activity, he's been extremely busy and crazy this week and that’s putting it mildly. His tricks are alittle more slick, crafty, a bit more polished, and smooth. Watch him.

As children of God, we cannot be unaware of the tactics of the enemy. He’ll come fast and he'll come hard and strong in the areas where he believes we’ve weak and attack there or he’ll present a beautiful package, which will seem as if God Himself came to deliver it to you personally; he is waiting to see if you’ll give over to him. He’ll use family, close friends or anyone he knows that will push your buttons. Most importantly, we must be alert, be conscious, and be discerning; especially, if you know that God has already spoken to you regarding a thing. Don't let the enemy deter you from what God has told you. We don’t want to become entangled or twisted again with something that already had us bound. We have got to stand fast in the liberty we’ve been afforded because I've heard that if you don’t stand for something – you’ll fall for anything. Stand fast in Christ. Simply, just be awakened to the freedom that God has given us. Hold fast to our profession of whom and whose we say we are because it brings about spiritual liberties. Freedom comes with understanding who you are. We have got to a point where we are firm and unwavering in our faith; unbound, untangled, and free to soar as God intended.

The butterfly, being awakened and emerging from the cocoon represents new birth, a new beginning, an awakening. After which, it is free to fly and do all that God intended. God has purposed the same for us, that we would be awakened and be free as the butterfly to soar high. We can't do that if we are bound. Let’s take a stand today and no longer allow the enemy to entangle us with the strongholds of bondage in any form or fashion. In John, chapter 8, it says, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

Be awakened to freedom and walk in it, Christ has made us free!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Romans 12:5

One of my cousins recently went to Australia to work for a couple of months. She told us the story of her adventure there, and the island of where she was located, there is much Aboriginal history. I recently had the opportunity to get an in depth look of this wonderful people, their life and history, spiritual connection and their pride as a people and their heritage. It made me cherish my gift that much more not only because it was from Australia, but that she had given thought to what she wanted to give us. Her gift, very meaningful, yet simplistic, was a beautiful bracelet, each exactly the same but slightly different only in the initials it bears. The bracelet signifies love, unity and certainly a feeling of having a bond and a connection to one another. I felt like we could have been apart of the old cartoon where they touched their wrists together and said “super powers unite!” Now, that alone will preach!

Basic theory or principle of thought here, we, being many, should be as one or operating as though we were one, one body in Christ, and every one members of one another. That is powerful in itself and it would be stand to reason and be great if, as children of the most High came together as one as stated by Paul here. He takes the time to give mention to this more than once in the scriptures (I Cor 12:12, 14). I also love what he tells the Philippians, "If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others."

As we compare the spiritual body of Christ to the natural body, we can see that every member has its own placement and certainly its on function, yet they all work together systematically for one purpose and for one goal. Connected, you can accomplished much, however, no body can function if it’s disconnected or in a dysfunctional state, simply, we cannot go off doing our own thing and expect to be effective. No one member can operate without being connected to the body, it was meant to be that way and this is how God planned it. One body, different gifts for the functioning of that body. The funny thing about connections are that you may never know how or when they might happen, but believe me when I say if God ordained it, its for His glory and for the workings of the Kingdom. Just like the Aborigine people who have such a strong dependence on each other as one, working together towards a common goal, to work the land and tend to the agriculture for their survival and continuing to be as one, strong in their faith as a people. What a testament they are to us who say we know and love God and are doing the work of the Lord.

As members of one body, that being the body of Christ, we should have a stronger connection, a stronger bond with one another, helpers to one another not only in the ministry but whatever the need may be, we should be giving to the necessity of one another; having a stronger dependence on one another because we have a common goal, a common mission. Especially, in these economic times when people are hurting, stressed and in need, whether we provide in word or in deed. Simple principles from Connections 101.

I like what Paul says in I Corinthians 12:14, “For the body is not one member, but many.” This is not a one man or one member show, it’s about what we do collectively as one, as one body in Christ. Naturally, your foot cannot work without being connected to your leg nor your hand, it won’t move, wave, feed or cloth you unless it’s attached to your arm, right? I’m just saying. Yes, we are mighty in numbers as individuals, but if we come together and unite as one, we are even more powerful, a force to be reckoned with and definitely, we would become a very viable threat to the enemy.

I like what I said earlier, let's touch wrists and proclaim, "Super powers unite!" We are better together!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
Psalm 42:1

I am enjoying the peaceful state that I’m in today. I can hear the birds chirping and the sounds of the morning. I thought about the yearning and the desires of my soul when this scripture came to mind. It is a familiar passage, yet today, it takes on a different twist for me. In my mind, I can see the peaceful state of the hart (male deer) also, enjoying the grazing of the land, yet being watchful of his surroundings because danger lurks all around him. The hart spend their days on land suitable for food, preferably near water, in order to quench their thirst when needed (we all enjoy a cool drink during or after a meal, right?), however this is not always the case for them, depending on the conditions or their location.

Imagine being hunted by animals that prey, being in full pursuit, running for your life, gasping for air, in need of water because you are parched with thirst. You find a river and you plunge in as your last refuge, hoping for some reprieve, and some form of safety.  Even in the depth of the water, the hart can immerse himself where only his nose is above water until the enemy retreats and he is safe. 

Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 2 Peter 3:14

I never know how, when, or where each day’s inspiration will occur, so I was not surprised when I found myself reading a paragraph about a woman whose commitment, faithfulness, devotion, and diligence to her natural garden was a daily practice. It went on to explain how it was so beautiful that others found themselves stopping by just to see its beauty. However, in order to maintain such a garden, she was found consistently being loyal to the tending, cultivating, pruning, clipping, cutting, and caring for her flowers and plants. It’s not odd that the Lord would use this as an analogy to speak to us today.

As I begin to meditate on how beautiful it would be if we spent as much time daily, as this woman did, cultivating and tending to our relationship with the Lord. If we would just spend time devoted to the caring of it; pruning, clipping and cutting away the dead things that hinder us and keep us from growing properly and more beautifully, how much more we could do and how effective we would be, if we were found being consistent and constant daily with the upkeep with our prayers, our eating habits (the Word), and communing with God. After awhile, it would become a part of our daily routine without thought, without question, and without being prompted to do so.

We should live a life of diligence, which means being persistent and putting forth a hard working effort daily. It means being attentive, thoughtful, meticulous, and careful in our actions regarding the work of the Lord; being fervent and passionate because of the love we have for Him. Like this woman, it’s necessary to have a commitment and a set of principles when it comes to the work of the Lord. In order to maintain, as we liken ourselves to the garden, we have to monitor it and keep watch daily against the elements of the world. There are plenty of bugs, slugs, and things that would desire to attach themselves to us to hinder our growth, because they come to kill, and to destroy (John 10:10). We have to be aware and it behooves us not to be slothful or lazy in our efforts to preserve the garden at cost; giving it our full attention and efforts on a continual basis.

We are a people who are diligent in the things of the world, we diligently go to work, faithfully punch a time clock, we are made aware of our conduct, if it’s not proper, we are reprimanded or face job loss; our conversations our monitored, policies about work ethics, scheduled time for breaks, lunch and vacations, just to name a few things. We work according to schedule, by the time clock; work long hours when told and without question. We may murmur and complain, but we do it. God is not a hard taskmaster as the world, yet He requires the same diligence to our spiritual life. Diligence is the act of doing all things efficiently and relentlessly to the best of one's ability in order to achieve success in every endeavor. What if we applied those same efforts into ourselves and the things of God from whom ALL blessings flow.

This passage is to remind us that the day of the Lord is at hand. He’ll appear unexpectedly and quickly and we must be found ready. This will require some work and some diligence on our part. God has equipped us with all we need in order to walk in Him efficiently and effectively until such time. He has given us all the tools we need to enable us to continue in Him; providing us with all things essential to life and growth.

I don’t know where you may be spending your time and efforts, but God wants us to give our attention and care to the things of the Lord, i.e., prayer, fasting, reading, studying God’s word, salvation firmly fixed, and a commitment to being holy. Let’s find ourselves maintaining our garden; being consistent in our preparation for His return while dwelling in this present world with all diligence!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Proverbs 23:7

When I think about the things that the Lord has done and I get excited; when I think about the things the Lord is doing in my life and I get even more excited. Then I begin to think about what He is about to do (what I can see and that which I cannot) and I have such an anticipatory excitement that makes me want to run to the mountaintops and shout for all to hear! And this is just when I think on these things. That does not include the excitement I feel because of who He is, He is God, all powerful, all knowing and all loving. When I think about how He could have chosen anyone else but He chose me. This is what I think and hold in my heart.

In a book that I’m reading, it penned these words and I begin think about how we think and what we think and my mind went in this direction. It said, “Think Love and Love surrounds you (for God is Love: I John 4:16). It is all about how you think. Think thoughts of ill and ill surrounds you, think healthy, and healthy comes. The physical reflects the mental and the spiritual.” When we live in Christ, we must be careful how and what we think, as well as what our thoughts reflect and what we allow to enter into our minds. The Word tells us, “let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” We need thinking that helps and not hinder growth and because it is vital to our spirit man. Being very mindful about bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; thoughts that are detrimental to our well being. It is of the utmost importance that we guard our hearts and minds.

In times such as these, and with all that is going on in the world, it’s easy to get distracted from the purpose of God if we allow ourselves to become enthralled with the hoopla and not remain prayerful. We should be keeping our minds focused on the things of God because it is easy to get caught up in life's painful experiences, as well as the economy, tragedies, and disasters of the world. Paul even tells the Philippians, “whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Begin to search for scriptures that you can quote, such as the "joy of the Lord is my strength" or "Thou wilt keep me in perfect peace, if my mind is stayed on thee: because I trust in thee." Regardless to what is going on or what you see, or what it looks like, you must believe that God is in control of all things. We have to continuously think on the things that causes us joy, peace, and happiness through and in Christ. It then becomes a foundation for the way we think and we can begin to build a confidence that will empower us both emotionally and spiritually.

For as one thinks in his heart, the mind will follow. Watch how you begin to soar!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.
I Chronicles 29:11-14

I woke up singing the title this morning. Honestly, those were the only words I could remember but after sitting down to write, some of the words came back to me: “What kind of God would do this for me? Victory, grace and mercy, He is so special, simply incredible, He's so incredible, an incredible God deserves incredible praise.” The word incredible simply means beyond belief, more than you could have thought possible; amazing, awesome and astonishing. How this resonates within me because we serve such a mighty God. If we can take the time to read of His awesomeness throughout the Bible or even think on the mighty acts He has performed in our life, we could spend the rest of our lives, praising God. In fact, we were created to praise whether He did anything for us or not. And the Word says, Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord (Psalm 150)!

The passage today is an example; this final prayer of thanksgiving from the mouth of David, where he begins to praise God during the prayer and in front of the congregation: You, O Lord, we praise because you are the greatness, power, glory and majesty; and the victory for all that is and it all belongs to you. You, and you alone, in the heaven and in the earth, are above everything, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Everything we have comes from you, you are in control and rule supreme. You possess all power and our strength comes from you. You, make us great among men for without you and your hand, oh God, we could accomplish nothing. This is why we praise you, because you are God. Then He asked, “But who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after all you have done for us because everything comes thee, and everything we give back is yours. How worthy are we that you would see fit to bless us in such a manner? (Read I Chronicles for background study)

How precious is that prayer of thanksgiving? It is so humble and so David. It should be our prayer as well, as we meditate on how God has blessed us and how He has made provisions as we travel along this journey doing His will. All that we have is His and it behooves us to have the mind of David and be thankful and willing to give back to Him a praise that would make the earth tremble. We must continually praise Him not for His goodness and mercy (Ps 34:1), but for just being God, a sovereign God, a Holy God, a righteous God, a God of favor, mercy and love. The God who made heaven and earth, the God of all flesh, all the day long no matter what we are faced with, praise Him. When times are to our liking and in the times when we struggle; not only when there are no bumps in the road to the rocky and rolling times of adversity.

Lord, I willingly submit myself to you as a freewill offering, to go and to do all that you have purposed for my life and to continue in you for ever. Let my heart always be upright before you as I offer to you, an incredible deserving God, from my lips today and everyday, an incredible praise!

Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.

Praise Meditations: Psalm 44:8, Psalm 51:15, Psalm 63:3, Psalm 104:33, Psalm 145: 3, 21, Psalm 146:2.

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul. Jeremiah 32:41

This morning was a morning filled with love and I begin to meditate on just how much God loves me during prayer. It’s overwhelming to remember the times when I could or should have been cut off; the times when I didn’t fully trust Him during my hard trials, or times when I doubted Him and His methods, yet He continued to love me in spite of myself. Even the times when I know I made bad choices and promises that I did not keep, He still forgave me and kept on loving me. I’m amazed at this kind of unconditional and unfailing love and I strive every moment to not only obtain but demonstrate this love, God’s love.

Jeremiah, the prophet of God, speaks to Israel and lets them know that there will be a rebuilding in Jerusalem, even while they are in captivity. God also proposes this question to them, “is there any thing too hard for Me? I'm sure looking at themselves in their present state and the mess they had gotten themselves in, that was questionable. In spite of all that they had been taught and all they had done to anger Him, they would yet be His people and He would make an everlasting covenant and not turn away from them and would do them good. He assures them with His whole heart and His whole soul, He would rejoice over them and plant them firmly, make them stable, permanently and forever … now that’s love. Many of us surely would have turned our backs and not given the one or the ones who anger us, a second thought, not to mention, the numerous times we’d have to forgive the same person or persons. If we think about how God loves us, forbears (to be tolerant and patient) us, deals with us, and yet, still forgives us; no doubt, we would love better, do better, and be better.

Matthew Henry said it best, “Whom God loves, He loves to the end.” These words are ones that we should all take to heart for we were placed into God’s family. In I John 3:1, it tells us, "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God..." God has made an everlasting covenant with us and He will not turn away from us. He will and He shall do us good. He assures us with His word that with His whole heart and His whole soul, as He rejoices over us, that He will plant us firmly, make us stable, both naturally and spiritually, permanently and forever (I Peter 5:10). With this promise, let us then stand strong in our trials, in our situations and circumstances and withstand the pressures we face because we are can be certain and confident that we will acquire all of the good that our God has promised us. It is even more important to remember that this love from God, whose promises are sure, are not only to us but to all believers.

Oh, how He loves me; make it personal today!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. Ps 36:7-10

I love how this amplified version is written to explain these verses: “How precious is Your steadfast love, O God! The children of men take refuge and put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They relish, take pleasure and enjoy, as well as feast on the abundance of Your house; and You cause them to drink of the stream of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light do we see light. O continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You, Your righteousness, your salvation is to the upright in heart.”

Lately, I have been meditating on the goodness of the Lord. How He makes provisions and makes ways for me even when I am not aware of how He is moving on my behalf; His unfailing love; His firm and unwavering commitment to me because I am precious in His sight. How He strategizes and maneuvers; how He speaks and how He imparts favor and how great things are happening in the heavenlies; things that I am not able to see clearly just yet. This is a direct result of simply putting all of my trust in the Lord and hiding myself in the shadow of His wings. This is where I’ve found rest for my soul and an overflow of blessings that I could have never imagined.

How blessed we are, beyond measure; so much so, that we could not possibly contain it all! We can barely tell of all the wonderful and amazing blessings of the Lord. We are blessed in abundance with joyfulness, with peace of mind, with assurance of hope, and with gladness of heart. This only describes a portion of what we experience when we have given over to God. When we have put our trust in Him and when we have allowed ourselves to rest in Him, then and only then will we be satisfied in His abundance from the river of His pleasure; where the fountain of life is overflowing. Paul tells the Philippians that for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

It is in our natural state, we tend to think of abundance as the overflowing of “material things.” Thinking the more we have acquired, the better off we are. Not so, because these things are temporal and will not last. I am satisfied with the abundance of life, health, strength, joy, peace, happiness, and contentment; just to name a few, because I can take delight in knowing that truly my God takes care of all of my needs according to His lovingkindness, according to His good pleasure and definitely according to His riches and glory! I’m dripping in it!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. Luke 18:1

We are living in times where many unexpected things are happening in the world, in our families, in our homes, on our jobs, and with our finances, just to name a few. There are unforeseen illnesses, unpredicted diseases, and surprising deaths, especially within the younger stages of life. There is much occurring and so quickly that it’s sometimes hard to catch your breath, but as overwhelming as it may seem, we must remain prayerful.

The scripture was on my heart this morning, as we are experiencing these events of life. That we ought to always pray and not faint; which means don’t lose heart and don’t lose strength. Don’t allow thee circumstances or situations that come upon us cause us to become weak, drained, or exhausted, or too tired to pray. The word tells us to pray without ceasing, without stopping, without giving up because we have an obligation to pray. We cannot get weary or worn if it appears that our prayers are not being answered or not heard according to how fast we think God should move. God hears our prayers and He doesn’t move in our time, yet He is timely in all things. Let us not forget that His ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts, our thoughts. We must remain constant in prayer because God is working things out that we can’t see. We have to believe that perhaps someone who doesn’t know Him in a personal way will come to know Him or needs to see God move in the miraculous. We may not understand or know what God is doing, however, this is why it is so important that we persevere in prayer and not lose heart. Our earnest and sincere prayer is pleasing to God even during times of trouble but we should be faithful in our commitment to prayer in both the good and the bad times.

If we make it a practice of praying constantly and continuously, it doesn’t become a chore when an emergency or a need arises. It will be a natural transition for us to go right into prayer. You’ll find yourself saying, “let’s take it to God in prayer… I know my God is able.” This only comes as a direct result of a personal relationship with God because we know Him and we know where our help and our strength, comes from!

You have to diligent in prayer so that no matter what is or has been going on, it may even seem as if all hell has broken loose, we must stand, we must stay prayerful. Trusting and believing in the power of prayer. Now is not the time to get too tired or exhausted to pray because I've read that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (James 5:16). God is in the habit of hearing, blessing and answering prayer! And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear (Is 65:24).

So, don't stop praying and don't faint!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

And the Lord heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the Lord said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken. O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! Deuteronomy 5:28-29

“With all of my heart” is such an endearing term and when we express these words, we are typically trying to convey how genuinely we are feeling, indicating that it is coming from a deep place within us. The heart is the source of our thoughts, feelings, and actions and the place where we begin to understand and ultimately begin to change in our behaviors, and our emotions towards life. If we truly have an understanding of the heart, it would impact the way we live, interact with others, and try to live according to the way life is meant to be lived. If we desire to have such a heart that we would reverence God and keep His ways; commit to His will, all would be well for us. God delights in us setting our hearts as His and having the heart of God.

These verses tell of God’s response to the children of Israel after they asked Moses to Go near, and hear what our God will say to our requests and speak to us and we will hear it, and do it. Because God looks on the heart and because He is the discerner of the thoughts and the intents of our heart, He speaks and says, “they have well said all that they have spoken. O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me and keep my commandments always, that it might be well with them.” God was well pleased with the response from the children of Israel; pleased to hear that they would do whatever He commanded them to do. I absolutely love this portion of the scripture and take notice immediately when a scripture starts off saying, “And the Lord heard the voice of your words”, that gets my undivided attention every time! To hear that He heard me and has come for “my” words because I have spoken well and He is pleased that my heart and my words were on one accord. It excites me even more that unlike the children of Israel, who had to send Moses to speak on their behalf; their “channel of communication” to God because they had no direct or personal relationship with Him. I have, we have, been afforded in this dispensation, the opportunity to go before the Lord on our own behalf. Thank God for Jesus coming and the taking away of the veil!

This year, we must begin or continue to be about God’s business and seek His face like never before; knowing and trusting and believing Him in all things and for all things. The Lord invites us to come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (Heb 4:16). We can find everything we need at the throne. We can take everything to Him there. We can tell Him honestly how we are feeling and He'll know that it's coming from a real place within us because He knows us, He knows our heart and He knows our path, therefore, let's have faith that He knows how to get us to the place He's preparing us for. We should have such a heart that we would reverence Him for who He is, the God of all flesh. We should be willing to keep His ways and commit to His will, sincerely and diligently with all of our heart, even when everything else around us is in turmoil; even when we can’t see our way, know that God has made provisions for our lives.

It is my desire to be found doing the will of the Lord; I desire to please the Lord with my life and my service; desiring to do according to what He’s commanded in His Word. And because I do, He promised that all would be well with me and my seed forever! With those kinds of promises, I’m going to serve Him continuously with all of my heart!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. Psalm 37:23-25

I had a wonderful email conversation with a friend this week and while we jetted spurts of dialogue back and forth, something was said of course, that caused my mind to go off like flashing siren lights.

Our discussion was centered on our lives, but honestly as a people, we sometimes get comfy in our situations, even when we know that they are not good for us or they are not for our good. They become hindrances or they are hurting us, emotionally, mentally, financially, and consequently, the stress causes physical problems. In the midst of all of this, we spend time trying to convince ourselves that things will change or things will get better, things will work themselves out or hold on until it does. We pray for the Lord to fix things when perhaps His solutions is to simply let go, no matter the pain our flesh might feel, because it's for our good. We are at ease in comfort and we overtax ourselves trying to make everything right or we get complacent with the way things are and we live within a “if it’s not broke, why fix it” mentality. Because we fear the unknown and the unfamiliar, we will kick against it and then change into something more comfortable to stay comfortable in our way of life. This is not how God intended for us to live.

We talk about God's plan and purpose, but when He tries to move us into position, we panic or we question. Instead of trusting, we feel anxiety or are overwhelmed by fear; it is as if we think He doesn’t know what He's doing. I will say that sometimes we are kicking and screaming every step of the way because if we admit it, we don’t like change or the unfamiliar. The word, unfamiliar can be best described as the unknown, untried, strange, different, or beyond our comfort zone. We prefer cushy and comfy and the familiar. Although, the scripture says clearly that the steps of a man are ordered by the Lord and that man is delighted at the way the Lord has prepared for him. Let's get delighted!

We have got to be willing to move when God says move and not waste or spend time trying to figure out what He is doing or why He is doing and just know that He orders our steps for a plan that He has already laid for our life. A purpose that had been set before you, knew you. When we allow the Lord to lead and guide our life, when we follow the plan, things begin to happen, quickly and expeditiously. Lately, I’ve seen unbelievable movement on the part of the Lord, where things have been done that no man could have done, and knowing clearly, that it could be no other besides the Lord. Honestly, if I didn't know Jesus, I might have been scared, but I can tell you that I was (am) overwhelmed and in awe! So, how could I justify kicking against the unfamiliar and not get myself into position for further blessings and to see what the Lord has for me to do? Now this is a meditating moment.

In lieu of what I’ve seen transpired (and still watching) and how He has been true to His word, how He said He would never leave nor forsake me and how He will uphold me with His hand (comfort and security), I praise Him for His faithfulness towards me. The scripture tells us today, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor His see begging bread. God has and will make provisions for us as He orders our steps, no matter where it may lead us. We can have the faith that He is in control of our life. You might not have a clue as to where the Lord is leading you, and it’s easier to just go as opposed to kicking against the unfamiliar; wasting all of that energy and prolonging the time, just to finally come to yourself and realize that truly, He knows what's best and where we need to be positioned for kingdom work. Time to stop kicking against the unfamiliar... if God says go, then go... Cynde!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. I Corinthians 3:18 (Reference: I Corinthians 18)

I cannot begin to express the workings of the Lord in my life, both inwardly and outwardly, naturally or spiritually. However, I will say that He is moving in and around me so rapidly that it becomes overwhelming just to speak about. It absolutely astounds me when I meditate on the awesome splendor of the God we serve and to watch Him move on my behalf from just a simple “yes.” When we truly give over to God and give Him a “yes” with our whole heart and not just with lip service, we will begin to see the evidence of our faith and our trust in God (Heb 11:1) and understand (some) of what He is trying to accomplish in our lives as He preps us for ministry. He has been demonstrating, clearly and convincingly, that He is in control of all things that pertain to… Cynde.

The experiences of late have forever changed my life. I began to see that my image has changed and has been taken from one degree of glory to another. The Spirit of the Lord has taken me where no man has gone before and I know this transformation could have only been achieved through the wonder working power of His Spirit. While reading the chapter, verses 11 spoke volumes to me in a different sense, “For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.” I am excited because it says to me is, what has been is not as glorious as it shall be. I could stop here and shout with a voice of praise!

What was Paul was trying to convey to the Corinthians? That changed lives prove ministry. “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of men.” What a wonderful way to be known. In all that has been said and done and experienced, when you see me, I want you to see the God in me; I want you to see Him manifested in me, around me, through me and all over me. The one in whom He has entrusted to carry His message of love from place to place, from person to person. It gives me great joy to be known as His communicator and honestly, how can we communicate this glory unless we have experienced it, lived it, trusted it, or have faith in it?

I love this new look, I love to behold my face in the mirror and actually and see the glory of the Lord; I love watching how I am being constantly and continuously transformed into His image. It’s a beautiful sight! I’ve caught a glimpse of His magnificent and splendid glory and there is no absolutely no turning back for me, how could I? I’m energized about where the Spirit of the Lord is moving me; ecstatic and not only pleased, but honored to have been chosen to do His will and be one that He is calling for in these last days. Needless to say, I have been forever changed.

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee. Gen 33:12

For years, in the last days of the last month, I had been in the habit of purging; a shaking loose of sorts. Folks who are different in spirit or character than you or are not walking in the same vein as you, or honestly, those who I’ve come to call leechy. Those who extract the very life out of you; continuously draining and constantly weighing you down; disturbing your peace, robbing your joy and disrupting the very harmony of life, even when they mean well or perhaps have no clue as to what they are actually doing. You’ll find that along this journey and everyone you encounter won’t get to travel with you or accompany you and most often, they weren’t meant to. There must be a parting of ways for some and some things,in order to continue effectively to do God’s will.

In this story of two brothers, it tells of two different personalities and with very different journeys in life. In this chapter, after many years of separation, Jacob attempts to make peace. Esau was receptive and genuinely wanted the same. With great intentions, Esau was very gracious in his offer to guide his brother as he and his family traveled through the land. But Jacob knew that even with Esau’s gesture to do the right thing by offering to go before him and lead the way, he did not want to disturb the harmony they’d experienced by being led of God. He wanted to continue on in the peaceful journey that he had thus far for the safety of his family and his livestock. Also, knowing that God’s faithfulness and favor towards him was enough to be the very powerful and capable guide that he needed to continue to the place where He had called him to be.

As we enter this New Year, we must have the same mindset as we travel on this new journey. We must know that the Lord will go before us, lead us at His pace, guide us with His wisdom, secure us with Spirit and govern us by His hand. He is concerned with caring for us, like Jacob was concerned for his family and his flock. The Lord won’t overload us or overdrive us, but gently and Masterfully oversee us, as we move according to His leading. Even when there are gestures from others offering to accompany you, do not allow them to disturb the harmony that’s produced by being led of God. There will be some that we will encounter along the way to help us but know that God is your ultimate guide; be lead of Him and move in Him.

I am excited about the new things He has planned for me in this New Year and I am excited about what He is doing presently and at the glimpse He’s given me for what’s in store. Last year’s obstacles, bumps, lumps, and pain along the way, were only the preparation for this year’s journey. Truly, I have experienced what it means to go from strength to strength and from faith to faith (Romans 1:17). We often speak of the burdens being to hard to bear and that the Lord won’t put any more on us than we can bear, however, I understand that if God didn’t think we could bear it, He wouldn’t put it on us and if we would but trust Him and have faith that He is in control of all things, that no matter how painful or how hard it may seem, we could bear it because we would know that it is for our good. Something to be said about, Father knowing best and God knows us better than we know ourselves. He made us didn’t He? So, it would stand to reason that He would know all about us and how much we can and cannot take. If we would believe and trust that, we could save ourselves some grief. I’m a witness!

I like what the verse says and I hear the Lord saying to us today, “Let us get started on our journey, and I will go before you.” With His leading, and with us letting Him lead, what an adventure this journey will be!

It’s a New Year and it’s a new journey… let’s get started!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde