February 25, 2019

Pondering - The Gathering Place

We attend a small church in San Bernardino, CA. Our physical address is in Victorville, CA. Some may wonder why we travel the 35 miles each week to worship. Sometimes I ask myself the same thing. But after yesterday's service, I KNOW WHY. It is because of the Holy Spirit of God. We are part of the worship team there, led by Qiana and Eric Lee. We have know them since they were teens. Did I tell you that is for over 22 years? They are family. We worship together and are part of each other's lives as we are with most of the family at the Gathering Place. When we started worship practice yesterday, it was a rough start. We practiced the songs to the best of our ability. But when service started, God's Spirit blew life into that worship that we didn't have. HE TOOK OVER! Our pastor, Larry Lee, was so anointed of the Lord in the things that he shared. He is a pastor who shares from his heart. He is not afraid to share his life experiences openly about his life before salvation, so you know that he is a real person who was radically saved! If you are ever in the San Bernardino area, please visit our church. We are a family. There aren't many of us, but the Spirit of God moves mightily among us! Shalom to all who read.

We Ought Not Judge

I wrote this in 2013, but it is still good today - I am pondering and thinking through some things. If you are not a believer, this doesn't pertain to you. It seems as though when Yahweh is doing a work, there are always those who will be used of the enemy to thwart that work. Most of the people that the enemy uses operate out of hurt. They are hurt, so they lash out. If we dig deep enough into another person's life, we will find dirt. After all we are made from the dirt. Doing life in this dirty body is normal on this planet if we don't operate out of the Spirit Ruach. No one is perfect. We are all walking to know our Father better. We have no room to point fingers at another, because there are many pointing right back at us. Be careful, my brothers and sisters.

Hope

Where do you find hope? It could be in the words of another person who speaks into your life. It is found in the words written on the pages of your Bible. It may be found in just a hug from a friend.

People in our society are walking through life without hope. If we are the ones who carry the very Spirit of the living God inside of us, we ought to be known as "hope givers." After all who better to give others hope than the ones who have received hope by the Holy Spirit. We are all sinners saved by grace. If you think back, there was a time in your life when you were without hope. Then the Lord sent someone your way to help you to believe that better days were ahead of you. They gave you hope.

One of the definitions of hope is - the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best. 

I am writing today to encourage you. Whatever your situation is, HAVE HOPE! Believe that as you trust the Lord, He will make your situation better. He is my hope! Pray, read the Word of God, believe, and have hope in the name of Yeshua (Jesus)!

Have Faith in God

We all know that the earth is not happy right now. It is evident by the natural events that have been occurring almost daily. There has been so much activity surrounding volcanoes that have been dormant for thousands of years. Earthquake activity is also increasing. We have preppers getting ready for living through the tribulation, making it almost impossible to live for today. I do understand that we have to be ready should a cataclysmic event take place. And perhaps the Lord is speaking to people to ready themselves.

More important than all of the physical prepping that is taking place is the preparing of our spirits to live for Him today. The Word of Yahweh is clear when it says, "The just shall live by faith." Faith (emunah in Hebrew) means to securely trust or rely upon. Yahweh has proven himself over and over again. He is the only one that we should put our trust in. He will lead and guide us if we follow him. Hebrews 3:15 says,"Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." He speaks to us through His Word and His Holy Spirit. They work hand in hand. God is not a man that he should lie. He is a loving Father who leads his children in all truth.

Trust Him! Trust Him! Trust Him! His Son Yeshua is coming back soon. We are to be about our Father's business and watching for His Son's glorious return. Amen.

Every Person Has a Part in the Vision

While I was watering the grass this evening, some thoughts went through my mind. I work as a secretary in an elementary school. It takes a group of people all doing their part in order to see the vision come to pass. The vision is to educate a community (which is in a very low income area).

We have a wonderful principal who holds the vision before his eyes daily and is compelled to see it come to fruition. He passes on his enthusiasm day in and day out to those who are on his staff. There are several people who have been picked to fulfill this vision. Teachers, counselor, program facilitator, cafeteria workers, office staff, recreational aides, noon duties, library aide, instructional aides, etc. It truly takes a village to raise the children that the Lord has placed in our care for a season.

Sometimes we have substitutes in various positions. We have had subs for our library aide and attendance verifier recently. Substitutes pick up for the position when someone is either absent or there is a vacancy. They are very important to school sites. If they aren't there, others have to pick up the work load and they are put into "survival mode." Instead of being focused on the vision, they have to focus on "making it through the day." If a person commits to a position as a sub, it is really important that they come to work.

Maybe if a person only has three hours in a position, they think they aren't needed. Wrong. The school struggles to run effectively without that person on board. We recently had one of our substitutes not show up to work for a couple of weeks due to them having a  job elsewhere that took precedence. It is the end of the school year, and that person had a very important role to play in closing out the school year. But they either didn't know it or didn't care. Without going into any further explanation, all this is to say that every person is crucial in the making of a positive environment.

In the same way, believers in Yeshua, need to know that they are important in the body. It doesn't matter how small the task is that they complete. Whether it is the prayer warrior,  pastor/teacher, worship team, sunday school teachers, person who cleans the church, etc. we all have a part to play in seeing the vision come to pass. If one person doesn't pull their weight in the God-given giftings and callings, the task may not get done so well. Other people may try to pick up that part of the load, but it will go back to "survival mode." We want the church to thrive!!! We have a job to do!! That job is to be the Light in a dark world - to find those who are in darkness and give them hope.

This vision will only be realized when the body of Messiah works as a Team. I hope this ministers to someone, somewhere. May the Lord bless and keep you in the palm of His hand.

Spiritual/Physical Fitness

Today my family went to the gym. We have been trying to go more frequently after paying for gym memberships that have hardly been used over the past three years. As I was sitting on the stationary bike, I felt like the Ruach (Holy Spirit) gave me a little insight.

I am about 20 lbs. overweight right now. It didn't happen in a day, week, or even a year. It happened little by little throughout my life. Yes, I have delivered six babies, the youngest is 16. So, there that could be an  excuse, right??? Not. Bottom line friends, the weight I have put on is due to a lack of discipline and pure laziness. I lack the discipline to put the right foods into my body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit. The laziness factor comes into the picture because I just don't feel like exercising. Let's all be honest with ourselves, that is the truth.

So while I was sitting on the bike, it occurred to me that as goes the physical, so goes the spiritual. As believers in Yeshua (Jesus), the church has many body parts that are out of shape. Some just a little out of shape and some are way out of shape. The same contributing factors are in the equation for the spiritual as the physical. The body of Messiah is not fit because of a lack of discipline and pure laziness. We are saved through the blood of Yeshua, but God has work for us to do. And we won't be able to do it unless we are physically and spiritually fit. Do you see the word "discipline?" It should remind us all that we are to be disciples of the Lord. Are we reading His Word and praying? Are we in fellowship with other believers? If not, it is time to start. The time is getting short. We have work to do church!!! People living in darkness need to see the light, and we are the light!

I would like to encourage you to get spiritually fit starting today. Just take baby steps! Just like going to the gym. I didn't put the extra weight on all at once and it will take some time to take it off. Getting spiritually fit will take time and work also! So with that being said - shine the Light!!!

Walk Out Your Calling

Scripture - I Samuel 3:15 - So Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors to the house of the Lord, but Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli.

Observation - God had spoken to Samuel regarding Eli's poor parenting skills. Samuel didn't have peace in giving the message to Eli. He actually was full of fear. I don't think it was something he desired to do, yet he was the one the Yahweh chose and called as a prophet.

Application - If God calls you to a ministry, you may have to come out of your comfort zone. You may actually experience fear as you walk out your ministry calling. Yet God will be with you if you start.

Prayer  Father, let us walk in your calling even if we are fearful. Be with us as we go and minister. Amen.