Desired Results (1/31/12)

Greetings Everyone,

God is good all the time! I'm certain that as we fellowship, God is working out a significant blessing for me to share with you, but in the meantime be encouraged to share with everyone how God has blessed you. Continue to keep one another in prayer, thanking God for the victory, and refraining from claiming defeat from the enemy; ALWAYS pray for your desired result, NOT the unfavorable outcome. Do NOT lose sight of God in the midst of adversity, God Bless!

Passage James 3:5-8 (NLT):

"In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison."

Yesterday we learned how the Church (God's followers) starts off small, but gradually expands into worldwide ministries. As long as we possess faith a small as a mustard seed, together in fellowship and guidance from the Spirit, we are capable of great things. But in tonight's lesson, we will resort back to some of the earlier concepts taken from The Tongue - A Creative Force by Charles Capps; tonight's passage display's Christ's ability to calm the storm by His very own words. Mark 4:35-41 says, "'As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, 'Let's cross to the other side of the lake.' So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, 'Teacher, don't you care that we're going to drown?' When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, 'Silence! Be still!' Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, 'Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?' The disciples were absolutely terrified. 'Who is this man?' they asked each other. 'Even the wind and waves obey him!'" By the same approach outlined in our power of the tongue SOD series, Jesus spoke into existence His desired results. By first confessing with His mouth (speaking out loud) "silence," He claimed victory over the waves of the storm with His very own words "be still," and through faith in these words, trusting in His ability, "the wind stopped, and there was a great calm." In a previous lesson entitled Spoken Words, we learned that if we place our trust in God, we will be able to apply the authority in our words to activate prosperity, healing, and other blessings that we petition God for; in this same manner Jesus healed the sick and performed miracles, with faith even as small as a mustard seed, we'd be able to move every obstacle in our way. God gave YOU authority, and His creative power in Word form; the power is in Your words, and it works. God's creative power is produced by the heart, formed by the tongue, and released out of the mouth in the form of WORDS. Learn to operate in the ABILITY OF GOD and release that ability IN YOU, by the FAITH FILLED WORDS of Your mouth. It is through Your very own words that You establish failure or success in your life; learn to use Your words wisely. Repetition is the key to memorizing, and practice is pivotal to getting it right. (Reference: Capps, Charles. The Tongue - A Creative Force. Tulsa, Oklahoma: Harrison House, 1976.)

Prayer of the Day:

Father God we thank you for all that you have blessed us with so far, as well as our current blessings set in motion. We thank you for strengthening our ability to effectively use our words to produce favorable outcomes. We thank you for redemption, and dexterity to reverse all the negativity we once spoke into existence. We deny the right of the enemy to exist in our lives, and thank you for removing the heavy load that we once tried to carry alone. We thank you for deliverance from pain, suffering, debts, struggles, and worries. Father God we thank you for the strength to stand firm through the test of our trials. We thank you for the discernment to know when the enemy is afoot, and for the nerve to take back control through our faith-filled words. We confess that no weapon formed against us will ever prosper, and we claim now, defeat over our adversaries. We thank you for your continued blessings of protection, and for peace that passeth all understanding. This is our affirmation of faith Father God, we submit our claim to you in the name of Jesus, Amen!

~~ Tylesha ~~ 

"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." (Psalm 118:8)

http://sodbytye.blogspot.com/

Capable of Great Things (1/30/12)

Greetings Everyone,

All honor and glory to God! I hope yall had a blessed weekend. I enjoyed time with my BFF's this weekend. However, I did suffer an allergic reaction which affected my visibility; my eyes were swollen and extremely irritated, and my asthma flared-up. My friend owns cats, which I am allergic to. Yet, I have never suffered an allergic reaction from simply being in the presence of cats, only if I've touched them. Then again, I've never spent the night at the home of someone who owned a cat. Either the older I get, the more sensitive I am to my allergies, or perhaps they have always been prevalent, just gone unnoticed as a result of having not been exposed to the cat dander for extended periods of time. None-the-less, it is always a blessing for me to spend time with loved ones. Continue to keep one another in prayer, thanking God for the victory, and refraining from claiming defeat from the enemy; ALWAYS pray for your desired result, NOT the unfavorable outcome. Do NOT lose sight of God in the midst of adversity, God Bless!

Passage James 3:5-8 (NLT):

"In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison."

Last week we learned that as we continue to "study to show thyself approved," we will establish incessant spiritual growth, and as we apply the lessons that we learn from the Word of God, we will gradually achieve spiritual maturity. Right now we are planting the seeds in ourselves and in others, as we study, apply, and share God's Gospel. The end result will produce a harvest of spiritually mature individuals, who exude Christ-like attitudes and behavior. In Mark 4:30-34 Jesus said, "'How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.' Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand. In fact, in his public ministry he never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.'" In this passage, Jesus used a parable to explain how the Church (God's followers) starts off small, but gradually expands into worldwide ministries. As long as we possess faith a small as a mustard seed, together in fellowship and guidance from Spirit, we are capable of great things. Jesus spoke in parables to challenge true believers to seek a deeper understanding of His teachings. This goes back to the lesson on Spiritual Sense; I Corinthians 2:14 shed light on the fact that, "people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means." Some things are better left unsaid, because people tend to twist, alter, embellish, and misinterpret words. Therefore, Jesus spoke in a manner that required sincere believers to search for the true meaning of His message. With our Spiritual sense, God is able to speak to us in magnitudes in which fools who reject His authority, cannot fully comprehend. It is our duty as Christians to seek a deeper understanding of God's words, and to apply them to our every day living so that every thought we think, every word we speak, every move we make, and every step that we take, may be acceptable and pleasing in the sight of our Father in Heaven.

Prayer of the Day:

Father God we thank you for your breath of life, your protection, and your peace. Lord we each have our individual concerns etched on our heart, but we know that by the power of our tongue we can claim defeat over the enemy, and we may confess our desired results and praise you for the victory that is already won. So today we stand firm thanking you for triumph over our trials, deliverance from our burdens, and protection from our enemies. We rebuke all weapons formed against us, and grant permission for your angels and Holy Spirit to manage our affairs and spiritual battles on Earth. We thank you for your continued favor, and the peace that comes along with trusting in you. We submit our affirmation of faith, in the name of Jesus, Amen!

~~ Tylesha ~~ 

"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." (Psalm 118:8)

http://sodbytye.blogspot.com/

Harvest Maturity (1/27/12)

Greetings Everyone,

It's Friday, and I am home, so that means the weekend has begun. YEEEES!  Please be responsible this weekend, and God willing, we will reunite next week. Continue to keep one another in prayer, thanking God for the victory, and refraining from claiming defeat from the enemy; ALWAYS pray for your desired result, NOT the unfavorable outcome. Do NOT lose sight of God in the midst of adversity, God Bless!

Passage James 3:5-8 (NLT):

"In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison."

Yesterday we discussed I Corinthians 2:11-14, and learned that, "people who aren't spiritual can't receive the truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means." In Mark 4:26-29, "Jesus also said, 'The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, while he's asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens. And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come.'" This verse uses the analogy of a plant's development to our spiritual growth. Planting a seed and awaiting its cultivation, is a gradual yet certain outcome. As we continue to "study to show thyself approved," we establish incessant spiritual growth, and as we apply the lessons that we learn from the Word of God, we will gradually achieve spiritual maturity. Right now we are planting the seeds in ourselves and in others, as we study, apply, and share God's Gospel. The end result will produce a harvest of spiritually mature individuals, who exude Christ-like attitudes and behavior.

Prayer of the Day:

Father God we enter into your presence with thanksgiving, humbly submitting our praise and gratefulness of your mercies and everlasting grace. We thank you for deliverance, restoration, the peace that passeth all understanding, for strength, and the ability to discern your will over satan's manipulative schemes. We thank you for an eye opening revelation of your power, your individual message and mission for us specifically. We thank you for the authority you have given us in our words to claim victory over the enemy, and to confess positive outcomes into our lives and the lives of others. Lord bless each of us specifically in accordance to our individual need and your will. We thank you for another opportunity to share your Gospel, and share our blessings with others, while always bringing honor and glory to your name. We thank you for the assurance that by our very own words, we can demand that our problems be removed. We thank you for allowing us the ability to deny the enemy, his evil spirits, and his ailments the right to exist in our lives. We thank you for your continued protection and for forgiveness. We ask ultimately Father, that thy will be done. We thank you for removing the covers of every circumstance to shed light on our various situations. This is our affirmation of faith, in the Holy name of Jesus Christ, Amen

~~ Tylesha ~~ 

"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." (Psalm 118:8)

http://sodbytye.blogspot.com/

Spirit sense (1/26/12)

Greetings Everyone,

All honor and glory to God! I am a firm believer that everything does really happen for a reason, and sometimes we may not know what that reason is, but in due time God reveals. Be patient and trust in the Lord, your blessing is on its way. Hallelujah! I have been talking about forming a non-profit organization since 2006, but haven't really committed to that. However, this year will be the year that I follow through. My goal is to provide food for the body and the soul, as well as mentoring at-risk youth, and eventually expanding to provide resources for the less fortunate who want to get back on their feet, to learn basic skills for resumes, job searches, and interview processes. As a new organization, I will require the assistance of willing volunteers to build and improve my organization in the Southern California region. If this sounds like something you are interested in, just let me know how you would like to contribute and what skills you will be able to offer my organization, thanks in advance. I plan to begin the process upon receiving my tax return, so as soon as everything is finalized, expect to receive further details. Continue to keep one another in prayer, thanking God for the victory, and refraining from claiming defeat from the enemy; ALWAYS pray for your desired result, NOT the unfavorable outcome. Do NOT lose sight of God in the midst of adversity, God Bless!

Passage James 3:5-8 (NLT):

"In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison."

Yesterday we addressed the importance of separating yourself from those things and people who have created a distance between you, our Father in Heaven, and Your spiritual growth. The footnotes in my Life Application Study Bible says, "Complacency, resentment, stubbornness of the heart, or disobedience could keep God's light from shining through to others" (The Life Application Study Bible New International Version. (1991). Mark Chapter 4 - Footnotes (p. 1737). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.). To continue with this series in the book of Mark, let's examine chapter 4, verses 23-25: "'Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand." Then he added, "Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.'" As translated in The Message, this passage reads, "Are you listening to this? Really listening? "Listen carefully to what I am saying—and be wary of the shrewd advice that tells you how to get ahead in the world on your own. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity. Stinginess impoverishes." The Word says that we can do ALL things through Christ (refer to Philippians 4:13), but without Him we are NOTHING! As we continue to study God's word, our understanding is heightened, and as we put what we've learned into practice, He will reveal more of the truth to us. In my psychology studies last week, I had to evaluate the effectiveness of self-help books. Research suggests that people with a negative thought process tend to become more negative, as they read books that insinuate that change comes from reshaping the way one thinks and speaks. I know first hand this is true for the person who lacks a deeper connection with Christ. After all, it is quite absurd to keep repeating phrases like "I am beautiful, I am strong, I am confident, I am a winner," when what you really think is, 'I am ugly, I am scared, I am shy, I am lame.' Right? WRONG! In our past lessons about the power of the tongue and the authority in our words, we know that the opposite is truth, because as children of Christ, we walk by faith and not by sight (refer to II Corinthians 5:7). "No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person's own spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit. And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit's words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means" (I Corinthians 2:11-14). Remember that spirituality should not be confused with religion; religion is a denominational choice that forces separation amongst God's Church (His believers), and spirituality is the belief and practice of one's faith. Through Your very own words, You have the ability to establish and maintain a deeper understanding of God's word and spiritual law, and You have the same power to claim failure or success in your life. Repetition is the key to memorizing, and practice is pivotal to getting it right.

Prayer of the Day:

Father God we thank you for another day living, for forgiveness of our sins, and for an unshakable foundation in you. We confess now, that no weapon formed against us shall prosper. We thank you for freeing us from debts and for making sure our needs and desires are met. Lord we thank you for being our refuge when we have no where to turn. We thank you for providing a solid foundation to base our lives upon. We thank you for your knowledge and wisdom, for peace that passeth all understanding, and for revealing all things necessary for our personal and spiritual growth, and complete knowledge in every circumstance. We thank you for strengthened relationships, gainful employment, unified and tight-knitted families, higher education, and financial stability. We proclaim our affirmation of faith before thee Father, in the matchless name of Jesus, Amen!

~~ Tylesha ~~ 

"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." (Psalm 118:8)

http://sodbytye.blogspot.com/

Uncover your lamp (1/25/12)

Greetings Everyone,

You'll never believe it, but I almost forgot about my eggs again, and this time I was in view of the darn pot, but forgot I had eggs boiling. This time the water just boiled out, but no yoke explosion, thank goodness. I have two praise reports: my co-worker Commander Knight passed her oral dissertation for her Doctorate degree, and God was on my friend Elena's side, protecting her from what could've been a terrible collision, praise God for the victory. I also want to take this time just to praise God for a strong support system; I have some awesome BFF's, family, and even associates (including those of you who receive the SOD and offer me occasional feedback and kind words) whom are most helpful and encouraging during my test of trials, to each of you, I extend my gratitude. Continue to keep one another in prayer, thanking God for the victory, and refraining from claiming defeat from the enemy; ALWAYS pray for your desired result, NOT the unfavorable outcome. Do NOT lose sight of God in the midst of adversity, God Bless!

Passage James 3:5-8 (NLT):

"In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison."

In yesterday's lesson we learned the differences between bad and good soil; We must be like the "good soil" in every area of our lives, at all times, so that every word we speak, everything we confess, every action we take, and every thing we contemplate, may be pleasing and acceptable in the sight of our Father in Heaven. In Mark 4:21-22 Jesus said, "Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine. For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light." Honestly, this translation in itself is sufficient. NEWS FLASH for all the liars, deceivers, manipulators, and con artists... NOTHING is unknown to God, and His word warns, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Galatians 6:7 - KJV). As translated in The Message, Galatians 6:7-8 states, "Don't be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he'll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God's Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life." I myself am shamed of my response to this question, but fancy this, is your way of life one that exemplifies true Christianity and genuine spirituality (not to be confused with religion - religion is a denominational choice that forces separation amongst God's Church - His believers, and spirituality is the belief and practice of one's faith) which reveals how one may seek God's favor, and lead an example of obedience? If not, then figure out which basket you have placed your lamp under. The footnotes in my Life Application Study Bible says, "Complacency, resentment, stubbornness of the heart, or disobedience could keep God's light from shining through to others" (The Life Application Study Bible New International Version. (1991). Mark Chapter 4 - Footnotes (p. 1737). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.). REMOVE the basket that covers your lamp - SEPARATE yourself from those things and people who have extinguished God's light in you.

Prayer of the Day:

Father God we thank you for life, health, strength, and all that you've blessed us with. We thank you for your many blessings of prosperity, achievements, and traveling grace. Lord we thank you for comfort, encouragement, and support from our loved ones and associates. We thank you for peace of mind and relief when we need it most. We thank you for the ability in our words to claim victory over the obstacles, and individuals who have brought us down, and have held us captive from moving forward and maintaing a strengthened relationship with you. Right now we petition defeat over our adversaries, binding every evil and malicious plot, plan, and scheme devised against us. We confess that no weapon formed against us shall prosper, in the name of Jesus. We submit our affirmation of faith in the matchless name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

~~ Tylesha ~~ 

"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." (Psalm 118:8)

http://sodbytye.blogspot.com/

Soil of Character II (1/24/12)

Greetings Everyone,

All honor and glory to God! Yesterday I noticed that I didn't send out the SOD on Friday, I could've sworn I did, but I suppose I must have dreamt it. So my apologies for Friday and yesterday... I was behind on my studies and it took the entire weekend until Monday at 11pm to get caught up. Had I taken a nap earlier that day, then I would've sent out the SOD afterward. Anyway, I hope yall had a great weekend. Although I do not feel like there is anything too hard for me to handle with God on my side, I feel the urge to solicit prayers from you on my behalf as the Spirit leads, thanks in advance. Continue to keep one another in prayer, thanking God for the victory, and refraining from claiming defeat from the enemy; ALWAYS pray for your desired result, NOT the unfavorable outcome. Do NOT lose sight of God in the midst of adversity, God Bless!

Passage James 3:5-8 (NLT):

"In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison."

Last week, we covered Mark 4:14-17, which opened our eyes to the different types of people and their choices. This passage used the analogy of the farmer to represent God's stewards - you and I; the farmer plants seeds to render good produce, whereas a true Christian (child of Christ - Christ-like) is to share God's Gospel so that every ear may be exposed to God's truth, deliverance, and salvation. This passage also used various types of soil to compare different kinds of individuals, and their decisions. We learned about the individual who hears God's word but doesn't receive it; this person falls but never gets back up. We also explored the individual who gladly receives the Word, shares the Word, and even advocates the Word, as long as life is all good; this person is indicative of many people, like myself, who claim Christianity and praise the Lord openly, yet curse Him or turn away from Him when trails become heavy. This week's passage is Mark 4:18-20 which says, "The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God's word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God's word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!" As translated in The Message it reads, "The seed cast in the weeds represents the ones who hear the kingdom news but are overwhelmed with worries about all the things they have to do and all the things they want to get. The stress strangles what they heard, and nothing comes of it. But the seed planted in the good earth represents those who hear the Word, embrace it, and produce a harvest beyond their wildest dreams." This week we learn about the individual who is very prevalent in our new generations, seeking the latest trends, most expensive gear, money, fashion, cars, and other material items above their means; instead of looking to God, they idolize material things. This passage also sheds some light on true spirituality - an individual devoted to Christ, devoted to His will, and who abides by it; this individual is content in all facets of life, because fulfillment is in knowing that he or she is blessed beyond measure - simply knowing that God granted salvation through the blood of the Lamb, fills their void. In death, the soul rests for Christ's return, and our human body returns to dust. Therefore, in the end, materials are useless to us. So why put forth so much effort into seeking the temporal pleasures of this world, when we could devote our time to fulfilling God's will, and obtaining eternal happiness? We must be like the "good soil" in every area of our lives, at all times, so that every word we speak, everything we confess, every action we take, and every thing we contemplate, may be pleasing and acceptable in the sight of our Father in Heaven.

Prayer of the Day:

Father God we praise you for your grace and mercy, your love and continued protection. Lord, we ask that you do as you did for Peter, and say a prayer for Tylesha; intercede for her, because you know her true needs. Father we thank you for mending troubled and/or broken relationships, rebuilding weakened bonds within our family unit, and providing strength in our times of weakness. Lord God we thank you for the capabilities and authority in our words to speak life and favorable outcomes into every situation. We thank you for your spiritual guidance that leads us down a path of righteousness; thanking you for influencing everything that we think, do, and say, so that we may mimic your Son Christ Jesus, and be honorable, and acceptable to you at all times. This is our affirmation of Faith, we present this claim to you, and thank you now for the victory, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

~~ Tylesha ~~ 

"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." (Psalm 118:8)

http://sodbytye.blogspot.com/

Soil of Character I (1/19/12)

Greetings Everyone,

All honor and glory to God! So, I came home and unintentionally begat one of my infamous naps. I woke up to the sound of my pets barking, and I immediately jumped up paranoid, thinking I had fallen asleep while they were still in my backyard (always scared to leave them outside for too long, because one of my pets drowned in my pool some years back, while I was upstairs sending off the SOD). So I called for them and I could hear their bells. As I was about to drift back off, they started barking again, and then I heard a loud sound like something popped. Now, my instinct was to grab for my gun, since I had an incident not too long ago where an intruder tried to kick down my door in the middle of the night, while I was home. But as I sat up, I smelled the scent of something burning, and remembered... 'I left some eggs boiling on the stove.' Smh... something told me to turn off the fire before I went upstairs, but again this nap was unintentional. When I got downstairs, I was greeted with an egg yoke explosion all over the wall, the cabinets, and my stove, a burnt pot, and fragments of eggs on the floor and counter tops. Praise God a fire didn't erupt. Anyway, continue to keep one another in prayer, thanking God for the victory, and refraining from claiming defeat from the enemy; ALWAYS pray for your desired result, NOT the unfavorable outcome. Do NOT lose sight of God in the midst of adversity, God Bless!

Passage James 3:5-8 (NLT):

"In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison."

Mark 4:14-17 says, "The farmer plants seed by taking God's word to others. The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don't last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word." As it is translated in The Message, this passage reads, "The farmer plants the Word. Some people are like the seed that falls on the hardened soil of the road. No sooner do they hear the Word than Satan snatches away what has been planted in them. And some are like the seed that lands in the gravel. When they first hear the Word, they respond with great enthusiasm. But there is such shallow soil of character that when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it." I hope yall don't mind the use of multiple Bible translations, I just feel that it adds clarity to the message. For the next few SODs, we will be examining the continued verses from this chapter in the Book of Mark. This passage uses the analogy of the farmer to represent God's stewards - you and I. The farmer plants seeds to render good produce, whereas a true Christian (child of Christ - Christ-like) is to share God's Gospel so that every ear may be exposed to God's truth, deliverance, and salvation. The passage uses various types of soil to compare different kinds of individuals, and their decisions. Here, we learn about the individual who hears God's word but doesn't receive it; this person falls but never gets back up. Then there is the person who gladly receives the Word, shares the Word, and even advocates the Word, as long as life is all good; this person is indicative of many people, like myself, who claim Christianity... we praise the Lord openly and then curse Him or turn away from Him when trails become heavy. The cause of Your problem is NOT God; YOU have used the power of the tongue to speak Your own issues into existence, and through Your lack of faith and doubts in God's promise, You have allowed those problems to remain. If we were more faith-full, then we would be comfortable with saying and praying those things that be not as though they were. Instead of blaming God, we'd blame ourselves, yet continue to praise Him through our trials, confident that whatever we ask in faith, we SHALL receive, as we place our total TRUST in God to render our desired results.

Prayer of the Day:

Father God we come to you with praise and thanks for another day living. We are aware that our current status may not be our ultimate desire, but we have peace knowing that some day, according to your will and time, we will be blessed with the desires of our heart. We thank you now for victory and defeat over the enemy. We thank you for the peace that passeth all understanding. We thank you for relief and comfort from our past sorrows and pain. We thank you for blessing us abundantly in our health, within our homes, in our finances, in our spirit, in our heart, and in our mind. We thank you for taming our tongue, so that the seed that departs from our mouth is fruitful and produces good of its kind. We thank you for your promise, for discernment, and for new revelations. We thank you for restoring all the years we've spent in tears, by allowing us to reverse our undesired outcomes, to produce desired results by the very own words of our mouth. This is our affirmation of faith, we submit unto you, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

~~ Tylesha ~~ 

"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." (Psalm 118:8)

http://sodbytye.blogspot.com/

Before you speak (1/18/12)

Greetings Everyone,

All honor and glory to God! I'm tired as usual, but I look at it like this... I have a home, I have transportation, I have employment, and I have an education. Success is a combination of hard-work, drive, and commitment as afforded to us by the Lord. So yes, I may be tired today, and the next day, but there is someone in Iraq right now who has worked more hours, done more work, ate less food, has yet to sleep, and hasn't heard from their loved ones in days, but he/she is still smiling and sending praises to the Lord. So Father God, I thank you for my many blessings. Continue to keep one another in prayer, thanking God for the victory, and refraining from claiming defeat from the enemy; ALWAYS pray for your desired result, NOT the unfavorable outcome. Do NOT lose sight of God in the midst of adversity, God Bless!

Passage James 3:5-8 (NLT):

"In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison."

Proverbs 10:31-32 says, "The mouth of the godly person gives wise advice, but the tongue that deceives will be cut off. The lips of the godly speak helpful words, but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words." As it translates in The Message, this passage reads, "A good person's mouth is a clear fountain of wisdom; a foul mouth is a stagnant swamp. The speech of a good person clears the air; the words of the wicked pollute it." Have you noticed that with many disagreements, it is through the words of our mouth that we stand against the one another? Words spread quickly and may render destructive results, causing defamation of one's character, misunderstandings, and/or altered information. You ever play the telephone game? Where one person whispers in your ear, and you whisper in the next person's ear, and so forth? By the end of that gossip line, the entire message has been distorted. This is what happens in our daily lives. One person gives their biased opinion, shares a bit of gossip about a co-worker or loved one, you adopt the perception of someone based on another individual's opinion before getting to know that person on your own, and you spread the he-say-she-say, and next thing you know, (side bar: I don't watch sports but this name-change is hilarious) Metta World Peace went from having a great jump shot, to getting shot while running from the cops. Seriously, the fact that I haven't found our selected reading is a sign, because the Spirit keeps leading me to passages that play off one another. I've told yall before, between the drama at work, my bills, and my personal issues, I have one of the worst potty mouths one could have. For those of you who have no clue what I look like, if you ran into me on the street after I've been exposed to the daily malarkey that goes down in my department, you certainly would not be able to put my face to these messages. Shame on it all! But I know that I am a sinner and I do NOT proclaim to be nothing more. So as I put out these daily scriptures, I too learn from them, and require your testimonies and encouragement to help me improve in my walk with Christ. The Lord can use anyone He chooses to spread His message, but that doesn't make that individual exempt from the lesson at hand, nor does it excuse him/her from temptation. I know I've kind of deviated slightly, but it's necessary... Understand that I do NOT seek personal gratification for these lessons, ALL honor belongs to the Lord. However, every blue moon, I encourage yall to share your testimonies or even a word of encouragement, because YOU may shine the light on the darkness that one individual may be going through. There is creative power within Your words, so You must learn to use Your words wisely; YOU have the ability to speak good or bad outcomes into your life and the lives of others. I'm going to end tonight's lesson the same way we ended yesterday... Remember, repetition is the key to memorizing, and practice is pivotal to getting it right. "Before you speak, ask yourself this, "Is what I want to say TRUE? Is it NECESSARY? Is it KIND?'" If the answer is "No," then YOU need to reevaluate the situation, and rephrase your verbiage so that whatever You allow to depart your lips will be true, kind, and NECESSARY. (Reference: The Life Application Study Bible New International Version. (1991). James Chapter 3 - Footnotes (p. 2249). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.)

Prayer of the Day:

Lord God we praise your Holy name, thanking you for the blessings in the storm, the rainbows after the rain, and the gifts you give us that we sometimes overlook because of how it's packaged. Father God please reveal to each of us individually, the personal message that you have intended for us to receive from this lesson, and continue to open the eyes, heart, mind, and spirit of those who may still be holding back from allowing you to reveal to them who they really are, and what specific mission you have called them to. We thank you for changed hearts, for restored spirits, for deliverance, joy, and overwhelming peace and understanding. We thank you Father for clarity of our current circumstances, for contentment despite our trials, and for the ability to keep smiling because you have filled us with happiness through your strong presence around us and within us. Father God we thank you for allowing your Spirit to tame our tongue, so that the words that depart our mouth are nothing more or less than pleasing in your sight. Hallelujah Father, we give you the highest praise, for every trial that has brought us to the point of deeper spirituality, and for every blessing that we may also be a blessing to others, while giving you all the honor and praise in the process. We thank you now for the victory, as we submit our affirmation of faith in the name of Jesus, Amen!

~~ Tylesha ~~ 

"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." (Psalm 118:8)

http://sodbytye.blogspot.com/