Selfless Acts (4/30/12)

Greetings Everyone,

All honor and Glory to God! I hope yall had a great weekend. Please keep my soror Mary Howard in prayer for physical healing, also pray for the new litter of Yorkies our dams just delivered (sometimes the runts die because they are too small, and have a hard time getting the appropriate nutrition from the dam) 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."

Ok, so let's continue on with our "seven woes" series. Last lesson, we covered that if we aren't more careful, the consistency in our hypocritical ways will convert God's neophytes, and continue to brainwash the lost into living a lifestyle that is founded by secular principles. Moving on to woe number three, found in Matthew 23:16-22 (NIV), reads, "Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it." Basically this passage is calling us out to be men and women of our word. Whether you swear by God, shake hands on it, sign a contract, or come to a verbal agreement of some sort, a promise is a promise and you should stand firm on your word. Perhaps the person you gave your word to won't hold you accountable, but God is omnipresent; He is watching our every move and listening to our every word, therefore, regardless of whom you make a promise to or what you swear by, GOD is holding YOU accountable. As a Christian, we have an obligation to be transformed by the renewing of our mind; our every word, every action, and every reaction must be Christ-like at all times. So, even if Joe Smuckatelli could give a flying chicken wing about what you say or do, God sees all and knows all, and by the knowledge we gain from reading His word, WE are ALL held responsible for the information and guidelines we receive by studying His word. Furthermore, we are expected to apply these principles to our daily lives, because once we dedicated our lives to Christ, our promise and our obligation should have transformed from selfish values to selfless acts.

Prayer of the Day:

Father God we thank you for life, health, and strength. We thank you for restoring our faith in our ability to use our words to produce favorable outcomes. We thank you for providing Mary with complete protection, comfort, peace, and healing from all forces attempting to attack her health. We thank you for protecting the new puppies, providing them with the right amount of nutrition and strength necessary for their survival. We thank you for opening new doors in Tylesha's life, providing her with advancement, and other opportunities that contribute to her overall success and prosperity. We thank you for redemption, and for the ability to reverse the negativity we once spoke into existence. We deny the right of the enemy to exist in our lives Father, and we thank you for lifting all our heavy burdens. We thank you for deliverance from pain, suffering, debts, struggles, and worries. Father God we thank you for the ability 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 strength to take control over our circumstance through our faith-filled words. We thank you that no weapon formed against us will ever prosper. We thank you for your continued blessings of protection, and for the peace that passeth all understanding. We present this 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)

Blog: http://sodbytye.blogspot.com/

Website: http://fmbs-inc-bytye.org/ 

Friday Make-up: Convert Right (4/28/12)

Greetings Everyone,

All honor and glory to God! I'm so disappointed in myself. I called myself taking a meal-break and watching my favorite show last night, America's Most Wanted, and ended up passing out on the couch in the middle of the show. I woke up and went to my bed at like 3am, and forgot to set my alarm clock for my weekend schedule. So, I ended up missing church as well, and running way behind my desired schedule today. I decided however, to send a weekend SOD since I missed Friday. Also, following my signature is a story that I thin you may find to be a good read. Please be responsible this weekend and prioritize your obligations at the top of your list of things to do. 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."

To continue with our series on the "seven woes," we'll move on to the second woe described in Matthew 23:15 (NIV). But first, let's recap on the 1st woe which affects others as well as ourselves; in pursuit of our greedy desires, we will keep ourselves from entering the Kingdom of Heaven and furthermore, prevent those whom follow our lead from entering Heaven as well. Today's passage says, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are." Back in those days, the Pharisees' converts (new believers, or followers) were more attracted to Pharisaism than God. We can apply this to our world today too. Many people are followers of trends, fads, and the celebrity happenings. They'd rather transform themselves into another individual by emulating that person's style, and/or demeanor, rather than divert their secular lifestyle and adopt one that follows the will of God. Thus, if we aren't more careful, the consistency in our hypocritical ways will convert God's neophytes, and continue to brainwash the lost, into living a lifestyle that is founded by secular principles. 

Prayer of the Day:

Father God we thank you for your everlasting love and grace. We thank you for filling us with your Spirit that our tongue may be tamed, and we may be changed by the renewing of our mind. Lord we thank you for being our refuge when we have no where else to take cover, for being our ear when no one else wants to hear, and for being the shoulder we need to cry on. Lord we thank you for your wrath; we know that those who have wronged us will reap what they have sown. We thank you for allowing us to be strong enough to endure the drama in our professional and personal lives, knowing that the victory is already won, and vengeance is yours. Lord we thank you for the discernment to know when we need to take a moment to readjust our way of speaking and/or our reactions, and for the ability to turn away from vulgarity, gossip, and anything else that is not pleasing in your sight; may we emulate your Son Jesus, and convert others rightly toward your righteousness. We thank you for your continued protection and safe travels. We submit our affirmation of faith 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)

Blog: http://sodbytye.blogspot.com/

Website: http://fmbs-inc-bytye.org/ 

-----Original Message-----

You will enjoy the new insights that Rick Warren has, with his wife now having cancer and him having 'wealth' from the book sales. This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick Warren,  'Purpose Driven Life ' author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California .  

In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, Rick said:  People ask me, What is the purpose of life?    

And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were not made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.  One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body-- but not the end of me.  I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.    

Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.  The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort; God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.    

This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.  I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore.  Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life. No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for. You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems: If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, which is my problem, my issues, my pain.' But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.    

We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her- It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people. You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life.  Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy. It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease. So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.  

First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit.. We made no major purchases. Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church. Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation. Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free. We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity? Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?    

When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do. That's why we're called human beings, not human doings. Happy moments, PRAISE GOD. Difficult moments, SEEK GOD. Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD. Painful moments, TRUST GOD. Every moment, THANK GOD. If you do not pass it on, nothing will happen. But it will just be nice to pass it on to a friend... just like I have done. God Bless!

Don't Lose Sight (4/26/12)

Greetings Everyone,

All honor, and glory to God! 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 were reminded that, be it a negative or a positive confession, those things that we speak into existence backed by our faith or our fear, will come to pass and hold true in Heaven and on Earth; our consequence will be either good (favorable) or bad (undesired), based on our choice words. Basically, when we speak our desired results (in faith), God's ability is released through our words, but, when we speak the problem (in fear), we release the power of the enemy to manifest defeat, which binds God's ability. For the rest of this week, and next, I'd like to talk about the "seven woes" mentioned in the Bible. The first comes from Matthew 23:13-14 (keep in mind that not all Bible manuscripts list verse 14, it is however added in the KJV and NKJV), "What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either. What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! You shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, you will be severely punished." Unlike in today's secular society, where celebrities seem to have just as much clout and status as the president, back in Jesus' day, religious leaders were the best known, best respected, and most powerful of all leaders. The message in this passage, though specific to those times, is still relevant to our current pastoral staffs. Today, many of our leaders (political, pastoral, and others) are just as hungry as the religious leaders from our ancestry, if not more, for power, money (the root to ALL evil), and status. The lustful drive of today's leaders, has clouded their mind, forcing them to lose sight of God; their blindness has influenced our nation to also seek selfish desires. This woe was mentioned first, because it affects others as well as ourselves; greedy desires will keep us from entering the Kingdom of Heaven, and furthermore, prevent those whom follow our lead from entering Heaven as well.

Prayer of the Day:

Father God we praise your Holy name. We thank you for your grace and everlasting mercies. Lord we thank you for the discernment to see the enemy's attack in action, and for the strength to claim defeat over the adversary in the name of Jesus. We thank you for undoing all the mischief that the enemy has established in our lives. We thank you for restoring all those things we lost in the midst of allowing our lives to be influenced by the enemy. We thank you for delivering us from the heavy load of burdens that once weighed us down. Father God we thank you for victory, we thank you for peace that passeth all understanding, and we thank you for taming our tongue and reshaping the words that depart from our mouth. We thank you for filling us with the presence of your Spirit, that our words may always be controlled, speaking only things that fall in line with your will - things that establish life, health, peace, and prosperity into existence. We thank you for your continued protection, and for being the ultimate provider. In the name of Jesus, we present to you our affirmation of faith, Amen!

~~ Tylesha ~~ 

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

Blog: http://sodbytye.blogspot.com/

Website: http://fmbs-inc-bytye.org/ 

Two or More Agree (4/25/12)

Greetings Everyone,

All honor and praise be to God! Man, today's events kinda sucked. I am grateful for all of my blessings, but let me just say that credit is both a blessing and a curse. I have been putting off servicing my car for a while now, but it started driving funny. I had initially planned to put it off for yet another week, but ended up having to go to the auto shop today. I still had some funds left over from my tax return, so, with those funds I spent $736 and some change on getting the initial servicing out of the way, which took 5 and a half hours. However, upon handing me my keys, the shop owner told me that my run-flat tires were worn to the wire, and explained that it was necessary to have them replaced ASAP! So then, I trucked on over to a near-by tire shop for another 4 hours, and here's where the credit card charges came in... I charged a whopping $2,400+ on new tires and a wheel alignment, oh and rear brake pads. I'm so NOT a happy camper right now, but, I must acknowledge that credit debt or not, I am blessed beyond measure, so I'll praise God anyhow. Anyway, I'd like to remind yall to feel open to communicating with me your prayers requests, as well as testimonies to share in future fellowship. Also, if there are any suggestions you have for me to make your SOD experience more fulfilling, feel free to express those concerns as well. 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."

Yesterday we were reminded that peace and righteousness come to us as we obey God's will; doing things according to our own selfish intent, opens the doors to punishment and threatens our harmony and virtue. We were encouraged to STOP being afraid or reluctant to allow God to lead our pathways; God knows what is best, so regardless to our uncertainty in His timing or His design, we should trust in His ability. Today we are going to take a look at one of the passages that influenced one of the major affirmations of faith from our daily confessions. If you are new to this, and do not have the book, The Tongue - A creative Force by Chales Capps, and would like a copy of a list of these daily confessions, please send me your request so that I may forward you a copy. In Matthew 18:18-20 (NIV) Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." This resorts back to our lesson on the power of the tongue; be it a negative or a positive confession, those things that we speak into existence, backed by our fear or our faith, will come to pass and hold true in Heaven and on Earth. Meaning, our consequence will be either good (favorable) or bad (undesired), based on our choice words; when we speak our desired results (in faith), God's ability is released through our words. However, when we speak the problem (in fear), we release the power of the enemy to manifest defeat, which binds God's ability. This passage reminds us however, that when "two or more" believers go to God in prayer, then their requests will be granted, because they are using their faith-filled words to pray according to GOD's WILL.

Prayer of the Day:

Father God we thank you for life, health, and strength. We thank you for the power and authority in our words to overcome our adversaries. Lord we thank you for filling us with your presence, that our words may be influenced by your Spirit and we will only speak things which are good to edifying that they may minister to the hearer, and always render favor in your sight Father. Lord we thank you for your continued protection and your everlasting grace and mercy. We thank you in advance for Tylesha's efficiency, healthy sleep pattern, and consistent production of the daily scripture. We thank you for guiding our words that we will only speak prosperity into existence and always refrain from confessing defeat. We thank you for clarity where there is confusion, deliverance from any burdens, comfort where there is sorrow, relief from all forms of pain, and strength where there is weakness. This is 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)

Blog: http://sodbytye.blogspot.com/

Website: http://fmbs-inc-bytye.org/ 

Don't be afraid (4/24/12)

Greetings Everyone,

All honor and glory to God! I spent another day today, off my scheduled regimen. See what had happened was... I decided to take an hour-long nap after my workout, which turned into two hours, thus knocking me off of my desired schedule. Then, my stomach decided it wanted to cramp up for like an hour, which made it impossible for me to focus on anything but the pain. And then, my best friend and I talked for about an hour; I love my best'est, he doesn't live out here anymore so we had some catching up to do. But, I'm here, trying to make sure I put out this SOD. 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 were reminded that our actions and reactions speak for themselves, we should be consistent; if we claim to be a Christians, then our actions should reflect Christ-like behavior even when we think that no one is looking; God sees all! "If the Lord delights in a man's way, He makes his steps firm; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand" (Psalm 37:23-24 ~ NIV). God finds delight in individuals whose paths lead to righteousness - those who follow the Lord's footsteps, trusting Him, and abiding by His will. We often make decisions in our own right, without seeking first the Kingdom of Heaven, therefore, we are led to a dead-end. God cannot direct our ways, and keep every step firm, if we do not seek His advice before we step out. Jeremiah 10:23 (NIV) says, "... a man's life is NOT his own; it is NOT for man to direct his own steps ." "A man's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?" (Proverbs 20:24 ~ NIV). We are many times perplexed by the events that surround us, things that we may never understand, while others fall into place once we allow ourselves to see how God is working in our lives. However, we should find contentment in the fact that God is in control, and "God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them" (Romans 8:28). Proverbs 16:20 says, "Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be joyful." STOP being afraid or reluctant to allow God to lead your pathway, He knows what is best; regardless to your uncertainty of His timing or His design, trust in His ability. The Word says, "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river" (Isaiah 48:17-18 ~ NIV). Peace and righteousness come to us as we obey God's will, but doing things according to our own selfish intent, opens the doors to punishment and threatens our harmony and virtue.

Prayer of the Day:

Father God we thank you for your breath of life, your protection, and your peace. Father God we ask that you will continue to provide comfort, strength, and peace to Myra and her family in their time of bereavement, and we pray that you will keep her father's soul as it rests waiting for your return. Lord we each have our individual concerns etched on our hearts, 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. Today we stand firm, thanking you for triumph over our trials, deliverance from our burdens, protection from our enemies, and we rebuke all weapons formed against us, providing permission for your angels and Holy Spirit to manage our affairs 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)

Blog: http://sodbytye.blogspot.com/

Website: http://fmbs-inc-bytye.org/ 

Be Meek Always (4/23/12)

Greetings Everyone,

All honor and glory to God! I pray that yall had a wonderful weekend, and that you enjoy the rest of this week, sending praise God's way. Please keep Scuqaine (sa-qwaine) and Rahmaan (rock-mon) in prayer, as they recently suffered the loss of their father. 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."

On Friday, we were encouraged to STOP and THINK, BEFORE we speak or react. We learned that if we can control the small yet powerful component, that being our tongue, then complete self-control will flow easily. Proverbs 12:23 warns, "The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth. The wise don’t make a show of their knowledge, but fools broadcast their foolishness." Aside from dishonesty, there is something to be said about a boastful person. A genuine individual, a caring individual, and a true Christian is visibly evident WITHOUT having to go that extra mile to broadcast their good works. If you feel the need to advertise your good deeds, then perhaps you have ulterior intentions; perhaps your efforts are in vain, as your intent is to receive praise and recognition for being the way the Bible encourages us to be. But if that is a natural characteristic, then our wisdom would influence us to be meek about our deeds, and to work giving all honor and glory to God, NOT self. Your actions and reactions speak for themselves, no point in changing it up when you feel the spotlight is on you, because eventually, your cover will be blown. Be consistent; if you claim to be a Christian, then your actions should reflect Christ-like behavior even when you feel no one is looking (God help me). The reality is however, someone is always looking - GOD!

Prayer of the Day:

Father God we praise you for your grace and mercy, your love and continued protection. Lord we thank you for providing Scuqaine, Rahmaan, and other grieving family and friends with comfort and strength in their time of bereavement. 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 the development of meek qualities, that we may practice prudence at all times. We thank you for your spiritual guidance that leads us down a path of righteousness; thanking you that everything that we think, do, and say, may mimic your Son Christ Jesus, and be honorable, and acceptable to you. 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)

Blog: http://sodbytye.blogspot.com/

Website: http://fmbs-inc-bytye.org/ 

STOP and THINK (4/20/12)

Greetings Everyone,

TGIF! As you prepare for the weekend, please prioritize, be responsible, and God willing we will reconvene 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 were warned that liars, deceivers, manipulators, and evildoers in general, have corrupted themselves by the very own words of their mouth, and they will lead us down the wrong path too, if we allow them to. We were also encouraged to maintain truthful lips, speak NOTHING that isn't aligned with God's word, and to use the authority in our faith-filled words to speak life and positive outcomes into every circumstance. Proverbs 13:2-3 (NIV) states that, "From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things, but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence. Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin." If you claim to have self-control, but have yet to master the art of controlling what you say, then you still have some growing to do in that department. The things we say - Your words, can cut like a knife and destroy lives... ponder that. Defamation of character can destroy someone's professional status, lies and deceit can wrongfully accuse yet win, and when truth comes to light, the guilty liar is then labeled as untrustworthy. Let's look back at our focal passage, "the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches," if you plan to master self-control, start with your tongue. In Corps school in the Navy, when we'd have our practical exams, if we were about to miss a step the instructor would say, "Stop and Think..." BEFORE you speak or react, STOP and THINK. A disagreement usually starts with a verbal exchange and often escalates to something more physical. So, if you can control this small yet powerful component, then the rest will flow easily.

Prayer of the Day:

Father God we thank you for life, health, and strength. We thank you for giving us back the strength and faith in our ability to use our words to produce favorable outcomes. We thank you that we are redeemed, and are able to reverse the negativity we once spoke into existence. By the authority of our words, we deny the right of the enemy to exist in our lives. We thank you for restoring the years that we've spent in tears Father God. Hallelujah Father, we thank you that you are able. We thank you Father for being everything we need. We thank you that our worries are no more, that our struggles are no more, that our pain is no more, and that our suffering is no more. Father God we thank you for the ability to stand firm, even in the test of trials. We thank you for the discernment to know when the enemy is afoot, and for the strength to take control through our faith-filled words. We thank you that no weapon formed against us will prosper, and for your continued blessings of protection. This is our affirmation of faith Father God, we submit 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)

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