Scripture of the Week (SOW) formerly known as the Scripture of the Day (SOD): Gaining Momentum (1/9/2016)

Happy Sabbath! I hope everyone took time to reflect on the fact that setting "new year's resolutions" does NOT solve problems. Resolutions should be be a solution to our personal problem, which in turn has an ability to impact others outside of self; Momentum can be defined as "driving power or strength" (momentum. (n.d.). Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. Retrieved January 09, 2016 from Dictionary.com website http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/momentum) - establish a SOLUTION that triggers your momentum so much so, that your change not only influences self, your solution influences others to BE BETTER also. One of the praise team members gave this analogy at church today, "if you want to lose some weight, buying a gym membership will not help you lose weight, it's your mindset." If your mind has not been changed to focus on visualizing a new body, then a "resolution" to join a gym or to diet, will NOT elicit results. Once your focus is on a solution, we're using healthy lifestyle changes as our example, then your mindset - your vision - will trigger the "drive" you've been missing in your failed attempts at annual resolutions; consciously eating better, physically engaging in exercise (no pain, no gain), avoiding certain toxins such as alcohol, tobacco products, etc. will all lead to the fit/healthy/changed body that you've envisioned. Upon finally keeping that momentum, your results and testimony will encourage others to take heed. In today's lesson, we will further evaluate this idea of gaining momentum. I encourage you to always read the Scripture of the Week (SOW) in its entirety, though some sections are typically unchanging, it effectively covers significant information that is worth reading; skipping sections may cause you to miss the intended message Yahweh was trying to convey to you or the person you share this with. PRAYER REQUESTS: As we allow God to focus our visions, let us pray that our loved ones will be encouraged through our obedience to seek your guidance in our individual solutions, while we all gain momentum in our pursuits thereof. Continue to pray for one another as the Spirit leads, thanking Yahweh for the victory while refraining from confessing the problem caused by the enemy; ALWAYS pray for your desired result, NOT the unfavorable outcome (refer to the book The Tongue – A Creative Force, by Charles Capps). ANNOUNCEMENTS: If you're looking for a way to give back to the community, one option involves providing material contributions or monetary donations to assist my non-profit organization, Fostering Mind, Body, and Soul Incorporated, with its day-to-day operations. Arrangements can be made with me at any time via email or phone and/or through the PayPal link located on our website (listed below under Join Our Cause) or through the the Ralph's/Food 4 Less Community Contribution Program (details available upon request). Another way to give back is by joining my team of volunteers or members for a permanent role or specific events (for more info, contact me). Your continued support is always appreciated. Please keep spreading the word.

HEALTHY LIVING TIPS:

Change begins within… Since our example has been relative to weight loss and a "new body", I would like to share with you again Coach Kozak's FREE motivational quotes, FREE fitness routines and FREE nutrition guides, which can be viewed at http://hasfit.com/. Instead of paying for a costly gym membership that you may or may not fully take advantage of, in the privacy and comfort of your own home, the HASfit website listed above offers comprehensive workouts, meal plans and even motivation for FREE. The only one standing in the way of your change is your mindset. You say "I need to lose weight" or, "I need to eat better" but what exactly are you doing to reach that goal - what is your solution? Working-out is one of my least favorite things to do, but I have exercised despite my lack of desire. Why? Because I refuse to shop for new clothes due to weight gain. My momentum was always from a vision: in my first year at Culver City High, it was to do well in basketball and to avoid being punished with extra physical fitness outside of practice; in the military, it was to pass my PRT (physical readiness test) and to avoid extra physical fitness outside of my own controlled work-out regimen; in past years, it was to look good in the new two-piece I would purchase each year for my annual pool parties; now, although I still don't care for working-out, I don't like shopping and therefore prefer to maintain my current dress size so that I can wear my clothes until the wheels fall off. As I've matured so had my momentum to work-out... I now think about the possibility that if a world war broke out tomorrow, and I needed to survive, would my physical strength add to or take away from my survival? I now want to have a flat belly for me, but more importantly than that, I want to be able to bounce-back into shape whenever I am blessed to give birth to children; I want to be strong enough to pull my own weight, if my family and I have to seek shelter in the hills, once the new agenda uses coercion to dictate national worship that goes against what God's Word has already established; I want to feel better all the way around and the vision I have of myself is what drives me to achieving that goal, and as I work on mine, I am able to encourage those around me. My challenge for you: if a healthy lifestyle is your vision - your goal - then it's time to actually visualize the outcome, and allow that to be enough momentum (drive, strength) to help you achieve, NO MATTER what anyone else says or does, it is YOU who has to make up in your mind that YOU want to see a NEW YOU. If someone says you cannot do it, if someone says genetics won't let you do it, if someone says you don't have the right body build to achieve it, if someone says you don't have enough will power, let me be the one to say YOU CAN DO IT! With CHRIST ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE (refer to Philippians 4:13), and if you need some proof, I can show you someone from every shape and every challenge who will be a testimony to that. The only one holding you back is you. Visit http://hasfit.com/ and select your LIFE CHANGING program TODAY!

JOIN OUR CAUSE: Fostering Mind, Body, and Soul Incorporated (FMBS Inc.) is on a never-ending quest to locate deserving individuals to extend our services to. Therefore we are always in need of monetary donations and/or contributions of hygiene items, sealed snacks, bottled water, winter items (gloves, scarves, blankets), mini bibles, etc.; our YEAR-ROUND mission is to serve homeless and/or needy individuals and families in underprivileged communities throughout Southern California. We are successful because of YOUR continued support. Please continue to back us up through participation, and/or by encouraging others to join our cause!

For more information about our organization, visit our website at http://www.fmbs-inc-bytye.org and/or add our Facebook page, Fostering Mind, Body, and Soul Incorporated (and/or Fostering Mindbodyandsoul), and follow us on Twitter @FMBSInc. On behalf of myself and my team of volunteers, I thank you in advance. ~Tylesha "Tye" Allen, CEO/Founder, FMBS Inc. Est. 2012~

BE ENCOURAGED: NEVER lose sight of God in the midst of adversity… Whether you receive your information from a theological scholar, a pastor, or an expert in God's word, I urge you NEVER to take someone else's word, even mine for that matter, as solid truth; "Study to show thyself approved" (II Timothy 2:15), and CHALLENGE EVERYTHING by comparing it to the Word of God. If what you see, hear or read does NOT fall in line with the Word of God, then it is NOT truth... The rest of this day isn't promised, let alone tomorrow, so why not strengthen your faith TODAY? Feed your body healthy nutrition, be cautious of what things you allow your eyes, ears, and spirit to be exposed to (e.g. media, books, TV, music, etc.) so that YOU can start anew and become a better you NOW, not later. Ponder this: "If you don't have solid beliefs, you cannot build a stable life. Beliefs are like the foundation of a building, and they are the foundation to build your life upon" (Alfred A. Montapert). Have a blessed rest of the weekend.

Yahweh, please clear our minds and open our eyes, ears, and hearts so that we may see, hear, and receive your intended message from this fellowship. In the name of Yeshua (Jesus), Amen!

PASSAGE – JUDGES 6:16-18:

"And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man. And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me. Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again."

***Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible***

REFLECTIONS:

In order to find a solution to a problem or to address an issue, you must be bothered by it in the first place. Sometimes we see homeless people and instead of giving them some "spare change" as they have asked, we speculate about their lives and what led to their homelessness. We assume they are lazy or on drugs, inconsiderate to the possibility that some crook bamboozled them out of their life savings, a natural disaster claimed their home, the prison life failed to do its job to actually rehabilitate, or perhaps they had an inconsiderate spouse who kicked them to the curb without anyone else in their corner. For the percent of the homeless who are in the aforementioned position, at no fault of their own, how many of us are brokenhearted about it? I said, "brokenhearted"; if there were as many people who were actually brokenhearted by homelessness, let's just say in our own community, as it were people willing to give a dollar here and there, we would have impacted our communities with a solution. How? Because enough of us cared enough to ACT. Being brokenhearted (deeply bothered) about a cause is enough momentum to get us DO SOMETHING about the problem. That woman or man who was in an abusive relationship and got out, was able to do that because their heartbreak was enough to drive them to get out of harm's way. Malcolm X was troubled after his pilgrimage to Mecca. He realized his error in adopting the racists ways of his mentors, and renounced those teachings, ditched his racial discrimination, and was able to establish his own Muslim mosque. Malcolm X's discovery of unity in his pilgrimage was the momentum he needed to break free from racism; he was able to eliminate racial discrimination while still standing up for African American rights. Malcolm X realized that it was through unity among masses, that generated the most change. What if Malcolm X had not experienced a pilgrimage? His mentality would still be that of a racist activist. It is CHANGE in our MINDSET that conjures momentum, but there are several steps to gaining momentum.

Today at church we had a guest speaker, Devon Franklin (http://producedbyfaith.com/), break-down some of the steps to gaining momentum: 1) Conditioning (how well you see your future); 2) Servitude (how well you serve others); 3) Body/Temple (keeping your body/mind right). Devon (age 37) explained that at the ripe age of 18, despite how and where others saw his future, God pressed upon him a vision that he first put into fruition through words. When asked by Bill Clinton what he wanted to do in his life, without thought he said "I want to be an entertainment mogul" - the WORD was set into motion. According to the book of Genesis, this world came into existence by God's Word. John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." So we condition ourselves - our vision - first by preparing ourselves for the task at hand (confessing and focusing our goals on the results we desire). We have to be able to clearly see where we want to be in our future. However, as Pastor Kelly (P.K.) admonished, "there is a difference between good ideas and God ideas". So amidst that conditioning, before we place the stamp of God on our vision - our goals - we should be making sure that it is Him that calls us to that solution rather than self or someone else. P.K. said that "most of us [notice I didn't say you], have bad ideas and put a God stamp on it in order to move forward." That means that we chose a job, a home, relocation, a relationship, or something else on the strength of our own desires; despite having been shown the warning signs, having had doors closed, we rationalize it using God. If you're in a volatile relationship because you think God wants you to change someone, YOU CAN'T CHANGE anyone, so that's NOT God. P.K. reminds us that God's Word will "never pass away" (Matthew 24:35), so He will NEVER alter or steer away from His Word to accommodate a vision; when God uses you, He will not go against His Word to do so. Since we have no authority to change anyone, all we can do is share the Gospel, and what someone does with that information is their own responsibility. Consider this, how does living above your means benefit any causes led by God? If your vision is to buy a whole line of Gucci luggage, to purchase and drive an $80,000 car, or to ball out to you fall out everywhere you go, ask yourself, "where does God fit in?" God's Word warns against being in debt (refer to Romans 13:8), so a "God idea" would be one that doesn't have debt collectors ringing your line. I'm going to be straight up, I have made a gang of bad decisions and just as many of those I've tried to attribute to God, only to be slapped into reality years later. Why even allow yourself to get to that point? - CONDITION yourself so that you are prepared, aware of where God wants you to be and how He wants you to get to that point, and move ONLY when you are sure it is Him who speaks to you. In Judges chapter 2, you see the downfall of the children of Israel as they strayed away from God. Then in chapter 6, you see how God appointed Gideon to bring order to those people, because Gideon was heartbroken enough to want to do something about the issue at hand. Gideon's momentum was on, but he wanted to make sure that it wasn't self that drove him, he asked God, "show me a sign that it is You who speaks with me" (Judges 6:17, AMP). Gideon did NOT move in any plan until he was certain that it was God who ordained it. Don't rush into your vision/solution, "authenticate" (P.K.) your vision first, and instead of making assumptions about the burning in your heart, make sure your vision falls in line with God's master plan for the world; determine how your vision/solution will help not only yourself, but how will it put a dent in society, and if that can attest to the many principles outlined in the Bible, then and only then, you may put the stamp of God on it and move forward.

Devon advised, "stop letting your frustrations affect your current production." He said it took him 20 years to run his own company, starting as an assistant to someone else - servitude. Whether you like your boss or not, you have to uphold the duties of your position. Looking back on it now, I realize that in the past, I hindered myself from advancements because I allowed bitter individuals and incompetent people from a previous job negatively affect my work ethic as a result of my frustrations; I wasn't considered for certain positions and let me tell it, they were the ones at fault, not me. Look, P.K. shared with us in a previous sermon, that every level of work prepares us for the next. So when we work with our vision in mind, serving (working hard for) people who are less than ideal or deserving, it only prepares us for the next step in our advancement. Is that kissing butt? No, that's choosing your battles wisely, and sticking to the nature of your duties; liking your coworkers is NOT in any job description, so work hard at level one, so that you can make it to level two. In order to make successful steps, you have to be driven enough and committed enough to pursue said steps. Devon said it like this, "stop waiting on the elevator... take the staircase". Like a staircase, visions involve taking STEPS, so expecting to make it to the top without having first taken one step at a time, would be setting yourself up for failure. How though can we even make a step without the energy and drive to do so? When you consider your mind, body, and soul by nourishing those aspects physically and spiritually, you equip yourself with the energy and motivation needed to succeed. Everyday you should wake up in fellowship with God and then affirm your vision, to help you maintain your focus. As you move through each step in gaining momentum, in keeping it, you must "pace yourself and be patient with the process" (Devon Franklin).

Still confused on how discern whether or not your vision is a "God idea", good or bad idea? Consider this: How does your vision represent the principles outlined in the Bible?; Does your vision benefit other people that are not in your inner circle?; How does your vision require self change? And if you still have some reservations about gaining and maintaining momentum, you need to realize that once you accept a changed mindset is the first step in achieving a solution, then "God will systematically REMOVE people from your life who will not get you where you need to be" (P.K.). Pastor Kelly suggested that we determine the following, and I'm paraphrasing: what our ideal self looks like; if the people we hang out with most possess the same qualities we are trying to achieve in self; whether or not the people and things we surround ourselves with enhance or hinder our ability to achieve our vision; who are some people who embody the qualities we desire to achieve, and how we can increase our contact with them in an effort to create a "new core circle", if the one we currently have is not on the same path to reaching our vision. Whatever level you're on right now, live it successfully as you condition yourself to be where you want to be, but make sure that destination is destined by God first. DO NOT allow anyone or anything to dictate where God has called you to be. If GOD has truly ordered your steps, you will find success: through conditioning, servitude, patience, focus, commitment, your ordered steps will help you reach every level that you have been called to. "NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE" (Devon Franklin). It was not the Word that made our universe so, it was God's BELIEF in that word that created the Heavens and Earth. So as God reveals your vision, accept it, speak it into existence as you picture what the end result will be, and as you visualize the end you manifest the outcome through your faith (belief) that you will be successful in achieving what God has called you to.

POWER IN PRAYER:

Yahweh we thank you for life, health, and strength. Thank you for providing the courage and strength we need to remove the guilt we've placed on self, and for removing every negative thought that has held us captive in our own minds. Lord please reveal and focus our visions, and allow our loved ones to be encouraged through our obedience. Help us to seek your guidance in our individual solutions, while we gaining and maintaining momentum in our pursuits thereof. We thank you for transforming our image into one that mirrors Jesus, so that His goodness is reflected in all that we do. Thanks for blessing each of us with a double portion of your Spirit, and for closing every unnecessary door that is open in our lives. Thanks for opening supernatural doors to peace, prosperity, clarity, contentment, and happiness. We thank you for providing each of us with the clear and concise revelations we need in order to overcome the adversary. Please continue to help us see, hear, and feel your presence through every trial and tribulation, and for discernment to know the difference between your will vs. our own desires. We take back everything the enemy has stolen from us, and bind every evil and malicious plot, plan and scheme devised against us, in the matchless name of Jesus. We grant your angels permission to do our bidding on earth, and thank you for protecting us from its recourse. For everyone and everything we have failed to pray for, we ask that you do not fail to address the concern. This is our affirmation of faith Yahweh, we submit our petition to you, and claim all these things in the name of Yeshua, Amen!