Scripture of the Week (SOW) formerly known as the Scripture of the Day (SOD): Tear Down the Altars (1/16/2016)

Hello everyone, although I'm starting this lesson on the Sabbath, yall won't receive it until later in the evening or maybe even Sunday. Anyway, I hope yall have had a wonderful week thus far, and even more so, I hope that everyone has been on the right path to gaining and/or maintaining momentum toward establishing solutions for issues that have an effect on ourselves as well as strangers around us. If not, no worries, maybe this lesson will help you figure out how to better achieve momentum. One of the ways we can do this is my tearing down the altars we have in our lives - "altars" being anyone and anything in our lives that we dedicate more time to than God - which we will cover more in this lesson. 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: Direction, momentum, and the release of any altars we've elevated in our lives - we are all in need of that. 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: Remember my encouragement to always read the lesson in its entirety? Today you're about to find out why. I'm about to share some information regarding an event and volunteer opportunity that if shared, may prove beyond beneficial to someone you may or may not know. With this information in hand, I encourage you to share not only among people you know and love, but strangers and associates, because who's to say whether or not someone you pass along the way is in need of some FREE assistance? So here's an EPIC opportunity for you to give back: Pathway to Health (888-44-Pathway [447-284929] more than 7 digits, I know, but it's the correct number because I called and verified it myself) is facilitating a Mega Clinic on April 27-29 in Los Angeles, CA at the LA Convention Center; there is a need for 3,000 volunteers, so you and your entire family can sign-up to offer assistance or specialized services; they are offering FREE health care to people with a financial disposition, ranging from eye exams/eye glasses, prescriptions, ultrasounds, lab testing, heart monitoring, physical therapy, medical massage, dental treatments and much more - EVERYTHING FOR FREE. Let me reiterate their need for three thousand (3,000) volunteers from various health professions, as well as ANYONE else who is willing to contribute in some way to this event. All you need to do is to call the aforementioned number, visit http://PathwaytoHealthVolunteer.org or text "Rubi Pathway" (minus the quotation marks) to 67076, and they will send you the link to sign-up and volunteer. I've also attached a photo of the volunteer flyer for your convenience. I challenge you to consider volunteering at this event, and/or to at least spread the word to someone who may be an asset to or may benefit from the Mega Clinic. This is your opportunity to give back.

HEALTHY LIVING TIPS:

Change begins within… If you intend to change your eating habits, one of the best ways to facilitate that process is to start by weeding out certain unhealthy choices such as junk food and sugars and proceeding with a detox cleanse to help shift your palate. Then, as you continue with ridding yourself of bad food choices, introduce the replacement foods (healthy food choices). For instance, if your goal is to stop eating fatty and/or red meats, then you should first start by say, cutting out the bacon and ham in exchange for turkey. Or, if you're trying to become a vegetarian or vegan like I am, then you would want to avoid going cold-turkey in an effort to bypass failure, and slowly begin eliminating meat by replacing it with plant-based protein. It's all about educating yourself on the goals that you are trying to obtain. You may have a dream, but without the knowledge or know-how, then you can't possibly expect to bring your dream into fruition. There is a such thing as trial by error, but you have to know where to start to even get to that point. So, I'll probably spend the next few healthy living tips discussing various ways to cleanse our bodies. Today, I introduce to you lemons... "Lemons are a powerful fruit that pack a kick. They are filled with flavor, while delivering an extra blast of vitamin C and enzymes to your diet. Lemon has been associated with boosting liver function and tissue regeneration, which is helpful while cleansing as the liver is our main detoxifying organ. Coffee dries out your skin and dehydration is a major energy-sapper so skip your coffee to avoid energy loss. To maximize cleansing benefits, get into the habit of drinking one hot mug of water with the juice of half a lemon squeezed in first thing in the morning. Refresh yourself throughout the day with cool lemon water. Something sweeter more your speed? Feel free to throw in some stevia or xylitol for a lighter taste with the same benefits. To really cash in on the goodness of lemons, spritz a mix of lemon, apple cider vinegar, stevia (and sea salt/pepper to taste) on all your greens for the day" (Snyder, K. (2011, September 13). The one day cleanse [Web log comment]. Retrieved from http://kimberlysnyder.com/blog/2011/09/13/the-one-day-cleanse/).

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… Ponder this: "I do not at all understand the mystery of grace - only that it meets us where we are but does not leave us where it found us" (Anne Lamott). 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. 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 – JAMES 1:21-22:

"Wherefore lay apart [put away] all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness [overflow of wickedness], and receive with meekness [humility] the engrafted [implanted] word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."

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

REFLECTIONS:

Let's recap what we've been learning about vision (master goal) and momentum (driving force) so far. Once you have a clear direction for your life, you must authenticate that vision with God; God will NEVER evoke a vision in you that is not in harmony with with His word, so before making a claim or an assumption that your idea is an idea or plan from God, MAKE SURE that your goals - vision - are aligned with that which is in the Word. For example, if your vision involves being a famous celebrity or a multi-millionaire by way of the lottery, then you should consider what your conscious is telling you. Our conscious is the Holy Spirit trying to guide us in the right direction (refer to John 16:8), so if your inner spirit is telling you to stop hanging with the "wrong crowd" just because they are your "hommies", or gives you the urge to stay out of the club or "party scene" just because it's "poppin", there's probably a reason behind it. You may need to realize that God is trying to show you a path that doesn't take a lifetime to reach when you follow HIS master plan. Why learn the hard way? Been there, done that. I have regrets, yet I don't. Here's the deal, sometimes we are allowed to fail in life so that we can be prepared for the life that GOD initially had in store for us before we tried to do things guided by selfish desires. Then again, we may have failed because the path we took wasn't the one God led us to in the first place. So, before exercising your vision, make sure that you have God's permission to do so - if your plans fall out of sync with His Word and has to be forced to make it fit into your lifestyle, then it's NOT ordained by the Lord.

Now that we have the vision down packed, let's move on to momentum... momentum is that driving force that helps you reach your goals. In order to see your vision in fruition, you must be driven. Whether a follower of Christ or not, people from all backgrounds have had enough passion and commitment to set their vision into motion: Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi, Madam C. J. Walker, Walt Disney, Nelson Mandela, Helen Keller, Ray Charles, Hamilton Naki, Martin Luther King Jr., and the list goes on. All of those individuals shared the characteristic of faith - they believed in something so much that it fueled their passion and helped them maintain their focus of success. How well do you see your vision? After authenticating your vision with God, you must be able to clearly see the end result or the bigger picture. However, along the way to success, you have to start from the bottom to get to the top. There is no such thing as an elevator to success, there are only STEPS. Having momentum gives you the ability to maintain focus on your goal and to take every necessary step to reach the top. Yet, in the process of reaching for our goals, we must never forget NOT to neglect our welfare - keep your body and mind right so that you have the energy and desire to keep on keepin on. Most importantly, once you have discerned God's vision - His master plan - for your life, then it is imperative for you to AVOID allowing others to dictate where God has called you to be. In the process of affirming and authenticating your vision, there may be some people and things in your life that you MUST get rid of in order to find success.

We've reached the point in our lesson that ties into the title - Tear Down the Alters... Unless you have a literal altar in your home, then this term is obviously a metaphorical reference. When you think of an altar, you may visualize a raised structure with a flat surface used to perform sacrificial offerings for religious purposes. But as a metaphor, what comes to mind? We'll, delve into this concept of altars a little further. In biblical times, people built altars in reverence of other so-called deities or gods (refer to Hosea 8:11; II Kings 23:15; II Kings 21:3; Jeremiah 11:13). In I Kings 16:32, the Bible tells us how Ahab had erected "an altar for Baal"; Baal was believed to be the god who brought the rains and bountiful harvests. So individuals like Ahab in those days gave reverence to various gods, attributing their blessings to the "gods" whose so-called abilities correspond to the specific blessing. For instance, a woman may have worshiped and prayed to the fertility god Priapus when trying to conceive. Let's think about the people and things that we pay more reverence to, spend more time with, or value more than we value God... Some of you may be saying that you don't put anyone or anything above God, but reconsider... How much time do you spend using technology (e.g. computers, tablets, etc.), watching TV, shopping, hanging out with your significant other vs. the time you spend reading God's word, going to church, paying your tithes and volunteering your time to people in need? Does your second list supersede the first? Truly consider what altars you have erected that are NOT dedicated to your relationship with God. Do you spend hours catching up on trash TV [reality TV] like I used to? Do you spend hours on Facebook, Twitter, Snap Chat, or even just spend a significant chunk of time throughout each day on social media posting pics, viewing timelines, etc.? Two of the things I now realize are altars that I have erected in my life are procrastination and worrying; I have spent more time in my life procrastinating and worrying about how to get out of consequences resulting thereof, than I have studying the Word of God. I challenge you to think about the crowd you surround yourself with. Pastor Kelly quoted something last Sabbath and this one, from a man whose name escapes me, that "you are the average of the people you hang out with." Who are the top 5 people you kick-it with? Assess their qualities and characteristics to see if they fall in line with the Word of God. Determine whether or not those 5 people are on the same path as you; the vision doesn't have to be the same, but I believe the momentum does. If the top 5 people you hang with are NOT doing anything productive with their lives, they do NOT help encourage and foster growth and change in you or themselves, or, they do NOT strive for a closer relationship with God, then it's time to tear down that "altar" of friendship. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying fully abandon them, because the message of God they receive may come from you. However, if you have allowed yourself to be the average of all their negative or unproductive characteristics, then you have sentenced yourself to a path that leads nowhere; the people we surround ourselves with influence who we are and how we behave, so if the people you hang with more often than not are individuals with no real direction, then expect that your life is not too far off from them. The reason two people grow apart is typically because one person embraces change and allows him or herself to advance, while the other chooses to be stuck in the past or to remain stagnant in their current position. For example, that female you know who has a child or children, yet finds herself in the club or on the social scene every weekend instead of taking care of home, has her priorities mixed up. That male who is married but spends more time with his boys than his wife, has life screwed up. My last example would be the "hommies" that still want to take "kick-back" to the extreme, by literally kicking back more than they are productive (e.g. smoking and drinking every day or until they pass out). Pastor Kelly explained it well, "who you are walking with will cause you to live a lifestyle consistently like theirs". The totality of our lives should be spent consistently with God so that our priorities are in order. Consistency in our walk with God gives us our momentum to lead a successful life. What is success? Honestly, the definition varies depending on the individual providing its explanation. However, I want to define success using a few biblical references: walk with God daily (refer to Noah's walk in Genesis 6); study the Bible every day (refer to Joshua 1:7-8) - STUDY, don't limit yourself to mere reading of the Word, fore it's fundamental to our ability to effectively share and discuss God's Gospel with others; compliment others; embrace change (refer to Daniel's adaptation in Daniel 1:9-16) - the message in the Bible centers around CHANGE, to believe in and accept Christ as savior makes us "new" (refer to II Corinthians 5:17); forgive others; talk about ideas (refer to Exodus 18:13-21); continuous learning - this along with reading, develops our intellect, increases our memory, and keeps us educated and informed; have a sense of gratitude; set goals and develop plans. Those principles of success are riddled throughout the Bible in many stories and even the parables Jesus told His disciples. But if those are principles of success, what does unsuccessful look like? Basically the total opposite - instead, one: walks with everyone else; watches TV hours on end daily; criticizes; fears change; holds grudges; talk about people (gossip); thinks they know it all; sense of entitlement; never sets goals. In all honesty, looking at your life right now, would you consider yourself more successful or more unsuccessful? If the unsuccessful characteristics outweigh the successful ones, perhaps it's time for us to reevaluate our lifestyles to determine if our relationships, the music we listen to, the TV we watch, our lack of productivity, our vanity or doubt - basically anyone or anything - consumes our time more than God. If so, then it's fine time to TEAR DOWN THOSE ALTARS.

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 as you reveal and focus our visions, continue to provide direction, help us to maintain momentum, and most importantly, give us the courage to tear down any altars that we've erected in our lives. 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!