Scripture of the Week (SOW) formerly known as the Scripture of the Day (SOD): April 2016

Happy Sabbath everyone, I pray that all has been going well since our last fellowship. I know I missed the past few weeks, but it wasn't intentional, please charge it to my brain and not my heart. PRAYER REQUESTS: I have some struggles with punctuality and procrastination, I also am in need of either more clientele or a gainful and desireable job offer; please pray for me and my family as the Spirit leads. Also, let's remember one another in prayer, 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: On April 27th through the 29th, there will be a Mega Clinic at the LA Convention Center, which provides the following services to homeless, low-income, and other persons in need: medical, dental, eye care, surgery and support services including radiology, laboratory and pharmacy services (including eye glasses, prescriptions, etc.), plus preventive medicine, all completely FREE of charge. On tomorrow, Sunday the 17th, if you are considering a career in healthcare, Mt. Rubidoux Seventh-Day Adventist Church is sponsoring a FREE "Pathways to Success" seminar geared toward providing individuals a 1 on 1 insight into the heathcare career of their choice; if you or someone you know may be interested in attending this event, it's being held at 5320 Victoria Ave., Riverside, CA from 1:00 PM until 5:00 PM. Another cool event that I look forward to attending is the 2016 Camp Meeting being held at the Riverside Convention Center on July 8th & 9th; Gospel artists Anthony Brown & Group Therapy will be performing there on Saturday, July 9th at 5:00 PM (for more information on that, visit http://seccblackmin.adventistfaith.org). Lastly, as a reminder, my non-profit organization, Fostering Mind, Body, and Soul Incorporated, is still in need of NEW and DEDICATED members and volunteers, as well as matrial contributions and/or monetary donations to assist in our day-to-day operations. We expressly appreciate EVERY physical (time) and/or material contribution as well as EVERY monetary donation, no matter how big or small; your contributions and donations assist us in our mission to help people in need, locally. To arrange a donation or contribution, contact me at any time via email or phone and/or through the PayPal link located on our website (listed below under Join Our Cause). Another way to contribute is through the Ralph's/Food 4 Less Community Contribution Program (details available upon request). Don't forget that you may also give back by joining my team of volunteers and members for a permanent role or for specific events (for more info, contact me). Your continued support is always appreciated. Please keep spreading the word. #SOW

HEALTHY LIVING TIPS:

Change begins within… For FREE workout routines that can be done in the comfort of your own home with little to no equipment or in-home equipment alternatives, and for FREE meal plans and motivation, check out http://Hasfit.com. "If you're looking for a sign to go workout, this is it. GO NOW" (Hasfit.com).

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: "Experience enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again" (Franklin P. Jones). I'm no theological scholar, and even if I were a pastor or an expert in God's word, I would still advise you NEVER to take someone else's word 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 week.

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, Amen!

PASSAGE – GALATIANS 3:13-28 (NIV):

"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole." He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ. What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in His grace gave it to Abraham through a promise. Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one. Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

**Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible; retrieved from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage**

REFLECTIONS:

The Triple Ls: Law=Love=Lord; to follow God's law is to love => to love is to have faith in the Lord => the Lord is Love and He is also the Law (refer to I John 4:8 and Galatians 3:13); when we love God and place our trust in Him, we invoke our desire to love, and in turn we will naturally keep His laws out of our own desire, NOT because we feel forced to. Have you ever been in any type of relationship where you felt forced to do something for the other person(s) involved, in hopes to somehow prove your affection or loyalty to them? For instance, in a marriage to someone who subjects you to a list of demands, you feel forced to fulfill your husbandly or wifely duties out of fear of losing the love and/or companionship of that individual. However, a relationship between the average parent and child, renders compliance out of love and respect for the parent. We have been taught however, to believe that God is a dictator - a disciplinarian, and that in order to gain His favor, in order to be saved and remain saved, we have to keep His commands. But if that were truly the case, why did He give us the FREE WILL and CHOICE to obey or disobey His will? If the aforementioned teachings had any validity whatsoever, then God would not be the embodiment of love that He proclaims to be; The Word tells us that "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance" (I Corinthians 13:4-7, NLT); How can God be both Love and a dictator when by definition, Love "does NOT demand its own way"?

God does admonish us of consequences that come from our disobedience, but His promise is that our salvation comes through our FAITH NOT our works (see Ephesians 2:8); there is NOTHING we can think, do, or say to gain favor in the eyes of the Lord, except to have FAITH (read Hebrews 11 - whole chapter). Once we have fully accepted the Resurrection for what it means for us - SALVATION - then He places the Law in our hearts (refer to Hebrews 10:16). As we are transformed by the Word, our desires will gradually fall in line with the Word of God. If you are trying to convince yourself that you truly love God and are a good servant for His Kingdom, ask yourself this: "Have I changed?" If you are still the same person you were before you found God, if the pleasures of your heart are still self-centered and outweigh your decisions to abide in the Lord and to do what you know is right, then TRULY YOU CANNOT claim to be a lover of Christ, or a true Christian for that matter. The true definition of a Christian is to be Christ-like, and if your behaviors have yet to transform into those that FALL IN LINE WITH THE WORD OF GOD, then with all honesty, you cannot proclaim to be Christ-like or Christian. That's a hard pill to swallow, I know firsthand, but it's the truth and it's in His word (refer to Romans 2:15, Romans 12:2, and I John 4:20-21; 5:1-4). The ONLY similarities a marriage with Christ has with a legal marriage to another human being, is that we are bound by the law of that union until death. Unfortunately, the devil gets off on trying to confuse the masses to distract us from what God has in store for us. The Word of God tells us that in a marriage, we are "bound by the law... so as long as" we "liveth" (Romans 7:2). In that same respect, once we have committed ourselves to following Christ, then we are bound to Him in life, because in death we "know NOT anything" (Ecclesiastes 9:5).

Anyone who knows my journey from attending Sunday churches to now attending Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) churches, knows that I have a real issue with some of the pastors in these churches; there are some who tend to focus too much on the "doctrine" of Ellen G. White rather than the doctrine of God. Ironically, SDA churches are pegged in a "cult" category. Without my firsthand experiences, I would probably agree to the same. However, the doctrine - THE BIBLE - GOD'S DOCTRINE reveals to us that the Sabbath day was a gift that God gave to Adam and Eve and ALL of humanity in the beginning when there was NO such thing as denominations and churches (Genesis 2:3); the Sabbath day IS NOT a day designated for Jewish people, it's designed for us to REST IN THE LORD (refer to Hebrews 4:4-11)- it's our 4th commandment (see Exodus 20:8-11). I'm going to go off subject really quick to clear up any confusion, I AM NON-DENOMINATIONAL; the Bible tells us that there is "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism" (Ephesians 4:5), which means that the denominations are what separates the Church; the Church being ALL of God's followers, NOT the building at which we attend services. I just prefer to attend Seventh-Day Adventist churches because I am most fed there, plus I do accept and believe the Sabbath to be from Friday's sunset until Saturday's sunset. Here's why, aside from all the paganism and commercial gimmicks associated with Easter, most people acknowledge Easter Sunday as the celebration of the death and resurrection of Christ, right? Well, one of the things that has remained intact is the calendar... take a look at any calendar and peep which day is the 1st and which is the 7th. Now, let's turn to John 20:1, Mary Magdalene reached Jesus' tomb on "the FIRST day of the week... when it was yet dark" and she noticed that Jesus was missing from the tomb (see John 20:2). As she wept, Jesus appeared to her and to the disciples (see John 20:11-23) - He was resurrected. Thursday and Friday mornings are the typical preparation times for Sabbath observers to get everything in order. If Jesus rose on the 3rd day, then that leaves me to believe that He died on Friday. Why? Because the Word states in John 19:28-31 (NIV), "Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "'I am thirsty.'" A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When He had received the drink, Jesus said, "'It is finished.'" With that, He bowed His head and gave up His Spirit. Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the... bodies taken down." If we acknowledge that Jesus' resurrection was on Sunday, and the BIBLE and the calendar both say that Sunday is the FIRST day of the week, how then can Sunday be our Sabbath - SEVENTH-DAY - and be the day that He was resurrected? Although the previously mentioned scriptures point to the Jews and their observing the Sabbath, let us recall that in the Book of Genesis long BEFORE denominations, ALL were given the Sabbath day to observe as a means of REST.

OK, let's get back on track, Ellen G. White was a prophet in her day and she is NOT like the Mormon John Smith, who developed his own biblical doctrine, she simply wrote books that prophesy and attest to what the BIBLE says. That being said, Ellen G. White reminds us that "By His PERFECT obedience He has satisfied ALL the claims of the law." Prior to Jesus' death and resurrection, we were trying to obey the commandments to obtain salvation. However, after Jesus became the "Resurrection" (see John 11:25), He also became the Law. Contrary to popular teachings in the Sunday churches, THE LAW WAS NOT DONE AWAY WITH ON THE CROSS (refer to Galatians 3:13-28). Rather, once we accept the Resurrection, the Law now becomes a part of us - the Law is embedded in our hearts so that we are compelled through our LOVE for CHRIST to OBEY HIM. The old covenant (law) before Christ, required us to go through spiritual cleansing to be forgiven and to receive salvation. Whereas the new covenant (Law), is what Christ embodied upon His resurrection, which solidified salvation for ALL of humanity through FAITH (refer to II Corinthians 3:4-7, Titus 2:14 and Romans 10:9). It is our responsibility to understand the new covenant and to embrace it. In the old covenant, we may or may not have done what was right, and when we did, it was because we felt we had to in order to gain God's favor. In the new covenant however, we now have something within us that revolts us to NOT do things that are ill, bad, or wrong. Simplified, you can use the following analogy that Pastor Seth Yelorda gave during his sermon on April 2, 2016, "A Tale of Two Marriages," in which this lesson is piggybacked from; think of the Triple Ls like this... the law was our tutor, teaching us what righteousness is, Jesus was our example of that righteousness, and through His resurrection and our acceptance thereof, we can embrace the new covenant which reveals that we are NOT made right by what we do, rather, we ARE MADE RIGHT BY WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE. As we grow in LOVE with the LORD, we will automatically be compelled to obey His LAW.

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 give us a stronger desire to love and to seek you more, and to develop an intimate relationship with you by spending more time in your Word and applying your will to our lives. Please bless Tylesha, her loved ones, and everyone else in our fellowship who may be struggling with punctuality, procrastination, gainful employment and sustaining adequate finances; Lord close the doors that require closing and open new ones that will supply our innermost need, and prayerfully meet our desires as they fall in line with your will. 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 matchless name of Yeshua, Amen!