PRAISE REPORTS: My aunt was choking and my uncle, who normally keeps the door locked when he’s shaving, left the door open. She was able to open the door for help and he was able to successfully perform the Heimlich Maneuver to save her life... The fact that you’re reading this message means that you’ve been blessed as well, with another moment of life, not to mention, functioning senses. Thank you, Yeshua! If you have a specific praise report, please share, because we “overcame him [the adversary] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of [our] testimony” (Revelation 12:11). **NOTE: All praise reports are shared with reference to your name unless anonymity is specified**
PRAYER REQUESTS: Let’s remember Wayne and my cousin Shamika in prayer; both are experiencing life-threatening health issues. Keep praying for one another, 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; you can purchase your copy here https://goo.gl/qf4rxB). If you or someone you know needs prayer, let me know, and your request will be added to the following SOW. **NOTE: All prayer requests are shared with reference to your name and need unless anonymity is specified**
BE ENCOURAGED: NEVER lose sight of God in amidst of adversity… Ponder this: “those who are FREE OF resentful thoughts surely find peace” (Budda). I'm no theological scholar, and even if I were a pastor or an expert on God's word, I would still advise you NEVER to take someone else's word as solid truth; "Study to show thyself approved" (2 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 true... 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, rather than later.
FEATURED SONGS OF PRAISE: "Glorious" by Martha Munizzi, you can listen to it here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kp5xQJvKKe0) “Love" by God’s Property, you can listen to it here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLezBXk-cuo). I would also like to recommend Classical for Studying Radio on Pandora to better facilitate your meditation on the Word as you study, you can listen to that station here https://www.pandora.com/station/play/2639311889517434029.
OPENING PRAYER: 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(S) – EPHESIANS (NIV): “15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
**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: We are the living examples of God’s word for our times. Therefore, it is imperative that we are that much more careful in how we think and act; it is the Christian standard set by us so-called Christians that either lead people to Christ or turn them away from Him. True, we are responsible for our own actions, but, we are also responsible for the example that we are displaying to others about the Gospel that is Jesus Christ; if who we are and what we think, do, and say is not representative of the love and service He demonstrated in His lifetime, then we are providing a disservice to everyone, including ourselves.
This month, as well as next month’s challenge, is for us to be cautious of the things that we are consuming, be it food, media, TV, literature, music, or environment; the goal is to ensure that everything we consume for the next 40-days is edifying to some degree. Your attentiveness would attract you to the featured quotes that begin the Be Encouraged section of the SOW, and ends with a reminder of how important it is to be mindful of our nutrition as well as the food for thought, which ranges from the things we see, hear, participate in, and meditate on. If you dwell on the negative, your meditation practices are facilitating negative outcomes and unpleasant emotions throughout your life. If you’re always surrounded by rowdy or negative people or engulfed in obstructive environments, you will begin to mirror those behaviors and develop unproductive habits. The same with your nutrition, if you keep overindulging in foods that have no health benefit, you’ll end up developing a deficiency, ailment, or disease which can also lead to obesity and/or death. But just as detrimental is the impact your choices have on others.
Verse 15 warns us to “be careful” “how you live” and to do so wisely. Did you notice in verse 18 that it warns about drunkenness? Some people don’t see the harm in getting drunk or high, but there is a reason the Lord gives this warning. Think about it, when one is under the influence of drugs, alcohol or some other form of euphoria, they are NOT thinking in the right state of mind, whether they choose to accept that or not. I’ve heard people rationalize “I get deep when I’m high,” or “I drive better when I’m drunk,” to validate their decision to do so. Let’s be clear, what you do is your business, I’m simply here to put some scripture on it. Fact: you are NOT deep, you are NOT driving better, and certainly NOT thinking better when you’re under the influence of selfish euphoric pleasure. You’re able to see the innocence in your gratification, and able to rationalize inebriation and/or euphoria because it’s Satan’s way of distracting you enough to take your eyes off God so that he and his minions may find a portal into your lives.
Satan is many things but what he isn’t is lazy. Satan is actively seeking to destroy families, destroy marriages, and to destroy your relationship with Christ. Proverbs 21:17 says, “He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.” This isn’t talking about our lives on earth per se, I mean to some it applies, to others it’ll manifest come judgment day. So literally speaking, if your gladness was gambling and it became an addiction that cost you your family, job, and home, then you lose. If your delight was sex and it cost you a relationship, then you lose; you became “poor” in the sense that you lost the thing that was valuable to you as a result of being self-seeking. Figuratively speaking, if you spend your time on earth “living in the moment” seeking “happiness” in alcohol, drugs, sex, material things, and/or companionship, and neglect your relationship with Christ on a quest to fill a void that ONLY HE could fulfill in the first place, you lose; you basically trade a life of eternity for true death.
The first thing Satan does is evaluate our relationship with God. Once he’s able to establish a portal of entry into our lives, his objective is to plant lies, seeds of doubt, to cripple our faith through trials and tragedy, sidetrack us with temporary pleasures, persecute us because of our faith, and to create disunity in our household and in our church, to further enhance the seed of doubt. When our relationship with Christ is solid, the bond we create in our closeness with Him forms an impenetrable barrier that makes it impossible for the adversary to cause confusion, doubt, or fear. Instead, Satan’s attempts draw us closer to God and remind us to trust in Him even more.
People have no reason to believe in the Word of God if the people speaking out about it aren’t also walking IN it; if you don’t practice what you preach, the example you set for others is one that’s futile – the people who look upon your life to find Christ’s light will be detoured on the wrong path if they do not see the truth of Yahweh’s power in the way that you think, speak, and act. If who you are now in the Lord is the same as you were when you first started your walk with Him, then something is wrong. I was watching a sermon by Pastor Michael Kelly II in which he broke down the terms justification and sanctification like this: “justification is standing before God in a new relationship with Christ, and sanctification is, if you’re in the relationship, let’s see some growth.” In so many words, if you started the year off smoking 2 packs of cigarettes a day, you should be down to at least one pack – growth! If you joined your church family in 1989 with a bad attitude, a strong dislike for mingling with people at the church, and a strong opposition for change, in 2019, you should be able to enter the church with a smile on your face, a hug or a handshake for a new visitor, and an open mind for change as it relates to bringing others to Jesus – GROWTH!
If you lost contact with a friend from high school and they ran into you today, they shouldn’t even be able to recognize you. I’m not talking about physical appearances here; who you were and how you looked in your youth should look different in your adulthood. 1 Corinthians 13:11 says, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things”; IF you are in a REAL relationship with Christ, then gradually, who you were in your past will become less and less evident in your present and future. I’m talking bout’ a gangster turned preacher. I’m talking bout’ a prostitute turned deaconess. I’m talking bout’ a stripper turned evangelist. I’m talking bout’ an addict turned bible worker, an atheist being baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity, I’m talking bout’ CHANGE, SANCTIFICATION – GROWTH! If you’re really walking with the Lord, then everyone around you, including you, will see the transformation.
POWER IN PRAYER: Yahweh, we thank you for redemption, and the freedom to choose life over death by way of our faith. We thank you for your provisions of health and healing and for allowing us to breathe yet another week. Lord, we ask for complete and speedy healing over Wayne and Shamika, as well as relief from any discomfort they may be experiencing. We ask strength for their support systems; Lord provide them with a peace that passes understanding so that they may be the fortress that Wayne and Shamika can turn to when they are seeking something more tangible. For the many unspoken requests of our souls, Father, read and deliver us according to your will. Forgive us for our unbelief and remove the things or people from our lives hindering us from recognizing our potential and purpose so that the spiritual things that require spiritual discerning will be clear to us. Create in us new hearts that are grateful and faithful to your will. Help us to firmly adhere to your commands, and to turn away from our selfish nature so that the life we live will be one of sound wisdom, that displays an appropriate example of Christ-like behavior, demonstrates encouragement, edification, and strength so that who we were yesterday is not who we are tomorrow. Baptize us today with your indwelling Spirit and use us as vessels to share your light with the world. Give us the strength and desire to forgive those who have wronged us, and to forgive ourselves; cause us to let go of the past that haunts us and release us from any binds and attachments that negatively impact our growth. Keep us humble, focused, disciplined, and driven as we work to become everything you have called us to be. Bless each of us individually providing the strength, courage, organization, commitment, motivation, clarity and understanding needed to balance our personal, professional, and spiritual lives. Bless our loved ones and even our enemies; provide revelations and awareness as you deliver us from our strongholds. Transform and convert us 100% according to your will and achieve in us the ability to pray game-changing prayers – prayers that change people, change outcomes, and help your will to manifest. This is our trusted prayer, and as the angels and Holy Spirit do your bidding on Earth and in Heaven, protect us and them with your recourse. All these things we ask in the matchless name of Yeshua, Amen!
HEALTHY LIVING TIPS: Change begins within… Did you know that TV, media, movies, books, and games are like food? The non-food items that we consume are feeding our mind and souls. Some are like ice cream, they “taste” great but leave us in a crappy mood. And, some are like healthy smoothies, they also “taste” good but have the added benefit of helping us feel better and perform better.
I used to be a correctional officer at a federal prison, and on my way to work and after work, I’d listen to rowdy music on the radio. I found myself easily annoyed, full of road rage, and getting snappy with the inmates. One day I decided to conduct a personal social experiment: for 30 days, I stopped listening to rowdy music and replaced it with classical, jazz, Gospel, and clean R&B. After work one day – about a week into this experiment – I found myself stuck in stopped traffic; after about a half hour I hadn’t even moved a ¼ of a mile. Normally I would’ve been beating the roof of my car yelling profanities as soon as the traffic slowed down. But I realized I was calm; I hadn’t even thought twice about the fact that the freeway was like a parking lot. I also realized that I hadn’t been as snappy with inmates, in fact, I was more patient and more approachable.
Here’s what studies have shown regarding this topic: “People who watch as little as 15 minutes of ‘negative TV news’ have shown increases in a depressed mood, anxiety, and tendency to be more ‘catastrophic’ about their personal worries. Watching violent sequences in movies and TV can lead to increases in blood pressure, heart rate and galvanic skin responses - and to ‘short-term’ increases in aggressive outbursts in adults. That is, adults are more likely to lose their temper or express anger in a way that is exaggerated soon after watching a violent TV or movie scene (the findings for children are more long term) ... On the other hand, watching TV shows and video clips with pro-social themes (like people helping others, problem solving, cooperating and being generous) can lead to more cooperation, more positive attitudes, less aggression, and more altruism (behaviors that do not directly benefit the giver, like [generosity]) ... Similarly, people who spent time playing a ‘pro-social’ video game like ‘Lemmings’ (in which they have to care for and help Lemmings get safely to their homes) showed both short term and long terms increases in real helping behavior and empathy - and had fewer aggressive thoughts, feelings and expectations than people who played ‘neutral’ or ‘aggressive’ video games” (Shupungin, E. (2013, January 19). What happens if you don't watch what you watch? What you watch, listen to and read can affect your mood, thoughts and actions. [Web log comment]. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/peacemeal).
Basically, EVERYTHING that we consume has a cause and effect when it comes to our overall well-being. Be careful what you fill your idle time with. You may think it’s a harmless game, a mediocre paranormal film, a less than intriguing magazine article, or a trashy song with a catchy tune, when all the while it's preying on your tranquility. Watch what you “eat”!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- CHALLENGE ALERT: To foster the rewiring of our brains, I challenge each of you to a 40-day NO negativity fast. What that means is that for the next forty (40) days, we will be very conscious of the things that we allow ourselves to intake (TV, media, radio, reading, consuming); if it is NOT edifying, then it’s to be avoided and/or abandoned. In that time, we should also carefully replace idle time and negative things, activities, people, and environments that do not add to our lives nor foster improvement; our alternatives should be positive things such as serving others, exercise, meditation, reading inspirational books or books geared toward self-improvement, and focusing on character traits that we’d like to develop to replace the self-loathing, depressed, unhappy state of mind that has festered as a result of emotions that we’ve attached to past events. Check out these videos: This video helps you better understand how we have the power to reshape the cycles of our lives https://youtu.be/v7KQsS2kLM4 and, this video provides an exercise that you can practice a few minutes before bed to help reshape your mind https://youtu.be/oo5caGP5dAE. Another suggestion is to utilize guided meditations and/or binary beats such as these, right before going to bed: https://youtu.be/JcLFtXS76tw (guided meditation for self-healing) https://youtu.be/4wtG01ymIjE (binary beats to help let go of negative energy).
- I am on a quest to relaunch Fostering Mind, Body, and Soul Incorporated (FMBS Inc.) and I NEED volunteers and serious board members; Currently, I am in need of people who have a background in business, have some knowledge of operating a non-profit, and/or have resources or connections that can help facilitate our making an impact in surrounding at-risk and underprivileged communities **NOTE: this is a business NOT a hobby** FMBS Inc. has a mission to help supply the homeless as well as needy families with food and hygiene bags. Our recipients are selected by referral, and/or by canvassing the streets for deserving families and individuals throughout Southern California. I encourage you to reach out to me regarding your interest in service or to arrange any monetary donations or item contributions at any time via email at fmbsinc_2012@outlook.com, my voicemail or text at (951) 790-2127, or by making a donation using the Donate button on the upper right corner of our Facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/fmbsinc.sustenance/.
- Another way FMBS Inc. raises funds is through the Ralph's/Food 4 Less Community Contribution Program; you must go to their website here http://www.friendsindeedpas.org/get-involved/ralphs-community-contribution-program/ and link your rewards cards or telephone numbers (Alt ID) to our organization each year, and we will earn money for every purchase made under your rewards cards. Your continued support is always appreciated. Please keep spreading the word. #SOW
For more information about our organization contact fmbsinc_2012@outlook.com, as our website is currently under construction. Feel free to LIKE our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/fmbsinc.sustenance/ and follow us on Twitter @FMBSInc.
Very Respectfully,
| Tylesha "Tye" Allen Behavioral Interventionist | Mobile Notary | CEO/Founder of FMBS Inc. · Mobile: (951) 790-2127 · Address: Los Angeles, CA · Website: http://www.ready411.weebly.com | http://sodbytye.blogspot.com · Email: professional1_99@hotmail.com · Change begins within; work on becoming a better You · "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." (Psalm 118:8) · Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/fmbsinc.sustenance · LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/tylesha-"tye"-allen/a4/599/875 · Twitter: https://twitter.com/TyeDreamsBig |
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