SALUTATIONS: YO! What’s up yall? Man, our country is in such chaos right now. All I can do is encourage each of you to remain steadfast in the Word and prayer; be mindful of your blessings and remember that there is a silver lining in every cloud. When you find a moment, please take some time to review the Announcements, Healthy Living Tips, and other information detailed below following the Reflections and Power in Prayer. Your continued support is always appreciated. Keep spreading God's Gospel and feel free to share the Scripture of the Week with the hashtag SOW. Enjoy! **Disclaimer: Production and distribution days of the SOW are subject to change without warning**
PRAISE REPORTS: I’m not saying that I am completely transformed just yet, but I will say that I’ve made some progress since the last SOW. I have been spending more uninterrupted time with God, which is always a plus. I’ve had several revelations too that have been necessary to see growth on this spiritual journey. My revelations weren’t necessarily good ones either, as they led me to give up things that I clung to. Yet, I’m grateful that the exposure will help me get past a spiritual plateau that has plagued me for years, all because of my interrupted and rushed time with God. No matter what your circumstance, we ALL have reasons, both small and large, to shout "HALLELUJAH!" It is time to give God some glory! Praise Him through your struggles! We thank you, Jesus, for our past trials, our current obstacles, and our future triumphs. If you have a specific praise report, please share, because we “overcame [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: With the current state of disarray in this country, despite our reservations about our world leaders, let’s keep them in prayer. Let’s also remember our spiritual leaders; let’s pray that our leaders be diminished in self and that they act according to the direction of the Spirit and/or justice. Let’s also pray that the hearts of the disheartened be changed so that they may understand that looting and rioting don’t get our voices heard, rather it perpetuates an ongoing separation between mankind; may people come together to establish a solution by supporting one another as opposed to tearing one another down, and especially not terrorizing our neighborhoods. I encourage you to keep praying for one another, thanking Yahweh for the victory while refraining from confessing the problem caused by the enemy; ALWAYS pray for the 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://shorturl.at/vzKX6). 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 the midst of adversity… Ponder this: "We need more light about each other. Light creates understanding, understanding creates love, love creates patience, and patience creates unity" (Malcolm X). 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. If you need someone to help you get there, or you're looking for an accountability partner, here I am.
FEATURED SONGS OF PRAISE: "Make Room" by Jonathan McReynolds you can listen to it here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2fngqWB6kM) and "Work It Out" by Tye Tribbett you can listen to it here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ8Anq5IBEg). 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://shorturl.at/elqz3.
PRAISE REPORTS: I’m not saying that I am completely transformed just yet, but I will say that I’ve made some progress since the last SOW. I have been spending more uninterrupted time with God, which is always a plus. I’ve had several revelations too that have been necessary to see growth on this spiritual journey. My revelations weren’t necessarily good ones either, as they led me to give up things that I clung to. Yet, I’m grateful that the exposure will help me get past a spiritual plateau that has plagued me for years, all because of my interrupted and rushed time with God. No matter what your circumstance, we ALL have reasons, both small and large, to shout "HALLELUJAH!" It is time to give God some glory! Praise Him through your struggles! We thank you, Jesus, for our past trials, our current obstacles, and our future triumphs. If you have a specific praise report, please share, because we “overcame [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: With the current state of disarray in this country, despite our reservations about our world leaders, let’s keep them in prayer. Let’s also remember our spiritual leaders; let’s pray that our leaders be diminished in self and that they act according to the direction of the Spirit and/or justice. Let’s also pray that the hearts of the disheartened be changed so that they may understand that looting and rioting don’t get our voices heard, rather it perpetuates an ongoing separation between mankind; may people come together to establish a solution by supporting one another as opposed to tearing one another down, and especially not terrorizing our neighborhoods. I encourage you to keep praying for one another, thanking Yahweh for the victory while refraining from confessing the problem caused by the enemy; ALWAYS pray for the 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://shorturl.at/vzKX6). 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 the midst of adversity… Ponder this: "We need more light about each other. Light creates understanding, understanding creates love, love creates patience, and patience creates unity" (Malcolm X). 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. If you need someone to help you get there, or you're looking for an accountability partner, here I am.
FEATURED SONGS OF PRAISE: "Make Room" by Jonathan McReynolds you can listen to it here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2fngqWB6kM) and "Work It Out" by Tye Tribbett you can listen to it here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ8Anq5IBEg). 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://shorturl.at/elqz3.
OPENING PRAYER: Yahweh, please clear our minds and open our eyes, ears, and hearts so that we may be removed from self, filled and moved by the Spirit, to see, hear, and receive your intended message from this fellowship. In the name of Yeshua, Amen!
PASSAGE(S) – PROVERBS 20:17 & I PETER 2:2-3: "Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel." "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious."
**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: If there were a blind taste test of the Lord and the world many of us would probably choose the latter because we’ve had a lifetime to grow familiar with its savory temptation and pleasures. Although we’d like to believe that the Lord would win the battle over our taste buds by TKO, the reality is that many of us have never truly tasted His sweet nectar – never had a Jesus experience (warming of the heart that recognizes His presence, and embraces His mercy and grace; an undeniable feeling that cannot be attributed to anyone or anything else but God) – never acknowledged the presence of the Holy Spirit. Or, perhaps we have simply failed to savor (apply, abide) its salt (knowledge, wisdom). Here’s the thing, it is impossible to get a precise flavor (experience with the Lord) when the old one (ungodly pleasures) remains in your mouth. When you’re doing an official taste test, as a judge, you’re required to 1st cleanse your palate before moving on to the next dish to ensure that the previous flavor doesn’t taint that of its competition. In the same fashion, our bond with God is dependent on our willingness to cleanse our hearts of worldly pleasures to make room for Him.
I’m sure I’ve used this analogy before, but it’s like when an attorney objects to details submitted by their opposers and the judge sustains then tells the jurors to dismiss the previous statement. No matter how hard you try, you cannot unsee nor unhear those things. Therefore, subconsciously, both samples submitted for our taste have married together and linger in our mouths, ultimately affecting how we’ll grade (judge) the products; we’ll never get an accurate flavor of God if we’re still chewing on the worldly things that pleasured before we found Him. Don’t get me wrong, I’m in no way insinuating that to find the Lord means to give up tasty food (pleasurable things). I am, however, stating that to truly find the Lord means that many things we once found savory (preferable and/or pleasing) will have lost its flavor.
The more time we spend with God, the more our appetite changes the things we once yearned to consume. As we are transformed, our desires (likes and dislikes) will begin to mirror His. Gradually, our transformation will be evident in our thoughts, words, and actions. “Living as a Christian becomes much easier when we savor things that are of God, and sin is so much easier to gain victory over when all it ever does is leave a bad taste in our mouths” (Chambers, R. (2020, June 3). Taste Test. Day by Day. www.daybyday.org). Everything we feed ourselves spiritually and even physically will have a burst of flavor only to a cleansed palate.
The only way to make room for God is to stop trying to find time for Him, and make time for Him a priority first and foremost while finding time for everything else. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33); as we put God first, everything else will fall into its place. “Bread of deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth shall be filled with gravel” (Proverbs 20:17); the ungodly pleasures in the world are temporary and will fade away in the end. If you take a moment to think about the things that tickle your taste buds now, you’ll recognize their temporal euphoria and realize that the reason you keep going back for seconds is that you’re looking in the fridge (world) for something to just appear (satisfy), when all you need to do is follow the simple recipe God gave to fulfill your hunger (desires) – “... crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good” (I Peter 2:2-3, NIV). The more time we spend with Him, the more our palates are cleansed and natural flavors (eternal pleasures) are enhanced while the artificial ones (temporary satisfaction) begin to leave a bitter taste in our mouths. Before the Lord can win a blind taste test, you must have a cleansed palate; purge yourself from that which does not add to your life by spending time in the Word and prayer, so that God can begin to transform your cravings. #SOW
POWER IN PRAYER: POWER IN PRAYER: Yahweh, our Lord, our redeemer, our savior, our provider, our friend. We are grateful for your grace, your mercy, your love, your acceptance. Thankful for your example, your direction, your revelations. We praise you for provisions, clarity, wisdom, healing, and strength. Help us to understand what is at stake in these days. Help us to identify your perfect will as well as the discernment to recognize when the enemy’s antics are afoot. Transform our taste buds so that we may savor the sweetness of discipline, organization, and self-love, causing our old selves to leave a bitter taste in our mouths so that our consumption will always be for that which is spiritually savory and fulfilling. May your spiritual milk sustain us and equip us with resilience, strength, wisdom, mercy, and grace, but more importantly, that we’ll share those flavors with others so that they may see you through us. Partner us with people, habits, and resources needed to prosper and to walk into the full purpose for which we are called. Inspire us to commit daily, and to take advantage of every opportunity to love, grow, serve, and testify about your greatness. Help us to be slow to speak and quick to actively listen. Help us be intentional in our actions as they relate to the racial outrage of today; may we work together in unity to establish an appropriate, efficient, and effective resolution. Cover our children, our loved ones, our friends, associates, and even our enemies. We ask also, that you cover our world leaders, spiritual leaders, the hopeless, the helpless, and the innocent children, Father; keep each of us protected from hurt, harm, danger, and spiritual warfare in other realms conspiring against us. Break generational curses that have bound us in the past. Relieve us from the familiar spirits trying to maintain attachments to our lineages; release our children, their children, and their children's children from the evil forces assigned against us. Close doors that need closing as you open up new ones, and may we have the discernment to decipher between the two. Establish in us a heart like David's so that we are molded into men and women after your own heart. Ultimately Father, may your will be done in our lives. As your angels and Holy Spirit do your bidding on Earth and in Heaven, protect us and them with your recourse as you bind, loose, and cast out the demonic spirits of distraction, destruction, retaliation, revenge, and backlash. All these things we ask in the matchless name of Yeshua, Amen!
HEALTHY LIVING TIPS: Change begins within... With all that is going on in today’s world, all I can offer is this: approach life the way you want it to be. If you’re considering joining the ignorance that is looting and rioting, put yourself in those store owner’s shoes; how would it impact you if your store was vandalized or looted? If you’re considering using violence to have your voice heard, consider the consequences of the individuals before you that thought the same. What was their outcome? Did it resolve the issue? Did it put an end to their pain and/or suffering? Or, did they end up in a grave, a jail cell, and/or suffering a lifetime full of regret? You have to remember that your actions don’t just affect you. What you do, think, and say now has an impact maybe not globally, but locally in your own home and might even branch out into the community. You never know how your actions or lack thereof influences someone else’s. If you are the only glimpse of God that someone may see, be intentional about the representation you're giving.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Update on my book Color Isn't Who I AM © 2019: my page design is still under construction; I wasn't happy with what the publisher sent for my approval based on the illustrations I submitted, thus, I chose to have someone else revamp my drawings to create enhanced illustrations with digital files, prayerfully for a better outcome.
- Whether I'm solo or have a team to back me, I will soon relaunch the community activity of my non-profit organization, Fostering Mind, Body, and Soul Incorporated (FMBS Inc.). That being said, I would greatly appreciate any willing volunteers to help serve our communities, and/or to play the significant role of a committed - trusted board member; my appreciation will be extended to anyone that can help facilitate making an impact in surrounding at-risk and underprivileged communities. Part of FMBS Inc's mission is to help supply the homeless as well as needy families with food and hygiene bags and to serve as mentors and/or advocates for at-risk youth and victims of abuse. Reach out to me regarding your interest in service or to arrange another form of contribution; contact me via email at fmbsinc_2012@outlook.com, or leave a voicemail and/or text at (951) 790-2127.
- Please take a moment to register your Ralph's, Food 4 Less, and/or Kroger Rewards cards to enroll your member number/phone number for the Ralph's/Food 4 Less Community Contribution Program to help Fostering Mind, Body, and Soul Incorporated (aka FMBS Inc., serving communities throughout Southern Cali since 2012) raise funds to give back to the community; for every purchase you make, a small % is given as a donation to our non-profit organization - your rewards points are NOT affected by this enrollment. To enroll, you must go to their website here http://www.friendsindeedpas.org/get-involved/ralphs-community-contribution-program/ and link your rewards cards and/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.
For more information about our organization contact fmbsinc_2012@outlook.com, as our website is currently under construction.
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 |
