Already Inside Me (1/28/2022)

SALUTATIONS: Hey yall! So, I ran into a significant hiccup with self-publishing my 2nd children's book, How to Be Like Jesus. Amazon has rejected the formatting several times, so it's taking me longer than expected to get the book uploaded for purchase. I cannot provide an official release date because this is my 1st-time self-publishing, and I do not have official formatting software or book formatting experience. I am praying that my next submission will be adequate. I'll keep you updated on my progress... If you're like me, then you've been taught to pray for God's presence. However, recently I was admonished that as believers in the Risen Savior, we "are the temple of God and the Spirit of God lives in" us (1 Corinthians 3:16, NLT). Therefore, I would suggest that instead of praying for God to fill us with His presence, we should petition Him to help us be aware of the Holy Spirit because He already dwells inside you. Let's get into it. As always, take time to review ALL of the Announcements, Healthy Living Tips, and other information detailed below, following the Reflections and Power in Prayer whenever time permits. 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: We made it to see another week yall. Hallelujah! 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 referencing your name unless anonymity is specified**

PRAYER REQUESTS: Let us pray that our spiritual senses be activated so that we may be aware of God's presence that resides within us. Let's continue to pray for one another and thank Yahweh for the victory. Refrain 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 download your FREE copy here https://rb.gy/niy4go). 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 referencing your name and need unless anonymity is specified**

BE ENCOURAGED: NEVER lose sight of God amidst adversity… Ponder this: "The fulness of the Spirit is not a question of our getting more of the Holy Spirit, but rather of the Holy Spirit getting more of us" (Oswald J. Smith). I'm no theological scholar. 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, you've come to the right place. Here I am.

 
FEATURED SONGS OF PRAISE: "Holy Spirit" by Bri Babineaux (you can listen to it here https://rb.gy/c5gf2x) and "Fill Me Up" by Tasha Cobbs (you can listen to it here https://rb.gy/4lamvq). I would also recommend Classical for Studying Radio on Pandora to facilitate your meditation on the Word better as you study; you can listen to that station here https://rb.gy/wtbmva.  

OPENING PRAYER: Yahweh, please let your presence set the tone for how this lesson will flow and how we will grow from it. Clear our minds and open our eyes, ears, and hearts so that we may be decreased in self and increased in you. Fill us with your presence through the Holy Spirit to see as we look, to listen as we hear, and to come into alignment with your word and your will. Help us to receive, believe in, and apply your truth, that we may be transformed by your intended message from this fellowship and become better as a result of it. In the name of Yeshua, Amen!

KEY PASSAGE(S) – JOHN 14:16-17 (NLT): "16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it isn’t looking for Him and doesn’t recognize Him. But you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you." 

**Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations originate from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible and were retrieved from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage regardless of the translation quoted. Copyright © by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.**

REFLECTIONS: A prayer that I have heard consistently over the years is any variation of, "Lord, please fill me with your presence. Holy Spirit, I invite you in to influence me today." That's a request for God to send us something He already promised us. In our key passage, Jesus told the disciples that He was God in the flesh walking with them then but that upon His crucifixion, the Holy Spirit would be the one who dwells with them always. Did yall peep the progression? In the earlier chapters of the bible, after the first man and woman broke God's law (B.C. era), the people only had access to God through the high priests in the Holy temple. But after Jesus was born, the people were able to walk right beside God, even though most were ignorant of this blessing. Then, after Jesus was crucified, we were granted a lifetime membership to God's access WHENEVER we want it via the Holy Spirit because our bodies become God's dwelling place upon our acceptance of Him as Lord and Savior.  .  

The moment we confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts that Jesus died and rose again for our salvation, we invite the Holy Spirit to commune within us. Rather than praying for God's presence to enter in, we should pray for us to enter into His presence that already resides within us - Abba, Father, make us conscious of your presence. 

Our consciousness of God's presence makes all the difference in the world. When we become aware of the Holy Spirit, much like David, Gideon, and Abraham, we are NOT shaken by life's challenges. Instead, we are willing vessels guided and instructed even as we sleep. What if you could sense that God heard your thoughts and prayers or saw your actions and reactions, would that influence how you thought, spoke, and behaved? Despite our inability to physically sense His presence, it's a fact that He does just that - hears our thoughts and prayers and witnesses our every action and reaction, whether done in public or in private. Our awareness of the Holy Spirit's dwelling merely keeps us in tune with His direction and helps us respond to life's struggles according to God's will. 

Because God is always with us, we do not need to pray for Him to be with us; we need to pray that we focus our attention on Him to sense His presence at all times so that our faith never wavers. Lord, thank you for making me conscious of the fact that you are already inside of me. Amen! #SOW

 

POWER IN PRAYER: POWER IN PRAYER: Abba, El Roi, you are the Father who sees, the author, and finisher of our individual stories. We thank you for activating our spiritual senses so that we acknowledge and abide in your Holy presence daily. Thank you for helping us become willing vessels influenced by you in thoughts, words, and behavior as we respond to challenging circumstances and difficult people. We thank you for inspiring our responses so that they are good, kind, necessary, and edifying to ourselves and others. We thank you for developing our skills and talents that we may continue to serve you in the capacity for which you've called us. As your angels and Holy Spirit do your bidding on Earth and in Heaven, protect them and us 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 and thank you for, in the matchless name of Yeshua, Amen!

HEALTHY LIVING TIPS: Change begins within... Much like prayer and meditation are to people who consider themselves religious or spiritual, therapy is significant for those who have suffered trauma or are dealing with mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. 

Unfortunately, many people avoid therapy like the plague because there is a negative stigma attached. Many people associate the need for counseling with being crazy or weak. On the contrary, seeking help is brave, intelligent, and a show of strength because you recognize a need and are bold enough to seek the help you need to overcome the obstacle. 

Seeking therapy is simply the process of working with a certified therapist or counselor to develop positive thinking and coping skills to treat your trauma, depression, and anxiety or to deal with the daily challenges we all face. There is nothing wrong with getting the help you need. If you suffer from untreated trauma, anxiety, depression, or another possible mental health disorder, I strongly encourage trying therapy to discover which is most appropriate for reversing your current mindset. 

Therapy essentially helps you understand your feelings and recognize your triggers to avoid them better. Additionally, counseling can provide a sense of urgent support and can assist you in developing a game plan for maintaining a safe environment both literally and figuratively. It's a means of healing - relieving the pressure of having pent-up frustrations by getting things off your chest. If you're considering therapy or counseling but want to do a little more research, here are some sites that might provide a bit of insight:

• Good Therapy defines therapy and its benefits: https://rb.gy/wf9prd 
• Talk Space gives some relative definitions and provides online access to counseling: https://rb.gy/ds95px
• Better Help assists in finding a good therapist: https://rb.gy/kkgaxa
• Psych Guides provides a 24/7 mental health hotline: https://rb.gy/h1pdzt

As always, be mindful of the things you feed your body, both physically and figuratively. Be safe, be blessed, and prioritize your health and wellbeing!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. My 2nd children's book, How to be like Jesus, is being reformatted to meet Amazon's requirements. I'll keep you updated on its release date.
2. If you or someone you know is a victim of abuse or needs general support, I invite you to join my virtual support group, The Curse is Broken, via Zoom; we meet every 3rd Sunday at 2:30 pm PST | 3:30 pm MDT | 4:30 CST | 5:30 pm EST. Just text "heal" to (323) 800-8616 to be added to our text notifications/reminders. Join us next month on February 20th as we discuss proactive coping. #thecurseisbroken 
3. Your mental health is detrimental to your quality of life. If you need to connect with people or groups that can help facilitate your healing, access https://www.mentalhelp.net/mental-health/hotline/ or call their 24 hr mental health hotline at (866) 299-4557. 
4. If you're looking for a writing journal or two, check out the Resilient-R-Thee Brand I created through Amazon. They're compact and can easily fit into a purse, messenger bag, or backpack. They're 110 pages to write about anything that tickles your fancy. Some of my designs are for regular journaling, and some are for sermon/bible study, note-taking, prayers, and journaling. Get your copy(ies) here https://rb.gy/fz6azc.
5. In these uncertain times, many of us are looking for ways to walk boldly in our faith. One way to represent is the Lord is by wearing your favorite Christian novelty t-shirt or novelty accessory. Check out the Resilient-R-Thee merch available for purchase here https://rb.gy/ojt3av. Use PROMO CODE "RRT5" at checkout for a 5% discount.
6. Please take a moment to register your Ralph's, Food 4 Less, or Kroger Rewards cards to enroll your member number/phone number for the Ralph's/Food 4 Less Community Contribution Program. You will be helping Fostering Mind, Body, and Soul Incorporated (FMBS Inc.) raise funds to give back to the community. For every purchase you make, a small % is donated 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 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.
7. Fostering Mind, Body, and Soul Incorporated (FMBS Inc.) helps make an impact in surrounding at-risk and underprivileged communities throughout Southern California. Part of our mission is to help supply the homeless and needy families with food and hygiene bags throughout the year and especially during the holidays and serve as mentors and advocates for at-risk youth and victims of abuse. But we've been on hiatus due to a lack of support from volunteers and board members. Please help me get FMBS Inc. back active in the community, yall! I have tons of ideas yet, little know-how. However, I'm willing to learn; if you have any helpful information or affordable training opportunities please share, and 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 or text at (951) 790-2127.

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. We are always in need of monetary donations and contributions of hygiene items, sealed snacks, bottled water, seasonal items (gloves, scarves, blankets, umbrellas, sunglasses, sunscreen, lip balm, etc.), mini bibles, reading books, and so forth. Our YEAR-ROUND mission is to serve homeless and needy individuals and families in underprivileged communities throughout Southern California. We also need DEDICATED volunteers and members – is this your calling? Eventually, when we have met our need for volunteers and board members, we will extend our services to assist and address some of the needs of our veterans and their family members. We are successful because of YOUR continued support. Please continue to back us up through participation or by encouraging others to join our cause!
 
For more information about our organization contact fmbsinc_2012@outlook.com. 

Respectfully,

Tylesha "Tye" Allen    Author | Mobile Notary | Founder of FMBS Inc.   ·Mobile: (951) 790-2127   ·Address: Los Angeles, CA  ·Website: http://www.ready411.weebly.com | http://sodbytye.blogspot.com     ·Email: tyeallen99@yahoo.com    ·Change begins within; work on becoming a better You, now not later.   ·"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." (Psalm 118:8)