Blessing

"Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing." ~ I Peter 3:9



The words you speak can make a difference for good in the lives of others and in your own life. The blessings you extend to others are not based on their worthiness, but on their need. It is a blessing to bring about change.



If you return an insult when one is given, you seek justice; when you return blessing, you seek mercy. The response of blessing turns pettiness into prayers, meanness into goodwill, self-defense into self-sacrifice.



It is in giving blessing that you find happiness - not in getting even. In letting go of everything that would not speak the heart of God, there is peace.



~Roy Lessin~

I Need You to Survive

by Hezekiah Walker & Love Fellowship Choir

Chère Yvonne,



I need you
You need me
We're all a part of God's Body
Stand with me
Agree with me
We're all a part of God's body

It is His will that every need be supplied
You are important to me
I need you to survive.

I pray for you
You pray for me
I love you
I need you to survive

I won't harm you
with words from my mouth
I love you
I need you to survive

It is His will that every need be supplied
You are important to me
I need you to survive.



I pray that God will mend and heal all your wounds like only He can...
To God be all the glory

Beau Soir

by: Bourget



Lorsque au soleil couchant
Les rivières sont roses,
Et qu'un tiède frisson court
Sur les champs de blé,
Un conseil d'être heureux
Sortir des choses
Et monter vers le coeur troublé

Un conseil de gouter le charme
D'être au monde
Cependant qu'on est jeune
Et que le soir est beau,
Car nous nous en allons,
Comme s'en va cette onde:
Elle à la mer ~ nous au tombeau!

Disappointed, Yet He Is Still Good

Disappointed, but what can I do
Maybe it is for the best
He does know what is best for me after all
I feel sad
I feel upset
But I know everything happens for a reason
There is always a bright side in everything
I believe this is His will
I believe this is His plan
I believe in Him
He is my God
To Him be all the glory
I know this too shall pass
And I believe it will

~Kristy Kusuma~

Healed and Whole

One day I dug a little hole
and put my hurt inside
I thought that I could just forget
I'd put it there to hide.

But that little hurt began to grow
I covered it every day
I couldn't leave it and go on
It seemed the price I had to pay.

My joy was gone, my heart was sad
Pain was all I knew.
My wounded soul enveloped me
Loving seemed too hard to do.

One day, while standing by my hole
I cried to God above
And said, "If You are really there --
They say, You're a God of love!"



And just like that -- He was right there
And just put His arms around me
He wiped my tears, His hurting child
There was no safer place to be.

I told Him all about my hurt
I opened up my heart
He listened to each and every word
To every sordid part.

I dug down deep and got my hurt
I brushed the dirt away
And placed it in the Master's hand
And healing came that day.

He took the blackness of my soul
And set my spirit FREE!
Something beautiful began to grow
Where the hurt used to be.

And when I look at what has grown
Out of my tears and pain
I remember every day to give my hurts to Him
And never bury them again.

~ Author Unknown ~
from: Quick Inspirations

Kindness

"He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy." ~Proverbs 14:21



Kindness is one of the great blessings of life.

It builds bridges instead of walls.
It finds ways to heal instead of hurt.
It seeks way to build up instead of tear down.
It looks for ways to encourage instead of dissapoint.

The eyes of kindness see each others' needs;
the heart of kindness reaches out to touch, to help, and to support.

Kindness mellows hardness, bends stiffness, warms coldness, and smooths roughness.
Kindness changes the disposition of the serpent into the nature of the dove and the judge into a minister of mercy.

~Roy Lessin~



Why don't we start being kind and spreading love to each other? God loves all His people, and we should too.

The Song of Mary

Luke 1:46-55



My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
For he has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel,
In remembrance of His mercy,
As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and to his seed forever.



Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

A Prayer of Repentance

Psalm 51



Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.

Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight - That You may be found just when You speak,
And blameless when You judge.

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in my sin my mother conceived me.
Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.

Create me in a clean heart, O God,
And renew me a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore me to the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.

Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.

O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.



Forgive me O Lord, for I have sinned.

We Fall Down but We Get Up!

Excerpt of a sermon at Canaan Missionary Baptist Church, Rev. B.J. Tatum, pastor, on Sunday, October 12th, 2003.



Christian Life is not a playground, but it is a battlefield. Every time God gives you a great opportunity, be ready to expect a great opposition. The devils know that criticisms are one of our weaknesses. None of us like criticism and whenever we encounter one, we tend to be discouraged. However, when an opposition comes, it means we are making a progress. That's when the devil starts working. Therefore, we ought to be encouraged instead of being discouraged when we encounter an opposition. It is the role of the devil to be a discourager.

Devils have a variety of methods in order to defeat and discourage us. If it can keep us discouraged at a sustain level, we can habit in our lives. Discouragement is one of devil's great weapon.



In Nehemiah Chapter 4, we can see:
I. Enemy scorning/ridicule/belittle/make fun
Sanballat (a character in the bible) was upset because the Word of God is moving on. Therefore, he mocked the children of Israel for the great work they were doing. At this time, the devil was using a psychological warfare, a propaganda. The devil belittled the children of Israel. Ridicule is the greatest weapon that the devil use for God's people. The devil's strategy is to make you stop doing whatever you are doing in the Word of God. However, we have the most powerful force on earth - the prayer in the name of Jesus. When you are not delivered, it could be because you are not praying and praising the Lord. Just remember that anytime anyone does something great for the Lord, they will get ridicule.

Sometimes, the very people that you are trying to help, are the one who ridicule and belittle you. It also happens in the family. You have to pray to God about this and not take the matters in your own hand. God will deliver you if you ask Him to. God loves His people, but He hate their sinning actions. Don't expect the world will accept your testimony about how God delivered you. Be strong! He is STILL delivered you right now.

How did Nehemiah handle the ridicule? He took the whole matter to God in prayers. This is the real tough prayers. It is not a personal prayer, but a national prayer. He was praying to God's promises. He knew that God will take care of the opposition. The battle is the Lord's.

I Pet 2:23 said when they left and made fun of you, you don't have to do the same things. Instead, put them in the hand of the Lord. Don't let the opposition stop you from doing what God has asked you to do.

In a project, halfway point is the most dangerous phase. When you begin or start a project, you still have the excitement and enthusiasm. But as you go along and receive criticism, you will lose the excitement. This is the same in relationship. In the relationship, you will need changes and make adjustment. Don't let the initial excitement dies.

II. Enemy Scheming
When you first begin a project, there will only be a few people who will ridicule you. But as you go along, there will be more and more people join with them. The enemy will encircle and surround you, from mockery to military. They will intensify the level. What should you do? Just keep on praying, however you should also watch. Watching and praying go together. Someone is going to ask you questions and you have to be able to articulate and give hope to people who need it.

III. Devil Sustaining/Persisting
In Nehemiah Chapter 4 verse 10, we can analyze and interpret some things:
1. Rubbish - when we are tired, we are prong to discouragement. Because we are worn out physically, we get discouraged easily. Judah, Nehemiah's right hand man, started saying the same thing as what the devils' said. The devils used the word 'rubbish' in verse 2, and Judah was repeating the same word in verse 10. You can repeat saying things enough and you will start believing it. The Israel started believing what the devils told them. To their surprise, they didn't know that that was rubbish that God used. God specializes in rubbish, in taking all stones, and making things out of them. It is just like the process of making a diamond. God can make a diamond out of you. We are a diamond in the rough and God is not through with us yet!

2. Rumours - in verse 11, we can see that rumours started flying.

3. All of this happened because the Israels were living too close to the enemy. You got to watch who you live with. Nehemiah, as the leader, restored the vision of his people. You need to restore the vision to fight for you enemy. You need to get them emotionally involved on the project. He reminded them that the project was for their loved ones, their family too. Don't give up on your families just because they make mistakes.

The main points of this sermon are:
- a soul to battle
- a trial to win
- a trumpet to blow

We can get scattered. We fall down, but we get up!



May God bless us always. My prayers are with you.

Behave Like a Christian

Romans 12:9-21



Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligince, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

Beloved, do not avenge yourself, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.
Therefore,
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head."

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.



So, what does it mean to behave like a christian? Being a perfect person? That's what I thought, but there is no perfect person in this world. People are very important for Christians. The first and foremost important rule is to love God with all your heart, but the second foremost important rule is to love other people. Therefore, serve other people as you want to serve Jesus. Love them. Know that what you do now, you will get repay later by God. Whenever someone curse you, remember that God will deal with him later. Don't fight him back. Just accept it and bring it to Him in prayers. In fact, you should have treated him better. Is this what an ideal Christian is?
My prayers are with you.

A Song of God's Majesty and Love

Psalm 145



I will extol You, my God, O King;
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
And His greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.

I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And on Your wondrous works.
Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
And I will declare Your greatness.
They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness.

The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
The Lord is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works.

All Your works shall praise You, O Lord,
And Your saints shall bless You.
They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
And talk of Your power,
To make known to the sons of men His might acts,
And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.

You kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

The Lord upholds all who fall,
And raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look expectantly to You,
And You give them their food in due season.
You open Your hand,
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

The Lord is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works.
The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He will also hear their cry and save them.

The Lord perserves all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord,
And all flesh shall bless His holy name
FOREVER AND EVER!



What more can I say? He is my AWESOME GOD and I will praise His name FOREVER AND EVER! PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME!

A Life God Rewards

Based on "A Life God Rewards" by Bruce Wilkinson and "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren



Do you know that you will be rewarded later for what you do today in this world? There are a lot of scriptures confirming this statement or in other words, Jesus gave some hints that whatever we do now will affect what we will receive later.
Matthew 16:27 says "For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works."
Matthew 19:21 says "You will have treasure in heaven."
Luke 14:14 says "You will be blessed...for you shall be repaid at the resurrection."

So now that you know this, what are we supposed to do? There are two keys that determine everything about your eternity. The first key is your belief. This key unlocks the door to eternal life and determines where you will spend eternity.
The second key is your behavior. It unlocks the door to reward and determines how you will spend eternity.
Your behavior is the focus of a life that God will reward.

There are six main events of your forever life:
1. Life. You are created in the image of God for a life of purpose.
2. Death. You die physically, but not spiritually.
3. Destination. You reach your destination after death, which is determined by what you believed on earth.
4. Resurrection. You receive a resurrected body.
5. Repayment. You receive you reward or your retribution for eternity based on what you did on earth.
6. Eternity. You will live forever in the presence or absence of God, reaping the consequences of your beliefs and actions on earth.



Jesus said, "When you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just." (Luke14:13-14)
Certainly, God blesses us here on earth out of His grace and goodness. God may also give us temporal rewards for right choices or faithful service to Him in the here and now. But the rewards Jesus reveals are different. They are God's guaranteed response to a specific action on our part that will continue to affect our lives far into eternity. These rewards come not from asking, but from doing - and not now, but after death.

Miss these differences and you set yourself up for disappointment. You'll find yourself asking questions like these: I serve God in every way I know how, so why is our family struggling so much financially? Doesn't God notice or care? Well, God does notice and care. But, He doesn't promise that work for Him now will always result in gain from Him now. It will come later, an eternal reward.

The potrait of Life that God rewards:
1. God will reward you for seeking Him through spiritual acts such as fasting and praying.
2. God will reward you for submitting to your employer as a faithful steward.
3. God will reward you for self-denial in His service.
4. God will reward you for serving those in need in His name.
5. God will reward you for suffering for His name and reputation.
6. God will reward you for sacrifices you make for Him.
7. God will reward you for sharing of your time, talent, and treasure to His further kingdom.



These descriptions may have discouraged you because you think you will never ever be that kind of person. However, you can. You serve God by serving others. Mark 10:43 says "Whoever wants to be great must become a servant." Jesus measured greatness in terms of service, not status. God determines your greatness by how many people you serve, not how many people serve you. Even Jesus Himself came to this world to be a servant.

Real servants make themselves available to serve. Real servants pay attention to needs. Real servants do their best with what they have. Real servants do every task with equal dedication. Real servants are faithful to their ministry. Real servants maintain a low profile.

Servants think more about others than about themselves. Paul said "Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand." Servants think like stewards, not owners. Servants think about their work, not what others are doing. Servants base their identity in Christ. Servants think of ministry as an opportunity, not an obligation. Jesus promised "The Father will honor and reward anyone who serves Me." Paul said, "He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by caring for other christians."

Do you think you can change the way you think now that you have known the truths? From my personal experiences, you will feel this wonderful feelings inside whenever you have the chance to help, knowing that you will make a difference in someone's life. We are created to give Him praises, but we are also created to serve other people as we are serving Him. Remember that your action in this earth will be rewarded later in the heaven. He loves us and He is a faithful God. God bless us. My prayers are with you.