It's that time, y'all!!! The parades, the balls, the parties, the beads!!!! Throw me something, mister!!! The music--a genre of its own. It's Mardi Gras, folks. So let the good times roll...
I didn't know a thing about Mardi Gras until I attended the University of Southern Mississippi. All I knew was I was getting two days off. So yeah, roll on good times!!!!
So, friends, enjoy your Mardi Gras. Just remember why you get a Mardi Gras and what it means to you as Christian. What are you giving up since you are "doing what you wanna" today?
Lent is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. The purpose is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus Christ--His suffering and sacrifice, his life, death, burial, and resurrection.
Showing posts with label purpose. Show all posts
Showing posts with label purpose. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Not Until You Bless Me
The Weekly Bible Study moves on with the letter, P. Jacob came to my mind as I thought about the word Persistence for this week's lesson.
So many lessons envelope Jacob and his twin brother, Esau. The ultimate sibling rivalry. They fought in the womb. Jacob pulled Esau by the ankle as they went through the birth canal. As boys, Esau was Daddy's favorite and Jacob was the Mama's boy. As men, Jacob manipulates Esau out of his birthright and steals his blessing. Yet, Jacob suffers the consequences of his actions.
Jacob, too, falls for a deception as his own uncle tricks him in to marrying the wrong daughter. I think they call that karma. Once Jacob decides to reconcile with Esau, the brothers are able to make peace with each other.
Despite all his wrongdoings, Jacob has a one-on-one encounter with God.
Genesis 32:24-30 says: This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!”
But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
“What is your name?” the man asked.
He replied, “Jacob.”
“Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”
“Please tell me your name,” Jacob said.
“Why do you want to know my name?” the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there. Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.”
Sometimes, you just have to keeping fighting. If you have a word from God, keep believing in that word and keep pursuing it. God's word will come to pass. Then, at that time, you get your blessing. Find that interest, that project, that movement, that whatever it is that won't let you go. Therein lies your passion; your purpose. Tell God you won't let Him go unless He blesses you.
Be persistent in your well-doing.
Soli Deo Gloria,
SA Brown
So many lessons envelope Jacob and his twin brother, Esau. The ultimate sibling rivalry. They fought in the womb. Jacob pulled Esau by the ankle as they went through the birth canal. As boys, Esau was Daddy's favorite and Jacob was the Mama's boy. As men, Jacob manipulates Esau out of his birthright and steals his blessing. Yet, Jacob suffers the consequences of his actions.
Jacob, too, falls for a deception as his own uncle tricks him in to marrying the wrong daughter. I think they call that karma. Once Jacob decides to reconcile with Esau, the brothers are able to make peace with each other.
Despite all his wrongdoings, Jacob has a one-on-one encounter with God.
Genesis 32:24-30 says: This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!”
But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
“What is your name?” the man asked.
He replied, “Jacob.”
“Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”
“Please tell me your name,” Jacob said.
“Why do you want to know my name?” the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there. Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.”
Sometimes, you just have to keeping fighting. If you have a word from God, keep believing in that word and keep pursuing it. God's word will come to pass. Then, at that time, you get your blessing. Find that interest, that project, that movement, that whatever it is that won't let you go. Therein lies your passion; your purpose. Tell God you won't let Him go unless He blesses you.
Be persistent in your well-doing.
Soli Deo Gloria,
SA Brown
Thursday, February 23, 2012
He wants to be your motivation.
The Weekly Alphabet Bible Study moves on with the letter M. Can I get a motivation check?
Long before Kelly Rowland sang her song, God was tugging at your heart. The Lord really does want you to fulfill your life's purposes. He makes you to be motivated...to live for Him. A big part of that motivation is His promises.
Jeremiah 29:11-14
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the LORD. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”
God wants you to be happy. He has wonderful plans for you and me. So where do we go wrong? Well, I think it starts when we sense that twinge of independence and we think we can do everything on our own. That free will can get you every time. Then we expect God to bless our mess.
God will allow you to make a mess of things but He promises to be right there with you to help you through it all. And then He says if you just take the time to get to know me, you will get to know you. That is when your dreams align with His dreams and you and God are walking hand-in-hand. Because you did some things without Him, you will have to deal with the fallout of those choices. There is no federal bail-out in this game. The good news is once you go through the consequences of the plans without God (which was never really the case), then you can get on track to bask in the glory of the plans God has for me.
And I find that very motivating...
Deo Soli Gloria,
Step Brown
Long before Kelly Rowland sang her song, God was tugging at your heart. The Lord really does want you to fulfill your life's purposes. He makes you to be motivated...to live for Him. A big part of that motivation is His promises.
Jeremiah 29:11-14
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the LORD. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”
God wants you to be happy. He has wonderful plans for you and me. So where do we go wrong? Well, I think it starts when we sense that twinge of independence and we think we can do everything on our own. That free will can get you every time. Then we expect God to bless our mess.
God will allow you to make a mess of things but He promises to be right there with you to help you through it all. And then He says if you just take the time to get to know me, you will get to know you. That is when your dreams align with His dreams and you and God are walking hand-in-hand. Because you did some things without Him, you will have to deal with the fallout of those choices. There is no federal bail-out in this game. The good news is once you go through the consequences of the plans without God (which was never really the case), then you can get on track to bask in the glory of the plans God has for me.
And I find that very motivating...
Deo Soli Gloria,
Step Brown
Friday, February 17, 2012
Is it craziness???
The weekly Bible Study carries on and this week, the letter is L. I started to go with Listen. Yet, on my way to work, the word Lunacy came to my mind.
I am coming from a personal space today because I believe God is working on me about something. I realize today that everything really is unfolding as it should. Those times I felt I should be in Atlanta and I missed my chance to be there, now I realize if God needed me to be there, I would be there. It's just that simple.
Remember when Jesus walked the water? Here's the reminder.
Matthew 14: 27-31 reads: But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here! Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”
Today, I am feeling like Peter. I am asking God to use me and do great things through me. Yet, when He beckons, I verbally declare I will follow. But at the first sign of any oppression (strong wind) or I sense I MIGHT sink, I jump back in the boat. At least Peter asked the Lord to save him. LOL.
That one passage about Jesus and Peter has so many lessons in it. And the one that grabs me today is that Peter asked God to let him do something crazy. Walk on water? Really? God allowed him to do something crazy but when Peter stopped focusing on God, the oppression (strong wind) almost killed him.
Sometimes, God will ask you to do some radical things for Him if you open your heart to Him. To outsiders, it may seem crazy, an act of lunacy. Quit that job. Open that business. Sell that house. Move to that city. Leave that family. Build that ark. Tell that pharaoh to let my people go. March around that city and the walls will come tumbling down. Build that temple. King that boy. Marry that whore. Birth that baby even though you are a virgin.
To the world, it's craziness. To God, it's just the way He does things.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Step Brown
I am coming from a personal space today because I believe God is working on me about something. I realize today that everything really is unfolding as it should. Those times I felt I should be in Atlanta and I missed my chance to be there, now I realize if God needed me to be there, I would be there. It's just that simple.
Remember when Jesus walked the water? Here's the reminder.
Matthew 14: 27-31 reads: But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here! Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”
Today, I am feeling like Peter. I am asking God to use me and do great things through me. Yet, when He beckons, I verbally declare I will follow. But at the first sign of any oppression (strong wind) or I sense I MIGHT sink, I jump back in the boat. At least Peter asked the Lord to save him. LOL.
That one passage about Jesus and Peter has so many lessons in it. And the one that grabs me today is that Peter asked God to let him do something crazy. Walk on water? Really? God allowed him to do something crazy but when Peter stopped focusing on God, the oppression (strong wind) almost killed him.
Sometimes, God will ask you to do some radical things for Him if you open your heart to Him. To outsiders, it may seem crazy, an act of lunacy. Quit that job. Open that business. Sell that house. Move to that city. Leave that family. Build that ark. Tell that pharaoh to let my people go. March around that city and the walls will come tumbling down. Build that temple. King that boy. Marry that whore. Birth that baby even though you are a virgin.
To the world, it's craziness. To God, it's just the way He does things.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Step Brown
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Before Amazon's Kindle
The Weekly Alphabet Bible Study is on the letter K. With that in mind, I thought of the word KINDLE. According to Webster, kindle means to ignite, to catch fire, to stir up and arouse.
As believers, we should be on fire for God. He created us with a purpose in mind. You were never an afterthought to God. There is a reason for this season. And you owe it to yourself and the others you will affect to ask God what is your role and purpose. After you ask Him, patiently await his perfectly-timed answer.
Isaiah 46:10 says Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass; for I do whatever I wish.
Jeremiah 10:23-24 says I know, Lord, that our lives are not our own. We are not able to plan our own course. So correct me, Lord, but please be gentle. Do not correct me in anger, for I would die.
In the history of Israel, Joseph was born to save them from starvation, Moses was created to deliver them from slavery and Esther was divinely appointed to prevent their extinction. Even outcasts from the nation of Israel, like Rehab the prostitute who helped Joshua and his men, had their use.
Whether big or small, recorded or unrecorded, notable or unknown to the public, you were born to fulfill a need. That need arose even before your birth. Allaround you are people who need you. You might be their evangelist and share the Gospel with them. You might be their teacher and teach them the Word. You could be their exhorter and encourage them to do their purpose for God. The point is be open to what God has for you to do. Know that you have a purpose otherwise you wouldn't be here.
Allow God to light a fire in you to fulfill His divinely-appointed purposes. His will is perfect. Forget Amazon... It's God who should be your kindle.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Step Brown
As believers, we should be on fire for God. He created us with a purpose in mind. You were never an afterthought to God. There is a reason for this season. And you owe it to yourself and the others you will affect to ask God what is your role and purpose. After you ask Him, patiently await his perfectly-timed answer.
Isaiah 46:10 says Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass; for I do whatever I wish.
Jeremiah 10:23-24 says I know, Lord, that our lives are not our own. We are not able to plan our own course. So correct me, Lord, but please be gentle. Do not correct me in anger, for I would die.
In the history of Israel, Joseph was born to save them from starvation, Moses was created to deliver them from slavery and Esther was divinely appointed to prevent their extinction. Even outcasts from the nation of Israel, like Rehab the prostitute who helped Joshua and his men, had their use.
Whether big or small, recorded or unrecorded, notable or unknown to the public, you were born to fulfill a need. That need arose even before your birth. Allaround you are people who need you. You might be their evangelist and share the Gospel with them. You might be their teacher and teach them the Word. You could be their exhorter and encourage them to do their purpose for God. The point is be open to what God has for you to do. Know that you have a purpose otherwise you wouldn't be here.
Allow God to light a fire in you to fulfill His divinely-appointed purposes. His will is perfect. Forget Amazon... It's God who should be your kindle.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Step Brown
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)