Blog Archives - The Remarkable Blog

The Bird brained and singing instead of squawking.

5/17/2018

So, I am not sure why but I have always loved watching the birds. As I grow older I enjoy birds even more. They captivate me. For a moment like their small bodies my mind takes flight. I am no longer weighted down with the things of the day. It is like when I learn something new and implement it. My mind soars to new heights. I think if these little guys can do that! What can I do?

Matthew 6:25-34 ESV “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

"We must learn to sing not squawk."

Today, I was not at my home but at the church house. There are no bird feeders here. I noticed that my morning greeters were searching for food, or perhaps items for their nest. So, I went to the refrigerator to see if I could find some bread or something to feed them. I remembered the verse I shared with you yesterday. "Yes Lord, I understand, it is not always you that feeds us but you impress upon others to meet our needs." Then, in a moment I heard Him say, "Yes, and unlike humans all those birds did was sing they didn't squawk." "Wow Lord, so true." Too many of us larger, more educated creatures, God has created squawk instead of sing when we are in need. The old song, Trust and Obey never mentions complain and tell fifteen people what we need God to do? "If we can't say something good, then we should say nothing at all."~said every mother that ever lived....

Today begin to sing for your supper...or whatever else you are in need of.

It really is the little things.

5/16/2018

Sitting on my porch is one of my favorite things to enjoy. Especially this morning. The air was fresh from the lingering nights rain. The clouds moved across the sky pushed by the rising sun. Two red birds had found the seeds we'd left for them. My thoughts turned to God as they often do. Psalm 84:3 (KJV) "The bird also has found a house, And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, Even Your altars, O LORD of hosts, My King and my God."

When you feel as though you have been left out on the seal of life. When it appears you are on the outside of all that you love, remember He cares for you. You are valuable.

Get out there on the waters of life and save someone!

5/15/2018

I encourage you to watch Fox News today, something I rarely if ever do. Here is the link I want you to watch:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/05/15/hero-dog-rescues-his-pal-from-drowning-in-pool-in-viral-video.html

Lesson of the day? "Even a dog has enough sense to save someone."

I remember once a great prophet of God called me out and said, "Someone threw a stick in the water for you sister. You got to be sharp. The axe head is going to float, and its got to be sharp for who God is sending you to." That has been many years ago but I review it, over in my mind often. Years ago it was, "What does he mean by that?" Then, as time went by, I realized what I thought he meant. Today, I am still learning what he meant. Revelation is progressive. The point I am making is this: "He that winneth souls is wise." Proverbs 11:30 You may not realize today that the word you are putting in, is giving you an edge to say the right thing to someone tomorrow. Fill yourself up with the word of God. Hang out with other believers because, "...Iron sharpens iron." Keep yourself sharp by staying in the word.

The world is full of people trying to keep their head above water. They are drowning in the sea of life, and many are losing their grip on grace. Grace being defined as Gods ability to do through you what you cannot do through yourself. We need to pray like we have never prayed before. There is a God that desires that no one is lost but all come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 3:8-10 (KJV) "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

I will be praying for you today and those you love, that you know are drowning. Praying that they be saved. Let's reach out our spiritual hands today through prayer. There is no distance in the spirit. You can go places in prayer that you could never go to in the natural. I dreamed once of a woman being sucked down into a vortex, and I reached out and grabbed her hand. I had no idea who she was, but years later I saw her and we smiled at one another. It was a moment of revelation. I think she saw me too. Perhaps it was in a dream? Whatever the case I knew and she knew, we were friends. I could tell by the light in her eyes, that we were kindred.

Step out of your comfort zone!

There is nothing easy in life.

5/14/2018

So, I will just be honest with you. I wanted to stay in bed today, and not do my daily disciplines. That's right. I just wanted to pull the covers back up over my head and sleep. It seems I have been busy since Christmas. I went back to sleep and literally dreamed of a woman in a small one room apartment complaining about her circumstances, and all the things she didn't like about her life. I was visiting her and writing my Blog at the same time. I was sharing with her what I do even when I don't feel like it. Well, never the less when I woke up, it was a lot easier to get out of bed and write my Blog, read my Bible, study my Gems 1. Watch this video.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV) "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Discipline, consistency and hard work pay off. When you get what you aspire to get and be, then reach back and help someone become what they are called to be. "Each one help one." See in our church, we just went to two services. We say, "Attend one~Serve one." That is what God has called us to do.

So, I got out of bed. I refuse to be less than what God has called me to be. God has given us all potential and it's up to us to fulfill that potential. Hard work...works.

It's a small world~value your connections.

5/11/2018

Proverbs 27:10 (CSB) "Don't abandon your friend or your father's friend, and don't go to your brother's house in your time of calamity; better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.

"The well-known six degrees of separation theory is a rule for the interconnected, globalized age we live in. It states that everyone is connected to each other through others they know by, at most, six rounds of introductions (some sillier versions require that actor Kevin Bacon is a step in the chain).
Because of Facebook, the world is getting even smaller than we’ve realized. Researchers studying connectedness on social networks have now proposed that “the average number of acquaintances separating any two people no matter who they are . . . is not six but 3.9.”
The average number of acquaintances separating any two people no matter who they are . . . is not six but 3.9." ( By Jessica Leber https://www.fastcompany.com/user/jessica-leber)

We need to love like God. If we will do that it does't matter who we meet or what we say; because it will all be done in love. When we pray for others, we will pray like it is our best friend of family member. When we offer grace and forgiveness we will do so as if it was our loved one.

As I travel the country I am finding that if I ask enough question we find someone we both know and a place we have both been. Once you have established some history the future is easier to move in to. When we have God at the center of our relationships then we are working out of the same book.

Matthew 12:48-50 (KJV) "But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! “For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.”

It is a very small world. Access to peoples lives is a privilege. Treat people as gifts because they are. Begin today to calla friend and thank them for the relationship you have. Thank God for all your connections and remember that person that brought you together. One day of favor is worth a lifetime of labor. Love never fails so reach out and don't be afraid to love others.

It's a small world with many sacrifices. What are you sacrificing for the sake of others?

5/10/2018

Today matters. Make it count. Your life matters to someone, make them count. It might be a hard day, but who you spend it with, and what you do with these next 24 hours count. Today is a gift.
Make it count. It is a small world and a small act of kindness can go a long way.

John 6:56-69 (NIV) Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit[a] and life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

It may be a small world, but little things count. Where we go counts. Who we hang out with counts. Our conversation counts. Little things matter. Consider the rudder on a ship as the word of God tells us, and how it turns a huge ship. Consider the tongue and how such a small member of our body can set the entire course of our life on fire.

In the above scripture, it mattered that Peter decided to stay with Jesus. See, it really is a small world and one persons life can connect us with the life of another person. That connection can change the course of history. What one person is able to teach another can change an entire world. Peter knew that Jesus had what he needed to hear. There are people God wants to connect you with so that each of you can be a blessings to one another and hear what the other has to say.

Today, I want to encourage you to add value to others. Spend an extra moment to pray for them. Stop and watch a child learn a valuable lesson. Reach beyond your own needs and pray for the needs of others. Add value to those you come in contact with...because after all it is a small world. One act of love can cause a chain or reactions and the funny thing is....some will never know what you did.

Some may never know how small the world is and what a great sacrifice that many make. What sacrifices have you made today.

It's a small world

5/9/2018

Today matters. Make it count. Your life matters to someone. It might be a hard day, but who you spend it with, and what you do with these next 24 hours matters. Today is a gift!

John 6:56-69 (NIV) Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit[a] and life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

It may be a small world, but little things count. Where we go counts. Who we hang out with counts. Our conversation counts. Little things matter. Consider the rudder on a ship as the word of God tells us, and how it turns a huge ship.

One woman praying for another woman's child in her womb matters. People holding hands and praying on the National Day of Prayer counts. Children being taught about the meaning of blowing the Shofar matters. A seed planted in a garden matters, whether it is a flower for the bees to gather nectar or for a family to eat.

In the above scripture, it mattered that Peter decided to stay with Jesus. See, it really is a small world and one persons life can connect us with the life of another person. What one person is able to teach another can change an entire world. Peter knew that Jesus had what he needed to hear. There are people God wants to connect you with so that each of you can be a blessings to one another.

It's a small world after all.

5/8/2018

1 Corinthians 4:15 (KJV) "For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet ye have not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel."

I thought I would do a throw back to previous ministry days since I did not have time to transfer photos from my phone to my computer. I told you yesterday I would share some more ministry photos. So from left to right I am with Dr. Lois Burkett my spiritual grandmother who has gone on to be with the Lord, then Jeff Fenholt who ministered at a conference Dr. John Polis held at East Fairmont High School many years ago, and finally Nicole Crank that Dr. Rebecca Polis had minister at one of her Women's Conferences.

All of the people that God places in our life are part of the Apothecary that helps to make up the anointing we carry. I am grateful for each of these people from my past and many more that I did not have time to maneuver pictures of for todays Blog. However, stay with me this week as I share more of "It's a small world."

Today I am catching up on some well needed rest. I will be filling back up with my daily Bible reading and Gems 1. God bless and I will talk with you tomorrow. Thank you for all your prayers. It was a wonderful time of building the Kingdom of God and advancing the people of God.

It's a small world

5/7/2018

I travel a lot but this weekend was a whirlwind. It was great to see friends from the past and meet new ones. I made a trip to three different places in or around Philadelphia, PA. It was my first time to a church of my friend Lilian. Meeting her husband for the first time I was surprised to learn he was from Kenya. We knew some of the same people, and were able to pick up a conversation like we were old friends. That is when I realized how small the world is becoming to me.

To those that are a child of God it is easy to communicate no matter where we travel. We are truly all working out of the same book. I know the same stories. We have the same Father and we are all headed in the same direction. Think about that for a moment, our arrival time will vary but our destination will be the same. We will know one another when we get there.

It was wonderful catching up with old friends and praising the Lord together, sharing meals and experiencing the presence of Lord together.

Today, I need to take my mother to several appointments and then I will rest. I want to process all that God has done in my life and in the lives of others. I want to spend some time filing the information in my mind so that I can retrieve it as needed. It matters where we put things. Valuables are put in special places so they remain safe.

Today, think about what's important. Take time to ask Daddy God to define your experiences and show you hidden revelation. Ask Him for wisdom and understanding. Request His help in processing all you are learning about the Kingdom, yourself and the world. Be a life learner because the world is a small place and you never know who you may run in to, or what appointments God has in store for you..

2 Timothy 4:2 (KJV) "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine."

Here are some pictures of the weekend whirlwind. I will be sharing more later during the week. Thanks to those that traveled with me and served, taught and shared with me and all of us at In the Light, NDCC and Living Streams.

Here is a great article that is a little bit about what I shared at the last church I spoke. I hope you enjoy it. I would have given you my own notes but they were all hand written as I did not have time to type them all out, but later this week I will share them with you. For today enjoy this from Pastor Rick Warren. It is his intellectual property and copy written so do not reproduce for profit without his written permission.

Every leader needs mentors and models – typically other leaders just ahead of where we are in our growth and our journey. And every leader also needs to be mentoring and modeling those just behind us. This is the only way for discipleship to take on the multi-generational nature described by Paul in 2 Timothy 2:2, “You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.” (NLT)
In order to both mentor and be mentored effectively, it’s important to see how the relationship between Paul and Timothy developed over time. It unfolded in three phases.
Phase One: ParenthoodIn Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he addresses him as “my true son in the faith.” (1 Timothy 1:2) We first meet Timothy in Acts 16 when Paul is heading out on his second missionary journey. He stops in Lystra to pick up the young disciple who accompanies him, assists him, and serves as a sort of apprentice under him. Timothy’s biological father was Greek, but no evidence is ever given that he was a Christian. So Paul filled the shoes of a spiritual father to Timothy.
My heart hurts as I look around at the number of young Pastors and leaders who are enthusiastically serving with big dreams but who lack spiritual fathers in the generation ahead of them. The past is always part of our future. I recommend that at least 25% of a church leader’s reading be spent in pre-Reformation era writings and another 25% from the Reformation to the modern missionary age. Another 25% of our reading should be drawn from the generation just previous to ours and only the remaining 25% among contemporary authors.
We need a sense of parenthood as we mentor because it’s vital that we be grounded as we dream big dreams.
Phase Two: PacesettingThe second phase of our ministry mentoring is pacesetting – being the example of what mature ministry looks like. In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he points out that, “you know what I teach, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance…” (2 Timothy 3:10-11 NLT) Paul sets the pace with his life and challenges Timothy to learn by keeping up and emulating his lifestyle.
You’ve probably heard people say that Christianity is always one generation from extinction. I think that might be oversimplifying it, but the fact is that no generation is exempt from the call to fulfill the Great Commission or to serve God’s purposes as fully as possible. The next generation is always watching, so we get to set the pace.
Phase Three: PartneringOver in the book of Romans, there is a somewhat obscure reference that Paul makes to Timothy in chapter 16, verse 21, “Timothy, my fellow worker, sends you his greetings.” Timothy has gone from being a son to a student and now to being a colleague and a co-laborer. We spend plenty of time desiring and praying for more laborers, but perhaps not enough time investing in those with the potential to become our partners in the mission.
We serve today because of the repetition of this three-phase process for centuries. It didn’t stop with Timothy. The baton has been passed to you who are reading this, and it is our responsibility to be parents, pacesetters, and partners with the next generation until Jesus comes!
Pastor Rick Warren
Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church, one of America's largest and most influential churches. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life. His book, The Purpose Driven Church, was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. Pastor Rick started The PEACE Plan to show the local church how God works through ordinary people to address the five global giants of spiritual emptiness, self-serving leadership, poverty, disease, and illiteracy. You can listen to Daily Hope, Pastor Rick’s daily 25-minute audio teaching, or sign up for his free daily devotionals at PastorRick.com. He is also the founder of Pastors.com, a global online community created to encourage pastors.

Prophetic Evangelism-#5 The Love of God

5/4/2018

When we love people we want the very best for them. When we are a child of God we learn to love what God loves, and hate what God hates. If we truly believe there is a Heaven and a Hell and that we have to choose Jesus to get to Heaven; and that we are equipped with gifts to reach the lost,why would we not use them? Fear? Rejection? Well, let's suppose that we succumb to fear and rejection rather than to step out into faith, and fail to share the love of God. What good are the gifts that Jesus gave to us when He ascended to the Father? That's right. Our gifts are useless.

God so loved us that He gave His only begotten son. Now, how much do we love? Do we love enough to give? Give ourselves a chance. Give your gift. If your gifted to help--help. If you are gifted to heal the sick-reach out and pray for the sick. If you are gifted to prophesy-prophesy, and trust God to do the rest. He will never fail.

Psalm 136  (CEV)
God’s Love Never Fails
1 Praise the Lord! He is good.
    God’s love never fails.
2 Praise the God of all gods.
    God’s love never fails.
3 Praise the Lord of lords.
    God’s love never fails.
4 Only God works great miracles.[a]
    God’s love never fails.
5 With wisdom he made the sky.
    God’s love never fails.
6 The Lord stretched the earth
over the ocean.
    God’s love never fails.
7 He made the bright lights
in the sky.
    God’s love never fails.
8 He lets the sun rule each day.
    God’s love never fails.
9 He lets the moon and the stars
rule each night.
    God’s love never fails.
10 God struck down the first-born
in every Egyptian family.
    God’s love never fails.
11 He rescued Israel from Egypt.
    God’s love never fails.
12 God used his great strength
and his powerful arm.
    God’s love never fails.
13 He split the Red Sea[b] apart.
    God’s love never fails.
14 The Lord brought Israel safely
through the sea.
    God’s love never fails.
15 He destroyed the Egyptian king
and his army there.
    God’s love never fails.
16 The Lord led his people
through the desert.
    God’s love never fails.
17 Our God defeated mighty kings.
    God’s love never fails.
18 And he killed famous kings.
    God’s love never fails.
19 One of them was Sihon,
king of the Amorites.
    God’s love never fails.
20 Another was King Og of Bashan.
    God’s love never fails.
21 God took away their land.
    God’s love never fails.
22 He gave their land to Israel,
the people who serve him.
    God’s love never fails.
23 God saw the trouble we were in.
    God’s love never fails.
24 He rescued us from our enemies.
    God’s love never fails.
25 He gives food to all who live.
    God’s love never fails.
26 Praise God in heaven!
    God’s love never fails.

God loves us. God will never fail us. God is with us. Do what God would do. Read the Word of God and see what Jesus did. Allow Jesus to be your model. The more you step out and see that Jesus meets you, the more you will trust Him to step out. Get out of the boat! You may find you can walk on water.