A Prison With No Walls

Sean Petty was new to Charlotte, North Carolina. He had recently been given a promotion by the insurance company that he worked for.

During his first month there, Sean struggled in meeting new friends. The people in his office were either married with families, in another age bracket, or both. He wanted a companion and decided to get a dog. Though Sean came from a well-off family and did well for himself on his own, he had no desire to go and buy a dog.

After asking around in the office and in his apartment building, Sean was directed to the Humane Society on Toomey Avenue. When Sean arrived, he was specific in what it is he was looking for in his new companion. Sean wanted a dog that was deeply troubled, abused, and undesirable by others. He wanted a dog that needed to be rehabilitated and retaught to trust in its handler.

Amy was the assistant at the establishment and new of the perfect dog. She passed the animals that were barking and perky and proceeded to the last cage. When she and Sean reached it, there were no sounds coming from the cage, only silence. The dog layed at the back of the cage as if it were afraid. It was a beautiful blue Pitbull. Sean saw the dog’s eyes and fell in love instantly. Amy felt compelled to admonish Sean of the dog’s history before he was to consider adopting it.

Amy went on to tell Sean that the dog had been forced to fight in its past. The owner had several dogs that had been forced to do the same, but this particular dog managed to stay alive long enough to be rescued. She added that when they initially received the dog, it was expectantly aggressive and had difficulty trusting humans. The dog’s story seemed to please Sean even more.

Sean completed all of the papers and got the dog loaded into his SUV. Sean realized that he had yet to give the dog a name. Because of the dog’s background and gender, Sean decided to call his new companion Rocky…

When Sean got Rocky home, he could tell that he had a long way to go with Rocky. Rocky sat in his cage all day and refused to exit it. Sean did everything imaginable to get him out, but to no avail. Toys didn’t work and neither did doggie treats. Sean had yet to even pet the dog.

A couple of weeks later, Rocky came to the edge of the cage to grab a toy left at the entrance. Sean heard the funny little noise that the toy makes as he washed dishes in the kitchen and was pleased. Sean was motivated by the progress, as minuscule as it was.

Weeks later, Sean achieved another breakthrough. Rocky would now get excited when Sean approached his cage with a doggie treat. Rocky even stood with his mouth open and tongue out, wagging his tail thunderously against the cage as Sean would approach. Prior to this breakthrough, Rocky would simply retreat to the back of his cage and curl up upon Sean’s approach. At this point, Rocky actually allowed Sean to touch him through the square holes of his cage now.

About 2 ½ months after the adoption, Sean came home to a pleasant surprise. As he entered the house from the garage, Rocky was sitting in wait outside of his cage. As Sean approached him, the dog shyly went to a lying position with his eyes closed. Rocky began to lightly whimper as Sean cautiously approached. Sean softly touched Rocky, caressing him with sincerity, love, and hope. The bond had now been set. Sean released tears of joy and said to Rocky, “I’ll never allow anything or anybody to imprison or hurt you again. You are with me now, and I am going to love and protect you!”

Brothers and sisters, GOD has given me this story to iterate this message. We are much like Rocky. We are born into a world of bondage and imprisonment. We have seen and experienced the ugly the world has to offer and have felt the gravity and restraint of its bars. We have become so accustomed to being oppressed by the world, its sin, and its restraint, that we have accepted it as our norm. We have yielded to its conditions and lost hope of a day free from the world’s cage. The enemy has deceived us into accepting this fate. We are imprisoned in the flesh and in our minds. That is, Satan has successfully created a prison for us that exist only in our minds. Much like Rocky, this results in us being ‘handled by the world instead of us placing ourselves in the hands of our handler!’

This day, I want each of my brothers and sisters to know that the devil is a liar! We are no longer imprisoned by the restraints of the world. Satan had to release us to the care of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when He died on the cross at Calvary and rose on the 3^rd day. If you are in the world’s prison today, it’s because you chose to be there. It’s a figment of your imagination. The walls and bars that keep you there are there because you say they are. You won’t leave the world behind because you don’t know what it feels like to be free. You can choose to be in the hands of the Almighty handler, or you can choose to be remanded to something that no longer exists. I feel free today! I feel loved today! I feel victorious today! My handler says that I am protected today! I don’t care where you are right now when you’re reading this; say it out loud in a mighty way: “I AM FREE TODAY!” Hallelujah!!! (Skin crawling)

In closing I say to you… The cage around us is a figment of the imagination that the enemy uses to pounce upon our faith and diminish our hope. I urge you to step forward in the name of our handler. The price has been paid and the Lord has set you free. Trust Him. Submit to Him. Treat yourself to the unwavering love of our Heavenly Father. Step out of the world that is your prison and into His love! I proclaim today on behalf of you all, institutionalization will no longer be a part of your mindset.

Today’s Beacon of Light Scriptures: Galatians 5:1 and John 8:34-36

5 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 

35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 

36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Today’s Prayer:

Heavenly Father, give us wisdom to detect Satan’s deceit and see the world for what it truly is. Father we accept Your hand that removes us from the enemy’s bondage and cruelty towards us. Renew us today in You. Be the winds beneath our wings as we flee our worldly prisons and ascend to greater heights and freedom in Your love. In Jesus name, Amen…

The Junkyard

“The Junkyard”

In a small town just outside of Omaha, Nebraska, there were three brothers that ran a corn and cattle farm. The farm was founded by their father, Thomas C. Mathers, in the early 1960s as a middle-aged man. Thomas Mathers died in 1989 after suffering ongoing heart complications and left the farm to his boys Luke, Brian, and Todd Mathers.

The boys were hard workers and continued to build upon what their father had left them. What was a 500 acre farm at the time of Mr. Mathers’ death grew into a 2000 acre farm by 2005. The boys made a great team. Luke is the oldest and is a natural born farmer. His father always said “That boy must have been a farmer in his previous life!”

Brian is a people’s person. He’s the wheeler and dealer. He handles the farm hands and all personnel issues. He was also the spokesman for the farm and determined who they did business with.

Todd is the youngest son. Todd went to college and studied business and received a master’s degree in finance. He crunched numbers, presented investment strategies to the brothers, maintained the books, and constantly searched for opportunities to grow the business.

After years of success, Brian became curious about the world outside of small Fremont, Nebraska. Being a single man, he started to covet the women he saw on television, fancy cars and clothes, and the lavish lifestyles portrayed in magazines.

Brian informed Luke and Todd that he had decided to leave the business to go and live life outside of Nebraska. He expressed his desires to experience the life he sees on television. Brian says, “Guys I have never gotten an opportunity to enjoy the fruits of my labor; so I’m taking some money with me, and I’m going away to do just that.”  Though his brothers would miss him greatly, they decided not to obstruct Brian’s wishes.

Brian headed to sunny San Diego, California. He bought a brand new corvette and rented an apartment on the beach. Brian attracted a lot of attention from women and male friends who took to his giving ways. Brian went through women and always had a leach attached to him at local bars. Brian was not the business man that Todd was and there were no farms in San Diego to run. Brian was beginning to run out of money.

After seven years, Brian’s car didn’t have the same appeal that it had when he purchased it. Brian no longer received attention from the girls anymore, and the friends that he thought he had were no longer around after the money began to dry up. Brian was now broke and lonely.

Brian returned home to his brothers in 2012. When he arrived, he expected to be given a cold shoulder, but he was surprisingly wrong. They rejoiced like kids when they saw that their brother had returned. He apologized to them for leaving and told them of all the mistakes he had made. He told them that he spent his money on an expensive car, a fancy apartment, and fast living. He wept on the shoulders of his brothers as he embraced them and begged their forgiveness.

Luke softly patted Brian on the back and requested that he take a ride with him and Todd. The boys jumped in the truck and took a ride toward Omaha. On the edge of the city was a junkyard. When they arrived at the junkyard, Luke said to Brian: “Our father brought me here when I was 14. He made me look at this place and take it in. He told me that people fail to realize that everything that this world has to offer has an expiration date and those things will one day become a part of some kind of junkyard. Everything in this place was once someone’s dream or goal. Now it sits in piles of worthless, rusted junk. Our father shared that with me because I was the oldest son and he wanted me to always be invested in the things that truly mattered. That being said, while you invested in things that will one day see this graveyard of things, me and Todd decided to invest in our love for you. You only spent a quarter of your stake in this business, and the rest Todd has continued to invest into this business. Our father instructed me to do this so that we can always benefit from the fruits of his sacrifice.”

Friends and family, it is important that we understand that the most important things in life aren’t things at all. We sacrifice our happiness for the enemy’s mirage of happiness. That is, Satan understands our pleasures and our desires, and he deceives us into believing that we are experiencing happiness. This is not happiness. It is merely a temporary investment into something that is slowly decaying and will someday see its day in the graveyard of things. Cars, money, houses, fame, power, and the worldly pleasures those things bring, will all die. An investment into the one living GOD in heaven is what, some may refer to as, “A sure bet!”

Let’s not focus on the acquisition of things and worldly pleasures, but more so on Christ, our love for one another, and the spreading of GOD’s word. Finding our place in Him enables us to enjoy the things that GOD has set before us with a deeper appreciation.

Today’s Beacon of Light Scriptures:

16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 

17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. (John 2:16-17)

Today’s Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we are made from earth and our flesh desires those things that are of the earth. Father there is truth in our path towards you, and we ask you to illuminate the mirages of happiness set forth by the enemy O Lord. Empower us. Help us to remember that we have had the power over the world since Jesus overcame the world at Calvary. May our treasures accompany our hearts and desires in Heaven. In Jesus name, Amen…

Healthy Diet

Jessica Martin is the youngest of three daughters born to a prominent family in Auburn, Alabama. Her parents both came from a long line of wealth tracing back to the mid-19^th century. Her sisters are not much older than she is; they in fact all attended the same high school at one point. Her sisters were popular at school because of their beauty and family name. Jessica on the other hand was simply known as the younger sister of Cherian and Diane Martin.

Lacking attention both at home and at school, Jessica turned to her one true love, which was food. Jessica had a terrible diet. By her senior year, she was 50 pounds heavier than she was as a freshman. Jessica was not considered to be unattractive as a freshman, and she had a petite stature. Jessica was merely focused on the adulation that her older sisters received by their peers and the attention she did not.

Jessica embraced all the southern fixings she had grown accustomed to living in the Deep South. She loved fried foods; she loved the rich deserts made by their kitchen staff; she also loved all the fattening meats and traditional fixings at the Auburn Football tailgates on Saturdays. Her eating habits had gotten the attention of her family, who articulated their admonitions, but to no avail.

By the time January had come around during Jessica’s senior year of high school, she took a good look in the mirror at herself. She finally was able to see what her family had come to recognize. She had abused her body with poor food choices. As a result, she disliked the person in the mirror more than the one she despised as a high school freshman.

Jessica knew that she wanted to experience a high school prom, but she reached the conclusion that she could not get a desired date without changing her eating habits. She made up in her mind that she will lose 50 pounds in 4 months.

Jessica began working out and exercising heavily. She had their kitchen staff prepare healthy meals for her at all times. After month one, Jessica had only lost 6 pounds. She was highly disappointed at her results sense she had put forth a relentless effort to put her on track to achieving her goal. She knew that she would not be successful at this rate, so she implemented drastic measures. Jessica began forcing herself to regurgitate subsequent to consuming big meals. She continued to work out vigorously and consume water and energy drinks.

In the middle of March, Jessica began to see a dramatic change in her figure. She began receiving complements at school from her girlfriends and catching a couple of eyes by the boys. This gave her added motivation. Jessica wanted to know how far she had come by weighing herself on a scale. She could not believe her eyes when she saw the scale. Jessica had loss a staggering total of 41 pounds over 81 days. That gave her 32 days to lose 9 pounds.

Jessica continued her bulimic practices to achieve her goal. It was no longer a means to an end. Jessica had worked her way into becoming an outright bulimic. She reverted to her old eating habits because she knew that she would get rid of it through regurgitation. She even began taking laxatives without consulting a physician. She was obsessed with her figure and the fear of gaining the weight back. Jessica had no reason to discontinue her dangerous habit; after all, she looked amazing.

Jessica finally received the call she had been looking for. Thomas Payne reached out to her and asked her to the prom. She was elated by his gesture. She immediately contacted her friends and sisters to tell them the good news.

The following day, Jessica showed up to school. She noticed that her throat was a little hoarse and that she was having abdominal pain. She went to the bathroom to gather herself and was immediately overcome with faint. After collapsing onto the bathroom floor, a student found her minutes later and notified the front office. Her parents were contacted immediately and directed to meet the ambulance at the East Alabama Medical Center.

Hours later, the doctors informed Jessica’s parents that her blood sugar was extremely low and that they found signs in her throat, teeth, and on her knuckles that would suggest that their daughter was suffering bulimia nervosa. Her parents were devastated. Jessica’s kidney’s had suffered from laxative abuse, which required a week in the hospital. As a result, her unhealthy diet caused her to miss the prom that she abused her body for.  

Brothers and sisters, we can use this story to illuminate the practices of our diets in our daily lives. We pay a lot more attention to our flesh than we do our spirit; however, we can learn a valuable lesson from the fleshly diet.

When we over feed the flesh, we become overweight. When we over feed our spirit with a worldly diet, we subject our spirit-man to obesity and being overweight in sin. When this occurs, we not only empower the worldly spirit within us, we store sin like our flesh stores fat. In order to rid ourselves of sin (i.e. spiritual fat), it requires healthy dieting and exercise (i.e. The word of GOD and its practical use). We don’t have to go on binge diets like Jessica who’s depicted in the story above because GOD gave us a guaranteed nutrition plan when Jesus died for our sins at Calvary! All that is required for this nutrition plan is the desire of the heart to commit one’s self to GOD’s word and putting it to practical use. Once we follow His plan, we’ll begin to see that GOD has whipped us back into our desired Christian form! Incorporate GOD’s healthy diet today and trim the worldly fat that we know as sin.

In addition, think of how your fleshly body works in order to make sense of how our spirit works. What we put in is generally what we put out. If we feed our spirit steady doses of the world, it will only produce worldly results. If we allow ourselves to ingest a steady diet of negativity from those who love the world, wecan only expect to take on the mentality of those who love the world. If we allow things such as pornographic materials, or music that incites violence to be digested into our spirit, then we can expect fornication, adultery, and physical aggression to manifest themselves in our later actions. If we feed our spirit a steady dose of GOD’s word and Christ-like elements, our spirits will have received righteous nutrition and will project a Christ-like persona. It’s a very simple concept that we must attempt to receive less we miss our prom date with Christ in Heaven.

Today’s Beacon of Light Scriptures

But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).’

I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food (Job 23:12).

Today’s Prayer:

Heavenly Father, without a healthy portion of Your spiritual nourishment, we are ill-equipped to combat the enemy. Lord we cannot win alone and we cannot defeat the enemy while we are spiritually empty. Lord we desire a healthy share of the spiritual feast that you have prepared before us and we pray that you allow it to strengthen us in mighty way O Lord… In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen…

Victory

Lauriel had finally reached her last day at a drug rehab clinic just outside of Columbia, South Carolina. She had previously gotten into some trouble with the police regarding a felony drug possession. This wasn’t Lauriel’s first rodeo with the law. She had been getting in trouble since the age of sixteen.

Lauriel’s mother and father died in a car accident when she was 14 years-old. She was devastated. Her parents loved her like no other. She was an only child who happened to be born to two parents that were also the only children of their parents. The only person that was alive was her mother’s mother, Nana Belle.

Nana Belle was the typical southern grandma. She spoiled Lauriel all of her life and made special treats for her all the time. Lauriel moved in with Nana Belle down in a little town called Tifton, Georgia shortly after her parents’ memorial service. Nana Belle made Lauriel feel right at home. She told Lauriel stories of how her mom and dad used to sneak around as kids. She also told Lauriel something she never knew.

“Lauriel,” Nana Belle said, “I can still remember the day you were born and your mother telling me that she and your father wanted me to name you. I named you Lauriel after the laurel tree, also called the sweet bay tree. The tree symbolizes victory. I know that this situation is tough for you, but in the end you’ll have victory. Don’t worry because GOD has already shown me.”

A year had past and things were beginning to become normal for Lauriel again. Lauriel had adjusted well to the Tifton community.

One day after leaving the local diner after school, Lauriel walked a couple of blocks to Nana Belle’s. She entered the house and called out to her grandmother as usual. There was no response. She figured Nana Belle was out back tending to her garden. As Lauriel entered the kitchen, she saw Nana Belle lying lifeless across the floor. Nana Belle had passed away. Again Lauriel was devastated.

Because Lauriel was only sixteen, soon to be seventeen, she became a ward of the state. Lauriel spiraled downhill. She sought attention and affection in all of the wrong places. This is where her bout with drugs and other petty criminal behaviors began.

By the age of 22, Lauriel had been arrested several times for minor drug violations. Eventually, she was sentenced to a year in a state prison for drug possession. She had a lot of time to think of her parents and her grandmother. She remembered the lessons her parents taught her from the Bible. She began to pray more and ask GOD to help her. She focused on the word victory that she had tattooed on her arm after Nana Belle’s death. The Bible became her consolation and her moral compass. Lauriel was determined to make amends with GOD and see to it that Nana Belle’s vision of her victory came to fruition.

When Lauriel was released from prison, she had been led by prayer to check herself into a drug rehab center. She received the final tools to kick her habit. On the final day, Lauriel’s nurse told her that GOD is going to use her to change lives. “Don’t ask me what it means,” the nurse said; “Just walk in faith and you will complete your task.”

When Lauriel was released, she couldn’t wait to go to church. When Sunday morning finally came, she drew stares and whispers as she entered the church. Some of the members still associated her with the person Lauriel used to be. Their judgement hurt Lauriel, but she managed to focus her attention on GOD and not her embarrassment.

As Lauriel sat in the pews, a soft voice in her spirit urged her to unchain herself from the pain of the past. She rose from her seat and entered into the isle. The congregation appeared to be taken aback by her subtle action. She stood before the church and said, “Today I will gain victory by leaving my burdens at the cross with my Heavenly Father.”

She began giving her testimony. She told of the losses of everyone that meant anything to her. She told of her experiences as a foster child. She told of her spiral into the drug world and the many things that resulted from it. She told of being sentenced to prison. Finally, Lauriel told of her greatest accomplishment, which was finding her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ within prison walls.

Lauriel understood now what victory was. She said to the congregation, “I am Victory today! My GOD has allowed my world to crumble, that he may rebuild me anew. I have been restored and rewarded with spiritual wealth today.”

Tears could be seen streaming down the faces of her onlookers. Those who judged Lauriel now looked upon her with admiration and a feeling of conviction. She was embraced by many and moved by their sincerity. As she closed her eyes, she felt those chains break and a feeling of elevation. She could hear her parents and Nana Belle rejoicing and crying tears of joy from the heavens. Lauriel smiled and whispered to herself, “So this is what victory feels like…”

Lauriel went on to become a well-recognized speaker nationwide, and she wrote a best seller, ‘Victory: A Second Chance in Christ.’ She dedicated her book to her parents and Nana Belle.

Today’s Beacon of Light Scriptures:

3. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 

4. and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 

5. and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the  Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Romans 5:3-5).   

Today’s Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for your divine presence and purpose in our lives. There are many things that seem far too great in our lives to handle, but by our faith in You, our reward is victory. Give us strength and courage O’GOD in the face of our tribulations, and continue to anchor us in salvation Lord. May Your love and grace cover us all of our days. In Jesus name, Amen…

Pruned Trees

Every Saturday morning, Richard awakens at the crack of dawn to begin doing yard work. Richard loves working in his yard and tending to his Garden. His yard is one of the most beautiful in all of his community; however, it was not always beautiful.

When Richard first bought his house, his yard needed major work. Richard was more into the house itself than he was the outside landscape. After buying the house, Richard’s ex-wife agreed to allow his son Tyler to spend every other weekend with him.

While growing up, Richard’s father was an excellent landscaper, and he taught Richard the ends and outs of creating and maintaining a beautiful yard. Being that Tyler had recently turned 10 years-old, Richard believed that this gave him an excellent opportunity to pass along his father’s lessons to Tyler.

When Tyler learned of his father’s plans, he was excited to learn about yard work. One of the things that Richard taught Tyler first was how to prune small trees and flower bushes. Richard gave Tyler a list of things to fetch from the garage to begin the lesson.

When Tyler returned to his Richard with all the equipment, Tyler noticed that a lot of the equipment was made to cut or remove. Tyler asked his father, “Dad, you’re not gonna cut these trees down are ya?” Richard replied, “No son. But there are parts of the tree that I will cut off and remove.” “Why would you do that dad? Wouldn’t that hurt the trees?” Richard smiled at Tyler. “Son, I know this probably won’t make a lot of sense to you now, but I’m gonna try and explain this to ya.”

“Tyler when trees grow, they do not always grow flawlessly. They sometimes need assistance for proper growth. Though I may cut a limb or branch here and there, it is necessary. Though it may hurt the tree temporarily, it helps the tree in the long run. For instance, look at this little tree here. It’s growing a lot more limbs on the left side than it is the right. Naturally, the tree has started to lean left and grow in that direction instead of up. To correct it, we’ll trim some of those limbs to help it grow straight up.”

As a couple years had gone by, Tyler had learned so much from his dad. The yard that was once an eye sore was now the best yard in the area. The trees and flower bushes that had been pruned by Tyler and his dad were now flourishing. The trees had grown a few feet, and the flowers were thriving with radiance and color. Tyler understood now why pruning was necessary for maintaining a healthy garden.

Brothers and sisters, we are like trees and flowers unto our Heavenly Father. We are born into a world of sin and imperfection. We do not always grow properly. There may be a situation, a job, friend, relative, intimate partner, or spouse, that serves as the excess limbs that causes erroneous growth to the left or right. Because GOD loves us, he will lend us a hand by cutting and removing those limbs that are of no use to our designed growth. Though it may hurt us temporarily, His plan is always designed to suit our best interests.

It never feels good to have things removed from our lives. As stated in previous writings, we lack the divine foresight of our Heavenly Father. When His plan for our lives comes full circle, He removes the darkness from our paths and reveals to us why His actions were necessary. Yes, He cut away those limbs, and yes it hurt. When it is all said and done, shout a Holy Praise, knowing that it was all worth it! Hallelujah today O’ GOD! These are the moments we truly learn to trust in Him as the almighty… Praise GOD for your pruning today! The hindering limbs and branches that have prevented your rightful elevation have been cut away.

Today’s Beacon of Light Scriptures:

1.       I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 

2.       Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, he takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit (John 15:1-2).

Today’s Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we do not always understand why you do things in our lives, but we trust and believe You to be our loving and just Father. We know that you act on our behalf when we grieve the loss of negativity and loved ones. May your will be done in our lives forevermore O’ Lord. In the name of Jesus, Amen…

Retained

In a small town called Greenville, Florida, there lived a little 8 year-old girl by the name of Annie Rozier. Lil’ Annie came from a poor family that struggled to get by. Annie was a sweet little girl, but she struggled in her school studies.

Lil’ Annie was not popular at school and was often treated poorly by her fellow peers. She dressed poorly and was not known for being a pretty girl. Children cried when they were forced to sit next to her. They cried when they had to hold her hand. The treatment that Annie received tore her apart on the inside. She would often cry when she returned home from school.

Annie did not get a lot of help from home. Her parents were not raised to value school as much as they should have, which resulted in both parents being illiterate. This made things even more difficult for her. Every day of second grade was a miserable experience for Lil’ Annie. She dreaded attendance and was often distracted by the deliberate torture that she received from the other students.

As time had gone by, the final week of school had now come. This was the only time Annie had been happy about school; that was of course because school was coming to an end for the year. Nothing mattered to Annie at this point. All she could think of is no school, which meant no teasing, no name calling, and no days ending in tears.

On the last day of school, Annie’s teacher passed out report cards to all of the students. This meant nothing to Annie; After all, Annie was just happy to be out of school. When Annie opened her report card, she received news that she had not anticipated. Annie had failed 2^nd grade and was doomed to repeat the worst experience of her life. Her heart began to beat in anguish. Her lips began to quiver uncontrollably. In that moment, her world had crumbled. Without any warning, tears filled the wells of her eyes. Gravity pulled her tears to the ground along with any happiness that Annie had conjured up about school’s end. She couldn’t understand why such a devastating thing could happen to her.

Mrs. Johnson, Annie’s teacher, explained Annie’s situation to her thoroughly. “Annie” she said, “I am truly sorry that you did not pass the 2nd grade. I know that you have had a difficult time, and my heart goes out to you. You were not successful because you allowed your peers to distract you from a better outcome on this day. It was not your assigned task to be liked and treated well. It was not your responsibility to do and behave in a manner that was favorable to those who mistreated you. You were responsible for adhering to my directions, my assigned tasks, and the other rules for this classroom. When you focused on elements around you and what was being done to you, there was no focus on class assignments or home work. I cannot promote you to the 3^rd grade because you have not demonstrated a convincing competency for addition and subtraction. In the 3^rd grade, you will be responsible for learning multiplication and division. You will not be successful in these disciplines if you do not know addition and subtraction. For these reasons, you will be retained in the 2^nd grade so that we may build the appropriate bridge to the 3^rd grade. As your teacher, I would only be setting you up for failure later down the road if I did it any other way.”

Mrs. Johnson offered Lil’ Annie a tissue as she blotted her eyes. In this moment, Annie knew that Mrs. Johnson was spot on and fair. From that day on, Annie made up her mind that she would never allow the mistreatment by her peers to discourage her focus on the teacher’s directives. She no longer sought to satisfy her peers, and she used their malicious antics to fuel her motivations to become successful. When Annie took this approach, she relished in the moment of hearing her teacher say, “Annie, you have been promoted. Well done Annie, well done!”

Brothers and sisters, some of us are a lot like Lil’ Annie. We focus on all of the distractions of the enemy, thus detracting our attention from the source of all promotions. In order to elevate or crossover, we must first adhere to the directions that instruct us to climb the ladder or build a bridge. If we are not obedient to the instructions of our teacher in Jesus Christ, there can be no promotion. That is, if we are focused on life’s ‘commotion’, we consciously subject our lives to ‘demotion.’ We cannot submit a failing body of work to our teacher and expect a passing grade.

How many times have we complained about going through the same things over and over? Why is it that we experience the same hurt, the same trials, the same wages, the same living conditions, at the same levels of the totem pole? I will answer this question by asking a question. Have you mastered GOD’s arithmetic? Do you know that sin + sin= 0 reward? Did you know obedience + faith= eternal life and increase? If you do not know this arithmetic, GOD has retained you to the 2^nd grade until you understand these numerical concepts. Rest in knowing that you have not yet failed if you’re reading this, but you have failed to acknowledge the concept. Focus on the Heavenly Father’s teachings and master His arithmetic. Seek to hear our Heavenly Father say, “Well done child, well done!”

Today’s Bible Verses:

His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:21)

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Today’s Prayer:

Heavenly Father we are subjected to pain and ridicule every day. Lord allow our focus to remain on You and Your commands so that we may one day hear You say, “Congratulations my child. You have been promoted to eternity with your Heavenly Father!” The world we live in is not an easy place to navigate, but we rely on Your Holy Spirit as a compass and a “Beacon of Light!” Thank you for your instructions and guidance. In the name of Jesus, Amen…

Invested In the Temporary

Vincenzo (Vinny) Mancini is the son of Italian immigrants who entered the United States in the mid-1940s. His family did not have much when they arrived, but his parents were seeking a peaceful place to raise their only son after leaving war behind in Italy.

Vinny’s father worked hard and eventually opened a restaurant that became popular in the Italian community of New York City, which attracted locals from the other boroughs of the city. The popularity of his father’s restaurant materialized into a few locations around the city, which allowed Vinny a privileged education.

Vinny was already a street-smart kid, but his private education catapulted his prospects of getting into Harvard University. With his hard work and the sacrifice of his loyal parents, Vinny fulfilled the aspirations and dreams of his parents when they arrive in America.

In 1967, Vinny graduated from Harvard among the top of his class, receiving both a bachelor and master’s degree in International Business. After such a huge accomplishment, he quickly became a hot commodity on Wall Street. 

Vinny wasn’t just an academically inclined rookie in the business world, he understood people at the street level because of his humble beginnings as a poor, immigrant Italian kid. This not only motivated Vinny to be the best, but it gave him a competitive edge over the new applicants who were always afforded the advantage of social capital that few are gifted with as they grow into young adults. Vinny stood out and landed a job with the biggest investment bank on Wall Street.

After working on Wall Street for ten years, Vinny felt he had learned enough about investing to venture out on his own to make his own money. Because of his proven track record as a gifted investor, Vinny was able to take a few huge accounts with him as he started his smaller business.

Vinny made millions over the years, but became a bitter person after his parents had passed away. Although he was a smart guy, it was always Vinny’s deeply religious parents that kept him grounded. He was now in the world without any direction, tons of wealth, and immeasurable power. He was one of the most successful and sought after businessmen in America.

Shortly after Vinny’s 61^st birthday, he learned that he had advanced colon cancer. As to be expected, he was devastated by the diagnosis. After being driven to his $25 million Park Avenue home, he sat in utter dismay as he gazed out over the city. He felt empty and lacking. After one moment of vulnerability, his ego stepped in and whispered to him, “My elite doctors will save me!”

Two weeks later, Vinny was checked into the hospital to begin his treatment. When he learned that the hospital was full and that he would have to share a room, he was beside himself. Vinny had donated millions to the hospital over the years and felt that he was above rooming with anyone. His assistant assured him that no other accommodations were available.

Vinny roomed with a veteran by the name of David Johnson. David was a country boy from Greenville South Carolina. After hours of silence between the two, Vinny asked David, “What are you reading?” David replied, “O’ I’m just reading a little of the ‘Good Book’ before I go lights out.” Vinny immediately checked out of the conversation by turning over and turning out the lamp next to his bed.

The following morning, David’s family came in to have breakfast with him. The moment felt awkward for Vinny being that he had no family there. They offered him food, but he looked at it as though it repulsed him, saying “I think I’ll be okay,” sarcastically.

After David’s family left, Vinny looked to him and said, “So what the hell are you dying of?” Surprised by Vinny’s inconsiderate approach, David shook his head and picked up his Bible. Vinny asked David, do you know who I am?” David replied, “You’re that rich guy who has invested in all of New York.” “That’s right, you should be more respectful when I ask you a question,” Vinny replied.

Without getting upset or losing his cool, David began asking Vinny questions.

“Mr. Mancini, can I ask you for investment advice?” This pleased Vinny that David would consult him for his investing expertise. “Sure go ahead!”

David asks, “It you know that one investment will pay slowly over time and would eventually add up to everything you wanted, while another investment will pay big for a while and sink you in the end, which one would you choose?” Vinny looked at David as though he were a leper, “Of course you take the one which sustains you slowly!”

David asks, “Mr. Mancini, can I ask you another question?” “Last one. I’m getting bored,” Vinny replies.

“What happens to all the wealth that you’ve accrued over the years when you die?” Vinny was perturbed by David’s question because the thought of death had not been allowed to enter his thought process. Vinny responded in an aggravated tone, “I don’t have to worry about that anytime soon, but you on the other hand,” as he chuckled to himself.

David responded to Vinny with a smile on his face, “Sir I don’t have much time on this earth, so I want to make something painfully clear to you.”

“Earlier you said that you would invest in things that slowly pays over time and that will pay big in the end. That Sir would make your whole life a lie! You are one of the richest men in America yet you have only things to show for it. Those things have no feelings nor can they hug you and say I love you as my family did earlier. You see I’m rich as well. My inheritance is of greater significance than yours because it is eternal and transcends the sting of death. My wealth extends to me eternal life outside of this ailing body. You can’t take your wealth with you when you die, but where I’m going there are streets of gold with a mansion with my name on it. You are rich in things that have no meaningful value, and you are as spiritually bankrupt as I am monetarily in the flesh.”

David continued, “Last night I prayed for you Mr. Mancini. I prayed that GOD grants you extended life on this earth so that you may prove your worthiness to enter into the gates of Heaven. I also prayed that you rekindle your relationships with your children so that you do not die alone as you would have had GOD not granted my prayer. You being placed in this room was no accident Mr. Mancini. It’s an opportunity for GOD to speak to you through me so that you may be instructed on how to invest in things that are eternal instead of those that are temporary. Your current wealth will perish with the earth, but your soul can be invested in Heaven’s real estate. Because my investment lies with Christ, I will be wealthy beyond death. If you adhere to GOD’s instructions today, you too will be wealthy beyond death Mr. Mancini…”

Bible Verses for Today:

19 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,

20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

24 No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:19-21, 24, 33).

Today’s Prayer:

Our Father in Heaven, the hard times or merely keeping up with those around us have made us lustful for things that bare no fruit. We seek to anchor and invest in You, because we know that our willingness to do so will yield maximum dividends in the form of eternal life with you O Lord. Thank you for the little that we have and bless our journeys with the increase that You deem fit for our lives. In the name of Jesus, Amen!

By: C.D. McCloud

Starved

Jenny is an accomplished anchor woman at a metropolitan news station in Atlanta, Georgia. She has overcome her humble beginnings of being raised in a local project. As she watched her parents settle into their surroundings, she promised herself that she would never be like her parents and those who lived around her.

Jenny excelled in high school, using her current living conditions as her motivation to be better than her peers. She abhorred her housing project and everything in it. She did not have friends where she lived. She associated the people of her housing project with her troubled environment and wanted no affiliation with them.

During Jenny’s senior year of high school, she learned that she had been awarded a full scholarship to the University of Missouri at Columbia by the university’s journalism school. Jenny had made this her goal because Missouri was ranked number one in the country for its journalism school.  She couldn’t help but think to herself, “I made it out the projects!”

As Jenny blazed through college, she disassociated herself with those back home after acquiring friendships with people who had completely different upbringings. She wanted to forget her struggles and everything that reminded her of it. Her new life, made possible through her successes in college, had become her foundation and the center of her universe. The poor little girl from an Atlanta housing project now lived in a luxury, downtown Atlanta condo.

A few years went by and Jenny was not happy. She had a luxurious lifestyle, a great job and no cares in the world. She could not figure out why she was so unhappy or why she felt so alone. She began going out to clubs, but that only comforted her temporarily. She felt as though something within her was slowly dying, which caused pain that was unfamiliar to her.

One day, Jenny went to have a cup of coffee at the Starbucks located across the street from her condo building. As Jenny sat, a woman approached her and asked if she could sit with her. Without looking up, Jenny stretched her hand out, as to gesture “please do.”

When Jenny saw the woman, she realized that the woman had a familiar face. The woman smiled and said, “Hi Jenny, its Tonya! We grew up in the same housing project.” Any other time, this would have not made Jenny feel comfortable, but she found Tonya’s presence soothing.

As the two began to catch up, Jenny began to open up about her sadness that she had been experiencing. She told Tonya about her many accomplishments and her great job. She told Tonya about the privileged men she’s dated and her foreign travels with them. Tonya waited patiently as Jenny went on about her great life. After Jenny paused, Tonya interjected.

Before Tonya began talking, she took Jenny’s hands into her own. Tonya smiled, looking Jenny directly in the eyes as she said to her, “Clothes your eyes Jenny…”

Tonya began praying, asking that GOD guide her words as she speak His words to Jenny. As Tonya went on praying, Jenny felt her body warming up. As she was listening to Tonya’s prayer, she began thinking of the many times that she walked past Tonya in the projects without acknowledging her; she thought of the mother and father that she no longer communicated with; she thought of little girls in the projects that could have benefited from her mentorship and encouragement after returning from college; in that moment, tears poured from her eyes. GOD had opened Jenny’s eyes and released her pain through a steady stream of tears. Jenny was now ready to receive GOD’s words through Tonya.

Tonya told Jenny that the enemy had used her upbringing as a motivation to achieve things that gave no glory to GOD. "The enemy prepared a table before you, knowing that you would indulge in it due to your lack of privilege as a little girl; as the enemy anticipated, you ate from Satan’s table. After partaking of his feast, you became full of the world, thus nurturing everything that is not of GOD. You in the flesh became robust while simultaneously starving GOD’s spirit within you."

Tonya went on saying, “You see Jenny, when we fail to nourish GOD’s Holy Spirit within us, it begins to starve like our flesh without bread. As our flesh becomes weak without bread, so too does our inner spirit without the implementation of the Word of GOD into our spiritual diets.”

Brethren, we must nourish our spirit daily with the Word of GOD, lest our spirit wither in weakness. We are not equipped to battle the enemy if our spirit suffers from malnutrition. GOD has prepared a table before us; may all of our cups runneth over! Let’s eat brothers and sisters.

Bible verses for today:

1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 

² After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 

³ The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:1-4).’

Today’s prayer:

Our Father in Heaven, provide for us an endless feast of Your words and wisdom, that we may be forever strengthened in our battles with the enemy. Satan tempts us with the world, things that our flesh deeply desires. Strengthen our spirits O Lord, that we overcome our fleshly urges. In the name of Your Son Jesus, Amen…

By: C.D. McCloud 

Glass House

As Christians, we have been given a perfect role model, example and teacher by our Heavenly Father in the form of Jesus Christ.

When Jesus walked the earth, he spoke prophetic messages, gave encouraging words and preached to the masses about eternal salvation with GOD our Father in Heaven. Jesus’ words were not focused upon destruction, but instead the construction of man.

Jesus’ purpose on earth was to erase our sin and teach his followers to be fishers of man. Surely Jesus did not change the world by speaking hastily to His would-be followers; instead he was revered for His humility, meekness, kindness, and soft words of encouragement. Jesus was then and is today, The Son of GOD. That being said, Jesus could have chosen to become a man of arrogance under his privileged circumstances, yet He chose to be obedient and demonstrate what GOD expects from all of His children.

Jesus was perfect, but was so by example. Subsequent to becoming a Christian, we too should be Christ-like by example.

In order to become an effective fisher of man, we must take on the characteristics of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Humility, meekness, kindness, and the utilization of encouragement are all characteristics that are needed; however, it is of the utmost importance that we exclude negative judgement and superiority from our Christian lives. After all, we can catch more bees with honey.

Judgement has become one of the biggest turnoffs to Christianity. Those who seek a walk with Christ are discouraged from church attendance because of the whispers throughout the pews. They are afraid to seek the counsel of those in Christ, fearing the imminent suffocation of ridicule. Today, Christianity is thought of as harsh, judgmental, and hateful. Truth be told, we are obligated to change this growing perception.

Man can be held accountable for his or her sin without being judged and scrutinized by Christian brethren. We all have faults and past skeletons in our closets. Why casts stones when we all live in glass houses? It certainly was not the way of Jesus. Jesus did not waste his words by magnifying the faults in man. He chose to shed light on the prospects of what a man can become by following His lead. Should that not be the focus of all GOD’s fisherman?

Christians do not aim to devalue the character of their fellow brethren. Christians will not speak ill of their brethren in private circles. Christians would not discourage the participation of assembly for those who live in sin. Christians would not maliciously threaten the depths of hell to those who have strayed from a Godly path. Christians would not judge man in a way that Jesus did not.

The world is an evil place and Christians should be a shining example of the love Jesus has for us. When we meet our brethren in the street, focus not on his or her faults; instead, we should see our own transgressions in them prior to our walk with Christ. Not only will this place restraint on our quickness to come to judgement, it will also allow our brethren to receive us in a proper, Christian light. 

Do not illuminate the faults of your brethren; speak on what it is you know best. That is, speak to your brethren about how Christ delivered you from all of your sins and made you whole again. Speak of redemption in a life with Christ. This bodes much better results than the traditional speeches of hellfire.

No matter what a person does or has done in his or her personal life, Christ is forgiveness! He died on the cross for our sins and loves us all deeply. This does not mean that we are not held accountable for our sins on the day of judgement. It means that our focus should be placed upon offering a hand to our brethren who is lost in the world. Be a Beacon of Light to those in darkness today and forever more. Most importantly, remember that we all live in Glass Houses and he that is without sin, cast the first stone (John 8:7).

Bible Scriptures for Today:

1“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 

² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

³ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

Today’s Prayer:

Heavenly Father, in a world that has become so dark, we are quick to see only the darkness in others. Lord help us to revert to the examples of Your son Jesus by demonstrating kindness and speaking words of encouragement and construction. Place it in our hearts to be loving toward one another and rid us of our judgmental spirits. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen…

By: C.D. McCloud

The Goalie

Richard and his 12 year-old son Danny are huge sports fans. They were very excited when Jacksonville acquired its own pro soccer team.

Danny was excited about the first game, being that his father had gotten tickets for them to attend the inaugural celebratory game. Danny couldn’t sleep the night before.

When they arrived to the stadium the following afternoon, the stadium was filled with joy and excitement. There were mascots and cheerleaders running about the field during pregame warm-ups as the music blared from the stadium’s speakers. Danny was awed by the environment.

When the game began, Danny noticed that a lot of the action happened in the middle of the field. He also realized that the goalie was not involved in a lot of the commotion that took place during the game. He continued to watch the goalies at each ends of the field and realized that goalies were only engaged when the team of opposition approached the area that could lead to a score. Danny also noticed that for the majority of the time, the players were so occupied with advancing the ball around the opposition in the middle of the field that very seldom did either team have a real shot of scoring a goal.

On the ride home, Danny articulated his observations to his father. Because Richard taught Bible Study at his church, he used Danny’s observations to articulate a message in his next Bible meeting.

Richard iterated to his class the importance of responsibility and accountability on our daily walks with Christ. He began speaking on how we often make excuses for our iniquities and use the enemy as a scapegoat for our shortcomings. He added that we blame Satan for our downward spirals into sin when that should not be the case.

You see brothers and sisters, the world can be seen as a soccer field. The commotion happens in the middle of the field. Satan strategically places temptations and influence onto the field that serves as his opposition to all. We become so focused upon what’s in the middle of the field that we forget about the goals that lay at the ends of the field.

As does the goalies in a soccer game, Satan is completely disengaged while we are busy fighting battles in the middle of the playing field. Satan is powerless and manipulative, yet we give him all the credit for our defeat. We frequently say cliché things such as “The devil sure is busy”, but the truth of the matter is, we are just as busy!

GOD loved us so much that He gave us our own free will to choose. Satan is not allowed to do anything that GOD does not do himself. Satan doesn’t make us commit sin, we make us commit sin. Life is a soccer field of oppositions that were created to distract us from reaching the goal. When we get in scoring distance, which is walking with Christ, the goalie (i.e. Satan) becomes actively engaged in blocking the success of our goal.

Most of us are not even close to the goal. We are still occupied by the distractions in the middle of the field, thus receiving no real attention from the goalie himself. We are of no threat to the goalie as long as we fail to navigate the temptations and influence that lie in wait at the middle of the field. The goalie engages those who are a threat to score. In other words, we are not on Satan’s radar if we are still fighting battles in the middle of the field.

Sins, like most things, are decisions that we make. Satan does not force us to do anything because it’s against the rules of the game. We should be focused on putting ourselves in scoring distance and not blaming the goalie for doing his job. If the goalie is not engaged, then we are far from reaching the goal. Become a threat to score today!

Today’s Bible Verses:

³ And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 

⁴ The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

 ⁵ For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 

⁶ For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:3-6)

My Prayer For You Today:

Heavenly Father, we seek Your light in this dark world. May Your Holy Spirit be a light unto our paths, that we may successfully navigate our way to Your Glory. The enemy has Your faithful on his radar. We ask that You arm us with your armor O Lord that we defeat the enemy and his army. In Jesus name, Amen…

By: C.D. McCloud