Celebrating the Spirit of Memorial Day!

We salute the men and women of the military, who lost their lives and served our country, the United States of America. Let us observe, honor and remember the true meaning of why Memorial Day was established and for whom it was established for.  Read more…

Preparing For Judgment Day?

We are on the heels of yet another prediction about the world coming to an end. It is no doubt that these are indeed turbulent times we are living in. There are wars occurring all around the world, debts are high, suffering surrounds us and natural disasters are appearing to be more violent than ever before. We watch the aftermath of lives shattered, homes lost and the interruption of life as we once knew it forever changed. We pray for the victims as well as the survivors. If we read, study the Word of God and strive to live obediently however, we will understand the lessons Jesus taught His Disciples. These are lessons that we need to learn in order to survive today.

If we would meditate on the 13th chapter of Mark in the New Testament for example, Jesus made some distinctive points about the Great Tribulation. Beginning in the 5th verse, He told His Disciples to be careful because many shall come in His name and deceive numerous people by leading them astray. There will be wars and rumors of wars, but the end shall not yet be, although these things exist. However, even more significantly are the words echoed in the 32nd and 33rd verses: “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.” (KJV)

We are witnessing a dangerous display of extremism in so many facets of life and the religious sector is not immune to it. Many who flank top leadership roles in our churches, cathedrals and synagogues are manipulating the Word of God by preaching it to those who will listen, but do not understand the oracles of truth. Such leaders who lead others astray will be held accountable for their actions. Should we take the end times lightly? Absolutely not! We do not know when “our” personal end times will occur, but it behooves us to live righteously, heed the warnings, watch and pray at all times.

People often scratch their heads in bewilderment, not fully understanding how those in the midst of losing all of their earthly possessions, while standing in the rubble of what appears to be a hopeless situation, proclaim to be blessed. Yet, we fail to recognize that we are blessed in so many ways, but do not thank God as sufficiently and as often as we should. We tend to take people and things for granted until something tragic happens when these things are gone forever.

Will there be more predictions of the rapture, Judgment Day and the end of time? Most certainly. However, we must remember that we are not the authors of this book, but participators with a divine purpose. We must put our focus on living and giving, instead of manipulating and using scare tactics to flex our “know it all” muscles. We must pray for those who are held captive by putting their faith and trust in a counterfeit man, instead of choosing to be free by trusting, obeying and embracing the Word of the LORD.

 

Do You Need Roadside Assistance?

Before we had the convenience of the ever-popular GPS, everyone had to depend on a roadmap to plan the best routes to get to their various out-of-town destinations. I remember hearing several comedians talk about how men would not stop to ask for directions no matter how lost they were. If the wife told her husband to stop and ask for directions, he would adamantly blurt out “I know where I’m going!” Have you heard that one before?

Ultimately, a trip that would probably take an hour or two, turned into an all day expedition. At some point, you have to stop and ask for roadside assistance. Otherwise, you will find yourself wandering around aimlessly, because you have no idea which way to go and you’re too stubborn to ask for directions. Everyone has a purpose and assignment from God, like road signs along the highway. If we never experienced or prepared for a trip (especially an extended one), then how can we possibly be certified to give roadside assistance to others seeking directions through their journey?

Our support system recycles energy to supply the necessary fuel needed to empower our spirits. We will hit a few potholes every now and then during our journey, but that’s a part of our spiritual growth. Oftentimes, an unexpected dilemma temporarily zaps us of our energy. Study your roadmap (The Holy Bible) and if you run into an unexpected roadblock, be prepared to take a detour. There will always be a plot to ambush you and your mission, but we must remember that God will have a backup plan and an escape route in place when we call on Him. That’s why everyone is equipped with a GPS, not a Global Positioning System, but a God Positioning System. Just pay attention and watch for His “Exit This Way” sign.

(except taken from “Diversities of Gifts: Same Spirit”)
http://www.kymgmoore.com/

Happy Mother’s Day!

“The mother's heart is the child's schoolroom.”
~ Henry Ward Beecher

To mothers past and present, we celebrate you today. We look to our mothers to care for us, protect us and be the nurse or doctor for our ailments and woundedness. Mother’s Day isn’t the only time we celebrate our mothers. We celebrate their maternal embrace, guidance and prayers at some moment and time every day.

If you were not fortunate enough to have a mother who was that nurturer and God-made creature that you hoped she would have been, then you have the will power to do things differently and be the mother creature that God purposed you to be. To all of our mothers, grandmothers, aunts, stepmothers, Godmothers, sisters, nieces and female friends, Happy Mother’s Day!

To the fathers who had to unexpectedly step in the position of being the maternal figure in the absence of a mother, for whatever reasons, we celebrate you on this day as well. Parenting is not an easy task, for there is not an owner's or instruction manual that comes with a child. When we look to the word of God for guidance and help however, we will find that He will provide the correct answers that we need to be the mothers and fathers that we are supposed to be.

Happy Mother's Day!

Celebrating National Day of Prayer

We cannot ask God to bless America if we do not acknowledge and allow God in. Today, we celebrate National Day of Prayer. Although I will be among the thousands of people engaging in a day of prayer, we must not resolve to celebrate this day only on one day of the year. Can you imagine if the hundreds of thousands of people who are participating in some type of service, ceremony or event on today commit to seeking God’s guidance and obeying His statues every single day of the year, I truly believe that our country would be able to overcome many of our trials and tribulations that we are facing today.

Here is a little bit of history behind this designated National Day of Prayer:

Since the first call to prayer in 1775, when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation, the call to prayer has continued through our history, including President Lincoln’s proclamation of a day of “humiliation, fasting, and prayer” in 1863. In 1952, a joint resolution by Congress, signed by President Truman, declared an annual, national day of prayer. In 1988, the law was amended and signed by President Reagan, permanently setting the day as the first Thursday of every May. Each year, the president signs a proclamation, encouraging all Americans to pray on this day. Last year, all 50 state governors plus the governors of several U.S. territories signed similar proclamations.

As a child of God, and believer in Jesus Christ, prayer is a vital part of our heritage. Let us pray for all of our leaders from the President of the United States to the pulpit. Let us pray for our children, families and friends. Let us pray for our local, state and global neighbors. Let us pray for the homeless and destitute. Let us pray for the abused, falsely accused and the wayward. Let us even pray for our enemies and believe that God will have mercy on them and that they will convert to doing the will of God Almighty. There are many who do not believe that there is a God of Creation and of this Universe. For these individuals, we will pray for you too.

The National Day of Prayer belongs to of us. It is a day that transcends differences, bringing together American citizens from all backgrounds. There will be those who will protest against this day of observance, but those of us who commit to daily prayer must make our voices resound even louder. Make every day a National Day of Prayer! God Bless!

Happy May Day!

Has the May Day celebration become extinct? May 1st is designated as May Day. I do not know if kids still celebrate May Day by wrapping ribbons around the May pole like the one we used to do when I was growing up, but the nostalgia of the event was unforgettable. It also gave us the opportunity to get outside and enjoy the weather.

The original purpose of May Day, the Maypole and rituals surrounding it was to celebrate the fertility of the new season's crops. Trees are linked to a part of the celebration and have always been symbolic of the great energy and fertility of nature. Some people took the word “fertility” literally and the holiday became a time of reckless sexual behavior. Over time, the emphasis on agriculture in which May Day was initially observed and celebrated, began to diminish rapidly.

In many cultures, May Day is remembered differently and for a variety of reasons. In some countries, it is a national holiday, while others commemorate the day as a celebration of spring, a saint’s feast day, a day for organized labor or used for political protests.

The tradition of celebrating May Day entailed dancing and singing around a maypole that was tied with colorful ribbons or streamers. We celebrated May Day by moving around the pole, holding our end of the colorful streamer and singing. The top of the Maypole was adorned with flowers or some type of decoration indicative of the celebration. Typically a May Queen is chosen and sometimes a May King. Although our reason for celebrating May Day escapes me right now, we were just ecstatic about having a reason to get outside and celebrate the essence of spring.

Happy May Day!