Garbage - Let it Go! by Nancy Soulemana

Have you ever held onto something that you know wasn’t good for you? Why, why hold onto it? What is so significant about this thing The Holy Spirit is telling you to let go of? What does it remind you of?

While driving one day with my windows down I noticed a beautiful breeze. As I drove, I began to smell something awful. What is that? I just couldn’t shake the odor. Then, I realized there was a bright orange garbage truck in front of me. I was so mesmerized by the color, I didn’t realize it was a garbage truck.

I stayed behind the garbage truck because I did not realize that it was a garbage truck . Once I realized what it was, I became conscious, removed myself. drove around the truck and went my way. I no longer thought about the old. I focused on where I was going. I let the garbage go!

Just like our lives. We want something so badly, we chase after it. Eventually, we realize that it isn’t the right thing for us. According to Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ, and no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” The old man has died. We should no longer desire the things of old. There are times however where the old will chase us.

While writing this message, the truck came back! At that moment, I realized something. We are all assigned jobs. In life, we all have an occupation. Teacher, mother, doctor, be that as it may be we all have jobs. So just as we have a job, the enemy has a job as well. But as we know our God is greater! All we must do is put our lives in His hands. James 4:7 states, “Submit yourselves, then to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Once you let the garbage go, don’t pick it back up! What the enemy uses for distraction, turn to inspiration. Romans 8:28, “And we know All Things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.”

The old man has died and we are a new creation in Christ. Don’t pick up the old. Let the garbage go! And if it does reappear, you tell that garbage who your God is!

Light or Dark?

I recently had an eye opening experience with an optometrist. When asked if my vision had changed since my exam two years ago, I excitedly reported that I could see very well. Humbly, the optometrist said, let’s confirm that.

To my dismay, the optometrist informed me that the exam proved my vision had actually gotten worse. Stunned, I began to think about my time at work. I recalled that I no longer recognize faces from far away as I walk our massive hallways. In fact, I stopped trying to make out faces and adjusted to the blur of darkness when people approached me from a distant.

This revelation caused me to think about my spiritual life. Were there other ways in which I had adjusted to darkness?

The word “tolerance” came to mind. It’s a buzz word these days. But what am I, what are we as Christians tolerating in our aim to appear normal. Are we adjusting to darkness?

We must be vigilant in our efforts to not only walk in the light, but to be “light”. “For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:8-10 NASB)

So how can we be Light? Just what does that look like? I’m glad you asked. It’s just like Jesus to not only tell us what we should be, but to also tell us “how”.

Are you ready?

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.” (Ephesians 5:1-4 NIV)

Let’s not adjust to darkness in efforts to be “tolerant” in a society that calls darkness light and light darkness. “Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,

“Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

Ephesians 5:11-14 NLT

Happy You Year by Christina Calvache

A few days before the New Year, I saw a bill board that exclaimed, “Happy YOU Year!” It felt good to say to myself “Happy You Year”. So this year, 2019, I’m saying, “HAPPY YOU YEAR” to you.

Happy You Year!

You are marvelous (Psalm 139:14 nkjv) You are God’s special possession (1 Peter2:9), You are anointed (1 John 2:27), You are free (John 8:36), You are blameless (Col 1:22) You are Chosen (John 15:16)…

Happy -You!

Singer Kim Walker challenged her audience to ask God, “What were you thinking when you made me?”. If you knew His answer, you would see yourself so differently. Seeing yourself through the eyes of God would make a Happy-You! I don’t know what God was thinking when he made you, but I do know that He rejoices over You and sings loudly over You (Zephaniah 3:17). He thinks about you more than the number of grains of sand (Psalm 139). Visualize grabbing a handful of sand and letting it sift through your fingers, imagine each one representing a time God thought of you. How Happy-You would be knowing what God was thinking when he created you.

You-Year!

This year, make it a You-Year. Discover more of who God made You to Be. Ephesians 2:10 says, “We are His (God’s) workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, and that we should walk in them”. Before He “fearfully and wonderfully” made you, He wrote in His book, the plans he had for you every day of your life (Psalm 13914-16). Take the time this year to discover His daily plan for you.

You-Year!