Tend to Your Own Garden!

Garden: A place for growing things.

We can't spend all of our time tending to other people's garden and leaving our garden unattended. Of course, I'm speaking of our Spiritual Garden here - our hearts. We don't always mean to get wrapped up in other people's gardens, we're usually just trying to help - by trying to comfort, give advice, or just lend an ear a little more than we should. What we're forgetting in those moments is that the Lord doesn't need our help - everything and everybody is in the Lord's eyesight and under His control. We must allow God to fulfill His great purpose in their lives, and stay focused and pray that He will do the same in our lives. I'm not saying that we should NEVER get involved in other people's lives, because it's wonderful to help others - when appropriate. What I'm saying is that we shouldn't get consumed to the point that we neglect spending quality time with the Lord getting those un-Christ-like things out of our hearts.

Let's take a look at Moses; Moses spent so much of his time in the camp among the people trying to work out their issues. The word tells us in Exodus 18:13, "…that Moses sat to judge the people and the people stood by Moses from morning unto the evening." He spent so much time working out their issues that he didn't deal with his. These same people caused him to miss going into Canaan's land and some of them got to go in! Moses missed it because he was so angry with them, he disobeyed God. Numbers 20:8 tell us how the Lord told Moses to "speak ye unto the rock," but Moses lifted up his hand, and with the rod he smote the rock twice. Perhaps if he had spent more time working in his garden (his heart), pulling out the weeds of anger, things might have gone differently. Think about it for a minute - some of the people he spent his time helping went into the promise land and all he got to do was look over into it. That's not to say that Moses wasn't a good leader - because he definitely was - it's just an example to let us know that we should not spend so much time taking care of other people's gardens and leaving ours undone.

It's imperative that we stay focused on our gardens, so we don't allow anger, bitterness, and evil thoughts take root and start growing. Just like in the natural, if we don't keep our gardens chopped and well-tended to, weeds, wild vines, and grass will take root and grow all over the place. Remember, God is a Sovereign God. He knows exactly what others need, as well as He knows what we are in need of. Let's be sure to set aside some quality time and energy to nurture our relationship with the Lord.

With all that said, let the Church say amen… and Amen!

God Always Has a Ram in the Bush!

My friends, trust me when I say that God ALWAYS has a ram in the bush! A ram in the bush is that moment when unexpected help shows up right at the time you need it; just when you think there is no hope. God always has a ram in the bush. Our job is to have the trust (complete confidence) in God that Abraham had.

Most of us know the story of when Abraham was asked to offer his son up as a burnt-offering. Verse 3 of Genesis 22 says; "And Abraham rose up early in the morning... and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him." You don’t see anywhere in the scriptures where Abraham questioned God, he simply did what he was asked/told to do. The story continues in verse 9: "And they came to the place which God had told him of, Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood." as Abraham stretched forth his hand to slay his son, verse 11 tells us, "the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. and he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him." Imagine the relief when "Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt-offering in the stead of his son." Don’t you know that was just when Isaac thought there was no hope, God had a ram in the bush. Just as He provided the ram for him, He will do the same for me and you.

Another example is Moses. Exodus 2:2-9 tells the story of when Moses was born. When his mother saw that he was a goodly (beautiful) child, she hid him for three months. "When she could no longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river brink." His sister stood afar off, to see what would be done to him. At the perfect time, the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and she saw the ark among the flags, and sent her maid to fetch it. When she saw the child and he wept, she had compassion on him, and said, this is one of the Hebrews children. Imagine the relief  when Moses' sister saw this and said to Pharaoh's daughter, shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women that she may nurse the child and Pharaoh's daughter told her to go. Moses' sister was then able to go and called their own mother to nurse him. Now, look at how good God is! His mother was able to nurse and care for him and Pharaoh's daughter paid her to do so! Moses' ram (and his mother's) was Pharaoh's daughter. Despite the fact that Pharaoh had said, "every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive," Moses' life was spared and his very own mother was able to tend to him.

We all know this, but sometime we need a little reminder: God is omnipresent. He will be there for you just in the nick of time and right on time to provide you with whatever kind of ram you need. Your ram could be your friend, a stranger who's kind to you in the grocery store, your neighbor, or even your very own mother - just have faith and trust that whatever you have need of, God always has a ram in the bush!

With all that's said, let the Church say Amen... and Amen!

Mother Prayed

I heard my Grandmother say many times; "Give me my flowers while I yet live, so that I may see the beauty of them." You know, once our moms are no longer with us, flowers (and anything else we might do for them) are really of no avail to them. So it's important that we be mindful to show the Moms in our lives how much we love and appreciate them everyday - not just this Sunday on Mother's Day!

Today, your showing of appreciation could be a simple phone call that goes like that famous song, "I just called to say I love you!" It could be some kind words like, "Mother, I appreciate you and all the sacrifices you made for me," that are said exactly when she needs them. Or maybe it's a nice surprise she receives in the mail like her favorite perfume or a bouquet of flowers that brings a smile to her face. Of course, you can never go wrong with green backs. Whatever you decide to do, never miss out on the chance to tell your Mom just how special she is - because she truly is. Without her, there would be no you!

With that, I would like to share this poem, written by our resident poet, Ms. Shonta Alexander. Be blessed, my friends and Happy Mother's Day to you all!

MOTHER PRAYED

When I think of my mom on this Mother’s day

I think of all the things that I would lovingly say

Like thanks for your concerns and all your prayers

Not just for me but for all your heirs

You went without food so that we all could eat

You made sure we came first and you took the backseat

You dealt with so much pain just to get us up and grown

Then by the grace of God you moved out on your own

Everything you did, you did it for us

You never complained; you never caused a fuss

How grateful I am when I look back today

On how you sacrificed and how you made a way

For us to grow strong, Independent and smart

To not just be good but to have a good heart

Late one night thru the crack of your door

I saw you bowed onto the floor

Down on your knees in a special way

Thanking the Lord for another day

Another day your children survived

By the grace of God, is still alive

And from then on, I would always say

My mother prayed for me both night and day.